1 Samuel 18 · a question people ask
Why did Jonathan give David his robe and his weapons?
The chapter tells what he did and sets it beside the covenant. "Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul" (18:3) (tap covenant). "Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David with his clothing, even including his sword, his bow, and his sash" (18:4) (tap robe). It doesn't say what the gifts meant. Christians read them in two main ways. Both agree on what the text says: the gifts come with the covenant, and the covenant comes "because he loved him as his own soul" (18:3).
How Christians read it
Where Christians differ, Favor sets out the main views side by side and doesn't pick one.
A gift that sealed the covenant
Those who read it this way take the robe, the clothing and the weapons as what Jonathan gave when he made the covenant he made out of love (18:3-4), a gift belonging to that covenant. They point to how the covenant is spoken of later: David says to Jonathan, "you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you" (20:8), and Jonathan says to David, "The LORD is between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever" (20:42).
1 Samuel 18:3-4 · 1 Samuel 20:8 · 1 Samuel 20:42
Also a sign about the kingdom
Those who read it this way see Saul's son (14:49) giving his own robe and weapons to David, and read the gifts in the light of what is said later about the kingdom. Saul tells Jonathan, "For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you will not be established, nor will your kingdom" (20:31), and Jonathan tells David, "you will be king over Israel, and I will be next to you" (23:17). They also point to an earlier robe, the same Hebrew word: as Samuel turned to go, "Saul grabbed the skirt of his robe, and it tore" (15:27), and Samuel said, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today" (15:28).
1 Samuel 14:49 · 1 Samuel 20:31 · 1 Samuel 23:17 · 1 Samuel 15:27-28
The verses
“Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David with his clothing, even including his sword, his bow, and his sash.”