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Monday, April 3rd, 2023
18:15
Judges
Judg 1.1-2.5: The days after Joshua. Contradicting Joshua in multiple places, the account here suggests the prominent and singular success of Judah in terms of conquest, gesturing towards David without mentioning him.
Judg 1.1-20: The success of the Judahites.
Judg 1.8: 'Judah took Jerusalem,' contradicted by v 21. and 19.10-12.
Judg 1.10: In previous passages Caleb as an individual is credited with the attack on Hebron, not the tribe of Judah; here the tribe as a whole is credited.
Judg 1.19: The infamous chariots of iron. One could suppose that it was on the shoulders of the Israelites alone to commit to such conquest; though the Lord was with them, it was the actions of the Israelites themselves that determined success (as it was with Joshua's battles).
Judg 1.21-36: The failures of the northern tribes. The tribes that later comprised the northern kingdom of Israel fail to uproot the Canaanites in their areas.
Judg 2.1-5: An angel delivers a mixed message. A denouncement from the angel for religious impurity.
Judg 2.1: The angel emerges from the standing stones of Gilgal that the Israelites erected upon crossing the Jordan river.
Judg 2.4: In Gen 35.8, Bethel is said to be the site of a "weeping tree," here, the Israelites lift up their voices and weep.
Judg 2.6-16.31: The days of the judges. The core of the book is comprised of tales about the era's leaders.
Judg 2.6-3.6: Introduction to the days of the judges.
Judg 2.6-10: Recap of the ending of Joshua. Resumption of the narrative from Josh 24.28-31; at one point, this may have joined Judges to Joshua, suggesting that 1.1-2.5 are a later addition.
Judg 2.8: Joshua dies at the age of one hundred ten years, identical to that of Joseph.
Judg 2.11-23: The formula of the test of Israel's faith. The first appearance of the formula (vv. 11-19) that frames the central section (3.7-11; 3.12,15,30; 4.1-3,23; 5.31; 6.1,6; 8.28; 10.6-7,10; 11.33; 13.1): Israel sins, angering the Lord who allows a foreign people to dominate them, they pray for mercy, the Lord raises up a "judge" to deliver them, and the land has rest.
Judg 2.11: 'Baals,' meaning all foreign gods, not just the male Canaanite storm-god.
Judg 2.13: 'Astartes,' referring to Astarte, used here by the narrator as a generic term for all female deities.
Judg 2.19: 'Relapse and behave worse:' the book has a plunging arc; with each repetition of the cyclical formula Israel is worse off.
Judg 3.1-6: List of the peoples who will test Israel. A later addition, justifying Israel's incomplete conquest of Canaan. As with other lists of the peoples of Canaan, this one is inconsistent.
Judg 3.7-8.28: The deliverers.
Judg 3.7-11: Othniel. A judean Judge that goes to war with the occupying force of King Cushan-rishathaim.
Judg 3.10: The spirit of the Lord, an inspiring force that will also inspire Gideon, Jephthah, Samson, Saul, and later, David.
Judg 3.12-30: Ehud. A Benjaminite warrior undertakes a solo mission to assassinate the Moabite king occupying Jericho.
Judg 3.31: Shagmar. A foreign mercenary who aided Israel, killing six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad; a cattle prod.
Judg 4.1-5.31: Deborah and Barak. A miraculous victory of Israelite forces under the command of Barak over the Canaanites led by Sisera.
Judg 4.1-24: Barak and the two women. Commissioned by Deborah, the warrior Barak wins the battle over the Canaanites, but because of his initial reluctance (v. 8), is denied the supreme martial honor, killing the enemy leader. Deborah told Barak that Sisera would fall to a woman (v. 9), whom we assume will be Deborah herself. As it turns out, a second woman, Jael, ends up besting both men "she comes out to meet" (vv. 18,22), stealing life from Sisera and "glory" (v. 9) from Barak.
Judg 4.5: Deborah is the only leader in Judges actually depicted as functioning as a "judge" to settle disputes.
Tuesday, April 4th, 2023
16:53
Judg 5.1-31: The Song of Deborah. This ballad is one of the oldest extant pieces of Hebrew writing; it is difficult in many places. As a literary specimen it has more in common with the Late Bronze Age Syrian mythic poetry than with Hebrew poetry from the Iron Age.
Judg 5.17: Confused geography on the location of the tribe of Dan.
Judg 5.22: "Then loud beat the horses' hoofs with the galloping, galloping of his steeds." No idea why, but I really like this passage in this translation.
Judg 5.24-27: Sisera's death is described in slow motion and, possibly, in sexual terms ("feet" is a frequent euphemism for genitals).
Judg 5.28-31: Sisera's mother's anguish over waiting for a son who will never return humanizes her, uncommon for Israelite depictions of the Canaanites.
Judg 6.1-8.28: Gideon. Gideon and his warriors rescue Israel from seasonal attacks by Midianites and their allies. Gideon purifies Israel territory from the internal threat of assimilation to Canaanite religion before removing an external threat by driving out invaders from the east, and then leads a war party across the Jordan on a reprisal raid; traditions about two different heroes may be combined here.
Judg 6.1-8.3: Gideon and the wine presses.
Judg 6.1-10: Midiniate raids.
Judg 6.7-10: These verses may be a later addition, as they are missing in a Dead Sea Scroll manuscript of this chapter.
Judg 6.11-24: Gideon's commissioning. Mirrors Moses's call narrative in Ex 3-4; there is a charge, reluctance on the part of the recipient, divine reassurance, a theophany, and finally, the establishment of a shrine. Gideon is an Abiezrite, a subdivision of the tribe of Manasseh.
Judg 6.22: Gideon fears death from seeing the angel of the Lord face to face.
Judg 6.25-32: Gideon's ritual preparations for warfare. Gideon must destroy the shrine to Baal before proceeding into battle.
Judg 6.27: Gideon has reason to be afraid of his family for his actions; they benefited from stewardship of the shrine, thus, Gideon is sacrificing economic and social status due to his commitment to the lord.
Judg 6.32: Jerubbaal is Gideon's given name, its translation is tricky and indicates a possible blending of narratives.
Judg 6.33-35: Gideon musters his troops.
Judg 6.36-40: Gideon tests God twice with the fleece. The use of 'Elohim' in reference to the Lord God here suggests that this version of the episode combined earlier stories.
Judg 7.1-8: The Lord tests Gideon twice with reduction of troops. Just as Gideon had tested God, now God tests Gideon, reducing his troops from 30,000 to 300, showing that it is ultimately God, not a large army, that provides victory.
Judg 7.9-14: Gideon's nighttime revelations. A barely cake, symbol of settled agriculturalists, crushes the Midianite tents, symbolic of nomadic transhumanists.
Judg 7.15-23: The midnight raid on the Midianite camp. Another instance of the Israelites' use of unconventional (read: inferior) weaponry beating the odds; the Midianites end up killing eachother in confusion.
Judg 7.24-8.3: The execution of enemy leaders.
Thursday, April 6th, 2023
20:59
Judg 8.2-3: Gideon is able to avoid violence through the skillful use of language, just as his father had in Ophrah. Really amusing, the Ephraimites have to safe face by conceding prospective spoils, lest they admit inferiority to Abiezer.
Judg 8.4-21: Gideon and the three towns.
Judg 8.22-28: Gideon and the ephod. Gideon refuses kingship and furnishes his family shrine with a divinatory device; his story ends ambiguously, he delivered Israel from the Midianites, but his legacy is tainted by the 'stain of idolatry'.
Judg 8.27: 'Ephod,' elsewhere a gilded vest worn by priests containing divinatory objects, here functioning as a ritual object; for another ephod in Judges, see 17.5.
Judg 8.29-16.31: The "empty men." The term "empty men" is used in the narratives of Abimelech and Jephthah to describe bandits and gangsters alienated from their clans.
Judg 8.29-9.57: Abimelech. Gideon's son Abimelech seeks the kingship his father refused by conspiring with his maternal kin in Schechem to kill his brothers and inhereit his father's regional chieftanship. The justice-making ("judging") function in this story is triggered by Jotham's curse that unleashes "an evil spirit" from God which plays each side off against the other.
Judg 8.29-35: Gideon's death and its aftermath.
Judg 9.1-6: Abimelech becomes king. Abimelech kills on a butchering stone in order to dispose of the blood before it soaks into the ground, seeking to avoid divine retribution. Clear and knowing intent, eh?
Judg 9.7-21: Jotham's fable and curse. Lone survivor of Abimelech's purge, Jotham stands overlooking Mount Gerizim and offers a plant fable, then uttering a curse to restore order to the social chaos unleashed by Abimelech's killing his brothers.
Judg 9.22-57: The end of Abimelech's rule. Jotham's curse of Abimelech and the Shechemites comes to pass.
Judg 9.22: 'Ruled over,' a different Hebrew word than that meaning "reigned," implying that Abimelech was not a legitimate king.
Judg 9.52-57: Abimelech falls to his hubris, defeated by a millstone cast down by a woman. He asks the young man who carried his armor to execute him so that "people will not say about [him], 'a woman killed him'".
Saturday, April 8th, 2023
12:56
Judg 10.1-5: The "minor judges." The addition of these sparsely-detailed judges allows the book to have a total of twelve judges: Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Gideon, Tola, Jair, Japhthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, and Samson.
Judg 10.6-12.7: Jephthah. An outcast, Jephthah is called back to rescue Gilead.
Judg 10.6-18: Introduction to the Jephthah cycle.
Judg 10.15: The only mention of Israel repenting in the entire book.
