David loved Jonathan and, from the day they met, David was loved in return, with a love which has virtually defined the meaning of friendship down through the generations. "The soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul." - 1 Samuel 18:1

The difficulty was that Jonathan was Saul's son and heir. Jonathan was to be the next king of Israel, following his father, King Saul. God had disinherited Jonathan, dethroned Saul, and sent Samuel to anoint David King of Israel - but Saul and Jonathan didn't know that yet. Oh, Saul knew there was something wrong with this boy-warrior who had appeared out of nowhere, who had won the adulation of the crowds, the loyalty of Saul's son Jonathan, and the love of Saul's daughter Michal, who became David's wife. Saul …