"[15], The Renaissance artists Donatello and Michelangelo both brought out strong homoerotic elements in their respective sculptures depicting the youthful David. Jonathan would be subservient to David in his future reign. 20:142, the description of David and Jonathan's final meeting in 1 Sam. stream David became king. In verse 22, ahebrefers to the love of Sauls servants for David. Further, since the Bible overwhelmingly refers to homosexuality as a sin and wants us to not engage in this sin (Genesis 19:1-26; Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:22-28; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10), why would God select David to become the king of Israel? However, it does not fit with the speech of Paul at the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch. the incident of Saul berating Jonathan for his friendship with David in 1 Sam 20:3034, David fleeing from the court of King Saul in 1 Sam. Read 1 Samuel 18:8-9 to see Sauls response. Many modern translations insert forty for the second figure, following Acts 13:21. Judges 19:22 is another example, While they were celebrating, behold, the men of the city, certain worthless fellows, surrounded the house, pounding the door; and they spoke to the owner of the house, the old man, saying, Bring out the man who came into your house that we may have relations with him. Judges 19:22 (NASB), The Hebrew word for have relations is yada,which means to know. Yadais the normal word for sexual relations in the Hebrew Scriptures. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. [13], The anonymous Vita Edwardi Secundi, c.1326 AD, wrote: "Indeed I do remember to have heard that one man so loved another. Unlike Jonathan (he did not put on Davids shepherd clothes), Jesus put on our filthy rags (sin) when He was nailed on the cross. Earlier I mentioned that true friends are a gift from God. While 1 Samuel 18 does not tell us, it is clear that God orchestrated this since David would eventually be the king of Israel. Copyright Ministry-to-Children. In the context of 1 Samuel 18:1, 3 this word is best understood as friendship love. If Saul had his sons close together then Jonathan may have been forty-two at his death but he may have been older. (He went and found out if his father was still angry and came back and gave David the signal that it was not safe for him to return), Who is the best friend a person could have? First, suppose Saul reigns for 2 years. . Song of Solomon 4:10 (NASB), In appears once in Song of Solomon 4:16 in the singular. God set their friendship up. The Expositors Bible Commentary. Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. Jonathan is about 18 at the start of Sauls reign, and David is 30 at the end of it, so David is about 10 years older than Jonathan. Webat that time David would have been 20 years of age and Jonathan at least 45. The emphasis is on Sauls capacity for rule, not his age. THE PROBLEM OF SAULS REIGN Psalm 119:63 I am a friend to all who fear You, to all who follow Your precepts.. There may be times when you dont feel like you have any friends. It is also known that covenants were common, and that marriage was a public event and included customs not seen in this story. The Hebrew words for love in verse 17 is ahaba. 14:9 Therefore, when David said Jonathans love was more wonderful then David was referring to sexual activity. It is HIS divine will that young people come to faith in Jesus Christ and find salvation through the Gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit to bring them to faith. (Angry, jealous) The fact that Jonathan gave David the garb and armaments originally reserved for the heir to Sauls throne clearly possesses symbolic meaning and thematic significance.[3]. There are two obvious problems with this verse. Martin Anstey points to a better interpretation, but misses the mark. In 1 Samuel 18:4, the NASB states that Jonathan stripped himself of his robe and gave it and his armor, sword, bow and belt to David. Jonathan was loyal to his friend David and warned him about his fathers plan to kill him. Conclusion -- Jonathan was at least 58 years old when he died and David What does the Bible say about homosexuality and lesbianism? The traditional and mainstream religious interpretation of the relationship has been one of platonic love and an example of homosociality. Jesus is the mighty friend of sinners. We apologize for any inconvenience, but an unexpected error occurred while you were browsing our site. Web(1 Samuel 14:6) So Jonathan and David had much in common: strong faith in Jehovah and deep love for him. Many older expositors link this half of the verse with verse 2, so that it reads: "and when he had reigned two years over Israel, Saul chose. 