Don't Know Much About the Bible - Kenneth C. Davis [78]
* Did King David even exist?
After the mayhem in Judges, with its cast of lesser-known characters, getting back to more familiar biblical turf might come as a relief. In the two books of Samuel, readers will re-encounter some characters they may fondly recall from childhood: the “Sweet Psalmist” David and “Wise” Solomon. However, the level of sexual misdeeds and bloodbaths found in Judges drops off only marginally when the Bible comes to these “heroes.” Some of their stories may not be the ones you remember. David and Solomon, in particular, are the biblical version of JFK: once-sainted leaders whose spotty histories and difficulties with women have tarnished their reputations.
Originally the two books of Samuel and the two books of Kings were each a single book in the Hebrew canon of the Bible, telling the history of the kingdom of Israel. Once they were translated into Greek in the Septuagint, they no longer fit on single scrolls and were expanded into four books. In Hebrew Bibles, the expansion of Samuel into two books did not appear until the middle of the fifteenth century CE. Samuel contains the history of the prophet Samuel—the last judge of Israel—and the stormy relationship of Israel’s first two kings, Saul and David. Theirs is a conflict of characters worthy of Shakespeare in terms of the rich plot twists, political machinations, and psychological depth. Macbeth has nothing on the stories of Saul and David. Although a relatively short period in history, the time covered in Samuel is a significant one in which the monarchy was first established and the Israelite tribes united in one kingdom with its capital at Jerusalem.
Traditionally viewed as having been written by Samuel himself, Samuel is the work of several authors and author/editors working from a number of different sources, modern scholars generally agree. One of these, the “Early Source,” probably dates from the reign of Solomon (c. 961-922 BCE). The second, or “Late Source,” was probably composed between 750 and 650 BCE. Whatever their origin and authorship, the two books of Samuel have been long appreciated for their remarkable value as history and literature, and some authorities have called the author or authors of these books the first “historian,” a title traditionally given to the Greek Herodotus (485-424 BCE).
BIBLICAL VOICES
The Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. Just as they have done to me, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so also they are doing to you. Now then, listen to their voice; only—you shall solemnly warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.” (1 Sam. 8:7-9)
PLOT SUMMARY: SAMUEL
Like the mother of Samson, Hannah is another previously barren woman who is divinely blessed after she makes a vow that her son will be consecrated as a “nazirite.” He will not touch a razor to his head or drink any wine. She is blessed and gives birth to Samuel. As a young boy Samuel is placed with a priest named Eli for training, and his gift for prophecy soon makes him honored throughout Israel as a judge, priest, and prophet.
During Samuel’s judgeship, a major crisis strikes when the Philistines attack, killing thirty thousand Israelite soldiers and capturing the Ark of the Covenant, which holds the tablets containing the Ten Commandments and is the dwelling place of Israel’s God. Possessing the Ark is dangerous for unbelievers, as the Philistines learn. When the Philistines place the Ark in the temple of their god Dagon, the idol of Dagon falls down and the bubonic plague strikes the Philistines. Quickly realizing that they’d better return the Ark, the Philistines send the sacred chest back, but even some of the Israelites who retrieve the Ark are killed. Once the Ark is restored to the Israelites, Samuel tells the people that they can only defeat the Philistines if they stop