2 Samuel i. 26. I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan:
very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful,
passing the love of women.

Passing the love of woman! That is a hard saying. What love can
pass that? Yet David doubtless spoke truth. He was a man who must
have had reason enough to know what woman's love was like; and when
he said that the love of Jonathan for him passed even that, he
bestowed on his friend praise which will be immortal.

The name of Jonathan will remain for ever as the perfect pattern of
friendship.

Let us think a little to-day over his noble character and his
tragical history. It will surely do us good. If it does nothing
but make us somewhat ashamed of ourselves, that is almost the best
thing which can happen to us or to any man.

We first hear of Jonathan as doing a very gallant deed. We might
expect as much. It is only great-hearted men who can be true
friends; mean and cowardly men can never know what friendship means.

The Israelites were hidden in thickets, and caves, and pits, for
fear of the Philistines, when Jonathan was suddenly inspired to
attack a Philistine garrison, under circumstances seemingly
desperate. 'And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his
armour-bearer made, was about twenty men, within, as it were, an
half-acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plough.'

That is one of those little hints which shews that the story is