Judg 11.1-11: Jephthah and the elders of Gilead.
Judg 11.12-28: Jephthah's negotiation.
Judg 11.29-40: Jephthah's vow. Not much foresight on this one, Jephthah; he is to offer up his own daughter as a burnt offering according to his word.
Judg 12.1-7: Jephthah and the shibboleth. Ephraim are once again disgruntled, this time with fatal consequences, reflecting the devolution within the book of Judges. Shibboleth, sibboleth—this is some great escape nonsense!
Judg 12.8-15: The "minor judges," once more.
Judg 13.1-16.31: Samson. The solitary fighter Samson, enlisted from birth and filled with the Lord's light, begins to deliver Israel from Philistines who control the coastal plain.
Judg 13.1-25: Samson's birth.
Judg 13.4-5: Interesting that the angel of the Lord declares that Samson shall be a Nazirite from birth.
Judg 14.1-16.31: Samson and the three women.
Judg 14.1-15.20: Samson and the woman from Timnah.
Judg 14.1-2: "Went down . . . came up," verbs describing descent and ascent are common throughout the story; may have something to do with Samson's name ("Shimshon," derived from "shemesh," sun)?
Judg 14.1: Samson is figuratively blinded by love with Delilah, and ultimately, literally, by his Philistine captors.
Judg 14.6-9: Indicative of folk tradition, Samson fights barehanded (in contrast to the inferior weaponry characteristic of other Israelite heroes) and enlists wildlife to help him in his battles.
Judg 14.10-15.8: The riddle contest and its aftermath.
Judg 14.18: "Plowed with my heifer," sexual innuendo.
Judg 15.9-20: Samson at Lehi. A thousand men slain with one jawbone!
Judg 16.1-3: Samson and the prostitute of Gaza.
Judg 16.4-31: Samson and Delilah. Delilah solves the riddle of Samson's strength.
Judg 16.24-25: "Entertain . . . performed," sexual innuendo too, apparently!
Judg 17.1-21.25: The days before a king. The concluding section consists of two stories about religious and social chaos in an era summed up in the refrain "In those days there was no king in Israel". The focus is on the ritual and moral misdeeds of Dan and Benjamin, the sites of shrines that come to rival the Temple in Jerusalem.
Judg 17.1-18.31: Micah and the Danites. The first story is about the tainted origins of the artifacts and priesthood of the shrine at Dan.
Judg 17.1-13: Micah's shrine and its idol.
Judg 17.1-13: Micah's idol and his priests.
Judg 17.1-6: A woman's silver is stolen, her guilty son cursed, and an idol, contrary to commandment, forged.
Judg 18.1-31: The migration of Dan. Dan migrates from the Judean hills to the far north, acquiring a priest and equipment for a shrine along the way.
Judg 18.30: Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Moses mentioned here. According to the narrative of Judges, this event would have taken place scores of years would have passed since Jonathan's generation; this suggests that this episode is placed here for thematic rather than chronological reasons.
Judg 19.1-21.25: The Benjaminite war. This graphic and horrific account serves as a final statement about the era's social and religious anarchy.
Judg 19.1-30: The outrage in Gibeah. This episode closely resembles the story of Sodom.
Judg 19.10: "Jerusalem," later to be David's royal city; the only safe place in this pro-Davidic story.
Judg 20.1-48: The war against Benjamin. The Israelite coalition seeks to avoid warfare if Benjamin delivers the culprits from Gibeah.
Judg 20.28: Phineas is here! Much like Jonathan, this is chronologically anachronistic.
Judg 20.49: Gibeah is subjected to the herem.
Judg 21.1-24: The war against the daughters. Since the patriarchal family of twelve tribes must be preserved, the slaughter of the Benjaminite women and children must be rectified by allowing the surviving Benjaminite men to intermarry.
Judg 21.1-14: Bride capture at Jabesh-gilead. The Israelite coalition annihilates the village of Jabesh-gilead, which did not participate in the war against Benjamin, in order to secure wives for the surviving Benjaminite warriors.
Judg 21.15-24: Bride capture at Shiloh. The Israelite elders allow the young women of Shiloh to be captured in order to avoid breaking a vow.
Judg 21.21: "The young women come out to dance," like Jephthah's daughter.
Judg 21.25: Conclusion to the book of Judges. The final refrain leaves Israel in disarray, hinting at the necessity of establishing a monarchy, the theme of the following book of Samuel.
A lot of chaos here, indeed. Very enjoyable vignettes of the judges; I am especially fond of that of Ehud's. Quite tired at the time of writing, so not much to add. Ruth next.
Selfless
in the necessity of your tribulations
you act
as though worthy of esteem
Posturing
in your inadequacy
Adopting countenances
of better men
Avoiding responsibility
like leprosy
Selfless
on the avertable eve of your destruction
you act
as though worthy of pity
What have you achieved with your life
that was not given to you?
Thursday, April 13th, 2023
08:48
Introduction to Ruth
Named after its heroine, a young Moabite widow who leaves her land and family to follow her mother-in-law to Bethlehem in Judah, the book of Ruth is in the third division of the Hebrew Bible, the Writings. In Christian Bibles, it comes between the books of Judges and Samuel, since it begins "in the days when the judges ruled."
The language of the book of Ruth supports a Second Temple period dating: its words and expressions, and their spelling, attest to a substantial Aramaic influence. Moreover, it shows no signs of the Deuteronomistic redaction that characterizes the earlier historical books (Joshua-Kings). An alternative view is that the book's interest in the ancestry of King David suggests that it was written during the period of the monarchy.
While Ruth is one of the shortest of the Bible's books, it comprises one of the Bible's longest stories, a markedly poetic and villainless story bathed in an optimistic light, full of hope for a better future; the protagonists are all helpful, considerate, and well intentioned. The absence of conflict also characterizes the relations with God—the protagonists are notable in their willingness to go above and beyond what the law requires, and they are rewarded accordingly.
The author of the book knows Pentateuchal law, and the book boldly combines and reinterprets such law in a way that suggests a dynamic and shifting cultural context regarding Second Temple debates over intermarriage, for instance: In Ruth, the law regarding the redemption of a woman becomes a logical extension of the law of levirate marriage, as in later rabbinic interpretation in which different laws are combined and their discrepancies reconciled. The book may even anticipate later rabbinic interpretation of Deuteronomy 23.3 ("No Ammonite or Moabite shall be admittted to the assembly") as referring exclusively to males and not females (Mishnah Yebamoth 8.3).
The stance of Ruth is clear and unambigious: 'hesed,' kindness and loyalty, are more important than ethnicity.
Ruth
Ruth 1.1-5: Famine. Leaving Canaan because of famine is a repeated theme in Genesis (12.10; 26.1; 47.4).
Ruth 1.1: Bethlehem, translated as "house of bread," opens the book on an ironic note. Bethlehem is 5 miles south of Jerusalem, and the home of David's family.
Ruth 1.5-19a: The return to Bethlehem.
Ruth 1.19b-22: The arrival at Bethlehem.
Ruth 2.1-23: Ruth and Boaz's first encounter.
Ruth 2.11-12: Now here we find a wonderful sentiment on kindness to foreigners and the downtrodden. This is just nice.
Ruth 3.1-18: Ruth and Boaz's nighttime encounter.
Ruth 4.1-22: Ruth is redeemed, Obed is born: the faimly's name continues.
Ruth 4.18-22: The line of Perez. The narrative names Obed as the grandfather of David, and a full genealogy is provided, positioning David as being of the tenth generation, mirroring that of Adam to Noah, as well as Shem to Abraham.
Well, a very short book, indeed. There are really not many notes to make on the text itself, but the nature and placement of the book as a whole is fascinating. The story can be read as allegorical, with Boaz representing God and/or how Israel should act within deuteronomic law, and how it is this grace and charity that redeems Ruth, a foreign convert. Taken at face value, however, the message is just as rich, with Boaz going out of his way, to the point of risking his own social standing, in order to help and then marry a Moabite, something he arguably had no legal or moral requirement to do given the harshness with which the pentateuch treated issues of intermarriage.
On the specific point of intermarriage itself, the political undertones of the text couldn't be more clear; existing as a counter-narrative to the xenophobic Ezra/Nehemiah, Ruth makes a biting point: had there not been intermarriage in the case of Boaz and Ruth, there would have been no King David, and that the Deuteronomic Code is certainly open to interpretation when it comes to analysing such cases (was not such case law itself prevalent throughout Leviticus and Deuteronomy?). The scriptural and societal tensions of this book's historical context make what would be an otherwise throwaway story incredibly engaging. Thumbs up.
Tired, working the fields,
I find myself gleaning grain.
Is it not you who
is so merciful and kind,
that provides the fields and grain?
Thursday, April 13th, 2023
15:02
Introduction to 1 Samuel
First and Second Samuel were originally a single work named after the prophet Samuel, the name is not entirely appropriate, however, since Samuel dies before 1 Samuel ends (25.1). Divided into two books in the Septuagint and grouped with First and Second Kings, Samuel was known in the context of 1-4 Reigns, or 1-4 Kingdoms. Here, as in the Christian Bible, First and Second Samuel are part of the Historical Books.
Considered as part of the Deuteronomistic history (the traditional attribution to Samuel, Nathan and Gad—as referenced in Chronicles—not standing up to much scrutiny), First Samuel was likely completed shortly after the Babylonian exile in 586 BCE, and sought to offer a theological reason for the demise of Israel and Judah.
