The thing that's striking right away about First Chronicles' approach to David is that it's lacking the heroic journey. He jumps right into being the holy warrior king. Samuel is referenced but apparently nowhere near as important, or perhaps his significance is merely implied, the way a slew of famous prophets are name-checked at the end of Second Kings. It's funny, too, but David is described very specifically as actively working against Saul, going so far as to collaborate with the Philistines. Shocking, to say the least! It's also David who uses the ark as a totem of war. This is literally a different version of the same story, although parallel in most ways, much like the gospels of the New Testament. In fact, it becomes more and more clear that the Old and New Testaments are far more structurally similar than you might sometimes think. This may have been far more obvious in times past, but now, when most Christians don't know the majority of the Old Testament, things like this can be so illuminating. The Old Testament itself is full of echoes, so it's not surprising that the early Christians wanted the New Testament to be nearly exactly like it, even in the ways where it seems to outright contradict its predecessor.
David delivers a psalm which reads like a mission statement of faith, including the phrase, "let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice," which was later adapted into a modern hymn. The name "Satan" is invoked, though not explicitly explained. This is hardly the first time that sort of thing happens. The Bible is heavy with implied knowledge, and it's always dangerous for later generations to just assume it can all be lifted directly and literally to their own time.
God actually rejects the doctrine of war as the basis for promulgating the future of Israel, even though so much of the Old Testament to this point has been filled with it. It's the reason given here for why Solomon and not David will build the temple (although there's also God's argument that he was perfectly content not to have a permanent home, almost as if he were relenting to David's logic). It's almost as if war was perceived as crucial to the story originally for the simple reason that a certain amount of chaos was considered necessary to establishing order, like our modern notion of revolution.
This account of David's era is far more sober, less crafted, more like a foundation or yes, a chronicle. If you really want to read the Bible without religious preference, this would be a good place to start. David is downright Arthurian here.
The succession of Solomon is depicted as plain and obvious in this account, which is another major deviation from what has been established previously.
David describes Solomon's role after him in much the way Jesus later conferred on his apostles the future of the Church. Another parallel.
First Chronicles ends by referencing some works that are clearly not in the Bible: the Chronicles of Samuel (which I would assume are different from First and Second Samuel), the Chronicles of Nathan, and the Chronicles of Gad. No Chronicles of Narnia, alas.
Second Chronicles begins with the rise of Solomon, and features its own marked deviations, too, starting with how Solomon is given the gift of wisdom from God. Previously he was given a choice of three gifts, and because he chose wisely (literally), he got all three. Here he outright asks for wisdom, and God still gives him everything anyway.
The temple is built in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah. It's a name that evokes Tolkien' Middle Earth, which would not be surprising. Like C.S. Lewis, Tolkien built his fantasy on the back of his Christian faith, though less blatantly. George Lucas likely did the same, though still less obviously, using other sources of what would be considered more obvious inspiration, but the elements are all there anyway.
Here the ark's contents are known, unlike what appears in Second Kings to be a secret Josiah stumbles across in the ruins of the temple. It's very possible that separate traditions, perhaps from among the separate tribes, were gradually brought together. They would have been aware of each other (hence the constant references to Chronicles in Kings), drawing from the same stories, but originally and quite obviously not cohesive. It takes very brave faith for contradictions like this to exist in your holiest text. It also takes very brave faith to completely ignore this and assume you can believe all of it at face value. Both approaches are not necessarily wrong nor are they necessarily right. For the objective believer, these are records that speak to essential truths that must be carefully sifted from the bones of history. It becomes far easier when there are competing traditions right in the Bible itself, actually. Despite ignorance in the face of free knowledge, it means no one was really trying to hide this fact. This is good.
Solomon actually makes a call for universal inclusion in the Jewish faith, another presaging of the later Christian tradition. So much of the Old Testament is geared toward the purity of the Jewish line, which is why there are all those genealogies, but right there and with one of the most famous figures of the Bible, there's one of the greatest contradictions!
You can further tell how God was perceived at the time by the way he was depicted, as a divine being who demanded perfect fealty, and when it wasn't given was ready to administer punishments and bad times at the drop of a hat, interpretations on past events that would have been natural to a people justifying their own history and continued devotion to an apparently capricious subject of faith. That he also claims steadfast love is another contradiction, though Solomon does have God promise to relent if people make apologies.
