One of the great stories of friendship in the scriptures is the relationship between Jonathan and David. Jonathan was the son of King Saul and presumptive heir to the throne. David had been anointed by the prophet Samuel to succeed Saul. They had every reason to be adversaries, yet we read that “the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul” (1 Samuel 18:1). They expressed that love as a formal commitment to one another. “Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul” (1 Samuel 18:3). Jonathan gave David his princely robes, perhaps conveying his acceptance of David’s role as successor to his father (1 Samuel 18:4).
Multiple times, Jonathan interceded on behalf of David, saving him from the wrath of his father. On one occasion, Jonathan warned David that it was not safe to come back to Saul’s home and sent him away. On that occasion, David “fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded” (1 Samuel 20:41).
Later as David and his army avoided the armies of the king, Jonathan found David in the wilderness. He encouraged David with these words:
Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.
1 Samuel 23:17
They renewed their covenant with one another “before the Lord,” reinforcing their relationship even as David remained in the wilderness and Jonathan returned to his home (1 Samuel 23:18).
When Jonathan and his father later died in battle, David was devastated. “How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!” he cried. “O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. 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” (2 Samuel 1:25-26). Thereafter, David showed particular kindness to Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth in honor of his dear friend and in fulfillment of their covenant (2 Samuel 9; 21:7).
The Book of Mormon also tells a story of a deep friendship. Alma and the sons of King Mosiah were allies in apostasy. They worked together “stealing away the hearts of the people; causing much dissension among the people; … seeking to destroy the church” (Mosiah 27:9-10). But after their miraculous conversion, they all worked diligently “to repair all the injuries which they had done to the church” (Mosiah 27:35). Alma became the high priest and the first chief judge — the successor to King Mosiah when all of his sons refused the throne (Mosiah 29:3, 42). The sons of Mosiah — Ammon, Aaron, Omner, and Himni — traveled to the land of their enemies as missionaries (Mosiah 28:1-8). Fourteen years later, they were reunited. We read about this joyful reunion twice, once from Alma’s perspective, and once from the perspective of the sons of Mosiah:
As Alma was journeying from the land of Gideon southward, away to the land of Manti, behold, to his astonishment, he met with the sons of Mosiah journeying towards the land of Zarahemla.
Alma 17:1-3
Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.
But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.
Alma was overjoyed to see his old friends and even more so to see their spiritual growth during their years of separation (see also Alma 29:14-17). Now here is the description of the same reunion from the perspective of the sons of Mosiah:
It came to pass that as Ammon was going forth into the land, that he and his brethren met Alma, over in the place of which has been spoken; and behold, this was a joyful meeting.
Alma 27:16-20
Now the joy of Ammon was so great even that he was full; yea, he was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the exhausting of his strength; and he fell again to the earth.
Now was not this exceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of happiness.
Now the joy of Alma in meeting his brethren was truly great, and also the joy of Aaron, of Omner, and Himni; but behold their joy was not that to exceed their strength.
And now it came to pass that Alma conducted his brethren back to the land of Zarahemla; even to his own house.
All five of them felt great joy, Ammon so much that he collapsed, overwhelmed with emotion. Mormon explains that this kind of joy is only available to “the truly penitent and humble seeker of happiness.” The penitence and the seeking may have created the conditions for the joy, but the expression of joy occurred with the reunion: five humble seekers rejoicing in their shared spiritual growth.
Mormon’s explanation also helps us understand David and Jonathan’s deep friendship. Was Jonathan humble? Like the sons of Mosiah, he willingly gave up any aspirations to his father’s throne. Was David faithful? He honored his covenant with Jonathan long after Jonathan’s death. The Old Testament tells us that they covenanted “before the Lord” (1 Samuel 23:18). The Book of Mormon clarifies that the deepest friendships arise from shared spiritual growth (Alma 17:2; Alma 27:18). No wonder David would exclaim at Jonathan’s death that their friendship exceeded the deepest bond he had experienced in mortality: the love between a man and a woman (2 Samuel 1:26).
Today I will be grateful for the bonds of friendship with other humble seekers after truth. I will strive to emulate the faithfulness of David and the humility of Jonathan in my relationships.
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