On Patterning in the Book of Samuel: ‘News of Death’ and the Kingship of David

Recent scholarship on Samuel has acknowledged a pattern of instances where a central figure receives ‘news of death’. This article proposes a new version of this pattern, which takes into account an additional, pivotal case—the messenger’s report of the death of Uriah—and suggests that the pattern t...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Berger, Yitzhak (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Sage 2011
In: Journal for the study of the Old Testament
Year: 2011, Volume: 35, Issue: 4, Pages: 463-481
Further subjects:B Uriah
B Samuel
B Patterning
B Eli Biblical character
B Amnon
B David
B Absalom
B Death
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:Recent scholarship on Samuel has acknowledged a pattern of instances where a central figure receives ‘news of death’. This article proposes a new version of this pattern, which takes into account an additional, pivotal case—the messenger’s report of the death of Uriah—and suggests that the pattern traces the central question of the future of Davidic kingship. David’s reaction to Uriah’s death marks a shift in attitude that calls into question the fate of his royal family, an attitude that is reversed in his response to the death of Bathsheba’s infant son. The events that follow, however, continue to threaten Davidic kingship in ways underscored by the ‘news of death’ scenes relating to the fall of Amnon and Absalom.
ISSN:1476-6728
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal for the study of the Old Testament
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/0309089210385654