Like David, Solomon's further adventures are supposed to be able to be found in other books, of course not found in the Bible: in Nathan, perhaps the same earlier-referenced Chronicles of; the prophecy of Ahijah; and the visions of Iddo, and both of these also concern Solomon's successors.
It's funny, but not a hint of Solomon's own wrong-doing is referenced in Second Chronicles. He appears to be fairly perfect. It's those who follow him who are the fallible wretches who ruin the future of Israel, so that the phrase, "so Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day" may be uttered again, and explain how two great men are not enough to have finally settled the fate of the Jewish people even though they were for all intents and purposes the culmination of all previous Old Testament material, a fact that only seems to be emphasized in First and Second Chronicles.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Second Book of Kings 11-25, First Book of Chronicles 1-10
We pick right back up with the succession of unfortunate Jewish kings. There's an incidental reference to God sending Israel a savior of some kind. The dying Elisha performs an act out of later Arthurian legend, signaling a destination of some sort with an arrow through a window. His bones are also the first recorded Judeo-Christian relics to serve as the catalyst for a miracle.
Jonah is referenced. Nineveh, separately, is also referenced.
The temple is desecrated. There is a consistency now in the fact that pagans built their altars on high ground. Hebrews generally behaving badly, acting a lot like the ones who came out of Egypt, and even create themselves some molten calves. Second Kings makes it a point to say that they're reverting to former ways. Only Judah remains a bastion of the faith.
Babylon looms heavily.
The phrase "you are now relying on Egypt, that broken reed of a staff," making it clear where that nation now stands. The Aramaic language is specifically referenced.
A lot of this makes me think that this is the period where the Jewish faith began to be reconciled into one tradition, and this is before we Josiah, much less First Chronicles, which I contend may have actually been written first, making both books of Kings another act of prequel, like Genesis and the books of Moses. But we'll get to that.
Isaiah enters the picture! He's extremely instrumental in leading a religious revival under Hezekiah. He also introduces the doctrine of God having a plan rather than humanity goofing up, which supports my predestination theory from earlier, in that Adam and Eve were always meant to fall. No matter how often humanity fails God, he's always leading them in a specific direction, starting with Abraham. You might also say that some of this was shaped in a certain direction by later extrapolation of the historic record.
The angel of the Lord smites the Assyrians.
Hezekiah seems to tempt the Babylonians in much the way Egypt and the Philistines were previously induced to consider the spoils of the Hebrew faith. Isaiah prophesies the exile. Manasseh succeeds Hezekiah, is so bad that God swears holy vengeance against his people no matter what, and "no matter what" happens to mean Josiah, who enacts a greater religious revival than Hezekiah. He reigns in Jerusalem for 31 years. He discovers the book of the law, which is presumably the ark, and by this may have helped solidify Jewish faith to that point. He is given an all but cursory appearance nonetheless. He dies in battle at Megiddo, another reason to associate it with apocalypse.
Jeremiah is referenced!
Then, unfortunately, Nebuchadnezzar, the great king of the Babylonians. He has already taken dominion over the Egyptians, but that only stands to reason at this point. Jerusalem is besieged. The Hebrews become, actually, amicable citizens of Babylon, not like the bondage in Egypt anyway. Second Kings ends.
First Chronicles begins with a real chronicle, all right, a thick tangle of genealogy that does a more thorough job than any biblical precedent before it. Caleb seems to be more significant in this record than Moses, who receives a cursory reference, but at least his descent from Levi is finally completed, unlike in Exodus. This makes it seem like Moses was originally part of a separate tradition, and perhaps indeed he was.
Then the repeats begin. The Philistines start our story here, and Saul's war against them and his suicide. No real distinction is made about where he stands in the tradition except that he was, like most of the kings in the books of Kings, someone who didn't do right by God.
Jonah is referenced. Nineveh, separately, is also referenced.
The temple is desecrated. There is a consistency now in the fact that pagans built their altars on high ground. Hebrews generally behaving badly, acting a lot like the ones who came out of Egypt, and even create themselves some molten calves. Second Kings makes it a point to say that they're reverting to former ways. Only Judah remains a bastion of the faith.
Babylon looms heavily.
The phrase "you are now relying on Egypt, that broken reed of a staff," making it clear where that nation now stands. The Aramaic language is specifically referenced.
A lot of this makes me think that this is the period where the Jewish faith began to be reconciled into one tradition, and this is before we Josiah, much less First Chronicles, which I contend may have actually been written first, making both books of Kings another act of prequel, like Genesis and the books of Moses. But we'll get to that.
