"David and Jonathan - The Tale of Two Friends by William Guthrie bridges a divide of thousands of years, from friendship rehearsed in oral tradition to friendship rehearsed on Facebook but always the same in essence, i.e. friendship. In a world of greater isolation where individuals spend so much time by themselves in front of computers, it is refreshing and life-giving to see the banner of friendship raised high and promoted. This book has the potentiality of propelling people into deeper satisfaction and even deeper meaning in their lives." The Rt. Rev. William E. Swing, D.D., 7th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of California, President and Founder of the United Religions Initiative. "The Rev. Dr. William Guthrie has given us the gift of exploring the many dimensions of the friendship between Jonathan, son of Saul; and David, Saul's successor as king. In so doing, Dr. Guthrie draws out the wisdom of that biblical friendship and how it can be applied to the challenges that beset friendships today." The Rt. Rev. Mark M. Beckwith, D.D., Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Newark.

Were David and Jonathan 'gay' lovers? This very modern question lies behind the recent explosion of studies of the David and Jonathan narrative. Interpreters differ in their assessment of whether 1 and 2 Samuel offer a positive portrayal of a homosexual relationship. Beneath the conflict of interpretations lies an ambiguous biblical text which has drawn generations of readers - from the redactors of the Hebrew text and the early translators to modern biblical scholars - to the task of resolving its possible meanings. What has not yet been fully explored is the place of David and Jonathan in the evolution of modern, Western understandings of same-sex relationships, in particular how the story of their relationship was read alongside classical narratives, such as those of Achilles and Patroclus, or Orestes and Pylades. The Love of David and Jonathan explores this context in detail to argue that the story of David and Jonathan was part of the process by which the modern idea of homosexuality itself emerged.

This book tells the story of the friendship between David and Jonathan, son of King Saul (1 Samuel 18-20). The Arch? Books series tells popular Bible stories through fun-to-read rhymes and bright illustrations. This well-loved series captures the attention of children, telling scripturally sound stories that are enjoyable and easy to remember.

Many years ago, Saul, the king of Israel, was often troubled by a bad spirit. He was very sad and didn't like the way he felt. When his servants noticed it, they decided to help.

Jonathan Rowe examines David and Jonathan's friendship in the context of what ancient readers would have understood as the 'natural' loyalty to their families. He focuses on the conflicting moral goods between which the men choose, seeking to understand the dynamics of the narrative consonant with ancient society. Rowe discusses theoretical issues of interpretation and summarises how Bakhtin's theory of heteroglossic voices can be utilised to understand the narrative. He deliberates over the key aspects of family life in the world described by the Old Testament, surveys approaches to the study of the family among anthropologists and, finally, states how anthropology can inform the interpretation of the biblical text. Starting from the concept of 'hegemonic masculinity', Rowe examines how men in general are presented positively, and then shows how Jonathan, David and Saul measure up to these standards. Rowe concludes that although Jonathan was disloyal to his family, something that implied readers would have censured, the books of Samuel present this disloyalty as honourable, thus making a theological point about fidelity to the house of David.

Recounts the shepherd boy's relationships with King Saul and Jonathan and the way he became king of Israel.

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.