David, Michal, and Jonathan (David Truong)

David Truong

Essay Blog #2

   David’s relationship with Jonathan & Michal are both rich and both same to favor David over their own father, Saul. Jonathan warns David over his father’s plot to kill him (1Sam 19:2) and then later convinces Saul to spare David’s life.(1Sam 19:4) When Saul once again plots David’s death, his daughter warns David and allows him to escape.(1Sam 19:11)  Twice, David’s life is saved from Saul by Saul’s own children. While somewhat ironic, it is also an example of how charismatic David was and the valuable relationships he had with them. While David may not have been able to survive without either one’s assistance, the Bible favors Jonathan’s relationship with David over Michal’s.

   While Michal is mentioned to have loved David even before they were married (1Sam 18:20), there is no mention of their relationship after they wed. When she saves his life from Saul by sending him away at night (1Sam 19:12), she is questioned by her father as to why she does so. Instead of defending her husband’s honor, she falsely tells them that David had threatened her. (1Sam 19:17) For the extent of our reading, this is the last mention of Michal who furthers discredits her relationship to David compared to Jonathan.

   Speaking of Jonathan, it is mentioned several times that he thinks very highly of David. “The soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” (1Sam 18:1) This is much more powerful wording than Michal’s feelings for David which leads me to the belief that we are intended to focus more on Jonathan’s relationship with David.  At the beginning of 1 Samuel 18, Jonathan gives to David all his garments and weapons to take to battle. Not only is this a sign of the deep love that Jonathan has for David, but it also symbolically means that Jonathan is giving up his right as Saul’s heir to David.  I found this extremely important because in The Women’s Bible Commentary, it is explained that Israel at the time had a centralized government that focused on the patriarchy. “In the social organization represented by 1 and 2 Samuel, the primary forms of authority are passed down from father to son, regardless of the moral qualities of the son.” (Newson et al. p.152) By giving his birthright to David, we once again see the great depths of love that he has for David. Jonathan also goes after David in Ramah and the two weep for each other when they realize that there is no hope for Saul and David to reconcile. (1Sam 20:41)

   I think the relationship between Jonathan and David is supposed to represent the value between two men. While a married relationship implies a good relation, the bond between two men can be more valuable in the eyes of the author of this portion of Bible. If I may be allowed to bring in modern lingo to this discussion, I’d call this history’s earliest example of the “bromance.

Works Cited 

Newsom, Carol A., Sharon H. Ringe, and Jacqueline E. Lapsley. Women's Bible Commentary. Louisville, Ky: Westminster John Knox, 2012. Web.