Why not just write, "And after Saul had reigned two years"? Did King David and Jonathan have a same sex relationship? During this time Samuel dies, and David marries Ahinoam and Abigail, Michal having been given in marriage to Paltiel. Some Logical Conclusions All the above is stated for the 23:1518. If the writer of Samuel meant to say this, why would he use words identical to a formula he will later use to denote the kings age at the time of his accession, and the length of his reign? 199-200. The covenant is described in verses 12-15. 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]. Copyright 2022 . It is true that the phrase translated "when he began reigning," is literally in Hebrew "in his reigning," but this is the phrase used everywhere else in the Old Testament to denote the beginning of a mans reign (2 Samuel 2:10; 5:4; 1 Kings 14:21; etc.) Jonathan and David came up with a secret signal to let David know how Saul reacted. Jonathan was a seasoned military commander while David was still too young to even enlist. The point is that God would not do that. Learning Activity #2: Activity pages for students to work on while waiting for all to arrive. Samuel is 49. 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. 3. Your response? Learning Context: Sunday School Kisses between men and between women were also common in ancient times (Genesis 45:14-15; Ruth 1:9; 1 Samuel 10:1; Acts 20:37). As a starting-point, it will be supposed that the XXX-two value for Sauls reign length should be replaced with 2, 12, 22, 32, or 42 in other words just the tens figure has been lost and the units figure is correct. They were not married (v. 21-22). (Robe, sword, bow, belt), How was what Jonathan gave David similar to what Jesus gives to those who believe in Him? WebSome claim that King David and Jonathan were gay. It is apparent that you are aware that there is a particular difficulty with accurate copying of numbers in Hebrew texts. So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and prospered; and Saul set him over the men of war. This word needs to be understood in the context of the passage, specifically in the context of verse 3. David and Jonathan loved each other, and they both loved and respected the Lord. Also, David would protect Jonathans family (1 Samuel 20:16-17; 23:16-18). . Perhaps these homosocial relationships, based on love and equality, are more comparable with modern homosexual people's experience of themselves than those texts that explicitly speak of homosexual acts that are aggressive, violent expressions of domination and subjection. With many older commentators, he states that Sauls 2-year reign only covers the time when he legitimately ruled Israel. Preceptaustin.org) On the outside, they were as different as different He [Kish] had a son named Saul, an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites the word bahur is used here, suggesting not youthfulness but vigour (the word often being used of warriors). Even if you have good friends Jesus always needs to be your best friend. Some scholars put Jonathan as much as 20 or even 30 years older than David so thats a pretty major age difference. He remains in Gath for 1 year 4 months, as well as unspecified times in more remote locations. The Hebrew word dod is the primary word for sexual foreplay and intercourse in Hebrew. 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. Therefore, the question that this article addresses is, Did King David and Jonathan have same sex relations?. The name of his older daughter was Merab, and that of the younger was Michal. That is, Jonathan did not strip himself naked. Jonathan and David had a true friendship that was bound by their faith in God. [18], The story of David and Jonathan is introduced in Samuel 1 (18:1), where it says that "Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself", something that modern scholars have described as philia or love at first sight. Who is a believers friend? There is no sign or hint of a homosexual relationship in these verses. David became king when Saul died at the age of about 80, and Jonathan died at the same time, at about 60 years of age. It is difficult to see how this could be realistically reduced to 30 years to fit the Septuagint reading of 1 Samuel 13:1, though a few years reduction could be made. %PDF-1.3 Saul is about 50 when he leads his troops to the defeat at Gilboa. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 1 Samuel 17:33 contrasts David "you are only a boy" with Goliath "he has been a fighting man from his youth", and the same Hebrew word naar is used in both phrases. 18:14. If Saul had his sons close together then Jonathan may have been forty-two at his death but he may have been older. 8 0 obj Bible Lesson: David and King Sauls son, Jonathan, became strong friends. (1 Samuel 10:12). He was born over a decade after the start of Sauls reign. 