OT+-+Chapters+15,+16,+17


 * Moodle Coogan Chapters 15-17 Questions**

1. Samuel means “God hears” as God hears the prayers of Hannah in the Shiloh temple. Like a 2nd Moses figure (difficult birth, active in a time of conflict, ultimately gets Israel on the right path). Influenced by the Northern Perspective (anti-monarchic). Not in favor ofing, wants to focus on the ark. Like other prophets, he does work closely with kings, though. Info about this period written 300-400 years after the events and there waslikely a great deal of //idealization of what should have happened// going on.
 * 1.** **Name and describe 3 prominent non-writing prophets**

2. Nathan (p. 263) Functions as a king maker like Samuel. Announces the divine decree guaranteeing the dynasty of David. He is central in the events leading to Solomon’s coronation. He also transmits ‘the divine judgment’ to the king about his transgression with Bathsheba. Tells David the parable about the landowner eating the herder’s only sheep to David. Looks for reconciliation.

3. Gad also transmits ‘the divine judgment’ to the king about the census. A bad idea, not okay with God. Active at the end of David’s life. He is always looking for reconciliation.


 * 2. What is the Ark Narrative? What is the significance of it?**

p. 234 The Ark Narrative is a history of the vicissitudes (= variabilities, changes) of the Ark of the Covenant including capture by the Philistines, return to Israelite territory, and its eventual transfer to Jerusalem by David. Samuel is not mentioned in this narrative which is a contrast to the surrounding narrative. That is why it is separated as a source. The Ark narrative resembles other accounts in ancient cultures of the capture of divine images in war. The ark narrative ends when David brings the ark to Jerusalem.

Saul: Anointed by Samuel but Samuel was not excited about it Charismatic leader Was not able to solve the Philistine problem Reigned 20 years
 * 3. Compare and contrast Saul and David.**

David: Anointed by Samuel Charismatic leader Was able to solve the Philistine problem was king during war centralized worship during his time similar administrations, some overlapping people

both David & Solomon reigned 40 years both had a downfall at the end of their lives both are complex characters both killed close members of their court (Uriah, Absalom, Sheba-David)(Joab & Solomon)

Solomon: Continued the era of peace and prosperity Accused of worshipping other gods

Strengths: 1. Greatest king in Israel’s history 2. Gifted warrior
 * 4. What are two major strengths and weaknesses of David?**

Weaknesses: 1. Corrupted towards violence over time 2. Overindulgent father

The covenant between Yahweh and David which guaranteed the divine protection of the dynasty founded by David and Jerusalem, its capital city. At first it was conditional (“If your sons keep my covenant”) and then it became an everlasting covenant where the dynasty would never end. (No longer were the Israelites bound to keep the stipulations with God as early in pre-monarchical times.) In this covenant, the king is the divine mediator.
 * 5. What is the Davidic Covenant and what role does Solomon play in it?**

Solomon plays a key role by overseeing the building of the temple where God is to reside.

Above is the professor's questions and Below is what Nick had made

> ||< > = Coogan Questions - Ch 15/16/17 = > **__ Chapter 15 - The Establishment of the Monarchy: 1 Samuel __**

1. How do the Deuteronomic Historians incorporate different and even inconsistent traditions into their work, and how does this contribute to their presentation of the period of the monarchy? The DH used many originally independent traditions, which often duplicate or contradict each other according to Coogan. Example is the killing of Goliath. In one account it is David who kills Goliath (1 Samuel 17). In the other (2 Samuel 2:19) the killing is attributed to Elhanan. Three diff account of how Saul was chosen, the Song of Hannah. Traditions are shaped and edited with the distinct thrological persepctive of the DH's, not according to human actions (individuals or nation) but the actions of God who either rewards or punishes Israel in accordance with the observance of the laws given to Moses. They use and weave together what they can from diff traditions to make their point. 2. What factors led to the establishment of the monarchy in ancient Israel? What are the reasons for opposition to it?

