Jonathan

Jonathan (jon'uthun) [key][short for Jehonathan, Heb.,=Yahweh has given]. 1. In the Bible, Saul's son and David's friend, both killed at the battle of Mt. Gilboa. David showed kindness to his son Mephibosheth. 2. David's nephew. He is perhaps the same man who is called David's uncle and counsellor in the translations of First Chronicles. 3. One of the Maccabees. He was appointed High Priest by Alexander Balas, pretender to the Syrian throne, 152–143 B.C.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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