ey
were like two brothers. Jonathan was never jealous of David. He wanted
him to be liked by others. He gave him the best that he had himself.
He was a very kind hearted and generous young man. It made him very
sad because his father was so cruel to David. He could not believe
that his father really wished to kill his friend.

At last David did not dare to come to the king's court nor to take his
place at the king's table. Still Jonathan did not believe that his
father really meant to do harm to his friend. To test the king they
planned to leave David in a hiding place in the field while Jonathan
went home to see his father. When David did not take his place at the
table, the king grew very gloomy. "Where is David?" he said.

{157}{158}

[Illustration]
WINNOWING IN THE LANDS OF THE BIBLE

From a photograph taken by Mrs. Louise Seymour Houghton,
and used by her kind permission.

In the East, after the grain is threshed out by the trampling of
cattle or by driving over it with sledges, it is tossed up in the
air by a kind of fork. The wind blows the light chaff away, while
the heavier grain falls in a heap. This explains many of the
allusions in the Bible.
[End illustration]

{159}

"He asked permission to run home to Bethlehem to offer the sacrifice
with his family," replied Jonathan.

At that the king grew furious in his rage. He told his son that David
wanted to steal the kingdom away from him (for Jonathan was the oldest
son and would be king when Saul died).

Saul was so angry that he even threw his spear at his own son, and so
Jonathan knew that his father had determined to kill his friend.

David was hiding behind a great rock in the field, and, according to a
plan they had made beforehand, Jonathan came out the next day with his
bow and arrows and pretended to shoot at a mark. He had a little boy
with him to run for the arrows.

The plan was this: If Jonathan said to the boy, "The arrows are on
this side of you," David would know that all was safe. But if he said,
"The arrows are beyond you," he would know that he was in great
danger.

Jonathan came and shot his arrows, and cried, "The arrows are beyond
you."

So David knew that the king intended to kill him. They waited until
the boy had gone and then David came out, and Jonathan told {160} him
how sorry he was that the friend he loved so much must go away. In
many other ways Jonathan showed his great love for his friend.

At