The confederation of the twelve tribes wasn't working with a volunteer militia and decentralized authority in the face of the Phillistine attacks. The reasons for opposition where some people thought the confederation was working just fine and some were opposed to monarchy because God was in charge and the monarchy would take focus off God as leader of Israel by focusing on King. The establishment of the monarchy was example of rebellion against divine rule.

3. How do the delineations of the characters of Samuel, Saul, and David reveal the perspectives of Deuternomic Historians?

It shows who was in favor and who not. Samuel was pretty much an ideal character/prophet. Saul starts out ok but messes up by taking on a priestly duty and when David enters the picture his portrayal turns negative. IT may because he wasn't doing well in battling the Philistines and the DH's needed a reason to work him out of narrative so they focused on how he bacame obsessed with David (jeolus/threatened) and how this distracted him and resources. Ultimaetly, the DH's claim that God rejected him in favor of David. The DH's always use divine will as reason for things that happen or to shape their story.

4. What is the theological problem that arose with the establishment of the kingship in Israel.

The challenge is that it takes focus off God as divine ruler. The establishment of the monarchy was example of rebellion against divine rule. However, the DH's solve the theological problem by making the establishment of the monarchy part of God's plan as they do with everything else they are trying to explain or justify.

5. How did the ancient Israelite society change during the early monarchy as described in 1 Samuel?

The society went from a loose confederation of tribes to move toward a centralized authority with a standing army vs. a volunteer militia. This was a slow process due to the opposition described above relating to divine rule according to Coogan. It didn't happen over night but they started to move in that direction. Coogan notes that possible changes included an increase in population in hill country and the resulting socio-economic changes, rise of a merchant class who needed protection for their trade, and specialization of occupations rather than each family for themselves would lead to a need for regional stability that would be acheived via a centralized authority.

**__Chapter 16 - The Reign of David: 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-2, and Psalm 132__**

Terms:

- city of David = Another name for Jerusalem. David it made the capital in the early 10th century. LAter tradition also refers to Bethlehem since it was David's birthplace.

- Succession Narrative = Independent source incorporated into the DH that relates how Solomon eventually succeeded David.. Found in 2 Samuel 9-20 and Kings 1-2. Also called the Court History of David.

-United Monarchy = Ten northern tribes of Israel and the southern tribe of Judah united under King David and his son Solomon's rule. When Solomon died in 928 the the northern tribes and Judah split once again.

-Zion = Another name for Jerusalem. Especially in poetic texts.

1. What is the cumulative portrait we get of David in 2 Samuel?

Coogan says David is almost an anti-hero in 2 Samuel - often absent from the battlefield, duped by his son, forced into exile, and at the end of his life impotent and senile.

David is a complex character. He is hero and and a rogue. A great poet who many of the Psalms are credited too. Coogan says he is the most important person in the Hebrew Bible after Moses. He is a great/est military leader that defeated the Philistines and untied the northern tribes and Judah creating a United Monarchy in Israel. He and his son Solomon presided over the Golden Years in Israel's history. However, there is a dark side to David that becomes clear in 2 Samuel when he has an adulterous affair with Bathsheba, the wife of one of his top military commanders, Uriah. Not only does he have the affair but he has Uriah killed. Not good according to the DH's. God is not pleased and David ends up as "politically and sexually impotent". Coogan says he was "cunning, opportunistic, loyal, and passionate -- and the greatest King in Israel's history.

2. What are the themes of the Succession Narrative? What are the attitudes toward kingship? Are they similar or different from the attitudes of other parts of 2 Samuel?

The Succession Narrative or as some call it "The court History of David" explains how Solomon became his father David's successor. Describes in detail the event that led to birth of Solmon by Bethsehba, the death of Solomon's older brothers Ammon and Absalom and in 1 Kings 1-2 shows how Salomon rather than Adonijah assumed the throne.