First Samuel falls readily into three parts, each with a different central character: Samuel as a transitional figure—prophet, priest, and judge—between the judges and the monarchy (chs 1-7), the emergence of Saul as Israel's first king (chs 8-15), and David's ascent (chs 16-31). David is the main hero not only of 1 and 2 Samuel but of the Deuteronomistic History as well. The pro-Davidic tone of 1 Samuel is evident in the contrast between Saul, who falters repeatedly, and David, who can do no wrong. God eventually abandons Saul but is constantly with David. God's presence with David, first in Saul's court and then while hiding from Saul, is a major theme in the book.
There are at least three reasons for doubting that the book of Samuel (both 1 and 2) is a narrative of history. First, the text is written centuries after the events described. Second, it is a creative literary masterpiece by an omniscient narrator that frequently reports private conversations and personal thoughts, and uses extensive wordplay. Thirdly, the book presents itself as repeatedly defensive and apologetic in its support of David, suggesting a heavily biased, and thus nonrepresentational, political and theological perspective on the supposed narrative of history presented.
Tuesday, April 18th, 2023
16:52
1 Samuel
1 Sam 1.1-28: The birth and consecration of Samuel. As a child designated by God for a special purpose, Samuel comes from a barren womb, much like the children of Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Elizabeth.
1 Sam 1.17: 'Petition,' wordplay on the name of Saul (Hebrew "sha'ul"), which sounds like the hebrew verb for petition, "sha'al." Some scholars regard this narrative as originally having been about Saul's birth, though this is not universally agreed upon.
1 Sam 2.1-10: The song of Hannah. Likely a later poem inserted in a manner that seemed appropriate by the editors.
1 Sam 2.6-7: The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. Brings to life refers to birth, not resurrection. Again, Sheol is the underworld where all people go.
1 Sam 2.10: 'His king,' indicating that this was written after the narrative of Hannah since no king reigned in her time. ''Anointed' was a title for the king and the source of the postbiblical term "messiah," which never means a future Davidic ruler in the Hebrew bible.'
1 Sam 2.12-26: The wicked sons of Eli.
1 Sam 2.25: The will of the Lord was to kill Eli's sons, echoing the paradox of the hardening of the heart.
1 Sam 2.27-36: The oracle agaisnt Eli. This passage was probably written by the Dueteronomistic author to justify the exclusion of Abiathar, a descendant of Eli, and his sons from the priesthood in favor of Zadok and his descendants (1 Kings 2.27,35). Seems likely, the unnamed 'man of God' is very convenient in his anonymity and irrelevance beyond transmitting such an oracle.
1 Sam 3.1-4.1a: Samuel's call.
1 Sam 4.1b-7.1: The Ark narrative. Could be an older story that described the capture and return of the ark; Samuel is not mentioned.
1 Sam 4.1b-22: The capture of the ark. The historiocity of the Philistines is confirmed, and it is likely that they had some conflict with the Israelites during the period of 1200 BCE; they originated from the northeastern Mediterranean area, including the island of Crete. Stories such as this are likely exaggerated, however.
1 Sam 4.8: The Philistines make two incorrect statements, the notion that Israel worshipped multiple Gods, and that the plagues struck in the wilderness, not Egypt. This can be taken as the author mocking the Philistines' lack of knowledge.
1 Sam 4.18: Eli is mentioned here as a judge in the same formula as those found in the book of Judges, though he is not described there in any capacity.
1 Sam 4.22: This isn't a fun time for the Isrealites, huh? Ichabod, "Where is the glory?" Imagine being named after the failures of your nation.
1 Sam 5.1-12: The ark troubles the Philistines. In the ancient Near East, wars between nations were interprted as contests between their respective gods. This story explains that although the Philistines defeated Israel, the Lord was superior to Dagon, a Philistine god; cf. Ex 12.12.
1 Sam 6.1-7.1: The return of the ark.
1 Sam 6.6: Contrast to 4.8, here the Philistines seem knowledgable of the story of Exodus.
1 Sam 6.19: Jeconiah, mentioned only here. Unknown what his relevance is to these events; this mention is lacking in the original hebrew, this mention comes from the Septuagint.
1 Sam 7.2-17: Samuel judges Israel. Samuel is depicted as a transitional figure between the judges and the monarchy. He embodies the roles of priest, prophet, and now judge—in most of the chapter as a military leader, as in the book of Judges, and at its conclusion as an actual judge.
1 Sam 7.5: Mizpah, north of Jerusalem, became the administrative and religious capital of Judah after Jerusalem's destruction in 586 BCE. Thus, it is likely that this story was written after this event.
1 Sam 7.13-14: The statement that the Philistines 'did not again enter the territory of Israel' is contradicted later in 1 Samuel. It may refer only to Samuel's lifetime. Again, echoing the formulas of Judges language.
1 Sam Chs 8-12: The beginning of kingship in Israel. These chapters include five distinct episodes: the people's request for a king and Samuel's response (ch 8); Saul's search for his father's asses and his anointing (9.1-10.16); the desgination of Saul by lot (10.17-27a); Saul's victory over the Ammonites (10.27b-11.15); and Samuel's farewell address (ch 12). The stories in 9.1-10.16 and 10.27b-11.15 are generally recognized as older and neutral or positive in their attitude toward monarchy, while the other three episodes, widely recognized as Deuteronomistic, view kingship with suspicion and depict the people's request as a sin. In the end, God allows a king but also warns the people against letting their king lead them astray.
1 Sam 8.1-22: The people request a king.
1 Sam 8.6-7: Here we can ask if Kingship is regarded as inherently evil or, rather, if it is but the request for a king demonstrating a lack of faith in the lord.
1 Sam 8.22: The lord permits Israel to have a king, though he disapproves of their request.
Thursday, April 20th, 2023
14:01
1 Sam 9.1-10.16: Saul's anointing. This is an old story that has been edited by the Deuteronomist. Samuel appears not as a judge but as a "man of God." Both Saul and kingship are depicted positively.
1 Sam 10.1: Anointing, the rite and application of fine oil on the head of a designee for special office, usually for the priesthood or kingship.
1 Sam 10.3: Three (possibly wise?) men at Bethel. Not bethlehem, mind! Apparently no connection to the later Magi of the NT.
1 Sam 10.10-13: 'Is Saul also among the prophets?' Here used in a positive sense.
1 Sam 10.17-27a: Saul chosen by lot.
1 Sam 10.27b-11.15: Saul proves himself able to lead in battle and is publicly made king.
1 Sam 11.2: Nahash considered the land on the east bank of the Jordan to be his, as such he subjugated the tribes of Gad and Reuben, gouging out the right eyes of every Israelite individual.
1 Sam 11.3-5: The story is likely older, as nothing in the wording suggests Saul as a preeminent figure, as in a King—if anything he is more like a Judge.
1 Sam 11.6: It is the spirit of God that spurs saul to action, again, much like the judges.
1 Sam 11.8: An anachronism in the story, with Israel and Judah being noted as distinct entities (as in the later independent kingdoms).
1 Sam 11.12-15: Samuel plays no role in the preceding battle account; his name was likely added secondarily to the story. The narrative as a whole shows how Saul succeeded in delivering Israel, thus answering his critics and proving his worth as king—the original story did not assume that Saul was already king but explained that the people made Saul king as a result of his victory on this occasion.
1 Sam 12.1-25: Samuel's address. Samuel is an interesting character, reminiscent of Balaam, even; he knows the Lord, and he knows what the Lord wants for Israel (despite the wants of the people)—he does God's will in anointing Saul as king to placate the people, and thus teach them a lesson, knowing then, too, that it is the wrong course of action, and warns the people on this point. It's actually kind of tragic!
Friday, April 21st, 2023
16:29
1 Sam 13.1-7a: Saul begins the war with the Philistines. Saul's age and the length of his reign is uncertain due to textually corrupt original texts. They say he was one year old when he began his reign and only reigned for two years.
1 Sam 13.3: Saul's son Jonathan appears here, indicating it takes place much later, perhaps decades later, than the initial narrative.
1 Sam 13.7b-15a: Saul's sin and rejection by God. The nature of Saul's sin is not clear, since he did wait for Samuel the prescribed time.
1 Sam 13.15b-14.52: Continuation of the Philistine war.
1 Sam 14.18: The 'Ark' mentioned here as being with the Israelites in battle is actually an Ephod, containing the implements of divination (recall that the vestment worn on the chests of the priests, as well as the container of the Urim and Thummim are both referred to as the Ephod). Terms are confused here by the author.
1 Sam 14.21: Hebrews is rarely used as a term of self-identification by the Israelites; here, the 'Hebrews' that are working with the Isrealites switch sides, fighting then with the Philistines—it is possible that they were mercenaries.
1 Sam 14.31-35: The soldiers violate Levitical law by slaughtering their animals in this manner.
1 Sam 14.45: Jonathan is clearly indicated as a guilty party by God, but he is here ransomed by the people; it is unclear how this is done, but perhaps an animal was substituted (Gen 22.13; Ex 13.13; 34.20).
1 sam 15.1-35: Another story of Saul's rejection.
1 Sam 15.3: Infamous verse of the Lord commanding the destruction of Amalekite infants. Can be taken as biblical war rhetoric; Ancient Near Eastern cultures extensively used hyperbolic idioms such as this
1 Sam 15.14: But Samuel Said, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of cattle that I hear?" Great verse.
1 Sam 15.22-23: Another great set of verses, probably my favorite instance of biblical poetry so far.
1 Sam 15.27-28: Grasping the hem of a person's garment was a way of submitting or pleading. Samuel uses the torn hem as an object lesson. The neighbor is David. Saul's robe is symolic of his Kingdom.
