"Everybody Loved David... But David Loved Jonathan"

Jonathan and David - Part II
1 Samuel 19: 1-7; 20: 30, 41, 42; 2 Samuel 1:23, 26, 27

Did you miss me? I missed you!

Honestly, I tell you, this narrative about Jonathan and David is so in your face that I've had a very difficult time taking the time to write about it. I can't for the life of me understand how anyone, especially these "jump up" preachers - who will read a contemporary western understanding of homosexuality into ancient Near Eastern culture and texts, that require a major stretch in associating the text to present day understandings of sexuality - justify ignoring this same-sex love story. And, if I may be so bold to suggest that there is arguably significant evidence that point toward a marriage between these two men. I mean, really, they make all this noise about there not being anything in scripture regarding homosexuality, except for those texts previously touched upon in early posts. Each of them have been misrepresented and misinterpreted, knowingly and unknowingly, as examples of God's condemnation of homosexuality and those who are homosexual, bisexual or just plain ole free with their expression of their sexuality. But how do they explain away, "Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou has chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness" (King James 1 Samuel 20:30)? They don't! They just ignore it. Not only is Saul calling his son, Jonathan, a SON OF A B^%@H, but he is clearly identifying something else when he continues with, "do not I know that thou has chosen the son of Jesse [David] to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness." Are you still playing naive? Alrighty then, let's go.

Last week I referenced 1 Samuel 18:1-4. Remember that? "And it came to pass, when he [David] had made an end of speaking unto Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit (bound) with the soul of David and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him [David] that day and would let him go no more home to his father's house. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle" (King James). Wah Lawd! I don't know about you, but I feel a song coming on... "It's gettn' hot in here, so take off all your clothes, c'mo sing it with me, I am get-ting so hot, I wanna take my clothes off!" Okay, okay.... I'm back... Now, for integrity sake, I must elaborate on a couple of things. Aside from the fact that Jonathan was so moved by David's oratory skills that he had to get naked to cool off, he hands over to David, his clothing - robe, garments, sword, bow and his girdle - all of the accouterments of a soldier and a Prince. He gave up the family jewels ya'll! Everything that symbolized his status and his power as the heir to the throne, he handed over to David - the first time he laid eyes on him. Still fighting it huh? Wow! Okay, I love a good fight.

Riddle me this; What if this story was about a man and a woman? What if we had read in the text that a certain man, upon hearing/seeing a particular woman, was so moved by her that he fell in love with her at first sight, asked her to marry him and sealed the marriage with a kiss and his most prized possessions - the entire kingdom, would this be an issue? Would we even question that this was a "love at first sight" encounter? No, we would not! We'd probably hear about it every Valentine's Day weekend. It would be the text to preach from! Two love stories come to mind, the obvious of the two is Romeo and Juliet of course, but the other, though probably less familiar, is the story of King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom, who in 1936 abdicated the throne to marry an American divorcée, Wallis Simpson (Wallis was a woman by the way). This is precisely the "confusion" Saul was referring to. But what of this comment, "and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness" (1 Samuel 20:30b)? My goodness, what on earth could he possibly be talking about? I thought you'd never ask.

In the Hebrew scriptures, specifically, Leviticus, where we find the "Holiness Codes," whenever there is a reference to "nakedness," or the uncovering of a family member's "nakedness," it carries a sexual connotation that is improper or incestuous. When Saul chastised Jonathan by associating his behavior and affection for David to "the confusion of thy mother's nakedness," Saul was charging him with sexual impropriety that had brought shame upon the family. Still not convinced? Okay, stay with me. Because I know I recommended a reading of all of chapters 18-21, then I know you know that Jonathan and David had met in a field in secret prior to this dinner table showdown between Jonathan and his father Saul. They devised a plan to ascertain Saul's intentions toward David - was it all a misunderstanding or was Saul indeed intending to kill David? In that secret meeting in the field, they made another covenant between one another with God as their witness. They swore, one to the other, that their "seed," (offspring) would forever be cared for by the other should either of them die. Then they devised a method by which Jonathan could get the 411 and give David a heads up to escape before Saul could get to him. David even makes the suggestion that if he is to die, that it be by Jonathan's hand and not Saul's (1 Samuel 20). But hold on to your tail feathers because the best is yet to come. ;) ;)

The kitchen table brouhaha between Jonathan and his father, makes it painfully clear that Saul means to kill David. After Jonathan dodged his own bullet, I mean spear, he goes out with his armor-bearer and carries out the signs according to his and David's devised plan. He warns David that his father truly means to kill him. Afterwards, Jonathan releases his young armor-bearer, and sends him back into the city. Shhh... I have to whisper something in your ear, so you have to come a little closer for this... " As soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of the place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times; and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded" (1 Samuel 20:41). Wah Lawd! Hammercy on my soul! Do I really have to tell you what "exceeded" means? Really? Do I? Okay... The Hebrew word translated as "exceeded" is Gadal. It simply means "to grow, to enlarge, or become great; to promote, or to make powerful." Now I know that some of you will try to argue that what that means is that Jonathan, who is later killed in battle, diminishes in status and power and David who we know becomes King, "grows" in status, power and greatness... NOT... Saul, the King was still alive and, so was Jonathan, the heir to the throne, thus the reverence David pays to him every time they meet by bowing his head to the ground three times. No Dearheart, at this particular moment, in this particular context, the Hebrew translation of "exceeded," Gadal is .... Yes, a fully "grown," "enlarged," erection! Realizing this was the end of their love affair, Jonathan and David embraced, cried all over each other, kissed all over each other until they got all "swolt" up with and for one another and then had a "great" time before parting ways.... Shhh... Don't tell nobody I told you that.

If you read the rest of the story, you will learn that Jonathan and Saul both perish in battle and upon hearing of their deaths, David laments and sings for his lost love, "How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places, I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant has thou been unto me: Thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women" (2 Samuel 1:25, 26). Umph... Whoop dere it is. Thank you King David for clearing that up for us. Oh yeah, one more thing - remember that promise/covenant made between Jonathan and David regarding their offspring? David honors it in 2 Samuel 9:1-13... Okay, that's it, I'm tired, and admittedly after this, I'm feeling a little frisky myself, so I'm gonna close this thing down.

But, if by this I have grieved you, forgive me and let not thine heart be troubled by what thy maidservant speaketh, for it is the Word of the Lord thou spake thence in thine hearing. In other words, don't be mad at me; it's in the book!

© Dorinda G. Henry, 2010

THEOLOGIA HABITUS EST!