Isaiah enters the picture! He's extremely instrumental in leading a religious revival under Hezekiah. He also introduces the doctrine of God having a plan rather than humanity goofing up, which supports my predestination theory from earlier, in that Adam and Eve were always meant to fall. No matter how often humanity fails God, he's always leading them in a specific direction, starting with Abraham. You might also say that some of this was shaped in a certain direction by later extrapolation of the historic record.
The angel of the Lord smites the Assyrians.
Hezekiah seems to tempt the Babylonians in much the way Egypt and the Philistines were previously induced to consider the spoils of the Hebrew faith. Isaiah prophesies the exile. Manasseh succeeds Hezekiah, is so bad that God swears holy vengeance against his people no matter what, and "no matter what" happens to mean Josiah, who enacts a greater religious revival than Hezekiah. He reigns in Jerusalem for 31 years. He discovers the book of the law, which is presumably the ark, and by this may have helped solidify Jewish faith to that point. He is given an all but cursory appearance nonetheless. He dies in battle at Megiddo, another reason to associate it with apocalypse.
Jeremiah is referenced!
Then, unfortunately, Nebuchadnezzar, the great king of the Babylonians. He has already taken dominion over the Egyptians, but that only stands to reason at this point. Jerusalem is besieged. The Hebrews become, actually, amicable citizens of Babylon, not like the bondage in Egypt anyway. Second Kings ends.
First Chronicles begins with a real chronicle, all right, a thick tangle of genealogy that does a more thorough job than any biblical precedent before it. Caleb seems to be more significant in this record than Moses, who receives a cursory reference, but at least his descent from Levi is finally completed, unlike in Exodus. This makes it seem like Moses was originally part of a separate tradition, and perhaps indeed he was.
Then the repeats begin. The Philistines start our story here, and Saul's war against them and his suicide. No real distinction is made about where he stands in the tradition except that he was, like most of the kings in the books of Kings, someone who didn't do right by God.
Saturday, December 21, 2013
First Book of Kings 12-22, Second Book of Kings 1-10
Solomon's son Rehoboam succeeds him. It's the first of many names you'll have probably never heard of or at least won't remember if you have. There are some big names ahead, but also a lot of incredibly small ones. Mostly the degenerative nature of the Hebrew monarchy on display for the foreseeable future...
The poor dude starts out poorly by forsaking the wisdom of his elders in favor of his frat buddies, basically. People somehow feel betrayed by this attitude. "...Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day," thanks to poor examples like this. Although to be fair, both David and Solomon screwed up pretty good, too, even if they actually did a bunch of positive things as well.
The splintering crown leads way to the reign of Jeroboam. War is averted, momentarily. Jeroboam is crazy enough to drive his people away from God in an effort to divert them from Rehoboam. It makes no sense. But that's also part of God's own doing, the curse he leveled against Israel thanks to once too often straying from the chosen path. Jeroboam also breaks the Mosaic tradition of strictly Levite priests.
On the other hand, Josiah is prophesied, although he doesn't show up as of Second Kings 10. That's someone to look forward to!
And there's Jesus, whom Josiah might be said to evoke. The prophet who sees Josiah in the future returns home from a different way than he came, like the three wise men from the nativity story of the New Testament.
I'd name the prophet, but he isn't named in First Kings, and neither is another prophet who shows up, which doesn't help the narrative at this point be terribly memorable. It might be symbolic, however, of their combined ineffectiveness, a little like my good friend Balaam.
The whole point of Jeroboam seems to be that God didn't forsake David so much as apparently every other member of the chosen people. He's shrunk his commitment back to its origins, but instead of promising many descendants, only one in the future who will fulfill the abortive promise of David's destiny. And, by the way, when someone like David, or Solomon, wins everyone does. And that's kind of what Jesus does, isn't it? It's the whole reason the New Testament seems like an extension and also drastic revision of the Old Testament.
The later books of Chronicles is referenced for the first time. The first time of many. I noted nine more instances between both books of Kings. Clearly they were written in quick succession, or more cleverly edited together than previous books of the Bible.
Jeroboam reigned 22 years. After a while, I stopped keeping a record of reigns and overlaps of reigns. There was just no point. Maybe as a chart it would have looked good, but honestly? You don't know these names because by themselves they just aren't important.