1 Sam 15.29: The statement that the Lord does not change his mind or recant is contradicted multiple times throughout the OT; it even contradicts the greater narrative framing of the Lord changing his mind about Saul being king at all. No doubt that apologists point to this always having been the Lord's intent so as to teach Israel a lesson, but it is what it is.
Saturday, April 22nd, 2023
16:35
1 Sam 16.1-13: The anointing of David. David is described as small and humble, the youngest of the sons, contrasting with the glowing descriptions of Saul.
1 Sam 16.14-23: David wins a position at Saul's court.
1 Sam 16.14: The spirit of the Lord departs from Saul and is replaced by an evil spirit from the Lord.
1 Sam 16.22: David becomes Saul's armor-bearer and lyre player.
1 Sam 17.1-58: David defeats the Philistine champion. The original story of David and Goliath is here heavily supplemented by later material; the addition of such material has caused multiple inconsistencies, such as David's preence in Saul's army, the way in which the Philistine died, and Saul's acquaintance with David.
1 Sam 17.5-7: The armor described here reflects items from different armies at different times and is designed to give an imposing picture of the Philistine.
1 Sam 17.47: This verse succinctly states the theme of this story: victory comes from trusting in the Lord, not from human weaponry.
1 Sam 17.54: The mention of Jerusalem here is an anchronism, since Jerusalem was conquered several years later in the narrative, after David became king of Israel.
1 Sam 17.55: Saul's questioning of David's identity indicates the story's originally independent nature, since according to 16.14-23 Saul and David already had a close relationship.
Sunday, April 23rd, 2023
16:17
1 Sam 18.1-30: Saul becomes jealous of David.
1 Sam 18.1-3: Saul and Jonathan are said to have loved eachother multiple times; whether the statement implies a sexual relationship is not clear, but it reads as pretty gay to me!
Monday, April 24th, 2023
16:34
1 Sam 19.1-24: Saul actively seeks David's life.
1 Sam 19.12: The house was built into the city wall, much like in Josh 2.15.
1 Sam 19.23-24: Here, the phrase "Is Saul also among the prophets?" is used in a negative manner.
1 Sam 20.1-42: The covenant between David and Jonathan.
1 Sam 20.41-42a: Here, Jonathan and David meet face-to-face, rendering the previous signal unnecessary; likely an addition to the story.
1 Sam 21.1-15: David escapes to Nob.
1 Sam 22.1-23: David at Adullam; massacre of the priests of Nob.
1 Sam 22.7: The Benjaminites can expect no such rewards if David becomes king because his native tribe is Judah; see here the allegorical nature of Saul and David.
1 Sam 23.1-13: David's relief of Keilah—an independent city within Philistine territory.
1 Sam 23.2-13: Abiathar's ability to divine via ephod is key to David's success; though David has communion with the Lord, it is apparent that priestly divination is an indispensable tool.
1 Sam 23.27: Saul's withdrawal at the moment he has David trapped hints at divine intervention.
1 Sam 24.1-22: David spares Saul's life. This story is a more disparaging version of the one in ch 26 on which it is dependent. In both, Saul is unknowingly defenseless before David, who is urged by his men to kill Saul but refuses because of Saul's status as the Lord's anointed. David then reveals to Saul that he could have killed him, and Saul expresses remorse for persecuting David and hints or states that David will succeed him as king.
1 Sam 24.4-5: David's cutting off of Saul's hem is symbolic for emasculation or usurpation of Saul's kingdom; echoes 15.27 with Samuel.
1 Sam 24.21-22: A new king from a different dynasty commonly killed all the descendants of the previous king in order to be rid of potential rivals. David's oath not to wipe out Saul's descendants anticipates his treatment of Mephibosheth (2 Sam 9).
1 Sam 25.1a: The death of Samuel. An editor's note that prepares for ch 28. We'll miss you, buddy.
1 Sam 25.1b-43: Nabal and Abigail. In chs 24 and 26 David refuses to kill Saul, but in ch 25 he refrains only at the last miute from killing many innocent people in Nabal's household.
1 Sam 25.4-8: David's expectation of a generous gift for his lording over the shepherds is a kind of extortion. Not the nicest move, David!
1 Sam 25.13: Four hundred men, sword in hand! Hell hath no fury like a king scorned! This actually made me laugh.
1 Sam 25.32-33: Well, hey, at least he's self aware. David praises the Lord for sending Abigail because she saved him from committing murder and thus incurring bloodguilt. Much tact from Abigail here.
1 Sam 26.1-25: David spares Saul's life again.
Wednesday, April 26th, 2023
16:32
1 Sam 27.1-28.2: David becomes a vassal of the Philistines. This chapter is in tension with 21.10-22.1, in which David escapes from Achish by pretending to be mad.
1 Sam 28.3-25: Saul consults a spirit. Recall that consultation with mediums and wizards was prohibtited in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, they are nonetheless effective.
1 Sam 28.11-15: Samuel! Who knew we'd be meeting you again in this manner. Samuel's rest in Sheol is disturbed.
1 Sam 29.1-11: The Philistines reject David.
1 Sam 30.1-31: The burning of Ziklag and David's pursuit of the Amalekites. This story is inconsistent with ch 15, in which the Amalekites were all destroyed.
1 Sam 31.1-13: Saul's death.
1 Sam 31.5: Although not condemned, suicide is rare in the Bible; see 2 Sam 17.23; 1 Kings 16.18; Mt 27.5.
First Samuel down. I have decided that unless I have something pertinent to say on the book as a whole, these parting notes will be short from here on out; in the course of reading this book especially I found myself thinking 'Oh, I should save this thought for the concluding notes,' but I chose to incorporate them into my notes proper instead. So it shall be from here on out. Second Samuel next.
Thursday, April 27th, 2023
18:16
Introduction to 2 Samuel
As mentioned prior, First and Second Samuel were originally a single work, so much of the information in the introduction to First Samuel pertains to Second Samuel as well. As Samuel himself died in First Samuel, the name of this book is hardly appropriate—Samuel himself is never even mentioned here! The division ebtween First and Second Samuel is artificial and was apparently based on considerations of length when it first made it into the Septuagint.
Historically, scholars considered the main source document of Second Samuel to have been written contemporaneously with the events it describes, but there is now doubt that this could have been the case, as cleanly extracting the core narrative from its supplementary and editorial material has proved to be difficult.
Second Samuel can be divided into four sections.
Section one (1.1-5.5) describes how, after Saul's death (ch 1), David becomes king first of Judah (2.1-4a) and then, after a civil war that included the assassinations of Saul's relatives Abner (ch 3) and Ishbaal (ch 4), king of all Israel (5.1-5).
Section two (5.6-12.31) tells of David's annexation of Jerusalem (5.5-6.23), his interest in building a temple there resulting in the divine promise of a dynasty (ch 7), and his victories over surrounding peoples (chs 8-12), which are interrupted by the story of his affair with Bathsheba (11.2-12.25).
Section three (chs 13-20) recounts Absalom's revolt and that let by Sheba (ch 20).
Section four (chs 21-24), often considered an appendix, is a miscellaneous collection of lnarratives, military lists, and poems.
Though generally pro-Davidic in tone, some readers point precisely to David's adultery and his inability to control his children as evidence that the Court History paints both David and the monarhcy in a very negative light—interpretations and perspectives are varied: It is fair to say that 2 Samuel in its current form depicts David as a complex, highly ambiguous character who is nevertheless blessed by the Lord.
2 Samuel
2 Sam 1.1-16: David learns of the death of Saul and Jonathan.
2 Sam 1.8: It is ironic that an Amalekite killed Saul, who (according to 1 Sam 15) lost his kingship because he did not kill off the Amalekites.
2 Sam 1.10-16: The Amalekite is subject to the same laws as an Israelite citizen due to his status as a resident alien; he'd hoped to gain favor with David, but David sees the Amalekite's actions as regrettable due to Saul's status as the Lord's anointed.
2 Sam 1.17-27: David's elegy over Saul and Jonathan.
2 Sam 1.24: Despite his reputation, Saul's reign did bring prosperity to Israel.
2 Sam 1.26: And they were roommates!
2 Sam 2.1-11: David becomes king of Judah.
2 Sam 2.8-10: Ishbaal, son of Saul becomes king of Israel at the behest of Saul's military commander, Abner. Ishbaal's name, originally 'Ish-bosheth,' was altered by scribes who substituted the word 'boshet,' meaning 'shame,' for the name of the Canaanite god Baal. Apparently he wasn't evil enough at first glance for them!
2 Sam 2.12-32: War between Israel and Judah. The exact nature of the contest that precipitated the conflict is unclear.
2 Sam 2.16: 'Helkath-hazzurim,' that is, 'Field of Sword-edges.' Metal.
2 Sam 3.1-5: David's sons. The suggestion that there was a 'long war' between the houses of David and Saul indicates that Saul and his family had more popular support than Saul's negative depiction in the second half of 1 Samuel might imply.
2 Sam 3.6-39: Abner's death.
2 Sam 3.6-8: To sleep with a concubine of the royal harem was to make a claim for the throne; Abner does not deny such an accusation for his transgression, but he is contemptuous of Ishbaal's scrutiny all the same.
2 Sam 3.15: It is not clear why Ishbaal returns Michal to David. Some scholars have suggested that he was under legal obligation.