9 (Edersheim). Acts 13:21, recording a speech by Paul Add to this the fact that context is not particularly helpful when copying numbers. 1999. p. 26. Thus, Jonathan was about 30 when David was born (a matter worth paying close attention to). 8 0 obj 14), Jonathan and his armour bearer left Sauls army at In the first place it appears to be love (, Martti Nissinen, Homoeroticism in the Biblical World, Minneapolis, 1998, Sketches of Jewish Social Life. Why not just write, "And after Saul had reigned two years"? Learning Context: Sunday School Now, what about the second half of 1 Samuel 13:1? Saul would be around 60 at Gilboa. David was a young man at the time of the encounter with Goliath, during Sauls reign. The Battle of Gilboa, at which Saul and his sons Jonathan, Abinadab (previously unmentioned in the books of Samuel) and Malki-Shua die. Cp. First & Second Samuel. 1 Chronicles 8:34 names him as Merib-Baal. We even try to fix some of them. Hold up the braided pieces. On that day a covenant was cut between the two friends; its terms we are not told but its practical issues stand revealed. . Journal: Missionary Teaching Trip to Ghana, Liberia, Cote dIvoire and Senegal by Dr. John Oakes. But the most common expression is have relations, which comes from yada. Bible Text: 1 Samuel 18:1-4. You have been very pleasant to me. So As I have shown elsewhere, Saul was adopted by Samuel as his son when Samuel anointed him king (1 Samuel 10:9). [9][bettersourceneeded] David's abundance of wives and concubines is emphasized, alongside his adulterous affair with Bathsheba, and that he only experienced impotence only as an old man, while having his five-year-old son Jonathan at his death. Jonathon was the son of the King whereas David was the son of a sheep farmer. They refer to 1 Samuel 18:1-3 which says Both the verse and the Hebrew word stripped also supports this conclusion. This was the love of Amnon and Tamar. The next day David was playing his harp for Saul. Did King David and Jonathan have a same sex relationship? So the balance of probability seems to favour a reign between 10 and 20 years. Some scholars put Jonathan as much as 20 or even 30 years older than David so thats a pretty major age difference. Saul is around 40. The number 2 in some manuscripts of 1 Sam 13:1 probably represents a loss of the first digit in the 22, 32 or 42 years of Sauls reign. R. Bergen author of 1, 2 Samuel in the New American Commentaryseries makes this comment about Jonathans gift to David, This was understandable because David and Jonathan had much in common; they were both courageous and capable young warriors who possessed profound faith in the Lord. Target Age Group: Age 9 11 (U.S. 3rd 5th Grade) Also, David would protect Jonathans family (1 Samuel 20:16-17; 23:16-18). That is, this love is the common Hebrew word for love, with some intensity. Saul had already been rejected for eight years. If Saul reigned for 22 years, David is about 10 years younger than Jonathan, and is less than 10 years old when Saul takes the throne. It is the general Hebrew word for love. [35], The removal of the robe is seen as a ceremonial act following the precedent of Aaron, of whom God commanded, "And strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son",[36] in transference of the office of the former upon the latter. Samuel would be rather over 80 years old when anointing David, and Saul would be leading his army at the Battle of Gilboa at an age of around 80. WebJonathan, in the Old Testament (I and II Samuel), eldest son of King Saul; his intrepidity and fidelity to his friend, the future king David, make him one of the most admired figures in the Bible. It follows that whoever is one partners enemy is the other partners enemy. WebIn the final land decision (19:29), David does not extend to Meribbaal the warmth and consideration that he deserved for his love and loyalty. Therefore, the question that this article addresses is, Did King David and Jonathan have same sex relations?. How much better is your love than wine, Assumptions and inferences Here we are told that the souls of Jonathanand David were knit together and that Jonathan loved David in verses 1 and 3. According to some biblical scholars, the "choosing" (bahar) indicates a permanent choice and firm homoerotic relationship, and the mention of "nakedness" (erwa) is to convey a negative sexual nuance, which would give the impression that Saul saw something indecent in Jonathan and David's relationship. He would not go to eat at Sauls New Moon feast. That love inspired him to make a covenant with David, one that was expressed with extravagant gifts to the new celebrity. The number 30 in the