LESSON 42

Brave and Loyal Jonathan

Brave and Loyal Jonathan

King Saul’s oldest son, Jonathan, was a brave warrior. David said that Jonathan was faster than an eagle and stronger than a lion. One day Jonathan saw 20 Philistine soldiers on a hill. He said to his armor-bearer: ‘We will attack them only if Jehovah gives us a sign. If the Philistines tell us to come up, then we know to attack.’ The Philistines shouted: ‘Come up and fight!’ So the two men climbed up the hill and conquered the soldiers.

Because he was Saul’s oldest son, Jonathan would have been next in line to be king. But Jonathan knew that Jehovah had chosen David to be the next king of Israel; yet, he was not jealous. Jonathan and David became close friends. They promised to protect and defend each other. Jonathan  gave David his own coat, sword, bow, and belt as a sign of friendship.

When David was running away from Saul, Jonathan went to him and said: ‘Be strong, and have courage. Jehovah has chosen you to be king. Even my father knows that.’ Would you like to have a good friend like Jonathan?

More than once, Jonathan risked his life to help his friend. He knew that King Saul wanted to kill David, so he said to his father: ‘It would be a sin for you to kill David; he has done nothing wrong.’ Saul was furious with Jonathan. Some years later, Saul and Jonathan died together in battle.

After Jonathan died, David searched for Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth. When David found him, he told Mephibosheth: ‘Because your father was a good friend to me, I will take care of you for the rest of your life. You will live in my palace and eat at my table.’ David never forgot his friend Jonathan.

“Love one another just as I have loved you. No one has love greater than this, that someone should surrender his life in behalf of his friends.”​—John 15:12, 13

 IRUẸMWI 42

E Jonatan–Ọmwa Nọ Mwẹ Udinmwẹ Kevbe Ẹkoata

E Jonatan–Ọmwa Nọ Mwẹ Udinmwẹ Kevbe Ẹkoata

E Jonatan ẹre ọ ghaa re ovbi Ọba e Sọl ne ọdiọn. Ovbiyokuo nọ mwẹ udinmwẹ ẹre Jonatan ghaa khin. E Devid keghi kha wẹẹ, okhian kẹ e Jonatan sẹ oghohọn kevbe wẹẹ ọ wegbe sẹ oduma. Vbe ọ ghi rre ẹdẹ ọkpa, e Jonatan keghi miẹn ivbiyokuo e Filistin eso vbe uhunmwu oke ọkpa. E Jonatan keghi tama ọguọmwadia ọghẹe nọ viọ emwi igbinna lelẹe wẹẹ: ‘E Jehova gha rhie ama ne ima, ẹre ima khian na gu Ivbi e Filistin na gbinna. Iran gha wẹẹ ne ima bu iran gha dee, ma ghi gu iran gbinna.’ Ẹre Ivbi e Filistin na ghi khama iran wẹẹ: ‘Wa larre ne uwa do gu ima gbinna!’ E Jonatan kevbe ọguọmwadia ẹre keghi hin oke nii ya gu iran gbinna. Iran keghi gbele orhunmwu 20 vbe ivbiyokuo e Filistin.

E Jonatan ẹre ọ te khẹke nọ rriọba lele Sọl, zẹvbe ọmọ ọdiọn. Sokpan ọ rẹnrẹn wẹẹ, e Jehova zẹ e Devid nọ gha re ọmwa nọ khian ghi rriọba yan Ivbi Izrẹl; ọrheyerriọ, ọ ma gha gbọvo e Devid. E Jonatan vbe Devid na ghi khian ọse ne kankankan. Iran keghi ru eyan ma egbe wẹẹ, te iran  khian gha ru iyobọ ne egbe kevbe wẹẹ, iran gha vbe gha sinmwi oseghe ne egbe. E Jonatan keghi rhie ẹwu, umozo, uhanbọ kevbe ukugba ọghẹe ne Devid ne ọ ya rhiẹre ma wẹẹ, ọse kankankan ẹre irẹn vbe Devid khin.

Vbe Sọl ghi khu e Devid khian, e Jonatan keghi tama e Devid wẹẹ: ‘Ghẹ gi ohan muẹn, gha mwẹ udinmwẹ. E Jehova ma ruẹ ọba nẹ. Uhiẹn erha mwẹ vbe rẹn wẹẹ, uwẹ ẹre ọ khian gha re ọba.’ Uwẹ vbe hoo ne u gha mwẹ ọse nọ maan vbe na ghee Jonatan ra?

Ẹi re avbiẹ inugba e Jonatan mu arrọọ ọghẹe ye ikpadede nọ ya miẹn e Devid fan. Ọ rẹnrẹn wẹẹ erhae ighẹ Ọba e Sọl ghaa hoo nọ gbe Devid rua. Ẹre Jonatan na ghi tama erhae wẹẹ: ‘U gha gbe Devid rua, te u rri abe esagiẹn rhunmwuda e Devid ma rẹn ọkpa rẹn eva.’ Rhunmwuda ọna, e Sọl kegha mu ohu e Jonatan. Ukpo eso ghi gberra, e Sọl vbe Jonatan keghi wu vbe okuo.

Vbe Jonatan ghi wu nẹ, e Devid na ya gualọ ovbi e Jonatan ighẹ e Mẹfibosiẹt. Vbe Devid ghi miẹn e Mẹfibosiẹt, ọ na tama rẹn wẹẹ: ‘Ke ẹdẹnẹrẹ kpa, te I khian gha koko ruẹ rhunmwuda wẹẹ erha maan mẹ gbe. Ẹguaẹ mwẹ ẹre u khian gha ye. Eke ọkpa ẹre ima khian na gha rri evbare.’ E Devid ma mianmian ọsiọre ighẹ e Jonatan.

“Wa gha ho ẹmwẹ egbe zẹ vbene imẹ ho ẹmwẹ uwa. Ahoẹmwọmwa ne ọ ghi kpọlọ sẹ, ne ọmwa gha sẹtin mwẹ ghe avbe esiọre, ọre ne ọ wu ba ẹmwẹ iran.”—Jọn 15:12, 13