Editing David and Jonathan (section)

=== Jewish interpretation ===

The sages characterized the relationship between Jonathan and David in the following [[Mishnah]]: <blockquote>“Whenever love depends on some selfish end, when the end passes away, the love passes away; but if it does not depend on some selfish end, it will never pass away. Which love depended on a selfish end? This was the love of Amnon and Tamar. And which did not depend on a selfish end? This was the love of David and Jonathan. (Avot 5:16)"<ref name="autogenerated2004">{{Cite web|url=http://www.uscj.org/israelcenter/haftarah/Toldot5765.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091126014202/http://www.uscj.org/israelcenter/haftarah/Toldot5765.html|url-status=dead|title=Parshat Toldot, Mahar Hodesh,(1 Samuel 20:18–42) November 13, 2004|archivedate=November 26, 2009}}</ref></blockquote>

[[Simeon ben Zemah Duran|Rabbi Shimon ben Tzemach Duran]] (Spain, North Africa 14th–15th century) delineated the significance of this mishnah: <blockquote>“Anyone who establishes a friendship for access to power, money, or sexual relations; when these ends are not attainable, the friendship ceases…love that is not dependent on selfish ends is true love of the other person since there is no intended end.” (Magen Avot – abridged and adapted translation)<ref name="autogenerated2004"/></blockquote>