JONATHAN

A two act drama by

ANTHONY E. GALLO

CHARACTERS

Jonathan

David

King Saul

Michale

Arm Bearer

Abner

Nathaniel

His Son

Two Witches

ANTHONY E. GALLO   202 544 6973   agallo2368@verizon.net

  A short two act drama

Jonathan was the eldest son of King Saul, the closest friend of King David. Jonathan is one of the most tragic,well meaning, and loyal leaders in the Judeo-Christian Tradition.    This two act drama examines the life of one of the noblest and most tragic characters in the Western literary tradition.

The son of  Israel's first king and heir apparent to that chosen throne. Like his father, he was a man of great strength and swiftness and excelled in archery and slinging.  He was a fascinating man who loved his God,  family, his father, and his best friend and his country, and was willing to give his life and his throne for his Nation, his God and King Davin to save the embryonic nation.  The relationship between David and Jonathan is one of the most notable biblical and literary relationships between two men in all history.

Jonathan first appears in the biblical narrative as the victor of Geba, a Philistine stronghold (1 Samuel 13), while in the following chapter he carries out a lone attack on another Philistine garrison, demonstrating his "prowess and courage as a warrior. However, he eats honey without knowing that his father had said, "Cursed be any man who eats food before evening comes" (1 Samuel 14:24).

Saul means to put Jonathan to death because of this but relents when the soldiers protest (1 Samuel 14:45).

The story of David and Jonathan is introduced in chapter 18, where it says that "Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself" 
(verse 1). Jonathan helps David escape from Saul, and asks him to show kindness to his family (1 Samuel 20:14-15), which indicates that Jonathan recognizes David as the future king.[4]

Saul suspects that Jonathan is colluding with David, who he believes is conspiring to overthrow him. 

Saul insults Jonathan calling him the "...son of a perverse and rebellious woman!" in 1 Samuel 20:30.

While this is an "idiom of insult directed at Jonathan",[5] some scholars see in this verse support for the theory that Ahinoam, the wife of Saul was also the wife of David. Jon Levenson and Baruch Halpern suggest that the phrase "to the shame of your mother's nakedness" suggests "David's theft of Saul's wife".[6]

Saul even goes so far as to attempt to kill Jonathan by impaling him with a javelin in a fit of paranoid rage (1 Sam. 20:33).

The last meeting between Jonathan and David would take place in and forest of Ziph at Horesh, during Saul's pursuit of David. 

There, the two would make a covenant before the LORD before going their separate ways (1 Samuel 23:15 - 18)

Jonathan died at the battle of Mount Gilboa along with his father and brothers[8] (1 Samuel 31). His bones were buried first at Jabesh-gilead, (1 Samuel 31:13) but were later removed with those of his father and moved to Zelah.[2] [9] Jonathan was the father of Mephibosheth, to whom David showed special kindness for Jonathan's sake (2 Samuel 9).

Jonathan has typically been portrayed as a "model of loyalty to truth and friendship," in the words of T. H. Jones .[
A few years later Jonathan and David became good friends, and as King Saul became more jealous of David, Jonathan tried to bring peace between the two. But, as bad as things got between Saul and David, and as good a friend Jonathan was to David, he stayed with his father fighting the Philistines at Mount Gilboa. Jonathan and Saul were both killed in this battle (1 Samuel 31:1-2).

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