Jonathan [short for Jehonathan, Heb.,=Yahweh has given]. 1 In the Bible, Saul's son and David's friend, both killed at the battle of Mt. Gilboa. David showed kindness to his son Mephibosheth. 2 David's nephew. He is perhaps the same man who is called David's uncle and counsellor in the translations of First Chronicles. 3 One of the Maccabees. He was appointed High Priest by Alexander Balas, pretender to the Syrian throne, 152-143 B.C.