2 Sam 3.35-39: David really wants it to be known that he had no part in Abner's death.
Monday, April 3rd, 2023
18:15
Judges
Judg 1.1-2.5: The days after Joshua. Contradicting Joshua in multiple places, the account here suggests the prominent and singular success of Judah in terms of conquest, gesturing towards David without mentioning him.
Judg 1.1-20: The success of the Judahites.
Judg 1.8: 'Judah took Jerusalem,' contradicted by v 21. and 19.10-12.
Judg 1.10: In previous passages Caleb as an individual is credited with the attack on Hebron, not the tribe of Judah; here the tribe as a whole is credited.
Judg 1.19: The infamous chariots of iron. One could suppose that it was on the shoulders of the Israelites alone to commit to such conquest; though the Lord was with them, it was the actions of the Israelites themselves that determined success (as it was with Joshua's battles).
Judg 1.21-36: The failures of the northern tribes. The tribes that later comprised the northern kingdom of Israel fail to uproot the Canaanites in their areas.
Judg 2.1-5: An angel delivers a mixed message. A denouncement from the angel for religious impurity.
Judg 2.1: The angel emerges from the standing stones of Gilgal that the Israelites erected upon crossing the Jordan river.
Judg 2.4: In Gen 35.8, Bethel is said to be the site of a "weeping tree," here, the Israelites lift up their voices and weep.
Judg 2.6-16.31: The days of the judges. The core of the book is comprised of tales about the era's leaders.
Judg 2.6-3.6: Introduction to the days of the judges.
Judg 2.6-10: Recap of the ending of Joshua. Resumption of the narrative from Josh 24.28-31; at one point, this may have joined Judges to Joshua, suggesting that 1.1-2.5 are a later addition.
Judg 2.8: Joshua dies at the age of one hundred ten years, identical to that of Joseph.
Judg 2.11-23: The formula of the test of Israel's faith. The first appearance of the formula (vv. 11-19) that frames the central section (3.7-11; 3.12,15,30; 4.1-3,23; 5.31; 6.1,6; 8.28; 10.6-7,10; 11.33; 13.1): Israel sins, angering the Lord who allows a foreign people to dominate them, they pray for mercy, the Lord raises up a "judge" to deliver them, and the land has rest.
Judg 2.11: 'Baals,' meaning all foreign gods, not just the male Canaanite storm-god.
Judg 2.13: 'Astartes,' referring to Astarte, used here by the narrator as a generic term for all female deities.
Judg 2.19: 'Relapse and behave worse:' the book has a plunging arc; with each repetition of the cyclical formula Israel is worse off.
Judg 3.1-6: List of the peoples who will test Israel. A later addition, justifying Israel's incomplete conquest of Canaan. As with other lists of the peoples of Canaan, this one is inconsistent.
Judg 3.7-8.28: The deliverers.
Judg 3.7-11: Othniel. A judean Judge that goes to war with the occupying force of King Cushan-rishathaim.
Judg 3.10: The spirit of the Lord, an inspiring force that will also inspire Gideon, Jephthah, Samson, Saul, and later, David.
Judg 3.12-30: Ehud. A Benjaminite warrior undertakes a solo mission to assassinate the Moabite king occupying Jericho.
Judg 3.31: Shagmar. A foreign mercenary who aided Israel, killing six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad; a cattle prod.
Judg 4.1-5.31: Deborah and Barak. A miraculous victory of Israelite forces under the command of Barak over the Canaanites led by Sisera.
Judg 4.1-24: Barak and the two women. Commissioned by Deborah, the warrior Barak wins the battle over the Canaanites, but because of his initial reluctance (v. 8), is denied the supreme martial honor, killing the enemy leader. Deborah told Barak that Sisera would fall to a woman (v. 9), whom we assume will be Deborah herself. As it turns out, a second woman, Jael, ends up besting both men "she comes out to meet" (vv. 18,22), stealing life from Sisera and "glory" (v. 9) from Barak.
Judg 4.5: Deborah is the only leader in Judges actually depicted as functioning as a "judge" to settle disputes.
Tuesday, April 4th, 2023
16:53
Judg 5.1-31: The Song of Deborah. This ballad is one of the oldest extant pieces of Hebrew writing; it is difficult in many places. As a literary specimen it has more in common with the Late Bronze Age Syrian mythic poetry than with Hebrew poetry from the Iron Age.
Judg 5.17: Confused geography on the location of the tribe of Dan.
Judg 5.22: "Then loud beat the horses' hoofs with the galloping, galloping of his steeds." No idea why, but I really like this passage in this translation.
Judg 5.24-27: Sisera's death is described in slow motion and, possibly, in sexual terms ("feet" is a frequent euphemism for genitals).
Judg 5.28-31: Sisera's mother's anguish over waiting for a son who will never return humanizes her, uncommon for Israelite depictions of the Canaanites.
Judg 6.1-8.28: Gideon. Gideon and his warriors rescue Israel from seasonal attacks by Midianites and their allies. Gideon purifies Israel territory from the internal threat of assimilation to Canaanite religion before removing an external threat by driving out invaders from the east, and then leads a war party across the Jordan on a reprisal raid; traditions about two different heroes may be combined here.
Judg 6.1-8.3: Gideon and the wine presses.
Judg 6.1-10: Midiniate raids.
Judg 6.7-10: These verses may be a later addition, as they are missing in a Dead Sea Scroll manuscript of this chapter.
Judg 6.11-24: Gideon's commissioning. Mirrors Moses's call narrative in Ex 3-4; there is a charge, reluctance on the part of the recipient, divine reassurance, a theophany, and finally, the establishment of a shrine. Gideon is an Abiezrite, a subdivision of the tribe of Manasseh.
Judg 6.22: Gideon fears death from seeing the angel of the Lord face to face.
Judg 6.25-32: Gideon's ritual preparations for warfare. Gideon must destroy the shrine to Baal before proceeding into battle.
Judg 6.27: Gideon has reason to be afraid of his family for his actions; they benefited from stewardship of the shrine, thus, Gideon is sacrificing economic and social status due to his commitment to the lord.
Judg 6.32: Jerubbaal is Gideon's given name, its translation is tricky and indicates a possible blending of narratives.
Judg 6.33-35: Gideon musters his troops.
Judg 6.36-40: Gideon tests God twice with the fleece. The use of 'Elohim' in reference to the Lord God here suggests that this version of the episode combined earlier stories.
Judg 7.1-8: The Lord tests Gideon twice with reduction of troops. Just as Gideon had tested God, now God tests Gideon, reducing his troops from 30,000 to 300, showing that it is ultimately God, not a large army, that provides victory.
Judg 7.9-14: Gideon's nighttime revelations. A barely cake, symbol of settled agriculturalists, crushes the Midianite tents, symbolic of nomadic transhumanists.
Judg 7.15-23: The midnight raid on the Midianite camp. Another instance of the Israelites' use of unconventional (read: inferior) weaponry beating the odds; the Midianites end up killing eachother in confusion.
Judg 7.24-8.3: The execution of enemy leaders.
Thursday, April 6th, 2023
20:59
Judg 8.2-3: Gideon is able to avoid violence through the skillful use of language, just as his father had in Ophrah. Really amusing, the Ephraimites have to safe face by conceding prospective spoils, lest they admit inferiority to Abiezer.
Judg 8.4-21: Gideon and the three towns.
Judg 8.22-28: Gideon and the ephod. Gideon refuses kingship and furnishes his family shrine with a divinatory device; his story ends ambiguously, he delivered Israel from the Midianites, but his legacy is tainted by the 'stain of idolatry'.
Judg 8.27: 'Ephod,' elsewhere a gilded vest worn by priests containing divinatory objects, here functioning as a ritual object; for another ephod in Judges, see 17.5.
Judg 8.29-16.31: The "empty men." The term "empty men" is used in the narratives of Abimelech and Jephthah to describe bandits and gangsters alienated from their clans.
Judg 8.29-9.57: Abimelech. Gideon's son Abimelech seeks the kingship his father refused by conspiring with his maternal kin in Schechem to kill his brothers and inhereit his father's regional chieftanship. The justice-making ("judging") function in this story is triggered by Jotham's curse that unleashes "an evil spirit" from God which plays each side off against the other.
Judg 8.29-35: Gideon's death and its aftermath.
Judg 9.1-6: Abimelech becomes king. Abimelech kills on a butchering stone in order to dispose of the blood before it soaks into the ground, seeking to avoid divine retribution. Clear and knowing intent, eh?
Judg 9.7-21: Jotham's fable and curse. Lone survivor of Abimelech's purge, Jotham stands overlooking Mount Gerizim and offers a plant fable, then uttering a curse to restore order to the social chaos unleashed by Abimelech's killing his brothers.
Judg 9.22-57: The end of Abimelech's rule. Jotham's curse of Abimelech and the Shechemites comes to pass.
Judg 9.22: 'Ruled over,' a different Hebrew word than that meaning "reigned," implying that Abimelech was not a legitimate king.
Judg 9.52-57: Abimelech falls to his hubris, defeated by a millstone cast down by a woman. He asks the young man who carried his armor to execute him so that "people will not say about [him], 'a woman killed him'".
Saturday, April 8th, 2023
12:56
Judg 10.1-5: The "minor judges." The addition of these sparsely-detailed judges allows the book to have a total of twelve judges: Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Gideon, Tola, Jair, Japhthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, and Samson.
Judg 10.6-12.7: Jephthah. An outcast, Jephthah is called back to rescue Gilead.
Judg 10.6-18: Introduction to the Jephthah cycle.
Judg 10.15: The only mention of Israel repenting in the entire book.
