JONATHAN (Heb. " Yah [weh] gives ")  . Of the many Jewish bearers of this name, three are well known: (I) the grandson of Moses, who was priest at Dan (Judg. xviii . 30) . The reading Manasseh (see R.V. mg.; obtained by inserting n above the consonantal text in the Hebrew) is apparently intended to suggest that he was the son of that idolatrous king . (2) The eldest son of Saul, who, together with his father, freed Israel from the crushing oppression of the Philistines (1 Sam. xiii. seq.) . Both are lauded in an elegy quoted from the Book of Jashar (2 Sam. i.) for their warm mutual love, their heroism, and their labours on behalf of the people . Jonathan's name is most familiar for the firm friendship which subsisted between him and David (r Sam. xviii . 1–4; xix . 1–7; xx., xxii . 8; xxiii . 16–18), and when he fell at the battle of Gilboa and left behind him a young child (1 Sam. xxxi.; 2 Sam. iv . 4), David took charge of the youth and gave him a place at his court (2 Sam. ix.) .

See further DAVID, SAUL . (3) The Maccabee (see

JEWS; MACCABEES) .