An Ambiguous Ending: Dynastic Punishment in Kings and the Fate of the Davidides in 2 Kings 25.27-30

The portrayal of the fates of the dynasties of the North in Kings shows that, in Deuteronomistic theology, only one king in a royal house need cause the people to sin to mandate the destruction of the entire house. Since Manasseh also causes the people to sin, we might assume that the Deuteronomic H...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal for the study of the Old Testament
Main Author: Janzen, David 1968- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Sage 2008
In: Journal for the study of the Old Testament
Year: 2008, Volume: 33, Issue: 1, Pages: 39-58
Further subjects:B Punishment
B Davidic covenant
B Manasseh
B Solomon
B Monarchy
B Sin
B Josiah
B high places
B Deuteronomistic History
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Parallel Edition:Electronic
Description
Summary:The portrayal of the fates of the dynasties of the North in Kings shows that, in Deuteronomistic theology, only one king in a royal house need cause the people to sin to mandate the destruction of the entire house. Since Manasseh also causes the people to sin, we might assume that the Deuteronomic History (Dtr) intends the same fate for the Davidides. However, Dtr is deliberately ambiguous in regard to the future of the Davidides following the exile—besides the specific reference to Manasseh's sin, it also includes (but does not explicitly annul) the unconditional covenant with David, and includes a conclusion that permits readers to interpret the narrative as forecasting either hope for Davidic restoration or annulment of the Davidic covenant. This ambiguity suits the exilic period of composition of Dtr, when the fate of the Davidides was unknown, and so should not be taken as evidence for redaction.
ISSN:1476-6728
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal for the study of the Old Testament
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/0309089208094459