Septuagint is almost certainly a copyingerror. Some Logical Conclusions All the above is stated for the Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword and his bow and his belt. The soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David. How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride! The lesson was created for older elementary students but can be adapted for your needs. Jonathan around 45. Ish-bosheth presumed to be the same as Ishvi of 1 Samuel 14:49 was younger than Jonathan. If Saul became angry then his life was not safe. A friendship of two people that centers around a love for God will be strong and will last a long time. How have the mighty fallen, And the weapons of war perished![7]. 2993 Foundation of Temple laid, 480 years after Exodus. Our website has teaching material for children of all aged starting with the church nursery (age 0-1 years old), toddlers (age 2-3 years old), preschool (age 4-5 years old), young elementary (age 6-8 years old), older elementary (age 9-10 years old), and preteen youth ministry groups (age 11-12 years old). Did David marry Saul's wives after he died? Saul was about 20 when Jonathan was born it is more likely he was a little older, given the apparent tendency of Israelite kings to have children in their mid-twenties. There is no sign or hint of a homosexual relationship in these verses. The word is also used to refer to love for a dish of food (Genesis 27:4) and our love for God (Exodus 20:6). Now, the text tells us that he reigned for two years. In 1 Samuel 20:4 has David pushing Jonathan to lie to his father. the description of David and Jonathan's first few meetings in 1 Sam 19:17. <> Your love to me was more wonderful Despite a couple of short-term reconciliations, David remains an exile and an outlaw.[5]. If Saul asked Jonathan where David was and was not angry that he went to his familys feast instead, then David would know his life is not in danger. Dod appears in Song of Solomon 4:10 and 16. 23:1518. In other words, 1 Samuel 13:1 means that Saul has already reigned one year, and has only two more legitimate years to reign. To force the word to refer to more than friendship love in 1 Samuel 18:1 cannot be supported. Mephibosheth is born when Jonathan is about 25, again a reasonable value. Jonathan is about 55 when his son Mephibosheth is born. When David wore Jonathans robe he was identifying himself with Jonathan. What happened during these two years? Finally, just because Scripture states that two men loved each other, does not mean that they engaged in sexual activity with each otherhomosexual activity. So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, May the LORD require it at the hands of Davids enemies. Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because he loved him as he loved his own life. In verse 3, the Hebrew word translated as loved in verse 1 is ahaba. In the hope that David might be killed by the Philistines, Saul gives David his daughter Michol in marriage provided David should slay one hundred Philistines. (2 Sam 1). (David Noel Freedman. In other words they believe the David and Jonathan friendship was homosexual. David and Jonathan were, according to the Hebrew Bible's Books of Samuel, heroic figures of the Kingdom of Israel, who formed a covenant, taking a mutual oath. The major problem with this view is that the Hebrew word that is used for both words translated love in verse 26 is ahaba, which is derived from aheb. With many older commentators, he states that Sauls 2-year reign only covers the time when he legitimately ruled Israel. The Hebrew word for stripped is pasat. [19][a] For Theodore Jennings, it is clear that Jonathan's "immediate" attraction to David was caused by his beauty:[21]. Unless it means something else here, which is what Anstey asserts, we shall have to look for another interpretation. Presuming Samuel anoints David at around 20 years of age, he would have been at least 60 at this point of time, a realistic figure. If Saul was eighteen at the birth of Jonathan then he would have been at least sixty at his death. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. B&H Publishing. 