And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

And Jonathan the son of Saul arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hands in God: and he said to him:

And Jonathan son of Saul riseth, and goeth unto David to the forest, and strengtheneth his hand in God,

And Saul's son Jonathan went to David in Horesh, and made his hands strong in God;

And Jonathan, the son of Saul, rose up and went to David in the woods, and he strengthened his hands in God. And he said to him:

A touching example of mutual fidelity between friends. The humility and unselfish love of Jonathan is apparent in 1-Samuel 23:17.

And Jonathan - strengthened his hand in God - It is probable that there was always a secret intercourse between David and Jonathan, and that by this most trusty friend he was apprised of the various designs of Saul to take away his life. As Jonathan well knew that God had appointed David to the kingdom, he came now to encourage him to trust in the Most High, and to assure him that the hand of Saul should not prevail against him; and at this interview they renewed their covenant of friendship. Now all this Jonathan could do, consistently with his duty to his father and his king. He knew that David had delivered the kingdom; he saw that his father was ruling unconstitutionally; and he knew that God had appointed David to succeed Saul. This he knew would come about in the order of Providence; and neither he nor David took one step to hasten the time. Jonathan, by his several interferences, prevented his father from imbruing his hands in innocent blood: a more filial and a more loyal part he could not have acted; and therefore, in his attachment to David, he is wholly free of blame.

And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose,.... And came from Gibeah, which, according to Bunting (o), was twenty two miles from the place where David was:
and went to David into the wood: having had intelligence where he was, this being a proper place to have an interview with him privately:
and strengthened his hand in God; and his heart too, his hand of faith to lay hold on God, as his covenant God and lean and rely upon him; he strengthened him in his power and in his providence, and in his promises to him; the Targum is,"he strengthened him in the Word of the Lord;''not only in his word and promise, but in Christ the essential Word of God, who should spring from him according to the flesh.
(o) Travels, &c. p. 334. (text not clear could be 834 or some other number)

Jonathan went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God--by the recollection of their mutual covenant. What a victory over natural feelings and lower considerations must the faith of Jonathan have won, before he could seek such an interview and give utterance to such sentiments! To talk with calm and assured confidence of himself and family being superseded by the man who was his friend by the bonds of a holy and solemn covenant, could only have been done by one who, superior to all views of worldly policy, looked at the course of things in the spirit and through the principles of that theocracy which acknowledged God as the only and supreme Sovereign of Israel. Neither history nor fiction depicts the movements of a friendship purer, nobler, and more self-denying than Jonathan's!

And strengthened - He comforted and supported him against all his fears, by minding him of God's infallible promises made to him, and his singular providence which hitherto had and still would be with him.