Judg 11.1-11: Jephthah and the elders of Gilead.
Judg 11.12-28: Jephthah's negotiation.
Judg 11.29-40: Jephthah's vow. Not much foresight on this one, Jephthah; he is to offer up his own daughter as a burnt offering according to his word.
Judg 12.1-7: Jephthah and the shibboleth. Ephraim are once again disgruntled, this time with fatal consequences, reflecting the devolution within the book of Judges. Shibboleth, sibboleth—this is some great escape nonsense!
Judg 12.8-15: The "minor judges," once more.
Judg 13.1-16.31: Samson. The solitary fighter Samson, enlisted from birth and filled with the Lord's light, begins to deliver Israel from Philistines who control the coastal plain.
Judg 13.1-25: Samson's birth.
Judg 13.4-5: Interesting that the angel of the Lord declares that Samson shall be a Nazirite from birth.
Judg 14.1-16.31: Samson and the three women.
Judg 14.1-15.20: Samson and the woman from Timnah.
Judg 14.1-2: "Went down . . . came up," verbs describing descent and ascent are common throughout the story; may have something to do with Samson's name ("Shimshon," derived from "shemesh," sun)?
Judg 14.1: Samson is figuratively blinded by love with Delilah, and ultimately, literally, by his Philistine captors.
Judg 14.6-9: Indicative of folk tradition, Samson fights barehanded (in contrast to the inferior weaponry characteristic of other Israelite heroes) and enlists wildlife to help him in his battles.
Judg 14.10-15.8: The riddle contest and its aftermath.
Judg 14.18: "Plowed with my heifer," sexual innuendo.
Judg 15.9-20: Samson at Lehi. A thousand men slain with one jawbone!
Judg 16.1-3: Samson and the prostitute of Gaza.
Judg 16.4-31: Samson and Delilah. Delilah solves the riddle of Samson's strength.
Judg 16.24-25: "Entertain . . . performed," sexual innuendo too, apparently!
Judg 17.1-21.25: The days before a king. The concluding section consists of two stories about religious and social chaos in an era summed up in the refrain "In those days there was no king in Israel". The focus is on the ritual and moral misdeeds of Dan and Benjamin, the sites of shrines that come to rival the Temple in Jerusalem.
Judg 17.1-18.31: Micah and the Danites. The first story is about the tainted origins of the artifacts and priesthood of the shrine at Dan.
Judg 17.1-13: Micah's shrine and its idol.
Judg 17.1-13: Micah's idol and his priests.
Judg 17.1-6: A woman's silver is stolen, her guilty son cursed, and an idol, contrary to commandment, forged.
Judg 18.1-31: The migration of Dan. Dan migrates from the Judean hills to the far north, acquiring a priest and equipment for a shrine along the way.
Judg 18.30: Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Moses mentioned here. According to the narrative of Judges, this event would have taken place scores of years would have passed since Jonathan's generation; this suggests that this episode is placed here for thematic rather than chronological reasons.
Judg 19.1-21.25: The Benjaminite war. This graphic and horrific account serves as a final statement about the era's social and religious anarchy.
Judg 19.1-30: The outrage in Gibeah. This episode closely resembles the story of Sodom.
Judg 19.10: "Jerusalem," later to be David's royal city; the only safe place in this pro-Davidic story.
Judg 20.1-48: The war against Benjamin. The Israelite coalition seeks to avoid warfare if Benjamin delivers the culprits from Gibeah.
Judg 20.28: Phineas is here! Much like Jonathan, this is chronologically anachronistic.
Judg 20.49: Gibeah is subjected to the herem.
Judg 21.1-24: The war against the daughters. Since the patriarchal family of twelve tribes must be preserved, the slaughter of the Benjaminite women and children must be rectified by allowing the surviving Benjaminite men to intermarry.
Judg 21.1-14: Bride capture at Jabesh-gilead. The Israelite coalition annihilates the village of Jabesh-gilead, which did not participate in the war against Benjamin, in order to secure wives for the surviving Benjaminite warriors.
Judg 21.15-24: Bride capture at Shiloh. The Israelite elders allow the young women of Shiloh to be captured in order to avoid breaking a vow.
Judg 21.21: "The young women come out to dance," like Jephthah's daughter.
Judg 21.25: Conclusion to the book of Judges. The final refrain leaves Israel in disarray, hinting at the necessity of establishing a monarchy, the theme of the following book of Samuel.
A lot of chaos here, indeed. Very enjoyable vignettes of the judges; I am especially fond of that of Ehud's. Quite tired at the time of writing, so not much to add. Ruth next.
Selfless
in the necessity of your tribulations
you act
as though worthy of esteem
Posturing
in your inadequacy
Adopting countenances
of better men
Avoiding responsibility
like leprosy
Selfless
on the avertable eve of your destruction
you act
as though worthy of pity
What have you achieved with your life
that was not given to you?
Thursday, April 13th, 2023
08:48
Introduction to Ruth
Named after its heroine, a young Moabite widow who leaves her land and family to follow her mother-in-law to Bethlehem in Judah, the book of Ruth is in the third division of the Hebrew Bible, the Writings. In Christian Bibles, it comes between the books of Judges and Samuel, since it begins "in the days when the judges ruled."
The language of the book of Ruth supports a Second Temple period dating: its words and expressions, and their spelling, attest to a substantial Aramaic influence. Moreover, it shows no signs of the Deuteronomistic redaction that characterizes the earlier historical books (Joshua-Kings). An alternative view is that the book's interest in the ancestry of King David suggests that it was written during the period of the monarchy.
While Ruth is one of the shortest of the Bible's books, it comprises one of the Bible's longest stories, a markedly poetic and villainless story bathed in an optimistic light, full of hope for a better future; the protagonists are all helpful, considerate, and well intentioned. The absence of conflict also characterizes the relations with God—the protagonists are notable in their willingness to go above and beyond what the law requires, and they are rewarded accordingly.
The author of the book knows Pentateuchal law, and the book boldly combines and reinterprets such law in a way that suggests a dynamic and shifting cultural context regarding Second Temple debates over intermarriage, for instance: In Ruth, the law regarding the redemption of a woman becomes a logical extension of the law of levirate marriage, as in later rabbinic interpretation in which different laws are combined and their discrepancies reconciled. The book may even anticipate later rabbinic interpretation of Deuteronomy 23.3 ("No Ammonite or Moabite shall be admittted to the assembly") as referring exclusively to males and not females (Mishnah Yebamoth 8.3).
The stance of Ruth is clear and unambigious: 'hesed,' kindness and loyalty, are more important than ethnicity.
Ruth
Ruth 1.1-5: Famine. Leaving Canaan because of famine is a repeated theme in Genesis (12.10; 26.1; 47.4).
Ruth 1.1: Bethlehem, translated as "house of bread," opens the book on an ironic note. Bethlehem is 5 miles south of Jerusalem, and the home of David's family.
Ruth 1.5-19a: The return to Bethlehem.
Ruth 1.19b-22: The arrival at Bethlehem.
Ruth 2.1-23: Ruth and Boaz's first encounter.
Ruth 2.11-12: Now here we find a wonderful sentiment on kindness to foreigners and the downtrodden. This is just nice.
Ruth 3.1-18: Ruth and Boaz's nighttime encounter.
Ruth 4.1-22: Ruth is redeemed, Obed is born: the faimly's name continues.
Ruth 4.18-22: The line of Perez. The narrative names Obed as the grandfather of David, and a full genealogy is provided, positioning David as being of the tenth generation, mirroring that of Adam to Noah, as well as Shem to Abraham.
Well, a very short book, indeed. There are really not many notes to make on the text itself, but the nature and placement of the book as a whole is fascinating. The story can be read as allegorical, with Boaz representing God and/or how Israel should act within deuteronomic law, and how it is this grace and charity that redeems Ruth, a foreign convert. Taken at face value, however, the message is just as rich, with Boaz going out of his way, to the point of risking his own social standing, in order to help and then marry a Moabite, something he arguably had no legal or moral requirement to do given the harshness with which the pentateuch treated issues of intermarriage.
On the specific point of intermarriage itself, the political undertones of the text couldn't be more clear; existing as a counter-narrative to the xenophobic Ezra/Nehemiah, Ruth makes a biting point: had there not been intermarriage in the case of Boaz and Ruth, there would have been no King David, and that the Deuteronomic Code is certainly open to interpretation when it comes to analysing such cases (was not such case law itself prevalent throughout Leviticus and Deuteronomy?). The scriptural and societal tensions of this book's historical context make what would be an otherwise throwaway story incredibly engaging. Thumbs up.
Tired, working the fields,
I find myself gleaning grain.
Is it not you who
is so merciful and kind,
that provides the fields and grain?
Thursday, April 13th, 2023
15:02
Introduction to 1 Samuel
First and Second Samuel were originally a single work named after the prophet Samuel, the name is not entirely appropriate, however, since Samuel dies before 1 Samuel ends (25.1). Divided into two books in the Septuagint and grouped with First and Second Kings, Samuel was known in the context of 1-4 Reigns, or 1-4 Kingdoms. Here, as in the Christian Bible, First and Second Samuel are part of the Historical Books.
Considered as part of the Deuteronomistic history (the traditional attribution to Samuel, Nathan and Gad—as referenced in Chronicles—not standing up to much scrutiny), First Samuel was likely completed shortly after the Babylonian exile in 586 BCE, and sought to offer a theological reason for the demise of Israel and Judah.
