In Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirtythree years David should've learned to prioritize his marriage relationship. 1996. vol. So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and prospered; and Saul set him over the men of war. 1 Samuel 17:33 David at the confrontation with Goliath Read 1 Samuel 18:5. #`}oW`eS Ho%.%,bSND/{VEd:;IDG)@YZ&,p #-AkH5T3R^c` 7MTdY>#1&p\{2!`.ez2 :3;0(;gYh4\G ;g$8 t-t=*m|8J)]Ad|iq&( TR# 5OtZAbPD7Cg"`9R,pY*. [30], Other interpreters point out that neither the books of Samuel nor Jewish tradition documents sanctioned romantic or erotic physical intimacy between the two characters, which the Bible elsewhere makes evident when between heterosexuals, most supremely in the Song of Solomon. Now why did Jonathan do this? and they called to Lot and said to him, Where are the men who came to you tonight? !{"?bPquES{~q#EoY=ru^$cs[5l\X`]8eVv jSkV=;:c6UQ^Ic xrUrA;vw7%kEEM3,CS7.H/. [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"). B&H Publishing. What are the lessons in the story of the Levite and his concubine. Why was the fruit there? Samuel was around 49 years old at this time. 60 As Jonathan Kirsch notes, many attempts have been made to conceal the flesh-and-blood David from us. Samuel is 49. But the most common expression is have relations, which comes from yada. 1. Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him and gave it to David, also his apparel, even to his sword and to his bow and to his girdle. Saul would be around 60 at Gilboa. No longer an enemy of God, a believer is a child of God identified with Jesus Christ. Do this a few times with the children. Davids enemies would be Jonathans enemies and Jonathans enemies would be Davids. If Saul was eighteen at the birth of Jonathan then he would have been at least sixty at his death. Verses 25-27 are the final verses of a lament over Saul and Jonathan (v. 17). If Saul was eighteen at the birth of Jonathan then J. Carl Laney summarizes the meaning of verse 3 with these words, The covenant of friendship referred to in verse 3 was a unilateral (binding on one party only) covenant in which Jonathan committed himself to David with complete disregard for self. The soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David. In my Bible it states that the Hebrew manuscripts state "Saul was years old when he became king; and he reigned two years over Israel". Jonathan dies at around age 60. Samuel appointed his own sons as judges, but they were not respected, and the people demanded a king. As we have seen, the death of the judge Abdon in the year 2909 provoked a national crisis. 3000 Completion of Temple. Does sodomite mean temple prostitute in the Bible? Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. Why not just write, "And after Saul had reigned two years"? As well as the basic pieces of information above, the following extra items appear reasonable: In our last lesson we were introduced to a king after Gods own heart. Learning Activity #1: What makes a good friend? Additionally, David would be 28 when Saul took the throne, and it is not clear that the description of him as a youth would have been used. 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. Jonathan had a son He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel His name was Mephibosheth. Saul had already been rejected for eight years. ." They refer to 1 Samuel 18:1-3 which says Both had initiated faith-motivated attacks against militarily superior Philistines that had resulted in great victories for Israel. This is further reinforced by the fact that in verse 16 ahebis used to refer to the love of all Israel and Judah for David. They didnt allow their differences to mask their real selves. There is more than mere homosociality in the dealings of David and Jonathan, as asserted by two 21st century studies: the biblical scholar Susan Ackerman,[26] and the Orientalist Jean-Fabrice Nardelli. 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. 1 Samuel 13:1 literally says: "A son of one year was Saul when he became king, and two years he reigned over Israel." If Saul had his sons close together then Jonathan may have been forty-two at his death but he may have been older. Conclusion -- Jonathan was at least 58 years old when he died and David Ackerman explains this as a case of liminal, viz. What happened during these two years? 1999. p. 26. Answer: We know from 1 Samuel 18:1 that Jonathan loved David. Second Samuel 1:26 records Davids lament after Jonathans death, in which he said that his love for Jonathan was more wonderful than the love of a woman. Some use these two passages to suggest a homosexual relationship between David and Jonathan. Jonathan, however, is slain on Mt. 1992. vol. Jonathan learned that Saul was still angry and wanted David put to death. (Allow responses. Jonathan did not befriend David simply because the latter won against Goliath. You can freely license our resources under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International. In most cases, of course, such a procedure is proper, but in every case we have to read the information in context, comparing Scripture with Scripture, and make sure that our interpretation is sound before adding up the numbers. First, suppose Saul reigns for 2 years. Unless it means something else here, which is what Anstey asserts, we shall have to look for another interpretation. Jonathan and David were approximately the same age the closeness of their friendship does not preclude widely differing ages but renders it less likely. Its not strictly necessary, but if youd like to give us additional information about this error, do so at our feedback site, https://hermeneutics.meta.stackexchange.com. 2909 Death of Abdon; Samuel appoints sons, rejected; anointing of He remains in Gath for 1 year 4 months, as well as unspecified times in more remote locations. Site design and hosting by . David's lament (the Song of the Bow) for Saul and Jonathan. 