Nadab succeeds him! See what I mean? Who's Nadab? Rehoboam was 41 when he began his reign, which lasted 17 years. People misbehaved. He didn't exactly stop them. Although the Egyptians are big winners. They're suddenly very relevant again, which was something that began under Solomon. They replace the Philistines, and of course you know all about them. They raid Jerusalem. War between the camps of Jeroboam and Rehoboam, and maybe a few citizens lose track of whose side they're on because of the extreme similarity of their names...
Then Rehoboam died. Abijah succeeded him. Reigned 3 years, 18 years into Jeroboam's competing reign. He was morally compromised. They all were. It's great that Christians later had so many wonderful saints, because it was incredibly hard for all these biblical figures to be anything like that pure. War between the camps of Abijah and Jeroboam. Abijah succeeded by Asa, 20th year of Jeroboam's reign. He lasts 41 years. Doesn't leave any real impact. He feuds with Baasha, Jeroboam's successor.. Then comes Jehoshaphat, a name you'll probably know. Nadab was betrayed by Baasha, with Philistine connections (they had to show again). That signals the end of the house of Jeroboam. Honestly, this is like Game of Thrones...
Baasha reigned for 24 years. He thoroughly rejected Jeroboam, but was just as bad. Elah, the son of Baasha, comes next. If the name sounds familiar, it's Philistine in origin, and was previously featured as the valley in which David defeated Goliath. Zimri betrays him, ends the house of Baasha. Israel further splinters. New kings in new kingdoms include Tibni and Omri, although he was worse than anyone else. But, Ahab succeeds him!
No, not the Herman Melville character, the biblical Ahab, as in Ahab and Jezebel. How does Jezebel become an epitaph? By being probably the worst woman in the whole Bible, Iago-like in her manipulations. But who's that to try and save the day? Elijah! He kind of redeems Ahab, and that's just the start of his adventures! He's a Christ figure, which only figures, because apparently thought Jesus was either Moses or Elijah returned to earth.
Classic episode that sees Elijah completely discredit the prophets of Baal follows, sort of like Moses and the Pharaoh's sorcerers. It's also the first time God has been actively demonstrative since Moses, too. Elijah undergoes a trial in the desert, like Jesus, lasts for the same prophetic 40 days. There's also the episode where God is manifested in the most modest way possible, which evokes the way his relationship to mankind has evolved since the early books in the Old Testament. Elisha appears, predating the apostles of the gospels but basically exactly like them.
Syria becomes the new Egypt, which was the new Philistines (who themselves remain mostly a biblical people to this day). Israel prevails under Elijah's guidance. The splintered nations grow less pathetic now that they have a strong figure at the center again. Elijah, however, is the first prime figure who is not himself a prime mover. The Syrians recognize God's strength, and so make peace.
Ahab becomes moody after a series of small sleights. Jezebel is Jezebel. Elijah chastises Ahab for letting Jezebel be Jezebel. Ahab and Jezebel are basically Adam and Eve figures. Jehoshaphat realizes Israel is stronger when united against Syria. Prophets bicker. Ahab dies in the Syrian wars that are somehow continuing (darn Jehoshaphat). Ahaziah succeeds him, is less redeemable than Ahab. Jehoram succeeds Jehoshaphat. First Book of Kings ends.
Second Book of Kings begins much the way the last one ended. Elijah is busy trying to get people not to worship gods before God. Ahaziah presses the issue, tests both God and Elijah, and ends up smited for his effort. Elijah parts waters (like Moses), the famed chariot of fire appears, and then he ascends to heaven, the way Christians find very evocative for the New Testament.
Elisha fixes the water in Jericho, which remains that way "to this day." He was apparently bald, by the way, tormented for it like the "wisp of tow" taunt in The Brothers Karamazov.
Jehoram rejects Baal, but that doesn't mean he's a good king. Elisha performs more wonders. There's more warfare. All this warfare is looking increasingly bleak for the future of Israel. Elisha performs his classic oil miracle. Looks like a Christ figure himself. He even brings a child back to life. If Jesus had had another Jesus after him, Christianity would look a lot different today. He multiplies a little bit of food to feed many people. He cures a leper, Naaman, who at first scoffs at Elisha's proscribed of treatment. Naaman is a great warrior, so he hadn't exactly been treated as roughly as other lepers. Elisha helps the Hebrew army avoids Syrian traps. God helps him foil Syrian assassins.