The DH's see David as a divenely choosen King. Attitude toward Kingship has seemed to have changed out of necessity as Israel needed a strong army to fight off the Phillistines and with the unification needed centralized control.For the Biblical writers the United Monarchy was a Golden Age like Auguston Rome or Elizabethan England. IT was viewed as divine favor and the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham. This is a diff tone than other parts in whcih the Kingship was question in that some thought Israel ws doing just fine under Divine Rule.

3. During the reigns of David and Solomon, Israel was the most important state in the Levant, a political prominence unequalled until the time of Herod the Great (40-4 BCE). What circumstances permitted the formation of the Davidic empire? What was the extent and nature of its control?

Both Tyre and Israel took advantage of a power vacum in the Levant. Egypt was weak from by struggles with Sea People and Libya along with internal conflict. Assyria was busy maintaining order in its own territroy and in Babylon to the south. This enabled the rise to small nation states. Under David, Israel was able to dominate its near neighbors except for Tyre in which it shared commercial interests.

4. Give the reasons why David benefited from the transfer of the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem.

It unified he Kingdom and enhanced his legitimacy as ruler. By bringing the old symbol of tribal unity to Jerusalem he made Jerusalem both the City of David and the City of God. Yahweh was with David because because David brought Yahweh to Jerusalem.

**__Chapter 17 - The Reign of Solomon: 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11, and Psalm 89__**

Terms:

Davidic covenant = the covenant between Yahweh and David which guaranteed the divine protection of the dynasty David founded and the its capital city of Jerusalem.

messiah = derived from the Hebrew //mashiah// meaning "annointed one". In Hebrew Bible it refers to past and present kings and priests who have been annointed. In later Jewish and Christian tradition it refers to a future leader sent by God.

royal ideology = The term in modern scholarship for the complex of ideas associated with Davidic monarchy including the "Davidic covenant".

Temple of Solomon = The temple in Jerusalem built by king Solomon in the 10th Century BCE and destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. Also known as the First Temple.

Zion = A name for Jerusalem, especially used in poetic texts.

1. Discuss the ways in which religion and politics were intertwined in the physical and idological description of Solomonic Jerusalem.

Solomon was apex of authority with political, military and religious officials under his control. The first position in his cabinet was that of Priest reflecting the importance of the religious establishment with the building of the Temple. Solominic Jerusalem symbolized the centralization of politics and religion in what had been a decentralized political and religious system in premonarchical Israel. Royal control of the rituals of the kingdom was part of the larger program of political centralization. Deity, king, and city were linked through this centralization process. The details of the design of the Temple reflected this ideology as seen in the two pillars flanking the entrance with the names Jachin and Boaz: God ha choosen to make hishome in the dynastic Temple in Jerusalem, and he would establish it (Jachin) with his strength (Boaz) forever.

2. What were the strength's and weaknesses of Solomon's reign?

The strength's of Solomon's rule was that he continued to build on what had been started by Saul and David including building a strong military and presiding over a period of peace that resulted in economic and political prosperity. He is credited with being a pious and wise leader whose crowning acheivement is the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem thus centralizing worship and political authority in Jerusalem. However, he gets mixed reviews from the DH's. He lived a life of excess consumption and he strayed from one of the primary principals of Moses teaching which was exclusive worship of Yahweh. It is believed that he allowed his foreign wives to worship their foreign gods which led him to worship foreign gods, and Yahweh was not pleased.

3. Describe the "royal ideology" and how it differed from the older, premonarchic views of the Israelite confederation.

The Royal Ideology was cluster of concepts that both derived from and supported and shaped the institution of the monarchy. The king was chosen by God with whom he had a special relationship described as sonship. Sonship describes a special relationship of obligation between deity and monarch such as was used to describe relationahip of suzerain to vassal. The king becomes son of God by adoption. Also there was the Davidic Covenant in which God committed himself to the Davidic dynasty. The combination of sonship and covenant was a revolutionary change from premonarchical Israel where Israel itself was God's son and its relationship with God was direct. In the Royal Ideology, the king was now the mediator between God and people. now the prosperity of the nation was linked to the king's rule rather than the conduct of the people as n the ten commandments.