1 Samuel 23:1418 David is strengthened by Jonathan while hiding from Saul. What makes a person a good friend? This reign-length also fits with Josephus information, though not of course with Pauls as recorded in Acts. 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. [33][37][38], Even if the mention of "nakedness" in 1 Samuel 20:30 could be interpreted to convey a negative sexual nuance, it is related to Jonathan's mother Ahinoam rather than Jonathan ("to the shame of the nakedness of your mother"). (Tough Questions Kids Ask #3), "Blessed are the Meek" Sunday School Lesson, Lesson: God made YOU special! This means that most of the basic information points and reasonable suppositions about the lives of the individuals concerned can be met, and agrees with the tradition Josephus knew. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. David is married to many women, one of whom is Jonathan's sister Michal, but the Bible does not mention David loving Michal (though it is stated that Michal loves David). Dod appears in Song of Solomon 4:10 and 16. 7. pp. 2934 (Hypothetical) David kills Goliath. David leaves Saul, Jonathan and Michal, and moves repeatedly from place to place to elude Saul. 2 Samuel 2 Regnal details for David and Ish-bosheth That was the ideal basis for friendship between the two men. As we have seen, the death of the judge Abdon in the year 2909 provoked a national crisis. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. 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. Add to this the fact that context is not particularly helpful when copying numbers. 2. p. 706. What were Sauls two years of reign? The year 2910 was his first year of reign. The sages characterized the relationship between Jonathan and David in the following Mishnah: 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. And come, wind of the south; Nardelli disagrees and argues that the various covenants Jonathan engaged David into as the superior partner gradually elevated David's status and may be seen as marriage-like. How have the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! WebSo Ishbosheth was 10 years older than David, which means Jonathan was more than 10 years older than David. Image Credits:Sweet PublishingandDistant Shores Media, Supply List: Bibles, activity pages, pens/pencils !{"?bPquES{~q#EoY=ru^$cs[5l\X`]8eVv jSkV=;:c6UQ^Ic xrUrA;vw7%kEEM3,CS7.H/. They refer to 1 Samuel 18:1-3 which says Conversely, the friend of one partner is also the friend of the other partner. What are the lessons in the story of the Levite and his concubine. 1, 2 Samuel. The New American Commentary. Since phileo love involves feelings of warmth and affection toward another person, we do not have phileo love toward our enemies. Many modern translations insert forty for the second figure, following Acts 13:21. It occurs 210 times in the Old Testament. If, however, there is a way to interpret 1 Samuel 13:1 without changing it, we should do so. (He was jealous of David because the Lord was with him), How did Jonathan protect David from being killed by his father? Jonathan is around 20. Jonathan is slain on your high places. Its not you, its us. And they kissed each other and wept together, but David wept the more. . Jonathan and David were approximately the same age the closeness of their friendship does not preclude widely differing ages but renders it less likely. Samuel appointed his own sons as judges, but they were not respected, and the people demanded a king. Learning Activity #1: What makes a good friend? ahab; v. 3) David. Despite a couple of short-term reconciliations, David remains an exile and an outlaw.[5]. Web(1 Samuel 14:6) So Jonathan and David had much in common: strong faith in Jehovah and deep love for him. Timelines and interpretations 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. Susan Ackerman also believes that there is highly eroticized language present in six different sections in the Hebrew Bible in regards to the relationship of David and Jonathan. Today it is common for men to exchange a kiss on the cheek as a greeting, as a farewell, an expression of joy or sorrow, and to seal an agreement. The Expositors Bible Commentary. A number of groups made up of gay Roman Catholics trying to reconcile their faith with their sexuality have also adopted the names: Davide e Gionata (Italy), and David et Jonathan (France). [3] Jonathan takes an immediate liking to David and the two form a covenant: Now it came about when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself. In this free Bible lesson, students will learn about Jonathan and Davids friendship. When Jonathan and David met, they had little in common. . When a person enters into the New Covenant through faith in the Lord Jesus something similar takes place. 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