Things on the whole, otherwise, remain pretty messy. It's worth noting that Samaria is relevant in this era. Jesus later has one of his classic parables concerning the "good Samaritan." Elisha's prophecies, which was earlier indicated in the Bible as the only way to judge the worth of a prophet, always come true. Philistines. Elisha prophesies Hazael's reign in Syria and war with Israel. Joram reigns, is no better than anyone else. Then Ahaziah. Wars. Elisha has Jehu anointed. Jehu immediately begins consolidating power. Ends the house of Ahab. Joram murdered. Ahaziah murdered. Jezebel murdered! He also evokes Samson when he tricks followers of Baal into gathering in one space, and then killing them all. He doesn't spare the earthly smiting one bit. Killing, again, seems to be justifiable if you do it in the name of religion. And so the Inquisition. Jehu, for all this holy crusading, is not hugely more perfect than anyone, just a human purge machine, trying to clear the Hebrew cobwebs. His reign lasts 28 years. Jehoahaz succeeds him. Second Kings continues...
The poor dude starts out poorly by forsaking the wisdom of his elders in favor of his frat buddies, basically. People somehow feel betrayed by this attitude. "...Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day," thanks to poor examples like this. Although to be fair, both David and Solomon screwed up pretty good, too, even if they actually did a bunch of positive things as well.
The splintering crown leads way to the reign of Jeroboam. War is averted, momentarily. Jeroboam is crazy enough to drive his people away from God in an effort to divert them from Rehoboam. It makes no sense. But that's also part of God's own doing, the curse he leveled against Israel thanks to once too often straying from the chosen path. Jeroboam also breaks the Mosaic tradition of strictly Levite priests.
On the other hand, Josiah is prophesied, although he doesn't show up as of Second Kings 10. That's someone to look forward to!
And there's Jesus, whom Josiah might be said to evoke. The prophet who sees Josiah in the future returns home from a different way than he came, like the three wise men from the nativity story of the New Testament.
I'd name the prophet, but he isn't named in First Kings, and neither is another prophet who shows up, which doesn't help the narrative at this point be terribly memorable. It might be symbolic, however, of their combined ineffectiveness, a little like my good friend Balaam.
The whole point of Jeroboam seems to be that God didn't forsake David so much as apparently every other member of the chosen people. He's shrunk his commitment back to its origins, but instead of promising many descendants, only one in the future who will fulfill the abortive promise of David's destiny. And, by the way, when someone like David, or Solomon, wins everyone does. And that's kind of what Jesus does, isn't it? It's the whole reason the New Testament seems like an extension and also drastic revision of the Old Testament.
The later books of Chronicles is referenced for the first time. The first time of many. I noted nine more instances between both books of Kings. Clearly they were written in quick succession, or more cleverly edited together than previous books of the Bible.
Jeroboam reigned 22 years. After a while, I stopped keeping a record of reigns and overlaps of reigns. There was just no point. Maybe as a chart it would have looked good, but honestly? You don't know these names because by themselves they just aren't important.
Nadab succeeds him! See what I mean? Who's Nadab? Rehoboam was 41 when he began his reign, which lasted 17 years. People misbehaved. He didn't exactly stop them. Although the Egyptians are big winners. They're suddenly very relevant again, which was something that began under Solomon. They replace the Philistines, and of course you know all about them. They raid Jerusalem. War between the camps of Jeroboam and Rehoboam, and maybe a few citizens lose track of whose side they're on because of the extreme similarity of their names...
Then Rehoboam died. Abijah succeeded him. Reigned 3 years, 18 years into Jeroboam's competing reign. He was morally compromised. They all were. It's great that Christians later had so many wonderful saints, because it was incredibly hard for all these biblical figures to be anything like that pure. War between the camps of Abijah and Jeroboam. Abijah succeeded by Asa, 20th year of Jeroboam's reign. He lasts 41 years. Doesn't leave any real impact. He feuds with Baasha, Jeroboam's successor.. Then comes Jehoshaphat, a name you'll probably know. Nadab was betrayed by Baasha, with Philistine connections (they had to show again). That signals the end of the house of Jeroboam. Honestly, this is like Game of Thrones...
Baasha reigned for 24 years. He thoroughly rejected Jeroboam, but was just as bad. Elah, the son of Baasha, comes next. If the name sounds familiar, it's Philistine in origin, and was previously featured as the valley in which David defeated Goliath. Zimri betrays him, ends the house of Baasha. Israel further splinters. New kings in new kingdoms include Tibni and Omri, although he was worse than anyone else. But, Ahab succeeds him!
