Jonathan (Son of Shimeah)

Biblical Record

Jonathan appears in 2 Samuel 21:15–22 and 1 Chronicles 20:4–8. These two passages recount in sequence how four descendants of the giants fell in several battles fought against the Philistines during David's time. Jonathan appears in the last of these episodes.

According to the text, during the reign of David war broke out again at Gath. There was a man there of great stature who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in all, and he too was a descendant of the giants (2 Samuel 21:20). When he defied Israel, "Jonathan the son of Shimeah the brother of David slew him" (2 Samuel 21:21; 1 Chronicles 20:7). The text does not give the giant's name. It then concludes that all four of these men fell by the hand of David and his servants (2 Samuel 21:22).

This is all that the Bible directly records about Jonathan. His age, wider family, and later life are not recorded.

Family Relationships

Jonathan's father, Shimeah, was a son of Jesse and an older brother of David. He is called "Shammah" in 1 Samuel 16:9 and 17:13, and "Shimeah" or a similar form in 2 Samuel 13:3 and 1 Chronicles 2:13. Jonathan was therefore David's nephew.

Second Samuel 13:3 mentions "Jonadab the son of Shimeah," who had the same father. Jonadab was a friend of David's son Amnon and was involved in the incident concerning Tamar. Jonathan and Jonadab are generally understood to have been brothers.

Significance Within Scripture

The section containing this episode, 2 Samuel 21:15–22, is generally regarded as a kind of appendix collecting records of wars from the early years of the Davidic dynasty. It shows that not only David but also his servants and kinsmen defeated the Philistine giants. Jonathan is read as evidence that the struggle against the giants continued after the story of David and Goliath and that the younger generation of David's house shared in it. The New Testament makes no mention of this Jonathan.

Interpretation and Issues

• Distinguishing him from others of the same name: Several men named Jonathan appear in the Bible. This Jonathan is distinct from the best-known Jonathan, the son of Saul, and from Jonathan (son of Abiathar).
• The Jonathan of 1 Chronicles 27:32: This verse introduces "Jonathan David's uncle," who "was a counseller, a wise man, and a scribe." Because the Hebrew word rendered "uncle" here can broadly mean "kinsman," some identify this figure with Jonathan the son of Shimeah. However, this cannot be confirmed from the text alone.
• The identity of the giant: Commentators often add that this giant was a relative of Goliath. The text, however, says only that he was a descendant of the giants and does not specify any particular relationship to Goliath.

In the Korean Church

Because Jonathan (son of Shimeah) is mentioned only briefly, he is rarely treated on his own in sermons or Sunday school. Since he is easily confused with Jonathan the son of Saul, he is sometimes cited in Bible studies as an example of how to distinguish between people who share the same name.