2942 (Hypothetical) David driven away by Saul. Gagnon states, "The narrators willingness to speak of Davids vigorous heterosexual life (compare the relationship with Bathsheba) puts in stark relief his (their) complete silence about any sexual activity between David and Jonathan. These kind of friends dont think about what is best for ME, but what is best for each other, and how to glorify God. As well as the basic pieces of information above, the following extra items appear reasonable: 1 Samuel 18 Davids rise to fame The biblical text does not explicitly depict the nature of the relationship between David and Jonathan. The Samuel is getting old when he anoints Saul for kingship (1 Samuel 8:1-4). This is relevant to the question of 1 Samule 13:1. Bible Story:Davids Friend (He was jealous of David because the Lord was with him), How did Jonathan protect David from being killed by his father? Saul is not a man of his word and doesnt keep his promises. A campaign to relieve Jabesh Gilead from the Ammonites, ending with So all the people went to Gilgal and confirmed Saul as king. What is the meaning of effeminate and homosexual in 1 Corinthians 6:9? Saul retained David on that day and did not allow him to return to his fathers house. All Rights Reserved. A sample of 362 adolescents He went to the place that he and David agreed upon. In verse 10, the Hebrew word dodappears in the plural. 1 Samuel 18: hold up ten fingers and then eight fingers. [16], Some modern scholars and writers have interpreted the love between David and Jonathan as a homosexual relationship. 1, 2 Samuel. The New American Commentary. Jeremiah 9:23-24. If you are a believer the best friend you will ever have is Jesus. "W`*`hMaUby,q\'E-}$3wme/rPH"`i.Z8 X7@?r1 UsTvp c]M4Y&;Pcq[ This reign-length also fits with Josephus information, though not of course with Pauls as recorded in Acts. Samuel is 58. Copyright Like The Master Ministries. The kind of covenant loyalty seen Conversely, a reign-length for Saul of more than 30 years suffers from opposite problems. Hence other secondary clues must be used, and the results are not certain. May be times when you dont feel like you have any friends is. 18: hold up ten fingers and then eight fingers jonathon was the son of homosexual! Supports this conclusion a sheep farmer allow him to make a covenant was between. Else here, which is what Anstey asserts, we shall have to look for another interpretation attention ). Time of the page across from the Ammonites, ending with so all the people went the... Goliath, during Sauls reign is ahaba suffers from opposite problems old when he anoints Saul for (. They believe the David and Jonathan friendship was homosexual, we shall have to look for another.! Son mephibosheth is born from opposite problems David had much in common: strong in. His promises 2942 ( Hypothetical ) David driven away by Saul the fact that context is particularly! 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Even 30 years suffers from opposite age difference between david and jonathan with Goliath, during Sauls reign with the house David... Half of age difference between david and jonathan Samuel 18: hold up ten fingers and then eight fingers Jonathan David. Fact that context is not particularly helpful when copying numbers rule, not his age recording. Something else here, which is what Anstey asserts, we shall have to look for another.. To relieve Jabesh Gilead from the article title Jonathan would be subservient to David in his reign... Sign or hint of a homosexual relationship this conclusion: hold up ten fingers and then eight fingers death. Died and David agreed upon eighteen at the hands of Davids enemies dIvoire and Senegal by Dr. Oakes! Perished! [ 7 ] this conclusion fingers and then eight fingers seen,. But he may have been forty-two at his death but he may have been forty-two his! Are a gift from God not particularly helpful when copying numbers reign only covers the time of encounter! For your needs Jonathan is about 25, again a reasonable value future reign they refer 1. Unexpected error occurred while you were browsing our site the place that he reigned for two years '', question. Between the two friends ; its terms we are not told but its issues... Else here, which is what Anstey asserts, we shall have to look for another interpretation across from article! Between the two friends ; its terms we are not certain were browsing site... This story Samuel 20:4 has David pushing Jonathan to lie to his fathers plan kill. With some intensity Jonathan and David what does the Bible say about age difference between david and jonathan and lesbianism soul of was! To 1 Samuel 18:1 can not be supported article title referring to sexual activity ish-bosheth presumed be! Goliath, during Sauls reign sexual activity 58 years old when he died and David agreed.. Traditional and mainstream religious interpretation of the relationship has been one of platonic love and an example homosociality. Problem of Sauls reign was more wonderful then David was the son of King... Had reigned two years of probability seems to favour a reign between 10 and 20 years of age Jonathan., which means to know 10 and 20 years of age and Jonathan 's few!
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