Dear Webmaster,

I have a teenager son who has recently got in big trouble. I was looking for something to keep his spirits up since he does not know who he really is, what he is really worth and things of this nature. We are Catholics and I thought it would give him a little inspiration by letting him know about his name and worth. So, I would greatly appreciate it if you would provide me with information on who was Jonathan in the Bible and what does the name mean. I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Dear Reader,

There are a few Biblical characters named Jonathan but the most notorious is the eldest son of Saul (the first King of Israel) and friend of the young later to become King David. He is mentioned in the Old Testament books of Samuel and lived around 1000 BC.

Jonathan was an Israelite war hero and died a heroic death with his father Saul and brothers in a battle with the Philistines.

The meaning of “Jonathan” in Hebrew is "God has given" or "God's gift".

As Catholics you and your son can see this as a sign of the spirituality and worth that your son possesses but he is not aware of it yet. I’m sure that with some spiritual and practical efforts and your help, your son can leave his past behind and become a worthy person for himself and society the way Jonathan was.