No, not the Herman Melville character, the biblical Ahab, as in Ahab and Jezebel. How does Jezebel become an epitaph? By being probably the worst woman in the whole Bible, Iago-like in her manipulations. But who's that to try and save the day? Elijah! He kind of redeems Ahab, and that's just the start of his adventures! He's a Christ figure, which only figures, because apparently thought Jesus was either Moses or Elijah returned to earth.
Classic episode that sees Elijah completely discredit the prophets of Baal follows, sort of like Moses and the Pharaoh's sorcerers. It's also the first time God has been actively demonstrative since Moses, too. Elijah undergoes a trial in the desert, like Jesus, lasts for the same prophetic 40 days. There's also the episode where God is manifested in the most modest way possible, which evokes the way his relationship to mankind has evolved since the early books in the Old Testament. Elisha appears, predating the apostles of the gospels but basically exactly like them.
Syria becomes the new Egypt, which was the new Philistines (who themselves remain mostly a biblical people to this day). Israel prevails under Elijah's guidance. The splintered nations grow less pathetic now that they have a strong figure at the center again. Elijah, however, is the first prime figure who is not himself a prime mover. The Syrians recognize God's strength, and so make peace.
Ahab becomes moody after a series of small sleights. Jezebel is Jezebel. Elijah chastises Ahab for letting Jezebel be Jezebel. Ahab and Jezebel are basically Adam and Eve figures. Jehoshaphat realizes Israel is stronger when united against Syria. Prophets bicker. Ahab dies in the Syrian wars that are somehow continuing (darn Jehoshaphat). Ahaziah succeeds him, is less redeemable than Ahab. Jehoram succeeds Jehoshaphat. First Book of Kings ends.
Second Book of Kings begins much the way the last one ended. Elijah is busy trying to get people not to worship gods before God. Ahaziah presses the issue, tests both God and Elijah, and ends up smited for his effort. Elijah parts waters (like Moses), the famed chariot of fire appears, and then he ascends to heaven, the way Christians find very evocative for the New Testament.
Elisha fixes the water in Jericho, which remains that way "to this day." He was apparently bald, by the way, tormented for it like the "wisp of tow" taunt in The Brothers Karamazov.
Jehoram rejects Baal, but that doesn't mean he's a good king. Elisha performs more wonders. There's more warfare. All this warfare is looking increasingly bleak for the future of Israel. Elisha performs his classic oil miracle. Looks like a Christ figure himself. He even brings a child back to life. If Jesus had had another Jesus after him, Christianity would look a lot different today. He multiplies a little bit of food to feed many people. He cures a leper, Naaman, who at first scoffs at Elisha's proscribed of treatment. Naaman is a great warrior, so he hadn't exactly been treated as roughly as other lepers. Elisha helps the Hebrew army avoids Syrian traps. God helps him foil Syrian assassins.
Things on the whole, otherwise, remain pretty messy. It's worth noting that Samaria is relevant in this era. Jesus later has one of his classic parables concerning the "good Samaritan." Elisha's prophecies, which was earlier indicated in the Bible as the only way to judge the worth of a prophet, always come true. Philistines. Elisha prophesies Hazael's reign in Syria and war with Israel. Joram reigns, is no better than anyone else. Then Ahaziah. Wars. Elisha has Jehu anointed. Jehu immediately begins consolidating power. Ends the house of Ahab. Joram murdered. Ahaziah murdered. Jezebel murdered! He also evokes Samson when he tricks followers of Baal into gathering in one space, and then killing them all. He doesn't spare the earthly smiting one bit. Killing, again, seems to be justifiable if you do it in the name of religion. And so the Inquisition. Jehu, for all this holy crusading, is not hugely more perfect than anyone, just a human purge machine, trying to clear the Hebrew cobwebs. His reign lasts 28 years. Jehoahaz succeeds him. Second Kings continues...
Friday, December 20, 2013
Second Book of Samuel 21-24, First Book of Kings 1-11
David attempts to solve all Israel's problems forever. It doesn't quite work. The darn Philistines appear again. David grows weary. A second Goliath, representative of a remnant of giants...
Then there's the song of David, which seems to reflect heavily on later Christian theology, not to mention love of that common Books of Samuel theme, warfare. It's very similar language to the psalms, like what they were based on. Although war itself will remain a focus of the narrative for some time, it no longer seems quite the driving force of Israel's future. Although there is, again, much love for it.
God's wrath is kindled again, although David is able to appease him after a selection of three punishments ends with classical biblical plague. No overt smiting. End of Second Book of Samuel.
