Abstract
Each chapter identifies an historical era and offers detailed exegesis of biblical texts assigned to that era. Blenkinsopp follows a conventional stream of scholarship that assigns specific dates of composition to each portion of the Bible, so that, for example, Isaiah 40–55 is called the Neo-Babylonian “Deutero-Isaiah.” Blenkinsopp does not address recent research suggesting that some of these conventional dates of composition are incorrect. Also, Blenkinsopp is not shy about identifying obscure figures or vague references in a biblical passage with specific events and individuals, or with the ever-present but anonymous descendant of David. In each case, the conclusions are plausible in light of Blenkinsopp’s historical speculations, but many of these speculations must be viewed as houses made of cards.
A casual reader can get lost in the depth of exegesis, but the central thesis is clear to an attentive reader. The collapse of Jerusalem in 586 BCE motivated biblical scribes to introduce revisions to many biblical books, reshaping the image of David in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. For example, Deutero-Isaiah responded to the anguish expressed by Psalm 89 with a completely reinvented notion of the divine promise to David in Isa 55:1–5, but other psalms and 1–2 Chronicles attest to a new, Persian-era image of David as a musician-messiah. The constant repetition of temple liturgies associated with David’s name became a catalyst for messianic speculation. The darker side of the revised David images can be seen in a naïve hope placed upon Zerubbabel in Haggai and Zechariah 1–8. After that hope failed, the texts were supplemented by the murky eschatological visions of Zechariah 9–11, which were further supplemented by the even murkier Zechariah 12–14. Blenkinsopp traces the final stages of this David-interpretation into the Roman era, with the Dead Sea Scrolls and early Christian writings.
The value of this book is in its details. Even in cases where readers are inclined to disagree with his conclusions, they can benefit from Blenkinsopp’s expert summary of biblical scholarship dealing with portions of the Bible that often receive insufficient attention.