Abstract
In the introduction, Erik Eynikel informs about the background of this collection of essays, and comments pertinently on each contribution.
The first essay is by Jan Fokkelman, who presents a competent structural reading of ‘the Samuel composition as a Book of Life and Death.’ Shimon Bar-Efrat (‘From History to Story’) discusses the diverse David figures that we encounter in various biblical and post biblical sources. Erik Eynikel compares Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel 2:1–11 with David’s song in 2 Samuel 22. He points out several similarities, but also differences. Christa Schäfer-Lichtenberger provides a very detailed literary critical study of 1 Samuel 1–7. She demonstrates how the Eli ark narrative existed independently, and was only later incorporated into the Samuel story. Johannes Klein discusses textual and exegetical problems relating to the introduction of the monarchy in 1 Samuel 8–15, and Baruch Halpern explores the nature of historiography in the same text. Klaus-Peter Adam, in a very comprehensive paper, looks into ‘Saul as a Tragic Hero.’ He uses examples from Greek literature. Georg Hentschel asks who is responsible for the murder of the priests at the Nob Sanctuary in 1 Samuel 21, and Calum Carmichael investigates the story about David at the Nob Sanctuary (mainly from a legal perspective). Ina Willi-Plein deals thoroughly with the Stellung und Bedeutung von 2 Sam 5 in der Davidshausgeschichte der Samuelsbücher. She argues that this text does not deal with the conquest of Jerusalem, but with David’s residential occupation. Walter Dietrich discusses in some detail 2 Samuel 6, and the transfer of the ark to Jerusalem from a literary critical point of view. His main position is that the Uzzah and Michal stories did not originally form a part on the final composition. Robert Rezetko investigates the relationship between David and Saul in 2 Samuel 6:1–5. His most important concern is the pro-David editing in the beginning of the text. Thilo Alexander Rudnig argues for a particular layer in 2 Samuel 10–12 that he refers to as a secondary Theodizeebearbeitung. He dates this stratum to the fourth or to the third century. Siegfried Kreuzer, ‘Literarkritik - Tendenzkritik - Theodizeebearbeitung. Zur exegetischen Methodik in den Samuelbüchern’, consists of a response to Rudnig. He is quite critical of Rudnig on methodological grounds. Steven L. McKenzie discusses the shift from positive to negative in the evaluation of David, following the Uriah and Bathsheba episode in 2 Samuel 11. He claims that this is the only text in the court history where we find a disapproving evaluation of David. Other texts commonly assumed to be so are not really negative. David T. Lamb takes up the problem of Deuteronomistic judgement oracles against the Davidic monarchs (the ‘Davidides’). He concludes that when the larger picture is taken into consideration, the Deuteronomist becomes quite negative to the Davidic dynasty. Jacques Vermeylen discusses the historicity of Absalom’s revolt (2 Samuel 15–19). He reminds us about the problems involved, but, nevertheless, deduces carefully that such an upheaval may reflect historical circumstances. Antony F. Campbell looks into 2 Samuel 21–24 from the point of view of history. He argues that the text consists of three different ‘waves’ relating to David, one positive, one neutral, and one negative. Finally, A. Graeme Auld presents a response to Campbell, and suggests a different solution for how best to understand 2 Samuel 21–24. According to Auld, there are quite a few connections between these chapters, the last ones in the book, and the rest of 1 and 2 Samuel. Therefore, this text is much more important for understanding the growth of the David narrative than what has often been assumed.
For and Against David originated as papers read before conferences on the books of Samuel in Nijmegen and Edinburgh in 2006. This volume, therefore, represents an important recent trend in biblical studies. More often than not, new ideas today are created when small groups of leading scholars from all over the world meet and discuss their areas of expertise. It is equally important to make this knowledge available to others. We must be grateful to the editors not only for the very fine volume, but also for providing ample indices.