The beginning of First Book of Kings sees David in old age given a concubine to help keep his increasingly frail body warm. First Kings makes it clear they don't have sex, though, in case you wanted to know. Mutinous behavior continues, this time with another son, who is also described as exceptionally handsome (I guess this is where all our modern literature gets the idea from). Nathan quickly gets Bathsheba to put Solomon under protection, because he's the clear threat to the usurper. David has a signature mule, which Solomon symbolically rides to drive the point home (reminiscent of Jesus on Palm Sunday). He's soon anointed to make it official that he's the one who's king and David successor. Like his father before him, Solomon pursues a policy of forgiveness against his rivals. David implores him to also keep his other traditions alive. Then the old king dies.
Solomon begins consolidating his power, settling old affairs such as finally dealing with Joab (read: executing him). He makes a marriage alliance with Egypt, which is growing in biblical importance again. It only figures, because this is only the start of many allusions to past events. He also begins building up Jerusalem, making it truly fit for a king.
God grants him the choice of three extraordinary favors, and Solomon famously chooses wisdom, so he gets all of them anyway. Then follows another anecdote you'll certainly recognize, the wise act of figuring out who the real mother is when a dispute arises, threatening to split the child in two. It's the example everyone uses, and I guess it's the one the Bible does, too. In short order the later psalms and proverbs are attributed to him. Preparations for the temple are made. Clearly Solomon was thought of in great terms by the later Hebrews, as pretty much everything their is to know about his reign is recorded in minute detail, far greater than even similar work that had been done in the Books of Samuel. These are the most important books after the Moses cycle to the Jewish faith, and they're also the most important ones to Christian faith from the Old Testament.
It's also perhaps significant that the extreme detail that God related to Moses concerning the ark in the first place is more than represented in explaining the temple's many opulent features.
For the record, First Kings records the amount of time since the exile from Egypt to the time of Solomon at 480 years. That's about for us modern readers the whole American continent history from Columbus to our day.
God keeps reiterating that if Solomon remains on the straight and narrow everything will be perfect for Israel. Of course he does!
It took 7 years to complete work on the temple. There's a great ceremony to commemorate the ark's journey to its final resting place in the temple. It's at this point that the reader may realize that the true main character of the Bible to this point has been the ark, which has been present from Moses to Solomon. The promise God made David that it would be Solomon who saw the building of the temple is a little like when Moses was told it would be Joshua who entered the promised land. It wasn't until David had the idea that the temple was even considered a final destination. God had been content to let the ark travel freely through Israel. There are more echoes of Moses, although it's compassion and forgiveness that God prefers these days, rather than his old policy of smiting first and asking questions later (you know, basically). It tends to read like a reflection of later New Testament theology.
I know, I keep saying that. It's there, what else can I say?
It took 20 years in all, including Solomon's own elaborate lodgings, to complete construction work.
The Queen of Sheba shows up to test Solomon, and he passes it. Although, on a related note or not, his many romantic conquests really start to take their toll on him. He starts putting other gods before, or at least alongside, God. This does not please God, who revokes his charter and then agrees to let the Hebrews keep Jerusalem but nothing else.
A new enemy (the first of several) arises, Hadad, who once had occasion to hide out in Egypt. The same is true of Jeroboam (who in his earlier days received a prophecy that he would one day inherit a part of Solomon's kingdom, which led Solomon to try and eliminate him). All this fleeing to Egypt evokes both Joseph in the past and Mary and the other Joseph in the future. A third enemy is Rezon.
There's a strong indication that Solomon, like Adam before him, was always meant to fall. Probably the Jewish people would much have preferred a permanent and considerable kingdom, but that's just not something that happened. A good thing always ends. Call it a proverb.
Solomon reigned for 40 years, and then he died.
Then there's the song of David, which seems to reflect heavily on later Christian theology, not to mention love of that common Books of Samuel theme, warfare. It's very similar language to the psalms, like what they were based on. Although war itself will remain a focus of the narrative for some time, it no longer seems quite the driving force of Israel's future. Although there is, again, much love for it.
God's wrath is kindled again, although David is able to appease him after a selection of three punishments ends with classical biblical plague. No overt smiting. End of Second Book of Samuel.
The beginning of First Book of Kings sees David in old age given a concubine to help keep his increasingly frail body warm. First Kings makes it clear they don't have sex, though, in case you wanted to know. Mutinous behavior continues, this time with another son, who is also described as exceptionally handsome (I guess this is where all our modern literature gets the idea from). Nathan quickly gets Bathsheba to put Solomon under protection, because he's the clear threat to the usurper. David has a signature mule, which Solomon symbolically rides to drive the point home (reminiscent of Jesus on Palm Sunday). He's soon anointed to make it official that he's the one who's king and David successor. Like his father before him, Solomon pursues a policy of forgiveness against his rivals. David implores him to also keep his other traditions alive. Then the old king dies.
