Abomination: The Story of David and Jonathan

by Jeza Belle

David, a shepherd from Bethlehem, and Jonathan, the son of the Israelite king, come face-to-face after the death of the Philistine giant, Goliath. Their encounter stirs the soul, and the two become one in a way that many believe but few have dared to write about. This love story follows the tragic journey of two bisexual men who are deeply connected, and yet whose destinies ultimately do not align. One is reckless and ascendant, while the other is loyal and shackled to the sins of his fading father. Abomination explores the definition of love with a contemporary, yet historical, spin on the lives of these two biblical heroes.

Readers should be advised that this novel contains elements of violence, sexism, misogyny, and ancient cultural bias / ethnic prejudice.

206 pages, Paperback

First published September 12, 2025

About the author

Jeza Belle is a drag queen, comedian, producer, and award-winning author. Jeza's books include the longstanding hit trashy cookbook, "The Harlot's Guide to Classy Cocktails," and the much-lauded, "Jeza's Jesus Juice: A Drag Queen's Christian Devotional," which broke boundaries—and the internet—as the first Christian book written by a drag queen. In addition, Jeza Belle is the author of "The Presence Collection"—four standalone historical fiction novels that feature LGBTQ+ characters in settings where their existence has been minimized or ignored. Book One, "Blood Rouge," and Book Two, "The Freedom to Love," have been released to great reviews and numerous accolades. Jeza Belle has contributed to numerous publications around the world, from The Huffington Post to The Advocate, and had her own column in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

It is clear from her romping comedic live performances everywhere from Broadway to Barcelona, to her highly charged political opinions, to her edge-of-the-seat writing, that Jeza is a force to be reckoned with across all forms of media.

Follow Jeza on Instagram @iamjezabelle

Reviews

[T.L. Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caution: this is not a romance story - it has no HEA. But nor does it pretend to be. It is a retelling, and thus is constrained by the real Bible story (found in the Book of Samuel). It takes these soulmates and gives them a fuller story full of love and violence and tragedy.

David is a humble son of a sheep farmer - a very pretty, blond one. His talent: playing the lyre (harp).

Jonathan is the son of Saul, King of Israel. And a brown-haired warrior.

When David famously slays Goliath he is supposed to be rewarded by King Saul. But the king gets jealous, and is a little bit cray-cray.

In the KJV Bible, we read, "Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul." Their souls were knit. They are not condemned for this.

This story is excellently written. It gives Bible vibes without being bogged down by its tedious narrative doctrine.

The steam is high. And there is an acceptance of these guys being bi. They must take wives to procreate; it was the way of things, and it was refreshing to bring love into those relationships too.

The story is brought to life in vivid, gut-wrenching detail in the most marvellous way.

The various meetings and partings of David and Jonathan rent my heart in pieces! Oh, these two!!!

If you want a read that'll change your brain chemistry, and possibly alter your views on the Bible, you should definitely pick this one up.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I keep reading these books by drag queen Jeza Belle and each one I like more and more. They are all well researched, like you step right into the time the book is about. I think that maybe I like this book the best because it is difficult to take a well known story and do what this author did. Though I don't think I have heard this before, only that the two men loved each other, but never read a book on them. I would say this book is probably good for people who like bisexual books and bisexual stories do not get as much attention as they should. Also this is good for people who like the bible and are not closed minded. If you like historical fiction books I would say put this near the top of your list as you probably have not read anything like it before either just like me.

[TheWizard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brought the Bible to life for me. Not only were both David and Jonathan compelling characters, but so were all of the others. It felt like I was there, thousands of years ago. The love story at the heart of this novel was powerful and what makes it amazing is that was clearly built on a close adherence to the Biblical passages. This should open up a lot of minds and hearts. I HIGHLY recommend Abomination: The Story of David and Jonathan!

[Gemma Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was an amazing such an original spin on the characters i absolutely lived it loads so well written i take my hat off to jeza belle you are one talented lady xx