Durham E-Theses A Cultural Study of the David and Jonathan Relationship through the Ritual in 1 Samuel 18:1-5. TYSON, KEVIN C.R. How to cite: TYSON, KEVIN C.R. (2010) A Cultural Study of the David and Jonathan Relationship through the Ritual in 1 Samuel 18:1-5., Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/6897/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 Kevin C.R. Tyson A Cultural Study of the David and Jonathan Relationship 1 A Cultural Study of the David and Jonathan Relationship through the Ritual in 1 Samuel 18:1-5 By Kevin Christopher Roy Tyson A thesis submitted to the Department of Theology and Religion, of the University of Durham, in candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy on the 31th of December 2010. Kevin C.R. Tyson A Cultural Study of the David and Jonathan Relationship 2 Abstract This thesis introduces a cultural hermeneutic for the study of the David and Jonathan relationship as found in the 1 Samuel 18:1-5 ritual. Its goal is to encourage biblical scholars and theologians to augment the use of exegetical tools in analysing biblical matter with methods from social anthropology and the social sciences. This will offer a third alternative interpretation of the heroes’ relationship apart from late modern tendencies to engage in either a strict pro-homosexual reading or anti-homosexual rendering of the David-Jonathan narratives. This Ph.D. dissertation sets anthropological gift theory and material from selected comparative ethnography alongside the influence of the alleged Deuteronomistic Historian in an analysis of the socio-political transition of Premonarchical Israel to statehood to propose a textual and socially contextual bond of new male-male intimacy between David and Jonathan now classified as a warriors’ brotherhood. Other key theological and social scientific areas explored are the Yahweh Religion, both chapter nineteen narratives in the Books of Genesis and Judges, the term ‘loyal love’ (in Hebrew, hesed), the Holiness Code and pollution theory, ritualised kinship and identity, patriliny (in which a child acquires social status from its father) and power, and domestic groups. Kevin C.R. Tyson A Cultural Study of the David and Jonathan Relationship 3 Table of Contents Abstract ....................................................................................................................... 2 Abbreviations ............................................................................................................. 7 Declarations ................................................................................................................ 8 Chapter 1 – Methodology ........................................................................................... 9 A ‘Traditional’ Approach ......................................................................... 19 Chapter 2 – Social Science and the Old Testament .................................................. 31 Social Anthropology: Significance of Symbolism ................................... 31 Literary scenes ...................................................................................... 32 Emic or Etic .............................................................................................. 36 Semitics, Semiotics and Symbiosis: Key Scholars ................................................... 38 Precedent for Biblical Studies and Social Anthropology ......................... 38 Excursus: Patrilineal Society ................................................................... 41 Nature or Nurture of the Old Testament ................................................................... 43 Developing a Cultural Hermeneutic ......................................................... 45 Comparative studies ............................................................................. 50 Chapter 3 – Exegetical Matter .................................................................................. 53 English Translation of Select Texts .......................................................................... 53 1 Samuel 18:1-4, NRSV ........................................................................... 53 Textual notes to the translation ............................................................. 53 1 Samuel 20:8, 14-17, NRSV ................................................................... 54 Textual notes to the translation ............................................................. 55 Summary of the Jonathan Texts ............................................................... 56 Intimacy .................................................................................................................... 58 The Context .............................................................................................................. 59 The Deuteronomistic Historian ................................................................ 59 Connectivity in the Old Testament ........................................................... 63 Deuteronomy 17:14-21 and 1 Samuel .................................................. 66 The Priestly Source ............................................................................... 69 The Story before the Text ......................................................................... 73 The Text .................................................................................................................... 82 Loyal Love or Friendship ......................................................................... 86 Love ...................................................................................................... 88 Kevin C.R. Tyson A Cultural Study of the David and Jonathan Relationship 4 Covenant ............................................................................................... 89 David’s love for Jonathan ..................................................................... 91 Yahweh ................................................................................................. 95 Pre-modern Contexts ................................................................................................ 96 Friendship: A Greek Influence ................................................................. 96 2 Samuel 1:26 ....................................................................................... 98 Biblical Influences .................................................................................. 100 Proverbs 27:17, 19 .............................................................................. 100 Proverbs 27:7-10 ................................................................................ 101 A consideration in Job ........................................................................ 102 Proverbs 17:17 .................................................................................... 104 Proverbs 18:24 .................................................................................... 105 Influences on Modern Friendship ........................................................... 105 A Western Context ................................................................................................. 109 Chapter 4 – Cultural Classifications ....................................................................... 124 To Structure and Classify ....................................................................................... 126 Gift theory .......................................................................................... 127 The habitus ......................................................................................... 130 Kinship Concepts in Social Anthropology ............................................................. 132 Excursus: Émile Durkheim ................................................................. 136 The mother’s brother .......................................................................... 139 The developmental cycle .................................................................... 144 Rites of Passage ...................................................................................... 145 Ritualised kinship ............................................................................... 147 A Survey of Cultures .............................................................................................. 149 Units of Association: From solidarity to fissility .................................. 150 The maximally solidary community ................................................... 150 The solidary-fissile community .......................................................... 150 The nonnucleated society ................................................................... 151 The individuated social structure ........................................................ 152 Categorising Friendships