David and Jonathan
David and Jonathan were, according to the Hebrew Bible's Books of Samuel, heroic figures of the Kingdom of Israel, who formed a covenant, taking a mutual oath.
Jonathan was the son of Saul, king of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin. David was the son of Jesse of Bethlehem, of the tribe of Judah. David became king after Jonathan, but because of their covenant, David seated Jonathan's son Mephibosheth at his own royal table instead of getting rid of the former king Saul's line.
The Bible does not explicitly depict the nature of the relationship between David and Jonathan. The traditional and mainstream religious interpretation of the relationship has been one of platonic love and an example of homosociality. Some later Medieval and Renaissance literature drew upon the story to underline strong personal friendships between men.
In modern times, some scholars, writers, and activists have emphasized what they see as elements of homoeroticism in the story.[1]
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- ↑ John Cornwall, Breaking faith: The Pope, the people and the future of Catholicism, Viking, 2001