First Samuel falls readily into three parts, each with a different central character: Samuel as a transitional figure—prophet, priest, and judge—between the judges and the monarchy (chs 1-7), the emergence of Saul as Israel's first king (chs 8-15), and David's ascent (chs 16-31). David is the main hero not only of 1 and 2 Samuel but of the Deuteronomistic History as well. The pro-Davidic tone of 1 Samuel is evident in the contrast between Saul, who falters repeatedly, and David, who can do no wrong. God eventually abandons Saul but is constantly with David. God's presence with David, first in Saul's court and then while hiding from Saul, is a major theme in the book.
There are at least three reasons for doubting that the book of Samuel (both 1 and 2) is a narrative of history. First, the text is written centuries after the events described. Second, it is a creative literary masterpiece by an omniscient narrator that frequently reports private conversations and personal thoughts, and uses extensive wordplay. Thirdly, the book presents itself as repeatedly defensive and apologetic in its support of David, suggesting a heavily biased, and thus nonrepresentational, political and theological perspective on the supposed narrative of history presented.
Tuesday, April 18th, 2023
16:52
1 Samuel
1 Sam 1.1-28: The birth and consecration of Samuel. As a child designated by God for a special purpose, Samuel comes from a barren womb, much like the children of Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Elizabeth.
1 Sam 1.17: 'Petition,' wordplay on the name of Saul (Hebrew "sha'ul"), which sounds like the hebrew verb for petition, "sha'al." Some scholars regard this narrative as originally having been about Saul's birth, though this is not universally agreed upon.
1 Sam 2.1-10: The song of Hannah. Likely a later poem inserted in a manner that seemed appropriate by the editors.
1 Sam 2.6-7: The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. Brings to life refers to birth, not resurrection. Again, Sheol is the underworld where all people go.
1 Sam 2.10: 'His king,' indicating that this was written after the narrative of Hannah since no king reigned in her time. ''Anointed' was a title for the king and the source of the postbiblical term "messiah," which never means a future Davidic ruler in the Hebrew bible.'
1 Sam 2.12-26: The wicked sons of Eli.
1 Sam 2.25: The will of the Lord was to kill Eli's sons, echoing the paradox of the hardening of the heart.
1 Sam 2.27-36: The oracle agaisnt Eli. This passage was probably written by the Dueteronomistic author to justify the exclusion of Abiathar, a descendant of Eli, and his sons from the priesthood in favor of Zadok and his descendants (1 Kings 2.27,35). Seems likely, the unnamed 'man of God' is very convenient in his anonymity and irrelevance beyond transmitting such an oracle.
1 Sam 3.1-4.1a: Samuel's call.
1 Sam 4.1b-7.1: The Ark narrative. Could be an older story that described the capture and return of the ark; Samuel is not mentioned.
1 Sam 4.1b-22: The capture of the ark. The historiocity of the Philistines is confirmed, and it is likely that they had some conflict with the Israelites during the period of 1200 BCE; they originated from the northeastern Mediterranean area, including the island of Crete. Stories such as this are likely exaggerated, however.
1 Sam 4.8: The Philistines make two incorrect statements, the notion that Israel worshipped multiple Gods, and that the plagues struck in the wilderness, not Egypt. This can be taken as the author mocking the Philistines' lack of knowledge.
1 Sam 4.18: Eli is mentioned here as a judge in the same formula as those found in the book of Judges, though he is not described there in any capacity.
1 Sam 4.22: This isn't a fun time for the Isrealites, huh? Ichabod, "Where is the glory?" Imagine being named after the failures of your nation.
1 Sam 5.1-12: The ark troubles the Philistines. In the ancient Near East, wars between nations were interprted as contests between their respective gods. This story explains that although the Philistines defeated Israel, the Lord was superior to Dagon, a Philistine god; cf. Ex 12.12.
1 Sam 6.1-7.1: The return of the ark.
1 Sam 6.6: Contrast to 4.8, here the Philistines seem knowledgable of the story of Exodus.
1 Sam 6.19: Jeconiah, mentioned only here. Unknown what his relevance is to these events; this mention is lacking in the original hebrew, this mention comes from the Septuagint.
1 Sam 7.2-17: Samuel judges Israel. Samuel is depicted as a transitional figure between the judges and the monarchy. He embodies the roles of priest, prophet, and now judge—in most of the chapter as a military leader, as in the book of Judges, and at its conclusion as an actual judge.
1 Sam 7.5: Mizpah, north of Jerusalem, became the administrative and religious capital of Judah after Jerusalem's destruction in 586 BCE. Thus, it is likely that this story was written after this event.
1 Sam 7.13-14: The statement that the Philistines 'did not again enter the territory of Israel' is contradicted later in 1 Samuel. It may refer only to Samuel's lifetime. Again, echoing the formulas of Judges language.
1 Sam Chs 8-12: The beginning of kingship in Israel. These chapters include five distinct episodes: the people's request for a king and Samuel's response (ch 8); Saul's search for his father's asses and his anointing (9.1-10.16); the desgination of Saul by lot (10.17-27a); Saul's victory over the Ammonites (10.27b-11.15); and Samuel's farewell address (ch 12). The stories in 9.1-10.16 and 10.27b-11.15 are generally recognized as older and neutral or positive in their attitude toward monarchy, while the other three episodes, widely recognized as Deuteronomistic, view kingship with suspicion and depict the people's request as a sin. In the end, God allows a king but also warns the people against letting their king lead them astray.
1 Sam 8.1-22: The people request a king.
1 Sam 8.6-7: Here we can ask if Kingship is regarded as inherently evil or, rather, if it is but the request for a king demonstrating a lack of faith in the lord.
1 Sam 8.22: The lord permits Israel to have a king, though he disapproves of their request.
Thursday, April 20th, 2023
14:01
1 Sam 9.1-10.16: Saul's anointing. This is an old story that has been edited by the Deuteronomist. Samuel appears not as a judge but as a "man of God." Both Saul and kingship are depicted positively.
1 Sam 10.1: Anointing, the rite and application of fine oil on the head of a designee for special office, usually for the priesthood or kingship.
1 Sam 10.3: Three (possibly wise?) men at Bethel. Not bethlehem, mind! Apparently no connection to the later Magi of the NT.
1 Sam 10.10-13: 'Is Saul also among the prophets?' Here used in a positive sense.
1 Sam 10.17-27a: Saul chosen by lot.
1 Sam 10.27b-11.15: Saul proves himself able to lead in battle and is publicly made king.
1 Sam 11.2: Nahash considered the land on the east bank of the Jordan to be his, as such he subjugated the tribes of Gad and Reuben, gouging out the right eyes of every Israelite individual.
1 Sam 11.3-5: The story is likely older, as nothing in the wording suggests Saul as a preeminent figure, as in a King—if anything he is more like a Judge.
1 Sam 11.6: It is the spirit of God that spurs saul to action, again, much like the judges.
1 Sam 11.8: An anachronism in the story, with Israel and Judah being noted as distinct entities (as in the later independent kingdoms).
1 Sam 11.12-15: Samuel plays no role in the preceding battle account; his name was likely added secondarily to the story. The narrative as a whole shows how Saul succeeded in delivering Israel, thus answering his critics and proving his worth as king—the original story did not assume that Saul was already king but explained that the people made Saul king as a result of his victory on this occasion.
1 Sam 12.1-25: Samuel's address. Samuel is an interesting character, reminiscent of Balaam, even; he knows the Lord, and he knows what the Lord wants for Israel (despite the wants of the people)—he does God's will in anointing Saul as king to placate the people, and thus teach them a lesson, knowing then, too, that it is the wrong course of action, and warns the people on this point. It's actually kind of tragic!
Friday, April 21st, 2023
16:29
1 Sam 13.1-7a: Saul begins the war with the Philistines. Saul's age and the length of his reign is uncertain due to textually corrupt original texts. They say he was one year old when he began his reign and only reigned for two years.
1 Sam 13.3: Saul's son Jonathan appears here, indicating it takes place much later, perhaps decades later, than the initial narrative.
1 Sam 13.7b-15a: Saul's sin and rejection by God. The nature of Saul's sin is not clear, since he did wait for Samuel the prescribed time.
1 Sam 13.15b-14.52: Continuation of the Philistine war.
1 Sam 14.18: The 'Ark' mentioned here as being with the Israelites in battle is actually an Ephod, containing the implements of divination (recall that the vestment worn on the chests of the priests, as well as the container of the Urim and Thummim are both referred to as the Ephod). Terms are confused here by the author.
1 Sam 14.21: Hebrews is rarely used as a term of self-identification by the Israelites; here, the 'Hebrews' that are working with the Isrealites switch sides, fighting then with the Philistines—it is possible that they were mercenaries.
1 Sam 14.31-35: The soldiers violate Levitical law by slaughtering their animals in this manner.
1 Sam 14.45: Jonathan is clearly indicated as a guilty party by God, but he is here ransomed by the people; it is unclear how this is done, but perhaps an animal was substituted (Gen 22.13; Ex 13.13; 34.20).
1 sam 15.1-35: Another story of Saul's rejection.
1 Sam 15.3: Infamous verse of the Lord commanding the destruction of Amalekite infants. Can be taken as biblical war rhetoric; Ancient Near Eastern cultures extensively used hyperbolic idioms such as this
1 Sam 15.14: But Samuel Said, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of cattle that I hear?" Great verse.
1 Sam 15.22-23: Another great set of verses, probably my favorite instance of biblical poetry so far.
1 Sam 15.27-28: Grasping the hem of a person's garment was a way of submitting or pleading. Samuel uses the torn hem as an object lesson. The neighbor is David. Saul's robe is symolic of his Kingdom.
