וַיְהִ֗י כְּכַלֹּתוֹ֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל וְנֶ֙פֶשׁ֙ יְה֣וֹנָתָ֔ן נִקְשְׁרָ֖ה בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ דָּוִ֑ד ויאהבו [וַיֶּאֱהָבֵ֥הוּ] יְהוֹנָתָ֖ן כְּנַפְשֽׁוֹ׃
Setelah Daud selesai berbicara kepada Saul, jiwa Yonatan terpaut erat dengan jiwa Daud, dan Yonatan mengasihinya seperti dirinya sendiri.
Shir HaShirim Rabbah
“For love is as intense as death” – the love that the Holy One blessed be He has for you is as intense as death. That is what is written: “I have loved you, said the Lord…” (Malachi 1:2). “Jealousy is as cruel as the grave” – when they infuriate the Holy One blessed be He with their idol worship, as it is stated: “They would infuriate Him with strange gods” (Deuteronomy 32:16).
Another matter: “For love is as intense as death” – the love that Isaac had for Esau; that is what is written: “Isaac loved Esau” (Genesis 25:28). “Jealousy is as cruel as the grave” – the jealousy Esau had for Jacob, as it is stated: “Esau hated Jacob [because of the blessing with which his father blessed him]” (Genesis 27:41).
Another matter: “For love is as intense as death” – the love that Jacob had for Joseph, as it is stated: “Israel loved Joseph more than his sons” (Genesis 37:3). “Jealousy is as cruel as the grave” – the jealousy that his brothers had for him, as it is stated: “His brothers were jealous of him” (Genesis 37:11).
Another matter: “For love is as intense as death” – the love that Jonathan had for David, as it is stated: “Jonathan loved him as himself” (I Samuel 18:1). “Jealousy is as cruel as the grave” – the jealousy that Saul had for David, as it is stated: “Saul eyed David with suspicion” (I Samuel 18:9).
Another matter: “For love is as intense as death” – the love that a man has for his wife, as it is stated: “Enjoy life with a woman whom you love” (Ecclesiastes 9:9). “Jealousy is as cruel as the grave” – the jealousy that he has regarding her when he says to her: Do not speak with so-and-so, and she goes and speaks with him, and immediately, “a spirit of jealousy passes over him and he is jealous of his wife” (Numbers 5:14).
Another matter: “For love is as intense as death” – the love that the generation of persecution had for the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “For we are killed all day long for You” (Psalms 44:23). “Jealousy is as cruel as the grave” – as the Holy One blessed be He is destined to have great zealotry on behalf of Zion. That is what is written: “So said the Lord [of hosts]: I became zealous for Zion with great zealotry” (Zechariah 8:2). “Its sparks are the sparks of fire, a great conflagration” – Rabbi Berekhya said: Like the supernal fire; the fire does not quench water and the water does not extinguish fire.
Another matter: “For love is as intense as death” – the love that Isaac had for Esau; that is what is written: “Isaac loved Esau” (Genesis 25:28). “Jealousy is as cruel as the grave” – the jealousy Esau had for Jacob, as it is stated: “Esau hated Jacob [because of the blessing with which his father blessed him]” (Genesis 27:41).
Another matter: “For love is as intense as death” – the love that Jacob had for Joseph, as it is stated: “Israel loved Joseph more than his sons” (Genesis 37:3). “Jealousy is as cruel as the grave” – the jealousy that his brothers had for him, as it is stated: “His brothers were jealous of him” (Genesis 37:11).
Another matter: “For love is as intense as death” – the love that Jonathan had for David, as it is stated: “Jonathan loved him as himself” (I Samuel 18:1). “Jealousy is as cruel as the grave” – the jealousy that Saul had for David, as it is stated: “Saul eyed David with suspicion” (I Samuel 18:9).
Another matter: “For love is as intense as death” – the love that a man has for his wife, as it is stated: “Enjoy life with a woman whom you love” (Ecclesiastes 9:9). “Jealousy is as cruel as the grave” – the jealousy that he has regarding her when he says to her: Do not speak with so-and-so, and she goes and speaks with him, and immediately, “a spirit of jealousy passes over him and he is jealous of his wife” (Numbers 5:14).
Another matter: “For love is as intense as death” – the love that the generation of persecution had for the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “For we are killed all day long for You” (Psalms 44:23). “Jealousy is as cruel as the grave” – as the Holy One blessed be He is destined to have great zealotry on behalf of Zion. That is what is written: “So said the Lord [of hosts]: I became zealous for Zion with great zealotry” (Zechariah 8:2). “Its sparks are the sparks of fire, a great conflagration” – Rabbi Berekhya said: Like the supernal fire; the fire does not quench water and the water does not extinguish fire.
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
Another interpretation (of Cant. 8:6): FOR LOVE IS AS STRONG AS DEATH, < i.e., > the love of Jonathan and David. Thus it is stated (in I Sam. 18:1): JONATHAN'S SOUL WAS BOUND TO THE SOUL OF DAVID, AND JONATHAN LOVED HIM AS HIS OWN SOUL. (Cant. 8:6, cont.:) JEALOUSY IS AS SEVERE AS SHEOL (Sh'WL). Thus Saul (Sh'WL) was jealous of David. So what is LOVE doing beside JEALOUSY (in the same verse)?
Midrash Tehillim
"Do not ruin (or destroy) David, the conqueror. As it is written (Ecclesiastes 4:9), 'Two are better than one.' They are better off as two, rather than one who goes alone. If one falls, the other can help him up. (Ecclesiastes 4:10) And if someone attacks one, the other can defend him. And if a person does evil to them, they can resist him. And if they are three, it is even better, as it says (Ecclesiastes 4:12), 'A threefold cord is not quickly broken.' Another thing is that two righteous people are better than one righteous person or one wicked person. The merit of two righteous people is not comparable to the merit of one righteous person. They will receive good reward. If calamity befalls the family, the merit of both of them stands and cancels it, as it says (Jeremiah 3:14), 'I will take one from a city and two from a family.' Because of two from the same family, that family prospers. And if there were three righteous people, even if it is a righteous son of a righteous son of a righteous person, their merit will never cease." As it says (Kohelet 4:12), "And the threefold cord." They said before Rabbi Zeira, "But wasn't so-and-so a righteous man, son of a righteous man, son of a righteous man, and [yet he lived] in a generation of wicked people?" He said to them, "He will not be quickly uprooted, even if he falls [he will rise again], as was done with so-and-so." As it says (Isaiah 59:21), "My words which I have put in your mouth shall never depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your children, nor from the mouth of your children's children." Since he [the righteous person] is a son of Torah, and his son and his son's son [are also righteous], then Torah will never cease from them. As it says (Jeremiah 31:34), "Forevermore." What is it [referring to]? The Lord said, "I vouch for this matter." Another interpretation: "Two are better than one." [This refers to] two who study the Torah together and discuss [its teachings] among themselves. And if there are three [who study together], then it is even better. As it says (Kohelet 4:12), "And the threefold cord." Another interpretation: "Two are better than one." This refers to Michal, daughter of Saul, and Jonathan, who both loved David and saved him from Saul, her father. It is written about Michal (1 Samuel 18:28), "And Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him [David]." And about Jonathan it is written (1 Samuel 18:1), "And Jonathan loved [David] as his own soul." Michal saved [David] from the house [of Saul], and Jonathan from outside. "Two are better than one" [refers to them], and "the threefold cord" [refers to] the people of Israel, as it says (2 Samuel 19:40), "And all Israel and Judah loved David." To the conductor, do not destroy [a psalm].