* According to the Bible, the relationship between Jonathan and David was so close that their their love for each other was greater than "normal love" between a man and a woman according to David in 2 Sam. 1:26"I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant have you been to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women" 2 Sam. 1:26 ESV..
* In 1 Sam. 18:1-4"As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father's house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt" 1 Sam. 18:1-4 ESV., David's and Jonathan's souls fuse together, as the Bible states that "Jonathan loved (David) as his own soul," and Jonathan literally strips himself of his clothing, armor, and possessions, and gives them to David. Jonathan's actions towards David might be compared to love at first sight.
* Jonathan loves David so much that he lies to his father in order to protect David (1 Sam. 20:5-6, 27-28"David said to Jonathan, 'Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit at table with the king. But let me go, that I may hide myself in the field till the third day at evening. If your father misses me at all, then say, "David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the clan."'
But on the second day, the day after the new moon, David's place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, 'Why has not the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?'
Jonathan answered Saul, 'David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem'" 1 Sam. 20:5-6, 27-28 ESV.), and then Saul curses Jonathan (1 Sam. 20:30-31, 33"Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, "You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Therefore send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die."
But Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death" 1 Sam. 20:30-31, 33 ESV.). 1 Sam. 20:30-31"Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, "You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Therefore send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die" 1 Sam. 20:30-31 ESV. is significant because Saul infers that there is a sexual element between Jonathan and David's relationship when he states that "Jonathan (has) chosen David to the shame of his mother's nakedness." In Mosaic law, when a mother's nakedness was mentioned, it referred to sexual impropriety and shame, as in Lev. 18:6-8"None of you shall approach any one of his close relatives to uncover nakedness. I am the LORD. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, which is the nakedness of your mother; she is your mother, you shall not uncover her nakedness. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness" Lev. 18:6-8 ESV. and in Lev. 20:18"If a man lies with a woman during her menstrual period and uncovers her nakedness, he has made naked her fountain, and she has uncovered the fountain of her blood. . . " Lev. 20:18 ESV..1 Through this statement, Saul infers that he knows David and Jonathan are in love with each other and that he forbids their relationship as he believes that it is shameful.
* David marries Saul's daughter, Michal, but Michal is only mentioned twice in the Old Testament while Jonathan and David are partners. Thus, Michal's role in David's life is insignificant while Jonathan is around because the Bible focuses on the interplay between Jonathan, David, and Saul.
* When Jonathan learns in 1 Sam. 20:41 KJV"And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a 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 Sam. 20:41 KJV. that David must leave him, he cries with David and they kiss until "David exceeded." The word that is translated as "kiss" is the ancient Hebrew word nâshaq, and it means "to kiss, literally or figuratively (touch); also (as a mode of attachment), to equip with weapons: - armed (men), rule, kiss, that touched."2 1 Sam. 20:41 KJV"And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a 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 Sam. 20:41 KJV. says that they kissed and cried "until David exceeded," which means that they cried and kissed over a certain amount of time; they didn't just kiss once. The Bible records many kisses that are shared between men (most of the time they are shared between family members), but these kisses are exchanged during a greeting or a farewell. None of these kisses are exchanged between men before or after they express their eternal love for each other and the kisses are one-time gestures, not ongoing as insinuated in 1 Sam. 20:41". . . and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded" 1 Sam. 20:41 KJV..
* In 2 Sam. 1:26 ESV, David calls Jonathan his brother and states "your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women." Thus, we know that David's and Jonathan's love was very deep. In fact, David even adopts Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth (2 Sam. 9:6-7"And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, 'Mephibosheth!' And he answered, 'Behold, I am your servant.' And David said to him, 'Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always'" 2 Sam. 9:6-7 ESV.). Jonathan treats Mephibosheth as his own son as stated in 2 Sam. 9:7"And David said to him, 'Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always'" 2 Sam. 9:7 ESV.. Based on the evidence presented above, it is clear that David and Jonathan were involved in a homosexual relationship, which also happens to be one of the greatest love stories in the Bible because it was an eternal love that surpassed Jonathan's death.
* The Bible states that David and Jonathan were in love with each other, but we know that this love was a deep, brotherly love that never became a sexual love.
* In 1 Sam. 18:1-4"As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father's house.
Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt" 1 Sam. 18:1-4 ESV., Jonathan literally gives David the clothes off of his back and all of his weapons and armor. At the time, David did not own a sword, as he defeated Goliath with just a slingshot and a stone (1 Sam. 17:49"And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground" 1 Sam. 17:49 ESV.). Thus, Jonathan realizes that David doesn't have quality weaponry, and, since David and Jonathan are good friends, Jonathan gives David his equipment (1 Sam. 18:4"And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt" 1 Sam. 18:4 ESV.). Additionally, David and Jonathan had made a covenant to remain best friends, and Jonathan's gift to David seals the covenant (1 Sam. 18:3"Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul" 1 Sam. 18:3 ESV.).
* Jonathan is so attached to David that when Saul becomes jealous of David and threatens to kill him, Jonathan does everything in his power to save his friend, including lying to his father, and Saul is angry with Jonathan and curses him (1 Sam. 20:5-6, 27-28"David said to Jonathan, 'Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit at table with the king. But let me go, that I may hide myself in the field till the third day at evening. If your father misses me at all, then say, "David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the clan."'
But on the second day, the day after the new moon, David's place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, 'Why has not the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?'
