The Friend Who Gave Away His Crown

David came up from the valley with Goliath's head still in his hand, and King Saul wanted to know whose son he was.

"The son of your servant Jesse, from Bethlehem," said David.

Saul's son Jonathan was listening. He was the prince, and one day the crown would be his. But by the time David finished speaking, Jonathan loved him as much as his own life. He made a covenant with David, a promise made before God that you never take back. Then he took off his royal robe and put it on David. He gave him his armor, his sword, his bow, and his belt.

On the way home, women danced out with tambourines, singing, "Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!"

Saul's face went dark. "Ten thousands for David, and only thousands for me? Next they will give him the kingdom!"

Soon, while David played the harp, Saul hurled his spear. "I'll pin him to the wall!" David dodged, twice. Later Saul sent soldiers for him. David's wife Michal, Saul's daughter, let him down through a window and tucked a household idol into his bed with goat hair on its head. (The soldiers pulled back the blanket and found a statue in a wig.)

David ran to Jonathan. "Why does your father want to kill me? There is only one step between me and death!"

"Whatever you ask, I will do it," said Jonathan.

So they made a plan. David would hide by a big stone in the field, and Jonathan would shoot arrows for a boy to fetch. If Jonathan shouted that the arrows were farther on, David had to run.

"When the LORD has beaten all your enemies," Jonathan said, "never stop being kind to my family."

At the feast of the New Moon, David's seat stayed empty. On the second night Saul exploded. "As long as the son of Jesse lives, you will never be king! Bring him here. He must die!"

"Why should he die?" said Jonathan. "What has he done?"

Saul threw his spear at his own son.

Next morning Jonathan took a boy to the field and shot an arrow far past him. "Isn't the arrow farther on?" he shouted. "Hurry! Go fast! Don't stop!" (The boy ran home with the arrows and never knew he had carried a secret message.)

David came out and bowed to the ground three times. The friends kissed each other and cried, and David cried hardest.

"Go in peace," said Jonathan. "We have promised in the LORD's name. The LORD is witness between us, and between our children, forever."

So David went off into the hills, and Jonathan walked back to town.

Jonathan gave away a robe, a sword, and a crown that should have been his. But he could not go with David into the hills. All a prince could do was say goodbye in a field.

Years went by. David became king, and then God promised him a greater King from his own family.

Then God's own Son took off his glory like a royal robe and came down to live among his friends. He made them a forever promise, as Jonathan had. "No one has greater love than this," he told them, "to lay down his life for his friends." Angry leaders wanted him dead, the way Saul wanted David dead, and he did not run. He died on a cross for them, and on the third day he rose. Jonathan had to say goodbye in a field, but Jesus told his friends, "I am with you always."