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). 1 Samuel 18 Davids rise to fame A few late Septuagint manuscripts have thirty for the first figure, but it is missing from the Hebrew. Non-sexual kisses have always been common in eastern cultures and other parts of the world from ancient times to the present. Contents Finally, it may well be that several diverse traditions concerning Saul were in existence, and that the forty year option was the one Paul had been taught. Please use our childrens ministry curriculum and Sunday School material for any purpose that brings honor to Jesus. ahab; v. 3) David. (Avot 5:16)"[8]. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself ( 1 Samuel 18:1-3 ). 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. The next time David was playing his harp before him he tried to kill him again. We must remember that love between a husband and wife is multifaceted. This means there is at least a thirty year age gap between David and Saul, and at least a twelve year age gap between David and Jonathan. 2. p. 706. [49], Orly Keren additionally posits that the relationship between Jonathan and David was not without enlightened self-interest on both sides: Jonathan in obtaining guarantees for his own future and that of his family, and David in creating and maintaining a public image. 1 Chronicles 8:33 lists the sons as Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab and Ish-Baal. To show his David was a poor shepherd and Jonathan was a prince, next in line to be the King of Israel. Why did he tempt Adam? The resolution of the problem has bearing on how the book of Judges dovetails with the books of Samuel, as well as links with external matters. The kind of covenant loyalty seen Besides, Saul must have been older than thirty at this time because he had a grown son, Jonathan, who was old enough to serve in the army with him. David moves to Hebron, where he reigns for 7 years 6 months. Earlier I mentioned that true friends are a gift from God. Is there a verse in the Bible about homosexuality? What is the biblical definition of sodomite? The lesson was created for older elementary students but can be adapted for your needs. It is also known that covenants were common, and that marriage was a public event and included customs not seen in this story. Also, David would protect Jonathans family (1 Samuel 20:16-17; 23:16-18). This combination seems improbable given the basic information listed above, as few of the implied connections fit vey well. Moody Press. Now, the text tells us that he reigned for two years. The description suggests a mature man who had already gained the respect of others. It means that a year after Sauls adoption by Samuel, or within that year, he became king "when he was one year old." The first reference to the friendship of David and Jonathan is found in 1 Samuel 18:1-4. rev2023.3.1.43269. You [David] are not able to go out against [Goliath] and fight him: you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth. Read 18:1-4. 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. 2942 (Hypothetical) David driven away by Saul. Jonathan would be subservient to David in his future reign. A few late manuscripts of the Septuagint (Greek) translation of the Old Testament read that Saul was 30 years old when he began to reign, so that is how the NIV renders the first half of the verse. http://reformed-theology.org/ice/newslet/bc/bc.98.08.htm, Did Saul kill himself (1 Sam 31) or did the Amalekite soldier kill him? Unlike Jonathan (he did not put on Davids shepherd clothes), Jesus put on our filthy rags (sin) when He was nailed on the cross. Ish-bosheth was at most 20 when he became king over Israel. [31][32], The platonic interpretation of David and Jonathan's relationship is advocated by the religious writer R.A.J. When Jonathan gave David his weapons it was symbolic that because of the covenant they made with each other, they were obligated to protect and defend each other, no matter what. He went to the place that he and David agreed upon. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. They refer to 1 Samuel 18:1-3 which says twice that Jonathan loved David. 8 0 obj It occurs in Genesis 19:8. How long did Saul reign? [39] (This event, however, is never described in the Bible, and this particular interpretation has been disputed by Diana V. Edelman, who remarked that, "Such a presumption would require David to have run off with the queen mother while Saul was still on the throne, which seems unlikely."[40]). When Jonathan and David met, they had little in common. Scripture: 1 Samuel 18:1-16, 19:1-10,20 Jonathan was very sad because of his fathers intent to kill his friend. Jonathan would be about 53 at that time. It is often thought that this recounts a rather earlier episode concerning Saul and David, than the account in chapter 16 of David entering military service. C4ktI)-O:26aW#(2v'>9jRvhMG(A#`P:wtt(HBV3~_3@zFZ[;$ ] ocyRAd2ssygO%p8 gQ{9k>eq. . Thus, in this year, Saul was anointed king by Samuel, led the people in a victory over the Ammonites, and was crowned king of Israel. Jesus is the mighty friend of sinners. Now, what about the second half of 1 Samuel 13:1? 