The Prince: Jonathan Read Online Free PDF Page B

enemies on every side. Some of the other tribes cried out against him when God made him king.”
    “There will always be men who stand against the one God calls to serve Him.” Samuel turned and placed his right hand upon Jonathan’s shoulder. “Honor your father, my son, but let your confidence be in the Lord our God. I know you love Saul, as well you should. But do not allow your love to blind you. Do not keep silent if you see your father, the king, sin. Learn the Law and counsel the king wisely. You are his eldest son, first show of his strength, and heir to his throne. Much will be expected of you. Seek wisdom from the Lord. Study the Law, and encourage your father to do the same. But do not ever think you can do the work for him. The king must know the Lord our God and the power of His strength.”
    Jonathan nodded again, accepting every word Samuel said as though it came from God Himself.
    “I have watched you work, my son. You wash your hands before you enter the chamber and tremble when you open the scroll.”
    “To hold the Law is a wondrous thing, Abba, but to copy it is a terrifying task.”
    Samuel’s eyes grew moist. He put his hands on his knees and pushed himself up. “I will look over your work.”
    “Thank you, Abba.”
    Samuel patted Jonathan’s shoulder. “I wish all men revered the Law as you do.”
    Jonathan bowed his head, embarrassed. “I must confess I would rather be a student of the Law than a prince.”
    Samuel put his hand on Jonathan’s head. “You can be both.”

    Jonathan returned home with the copy of the Law carefully packed for travel. A small portion of it was tucked into a leather cylinder hidden beneath his tunic. He would keep it near his heart at all times.
    How he looked forward to sitting with his father and discussing the Law, plumbing its meanings, relishing the richness of it. Each day that he had worked on making the copy, he had thought how wonderful it was going to be to share it with the king.
    He found his father still in the fields, and warriors still encamped around Gibeah, waiting for the king to give them orders. Kish looked haggard. Jonathan overheard his low, heated words to Abner. “I dare say nothing to Saul that can be overheard or these men who wait upon him will think him more of a coward! What is my son waiting for?”
    Jonathan was troubled by the talk. God had chosen his father as king. No one could doubt that! God would tell Saul when to act and what to do.
    To pass the time, warriors sparred with one another. They trained for war daily while waiting for a command. Saul’s habits did not change. He arose with the sun, yoked his oxen, and went out to work. When he returned, he ate with his family and guests.
    Jonathan offered numerous times to read the Law to his father, but Saul always said, “Later. I’m tired.”
    Reaching for more bread, Kish spoke to his son in a quiet, hard whisper. “You must do something or these men will desert you! They will not wait forever for you to take the reins of kingship.”
    Tense lines appeared around Saul’s eyes. “And everything you planned and sacrificed for will be lost. Isn’t that right, Father?”
    “I didn’t do it for me.” Kish spoke between his teeth. “I did it for you, for our family, for our people! Do you wait because you’re angry with me?”
    “No.”
    “Then what holds you back?”
    “I will wait until I have some sign of what I am to do.”
    “Some sign?” Kish flung the bread down. Realizing others watched, he bared his teeth in a smile and leaned forward for some dates. When the others began to talk again, Kish glanced at Jonathan and then back to Saul. “A sign from whom? What sort of sign do you need other than the crown upon your head and these men who wait to obey your least command?”
    Burned by his grandfather’s sarcasm, Jonathan leaned over so that he could see past his father. “ God will tell the king what to do and when to do it.”
    “A child’s