Jonathan answered Saul, 'David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem'" 1 Sam. 20:5-6, 27-28 ESV.). Saul makes this proclamation against Jonathan because he is filled with rage and a son who lies to his father is a serious wrong-doing. Saul uses incredibly strong language to convey his anger towards Jonathan (1 Sam. 20:33"But Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death" 1 Sam. 20:33 ESV.).
* We know that David is not sexually attracted to Jonathan because David marries Michal, Saul's daughter, while he's still friends with Jonathan. Although Saul makes the suggestion to David that he marry his daughter, Saul requires that David pay a bride-price of a hundred Philistine foreskins for his daughter's hand, hoping all the while that the Philistines will kill David (1 Sam. 18:25"Then Saul said, 'Thus shall you say to David, "The king desires no bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged of the king's enemies."' Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines" 1 Sam. 18:25 ESV.). David is in love with Michal, agrees to Saul's challenge, and successfully slays the Philistines (1 Sam. 18:26-27"And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. Before the time had expired, David arose and went, along with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife" 1 Sam. 18:26-27 ESV.). If David had been in homosexual love with Jonathan, he would not have put his life in danger for her. When David marries Michal, David and Jonathan actually become brother-in-laws since David is integrated into Saul's family.
* When Jonathan learns in 1 Sam. 20:41"And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a 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 Sam. 20:41 KJV. that David must leave him, he kisses David and cries with David "until David exceeded." Many biblical men have kissed each other, and it most often happens between sons and fathers (see Gen. 27:26-27"Then his father Isaac said to him, 'Come near and kiss me, my son.' So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said, 'See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed'" Gen. 27:26-27 ESV. in which Isaac kisses his son Jacob, Gen. 29:13"As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things . . . " Gen. 29:13 ESV. in which Laban kisses his nephew, Gen. 31:55"Early in the morning Laban arose and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them" Gen. 31:55 ESV. in which Laban kisses his sons and daughters, Gen. 33:4"But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept" Gen. 33:4 ESV. in which Esau kisses his brother, Gen. 45:15"And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. After that his brothers talked with him" Gen. 45:15 ESV. in which Benjamin kisses his brethren (brothers), Gen. 48:10"Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. So Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them" Gen. 48:10 ESV. in which Israel kisses his sons, Gen. 50:1"Then Joseph fell on his father's face and wept over him and kissed him" Gen. 50:1 ESV. in which Joseph kisses his father Israel, Exod. 4:27"The LORD said to Aaron, 'Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.' So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him" Exod. 4:27 ESV. in which Aaron meets Moses on the mount of God and kisses him, Exod. 18:7"Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. And they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent" Exod. 18:7 ESV. in which Moses meets his father-in-law and kisses him,1 Sam. 9:27, 10:1"As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, 'Tell the servant to pass on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.' Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him . . ." 1 Sam. 9:27, 10:1 ESV. in which Samuel anoints Saul with oil and kisses him, 2 Sam. 14:33"Then Joab went to the king and told him, and he summoned Absalom. So he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king, and the king kissed Absalom" 2 Sam. 14:33 ESV. in which a king kisses Absalom, 2 Sam. 15:5"And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him" 2 Sam. 15:5 ESV. in which Absalom kisses the hand of any man that does homage to him, and 2 Sam. 19:39". . . And the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own home" 2 Sam. 19:39 ESV. in which a king kisses Barzillai). In fact, the amount of biblical references to men kissing men, as either a greeting or a gesture of familial affection, is greater than the amount of biblical references to men kissing women. Most of these kisses were exchanged during a greeting or a farewell. We know that in 1 Sam. 20:42"Then Jonathan said to David, 'Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, "The LORD shall be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever."' And he rose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city" 1 Sam. 20:42 ESV., David and Jonathan were parting for an unknown amount of time, and, thus, David and Jonathan's kiss was also exchanged during a farewell.
* In 2 Sam. 1:26"I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant have you been to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women" 2 Sam. 1:26 ESV., David calls Jonathan his brother. David also claims that Jonathan's love was greater than that of a woman's love because Jonathan loved David as his soulmate in a purely non-sexual manner. Moreover, at some point before his death, Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth, and David actually adopts him (2 Sam. 9:6-7"And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, 'Mephibosheth!' And he answered, 'Behold, I am your servant.' And David said to him, 'Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always'" 2 Sam. 9:6-7 ESV.) because of David and Jonathan's promise to each other in 1 Sam. 20:42"Then Jonathan said to David, 'Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, "The LORD shall be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever." And he rose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city" 1 Sam. 20:42 ESV. that the Lord shall be forever between each other and their offspring. Thus, Jonathan had sexual relations at some point with a woman. Additionally, David had many children, as stated in 1 Chron. 3:1-9"These are the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn, Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelite; the second, Daniel, by Abigail the Carmelite, the third, Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah, by Abital; the sixth, Ithream, by his wife Eglah; six were born to him in Hebron, where he reigned for seven years and six months.
And he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem. These were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan and Solomon, four by Bath-shua, the daughter of Ammiel; then Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine.
All these were David's sons, besides the sons of the concubines, and Tamar was their sister" 1 Chron. 3:1-9 ESV., from mistresses, multiple wives, and concubines. Obviously, David was very active heterosexually. Thus, David and Jonathan's relationship was comparable to that of brothers or soul mates and not of lovers.
1Levin states that "'ervah, 'nakedness,' (is) a euphemism for sexuality" Levin, 1989, p. 117 and MacAuthur states in the ESV that in Lev. 18:6, uncover nakedness is "a euphemism for sexual relations" (p. 177, footnote for 18:6). Return
2"nâshaq."Strong, 1995/1996, Hebrew section p. 97, entry 5401 Return
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