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Chapter 7 - Yahweh Who Watches a King (2 Samuel 11:1–24:25)
John Goldingay, Fuller Theological Seminary, California
Book:

The Theology of the Book of Samuel

Published online:

08 May 2024

Print publication:

09 May 2024, pp 178-213
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Summary

Chapter 7 covers David’s moral downfall and the disastrous implications for his family, including the rape of Tamar and the rebellion of Absalom. The closing pages of 2 Samuel look back and raise further questions about who David was and the kind of God who was involved with him.

John Goldingay
Published online:

08 May 2024

Print publication:

09 May 2024
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The Old Testament book of Samuel is an intriguing narrative that offers an account of the origin of the monarchy in Israel. It also deals at length with the fascinating stories of Saul and David. In this volume, John Goldingay works through the book, exploring the main theological ideas as they emerge in the narratives about Samuel, Saul, and David, as well as in the stories of characters such as Hannah, Michal, Bathsheba, and Tamar. Goldingay brings out the key ideas about God and God's involvement in the lives of people, and their involvement with him through prayer and worship. He also delves into the mystery and complexity of human persons and their roles in events. Goldingay's study traces how God pursues his purpose for Israel and, ultimately, for the world in these narratives. It shows how this pursuit is interwoven with the realities of family, monarchy, war, love, ambition, loss, failure, and politics.

1 - Royal Illness in Stories about the Early Monarchy
from Part I - The Failure of Kingship and the Demise of the Nation
Isabel Cranz, University of Pennsylvania
Book:

Royal Illness and Kingship Ideology in the Hebrew Bible

Published online:

19 November 2020

Print publication:

22 October 2020, pp 31-59
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Summary

Chapter 2 focuses on the depiction of Israel’s first kings in the Books of Samuel and 1 Kings 1–2. This chapter deals with narratives about the early days of kingship and the portrayal of kings and members of the royal court who are affected by various ailments and disabilities. The kings and members of the royal court discussed include Saul, who descends into madness; the unnamed son of David and Bathsheba; and David himself, who suffers the effects of old age later in his life. It is shown how royal illness frames David’s and Solomon’s succession to the throne and how royal illness can be framed by sinful behavior. When read against the backdrop of Israel’s and Judah’s monarchic past, the imagery of illness surrounding Saul and David engage in a larger debate about the correct form of leadership and problems inherent to kingship.