Don't Know Much About the Bible - Kenneth C. Davis [84]
In both Hebrew scriptures and Christian Old Testament, the two books of Kings immediately follow the two books of Samuel and form a continuing narrative account of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah from the death of David and the enthronement of Solomon to the Babylonian Exile, a period extending roughly from 1000 BCE to the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BCE. Traditionally ascribed to the prophet Jeremiah, the books are are now thought to be the work of two or more anonymous authors or editors. These writers relied upon a number of earlier sources, now lost, several of which are actually mentioned in the biblical text. These missing sources include “The Book of the Acts of Solomon,” “The Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel,” and “The Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah,” all of which probably belonged to the official court archives and historical records. The biblical books called Chronicles are different books compiled at a later time and are discussed at the end of this chapter.
The work of the first writer of Kings is thought to date from just before the death of the Judean king and religious reformer Josiah (609 BCE). The second writer probably worked from about 550 BCE, mainly because the last historical event recorded in the book took place in 561 BCE, and no mention is made of the conquest of Babylon by the Persians in 539 BCE.
BIBLICAL VOICES
King David was old and advanced in years; and although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm. So his servants said to him, “Let a young virgin be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king, and be his attendant; let her lie in your bosom, so that my lord the king may be warm.” So they searched for a beautiful girl throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. The girl was very beautiful. She became the king’s attendant, but the king did not know her sexually. (1 Kings 1:1-4)
Quite an image of the virile young shepherd boy who once danced naked in the streets!
Now a decrepit old man, unable to keep warm, David nears the end of his life a somewhat pathetic character. However, before reaching this age of dotage, when he needs a “bed warmer” to fight off chills, David further strengthened his control over Israel by executing seven descendants of Saul by impaling; only one other of Saul’s descendants, the crippled son of Jonathan, is allowed to live. David and Bathsheba have agreed that their son Solomon will take the throne. In a compelling scene, David advises Solomon about which enemies to eliminate, a scene that author Jonathan Kirsch points out was “artfully copied” when Don Corleone similarly counsels his son and successor, Michael, in The Godfather.
BIBLICAL VOICES
As David’s life drew to its close he laid this charge on his son Solomon, “I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong and show yourself a man. Observe the injunctions of Yahweh your God, following his ways and keeping his laws, his commandments, his ordinances and his decrees, as stand written in the Law of Moses, so that you may be successful in everything you do and undertake, and that Yahweh may fulfill the promise which he made me, ‘If your sons are careful how they behave, and walk loyally before me with all their heart and soul, you will never want for a man on the throne of Israel.’
“You know too what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the army of Israel, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether; how he murdered them, shedding the blood of war in time of peace and staining the belt round my waist and the sandals on my feet with the blood of war. You will be wise not to let his grey head go down to Sheol in peace. As regards the sons of Barzillai of Gilead, treat them with faithful love, let them be among those who eat at your table, for they were as kind to me when I was fleeing from your brother Absalom. You also have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim. He called down a terrible curse on me the day I left for