“I run on the bridge
and the children after me
Jonathan
Jonathan they call
a little blood
just a little blood to top off the honey”
Israeli poet Yona Vollach’s famous poem, Jonathan touches at the cruel edges of this tragic story of power and loss, generational divides and shifting passions, playing out in so many ways in our lives, and in the middle of this biblical family/national saga.
Mid battle, the prince licks wild honey from the tip of his stick.
Just like that, he seals not only his own fate but also the fate of his father’s house. Just one drop of honey becomes bad blood.
The chapter begins as King Saul sits under a pomegranate tree, six hundred soldiers around him, waiting for a sign to wage the battle on the massive Philistine army, camped on the opposite hill. While his father hesitates and consults oracles (including the Ark of the Covenant that makes a surprise appearance here from its supposed resting place in Givat Yaarim), brave and feisty Prince Jonathan takes matters into his own hands. Along with his arms bearer he slinks on a secret unauthorized commando raid, crawling through the cracks in the Michmas valley, surprising the Philistines and creating such panic among them that they begin to flee.
When noticing this commotion, Saul pauses yet another oracular consultation mid-way, and leads his soldiers in attack. To maximize success on the battlefield he forbids them - by oath - from eating anything until the fighting is done.
Jonathan, now back among the soldiers from his successful secret mission, finds a honeycomb in the forest, casually dips his stick and licks the tip.
“His eyes light up.”
What’s in the honey?
That’s unclear from this text, with its rich erotic tones and a possible mythic wink at Samson’s stealth and honey licking legend. This seemingly simple act of appreciating the sweet found pleasure will turn things sour, but it may also be suggesting that we pay attention to the senses, to the sensual - what and who Jonathan desires is becoming important, and will become a critical wedge between him and his father.
The other soldiers notice, and admonish him - did he not hear his father’s warning? He did not, of course, and responded with scorn - his father was wrong; Had the soldiers eaten also, they would fight much better, their eyes as wide open as his. The honey transforms him.
While all this is going on, King Saul is back under the pomegranate tree, questioning the oracle again, obsessed with getting answers from beyond - should they continue fighting? But YHWH is silent and the king suspects that it is punishment - someone broke some rule. But what and who?
He summons the priest (whose pedigree is linked to the priestly house of Eli, the disgraced leader of Shiloh who was Samuel’s mentor) to activate the Urim and Thummim oracle - this is the fourth time the use of some sort of oracle ritual is mentioned -- and sure enough the lot falls on his own household.
Jonathan confesses right away:
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שָׁאוּל֙ אֶל־י֣וֹנָתָ֔ן הַגִּ֥ידָה לִּ֖י מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָה וַיַּגֶּד־ל֣וֹ יוֹנָתָ֗ן וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ טָעֹ֨ם טָעַ֜מְתִּי בִּקְצֵ֨ה הַמַּטֶּ֧ה אֲשֶׁר־בְּיָדִ֛י מְעַ֥ט דְּבַ֖שׁ הִנְנִ֥י אָמֽוּת׃
“Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me, what have you done?” And Jonathan told him, “I only tasted a bit of honey with the tip of the stick in my hand. I am ready to die.”
King Saul condemns his son to die for breaking the oath, even though he was not aware of it -- but the other soldiers protest and intervene, and Jonathan, honey lips and all, survives.
But nothing between them will be the same again.
The final scene of this already surprising chapter is a the first royal family.
They are introduced, in just three verses, one by one, once this battle is over and security, for the moment, secured. imagine them posing for a family photo, their grim faces, the Royal House of Saul, just risen, and about to fall:
Saul’s wife, Queen Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz, his elder daughter Merav, and her younger sister Michal. His sons Jonathan, Ishvi and Malkishua.
His uncle Avner Ben Ner, head of security, is also in the picture.
Notably absent from the historic photo is the Prophet Samuel.
The next decisive battle is about to begin.
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