Footnote

a When Jonathan was first introduced in the Scriptural account, at the beginning of Saul’s reign, he was an army commander and so must have been at least 20 years old. (Numbers 1:3; 1 Samuel 13:2) Saul ruled for 40 years. Therefore, at the time of Saul’s death, Jonathan was about 60. David was 30 years old when Saul died. (1 Samuel 31:2; 2 Samuel 5:4) So Jonathan was evidently some 30 years older than David.