Homosexuality in the Bible, Part One

A friend of mine wrote to me on Facebook requesting my help with some arguments a friend of his gave saying the Bible supports homosexuality.

The argument is the Bible mentions three relationships that are claimed to be homosexual. They say Ruth and Naomi had a lesbian relationship, and there were homosexual relationships between King David and Jonathan, and Daniel and Ashpenaz, the prince of the eunuchs. These will be dealt with in reverse order.

Daniel 1:9 - "Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs" (King James Version).

II Samuel 1:26 - "I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women."

Ruth 1:14 - "And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law (Naomi); but Ruth clave unto her."

These are the Passages alleged to give support to the claims of homosexuals that their lifestyle is somehow okay with God. These allegations are far from the truth.


First, we see what the Bible says about the relationship between Daniel and Ashpenaz. The Interlinear Bible translates Daniel 1:9 this way, "And God had given Daniel kindness and compassion before the prince of the eunuchs." The passage says absolutely nothing whatsoever about a sexual relationship between Daniel and Ashpenaz. The word translated "tender love" is racham, which simply means compassion. It is NOT a reference to sexual orientation in any way, shape or form.

The second instance of alleged homosexuality mentioned as "legitimate" is the relationship between King David and Saul's son, Jonathan. Jonathan's love for David, was "passing the love of women." The word translated "love" in II Samuel 1:26 is ahabah (starts with the letter aleph), meaning affection. Jonathan affection for David passed the affection of women. Men have affection for one another that is not in any way remotely sexual. There are many men I have affection for, but not one of them would I want to go to bed with! If David had meant sexual relations, he would have used the word agabah (starts with the letter ayin), which is sexual love. The words do not have the same meaning. Therefore David was NOT talking about a homosexual relationship with Jonathan, but affection between best friends. This in no way Biblically legitimizes the homosexual lifestyle.

We now come to the "lesbian" lifestyle of Ruth and Naomi. This is one of the most pathetic interpretive graspings at straws I have come across in all my nearly 40 years of studying the Scriptures! The writer of the letter to my friend takes one sentence in Ruth 1:14 out of context and says, "Ruth 1:14, referring to the relationship between Ruth and Naomi, mentions that 'Ruth clave unto her' (KJV). Clave in this instance is the past tense of cleave used above to show the joining of man ands woman." This last sentence is a reference to Genesis 2:24, which will be covered subsequently.

"Ruth clave unto her" in the context in no way even implies a lesbian relationship. The verb dabaq (to cleave) has more than one meaning. Yes, it does mean to adhere or cling to, which is the meaning in Genesis 2:24 without question. But in this context, it means to follow close (hard after), and perhaps pursue hard.

In the context Naomi (a Jew) is leaving Moab, where she has lived for 20 years and raised a family. Her two sons, Mahlon and Chilion have died, leaving Naomi with Orpah and Ruth, her daughters-n law. She is about to return to her homeland, Israel. Orpah kissed her goodbye, but "Ruth clave unto her." In verse 15, Naomi asks Ruth to go back to her own people as Orpah had done. But in verse 16 and 17, "And Ruth said, 'Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for wither thou goest, I will go, and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.'"

Ruth was very determined to stay with Naomi. She was, according to verse 18, "steadfastly minded to go with her." This means she "clave" to Naomi, i.e., followed close after, her. It is ridiculous to postulate a lesbian relationship between them. That is pure speculation and rationalization and nothing more; all smoke and mirrors. No substance.

There was no homosexual relationship between Daniel and Ashpenaz, or David and Jonathan, and no lesbian relationship between Ruth and Naomi.



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