David and Jonathan: Di Arrow Signal

One prince waka enter one field with im bow and one small boy for im side. Somewhere near there, one friend dey hide behind one big stone, dey listen. Everything depend on where di next arrow go land.

David just defeat Goliath, and King Saul bring am come live for di palace. Saul first son, Jonathan, na brave fighter too, and di moment wey e meet David, something join. Di Bible talk say Jonathan soul join with David own, and e love am like im own life. Di two of dem make covenant, one serious promise of friendship before God. Then Jonathan do something wey surprise. E remove im own robe give David, plus im armour, im sword, im bow and im belt. Di king son dey dress di shepherd boy like prince.

Everything wey Saul send David go do, e succeed. When di army come back from battle, women pour comot from di towns, dey sing and dance with tambourine. Saul don kill im thousands, and David im ten thousands. Saul hear di song, and e burn am for inside. Dem give David ten thousands, and na only thousands dem give me. Wetin remain for am to collect again, if no be di kingdom? From dat day, Saul begin dey look David with jealous eye. More than one time, as David dey play music for am, Saul throw spear at am, and David dodge comot. Then Saul tell Jonathan and im servants say David must die.

Jonathan warn David make e hide. Then e go meet im papa, e talk for im friend. No sin against David. E never do you anything except good. E put im life for danger to fight di Philistine, and Di Lord give Israel big victory. Why you go kill innocent man? Saul listen, and e swear, As Di Lord dey alive, dem no go kill am. For some time, peace dey. But e no last. Saul spear fly again, and David run for im life.

David find Jonathan for secret. Wetin I do? Why your papa wan kill me? Na only one step dey between me and death. E hard Jonathan to believe, but e promise say e go find out. Tomorrow na di feast of di new moon, when dem dey expect David for di king table. Instead, David go hide for di field. Jonathan go watch how im papa go react. Then, on di third day, e go come out to shoot arrows near where David dey hide, by one big stone. If e call di boy, Di arrows dey dis side of you, David dey safe. If e call, Di arrows dey pass you go front, David must run. And Jonathan ask one thing in return. Show my family kindness, always, even when I no dey again.

For di first day of di feast, David seat dey empty, and Saul no talk anything. For di second day, e ask, Why di son of Jesse no come? Jonathan talk say David ask permission to go family sacrifice for Bethlehem. Saul vex like fire. You no see? As long as David dey alive, you no go ever be king. Bring am come meet me. E must die. Why? Jonathan talk. Wetin e do? And Saul throw im spear at im own son. Jonathan get up from di table with strong vex, and e no chop anything dat day, because e dey grieve for im friend.

Di next morning Jonathan go out to di field with one boy. Run go find di arrows wey I shoot. E shoot one arrow far pass di boy, and e shout, Di arrow no dey pass you go front? Hurry! No stop! Di boy gather di arrows, e no know anything. Jonathan send am go back to town. Then David comot from behind di stone come bow to di ground three times. Di two friends hold each other cry, and David cry pass. Go in peace, Jonathan talk, because we don swear friendship for di name of Di Lord. Di Lord dey between you and me, and between our children, forever. David slip comot. Jonathan waka go back to di city.

Why empty seat mean so much? Di new moon na di start of every month for Israel calendar, and dem dey keep am with sacrifice and festival food. Di book of Numbers arrange offerings for di beginning of every month, and di prophet Amos mention people wey dey wait make new moon pass before dem fit buy and sell. For di king new moon feast, dem dey expect David, as di king son-in-law and commander. If e no dey, people go notice, and na dat one be di whole point of di test.

David and Jonathan. You go find their story for First Samuel, chapter eighteen reach twenty. Na Jonathan for gain di throne, and e choose to stay loyal to im friend instead. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Which kind friend you be when to stand with person go cost you something?