1 Sam 15.29: The statement that the Lord does not change his mind or recant is contradicted multiple times throughout the OT; it even contradicts the greater narrative framing of the Lord changing his mind about Saul being king at all. No doubt that apologists point to this always having been the Lord's intent so as to teach Israel a lesson, but it is what it is.
Saturday, April 22nd, 2023
16:35
1 Sam 16.1-13: The anointing of David. David is described as small and humble, the youngest of the sons, contrasting with the glowing descriptions of Saul.
1 Sam 16.14-23: David wins a position at Saul's court.
1 Sam 16.14: The spirit of the Lord departs from Saul and is replaced by an evil spirit from the Lord.
1 Sam 16.22: David becomes Saul's armor-bearer and lyre player.
1 Sam 17.1-58: David defeats the Philistine champion. The original story of David and Goliath is here heavily supplemented by later material; the addition of such material has caused multiple inconsistencies, such as David's preence in Saul's army, the way in which the Philistine died, and Saul's acquaintance with David.
1 Sam 17.5-7: The armor described here reflects items from different armies at different times and is designed to give an imposing picture of the Philistine.
1 Sam 17.47: This verse succinctly states the theme of this story: victory comes from trusting in the Lord, not from human weaponry.
1 Sam 17.54: The mention of Jerusalem here is an anchronism, since Jerusalem was conquered several years later in the narrative, after David became king of Israel.
1 Sam 17.55: Saul's questioning of David's identity indicates the story's originally independent nature, since according to 16.14-23 Saul and David already had a close relationship.
Sunday, April 23rd, 2023
16:17
1 Sam 18.1-30: Saul becomes jealous of David.
1 Sam 18.1-3: Saul and Jonathan are said to have loved eachother multiple times; whether the statement implies a sexual relationship is not clear, but it reads as pretty gay to me!
Monday, April 24th, 2023
16:34
1 Sam 19.1-24: Saul actively seeks David's life.
1 Sam 19.12: The house was built into the city wall, much like in Josh 2.15.
1 Sam 19.23-24: Here, the phrase "Is Saul also among the prophets?" is used in a negative manner.
1 Sam 20.1-42: The covenant between David and Jonathan.
1 Sam 20.41-42a: Here, Jonathan and David meet face-to-face, rendering the previous signal unnecessary; likely an addition to the story.
1 Sam 21.1-15: David escapes to Nob.
1 Sam 22.1-23: David at Adullam; massacre of the priests of Nob.
1 Sam 22.7: The Benjaminites can expect no such rewards if David becomes king because his native tribe is Judah; see here the allegorical nature of Saul and David.
1 Sam 23.1-13: David's relief of Keilah—an independent city within Philistine territory.
1 Sam 23.2-13: Abiathar's ability to divine via ephod is key to David's success; though David has communion with the Lord, it is apparent that priestly divination is an indispensable tool.
1 Sam 23.27: Saul's withdrawal at the moment he has David trapped hints at divine intervention.
1 Sam 24.1-22: David spares Saul's life. This story is a more disparaging version of the one in ch 26 on which it is dependent. In both, Saul is unknowingly defenseless before David, who is urged by his men to kill Saul but refuses because of Saul's status as the Lord's anointed. David then reveals to Saul that he could have killed him, and Saul expresses remorse for persecuting David and hints or states that David will succeed him as king.
1 Sam 24.4-5: David's cutting off of Saul's hem is symbolic for emasculation or usurpation of Saul's kingdom; echoes 15.27 with Samuel.
1 Sam 24.21-22: A new king from a different dynasty commonly killed all the descendants of the previous king in order to be rid of potential rivals. David's oath not to wipe out Saul's descendants anticipates his treatment of Mephibosheth (2 Sam 9).
1 Sam 25.1a: The death of Samuel. An editor's note that prepares for ch 28. We'll miss you, buddy.
1 Sam 25.1b-43: Nabal and Abigail. In chs 24 and 26 David refuses to kill Saul, but in ch 25 he refrains only at the last miute from killing many innocent people in Nabal's household.
1 Sam 25.4-8: David's expectation of a generous gift for his lording over the shepherds is a kind of extortion. Not the nicest move, David!
1 Sam 25.13: Four hundred men, sword in hand! Hell hath no fury like a king scorned! This actually made me laugh.
1 Sam 25.32-33: Well, hey, at least he's self aware. David praises the Lord for sending Abigail because she saved him from committing murder and thus incurring bloodguilt. Much tact from Abigail here.
1 Sam 26.1-25: David spares Saul's life again.
Wednesday, April 26th, 2023
16:32
1 Sam 27.1-28.2: David becomes a vassal of the Philistines. This chapter is in tension with 21.10-22.1, in which David escapes from Achish by pretending to be mad.
1 Sam 28.3-25: Saul consults a spirit. Recall that consultation with mediums and wizards was prohibtited in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, they are nonetheless effective.
1 Sam 28.11-15: Samuel! Who knew we'd be meeting you again in this manner. Samuel's rest in Sheol is disturbed.
1 Sam 29.1-11: The Philistines reject David.
1 Sam 30.1-31: The burning of Ziklag and David's pursuit of the Amalekites. This story is inconsistent with ch 15, in which the Amalekites were all destroyed.
1 Sam 31.1-13: Saul's death.
1 Sam 31.5: Although not condemned, suicide is rare in the Bible; see 2 Sam 17.23; 1 Kings 16.18; Mt 27.5.
First Samuel down. I have decided that unless I have something pertinent to say on the book as a whole, these parting notes will be short from here on out; in the course of reading this book especially I found myself thinking 'Oh, I should save this thought for the concluding notes,' but I chose to incorporate them into my notes proper instead. So it shall be from here on out. Second Samuel next.
Thursday, April 27th, 2023
18:16
Introduction to 2 Samuel
As mentioned prior, First and Second Samuel were originally a single work, so much of the information in the introduction to First Samuel pertains to Second Samuel as well. As Samuel himself died in First Samuel, the name of this book is hardly appropriate—Samuel himself is never even mentioned here! The division ebtween First and Second Samuel is artificial and was apparently based on considerations of length when it first made it into the Septuagint.
Historically, scholars considered the main source document of Second Samuel to have been written contemporaneously with the events it describes, but there is now doubt that this could have been the case, as cleanly extracting the core narrative from its supplementary and editorial material has proved to be difficult.
Second Samuel can be divided into four sections.
Section one (1.1-5.5) describes how, after Saul's death (ch 1), David becomes king first of Judah (2.1-4a) and then, after a civil war that included the assassinations of Saul's relatives Abner (ch 3) and Ishbaal (ch 4), king of all Israel (5.1-5).
Section two (5.6-12.31) tells of David's annexation of Jerusalem (5.5-6.23), his interest in building a temple there resulting in the divine promise of a dynasty (ch 7), and his victories over surrounding peoples (chs 8-12), which are interrupted by the story of his affair with Bathsheba (11.2-12.25).
Section three (chs 13-20) recounts Absalom's revolt and that let by Sheba (ch 20).
Section four (chs 21-24), often considered an appendix, is a miscellaneous collection of lnarratives, military lists, and poems.
Though generally pro-Davidic in tone, some readers point precisely to David's adultery and his inability to control his children as evidence that the Court History paints both David and the monarhcy in a very negative light—interpretations and perspectives are varied: It is fair to say that 2 Samuel in its current form depicts David as a complex, highly ambiguous character who is nevertheless blessed by the Lord.
2 Samuel
2 Sam 1.1-16: David learns of the death of Saul and Jonathan.
2 Sam 1.8: It is ironic that an Amalekite killed Saul, who (according to 1 Sam 15) lost his kingship because he did not kill off the Amalekites.
2 Sam 1.10-16: The Amalekite is subject to the same laws as an Israelite citizen due to his status as a resident alien; he'd hoped to gain favor with David, but David sees the Amalekite's actions as regrettable due to Saul's status as the Lord's anointed.
2 Sam 1.17-27: David's elegy over Saul and Jonathan.
2 Sam 1.24: Despite his reputation, Saul's reign did bring prosperity to Israel.
2 Sam 1.26: And they were roommates!
2 Sam 2.1-11: David becomes king of Judah.
2 Sam 2.8-10: Ishbaal, son of Saul becomes king of Israel at the behest of Saul's military commander, Abner. Ishbaal's name, originally 'Ish-bosheth,' was altered by scribes who substituted the word 'boshet,' meaning 'shame,' for the name of the Canaanite god Baal. Apparently he wasn't evil enough at first glance for them!
2 Sam 2.12-32: War between Israel and Judah. The exact nature of the contest that precipitated the conflict is unclear.
2 Sam 2.16: 'Helkath-hazzurim,' that is, 'Field of Sword-edges.' Metal.
2 Sam 3.1-5: David's sons. The suggestion that there was a 'long war' between the houses of David and Saul indicates that Saul and his family had more popular support than Saul's negative depiction in the second half of 1 Samuel might imply.
2 Sam 3.6-39: Abner's death.
2 Sam 3.6-8: To sleep with a concubine of the royal harem was to make a claim for the throne; Abner does not deny such an accusation for his transgression, but he is contemptuous of Ishbaal's scrutiny all the same.
2 Sam 3.15: It is not clear why Ishbaal returns Michal to David. Some scholars have suggested that he was under legal obligation.
2 Sam 3.35-39: David really wants it to be known that he had no part in Abner's death.