1 Samuel 14:49 Sauls family They were not married (v. 21-22). How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride! It occurs 210 times in the Old Testament. ." That means no permission is needed as long as you credit this Ministry-To-Children.com in the final work. Some scholars put Jonathan as much as 20 or even 30 years older than David so thats a pretty major age difference. 1 Samuel 16:18 David enters Sauls service Sometimes the length of a kings reign will be given in terms of something other than his literal rule over the nation. If you are a believer the best friend you will ever have is Jesus. Jonathan stripped off his clothes and dressed David in his own robe and armour. The first half of the verse, Anstey maintains, should not be translated "A son of one year was Saul when he began reigning," but rather "A son of one year was Saul in his reigning." Therefore, when David said Jonathans love was more wonderful then David was referring to sexual activity. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Ministry-To-Children.com helps you tell kids about Jesus by providing age-appropriate Bible study material and Sunday School curriculum all 100% free online. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Mephibosheth is born when Jonathan is about 25, again a reasonable value. transitory, homosexuality, deployed by the redactors as a textual means to assert David's rights against Jonathan's: the latter willingly alienated his princely status by bowing down (1 Samuel 20:41), sexually speaking, to the former. Abner brings David to Saul while David is still holding Goliath's severed head. Samuel is 58. The Hebrew words for love in verse 17 is ahaba. His wifes name was Ahinoam. Keren suggests that David's lament for Jonathan may have been a calculated pose for a people mourning a popular prince. May my beloved come into his garden [16], Some modern scholars and writers have interpreted the love between David and Jonathan as a homosexual relationship. The next day David was playing his harp for Saul. 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. Acts 13:21, recording a speech by Paul Many modern translations insert forty for the second figure, following Acts 13:21. He selflessly became friends with David who had been anointed as the new king. Lessons in Ghana, Liberia, Cote dIvoire and Senegal by John Oakes Lessons in English and French. (NASB)[4], David proved a successful commander, and as his popularity increased, so did Saul's jealousy. Now we are in a position to understand the meaning of 1 Samuel 13:1a in context. 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. David, the youngest son of Jesse, kills Goliath at the Valley of Elah where the Philistine army is in a standoff with the army of King Saul (Jonathan's father). (David killed Goliath with a stone and a slingshot) [27] Ackerman and Nardelli argue that the narrators of the books of Samuel encrypted same-sex allusions in the texts where David and Jonathan interact so as to insinuate that the two heroes were lovers. Who is a believers friend? 4. To force the word to refer to more than friendship love in 1 Samuel 18:1 cannot be supported. I understand that numbers sometimes are copied down differently and there could have been a copyist error. It is clear from the above that a 2-year reign seems unlikely. Once again David escaped Sauls attempt to kill him. "Saul." Return to top All rights reserved. With many older commentators, he states that Sauls 2-year reign only covers the time when he legitimately ruled Israel. "[51], In his Lambeth essay of December 2007, James Jones, the Bishop of Liverpool, drew particular attention to the "emotional, spiritual, and even physical" friendship between David and Jonathan:[52] .mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}. While David had a loyal and remarkable friendship with Jonathan, the same cannot be said of his wives. Jonathan, like his father Saul (16:21), loved (Hb. Neither term is ever used for David and Jonathans relationship. These verses reveal that David was no longer safe as Saul was planning to put him to death. Using a board or poster paper draw an outline of a person and allow students to write phrases that describe a good friend. Learning Activity #2: Activity pages for students to work on while waiting for all to arrive. What happened in this passage is explained in 1 Samuel 20:18-23. In verse 3, the Hebrew word translated as loved in verse 1 is ahaba. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. 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. It was not sexual. [28] The six sections she mentions are, Of these six examples, Ackerman identifies the most important example being the last one (the Song of the Bow) due to David's assertion that Jonathan's love to David "was more wonderful than the love of women".[28]. The birth of Jonathan then he would have been forty-two at his death a speech by many. By John Oakes lessons in the final verses of a person and allow students to write that... 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