Solomon begins consolidating his power, settling old affairs such as finally dealing with Joab (read: executing him). He makes a marriage alliance with Egypt, which is growing in biblical importance again. It only figures, because this is only the start of many allusions to past events. He also begins building up Jerusalem, making it truly fit for a king.
God grants him the choice of three extraordinary favors, and Solomon famously chooses wisdom, so he gets all of them anyway. Then follows another anecdote you'll certainly recognize, the wise act of figuring out who the real mother is when a dispute arises, threatening to split the child in two. It's the example everyone uses, and I guess it's the one the Bible does, too. In short order the later psalms and proverbs are attributed to him. Preparations for the temple are made. Clearly Solomon was thought of in great terms by the later Hebrews, as pretty much everything their is to know about his reign is recorded in minute detail, far greater than even similar work that had been done in the Books of Samuel. These are the most important books after the Moses cycle to the Jewish faith, and they're also the most important ones to Christian faith from the Old Testament.
It's also perhaps significant that the extreme detail that God related to Moses concerning the ark in the first place is more than represented in explaining the temple's many opulent features.
For the record, First Kings records the amount of time since the exile from Egypt to the time of Solomon at 480 years. That's about for us modern readers the whole American continent history from Columbus to our day.
God keeps reiterating that if Solomon remains on the straight and narrow everything will be perfect for Israel. Of course he does!
It took 7 years to complete work on the temple. There's a great ceremony to commemorate the ark's journey to its final resting place in the temple. It's at this point that the reader may realize that the true main character of the Bible to this point has been the ark, which has been present from Moses to Solomon. The promise God made David that it would be Solomon who saw the building of the temple is a little like when Moses was told it would be Joshua who entered the promised land. It wasn't until David had the idea that the temple was even considered a final destination. God had been content to let the ark travel freely through Israel. There are more echoes of Moses, although it's compassion and forgiveness that God prefers these days, rather than his old policy of smiting first and asking questions later (you know, basically). It tends to read like a reflection of later New Testament theology.
I know, I keep saying that. It's there, what else can I say?
It took 20 years in all, including Solomon's own elaborate lodgings, to complete construction work.
The Queen of Sheba shows up to test Solomon, and he passes it. Although, on a related note or not, his many romantic conquests really start to take their toll on him. He starts putting other gods before, or at least alongside, God. This does not please God, who revokes his charter and then agrees to let the Hebrews keep Jerusalem but nothing else.
A new enemy (the first of several) arises, Hadad, who once had occasion to hide out in Egypt. The same is true of Jeroboam (who in his earlier days received a prophecy that he would one day inherit a part of Solomon's kingdom, which led Solomon to try and eliminate him). All this fleeing to Egypt evokes both Joseph in the past and Mary and the other Joseph in the future. A third enemy is Rezon.
There's a strong indication that Solomon, like Adam before him, was always meant to fall. Probably the Jewish people would much have preferred a permanent and considerable kingdom, but that's just not something that happened. A good thing always ends. Call it a proverb.
Solomon reigned for 40 years, and then he died.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Second Book of Samuel 1-20
The second book in the grand history of Hebrew warfare begins with David learning of the deaths of Jonathan and Saul. The bearer of the news claims he killed Saul, which contradicts the ending of First Samuel. Stupid mistake on his part, anyway. David quickly has him put to death. David goes on to produce a lament/poem about his fallen comrades, which includes the refrain, "how are the mighty fallen," which would be interesting if it's the origin of the phrase "how the mighty have fallen," since the two would have very different meanings. David, as Second Samuel quickly makes very apparent, is very fond of both Saul and Jonathan in death. The latter phrase is a common derogatory utterance for people you have not admired.
God is being used as a consultant these days.
The kingdom becomes divided rather than united under David. Weird that this would be the case, since in a lot of ways David was supposed to be the epitome of the Jewish dream. One of Saul's sons rules part of the kingdom, while David's divided reign lasts 7 years. The in-fighting keeps evolving, and fittingly around the house of Saul and the house of David. David's grows stronger. It only figures. It's Abner who flies the banner of Saul. They eventually make peace. And then Abner is assassinated. It's funny, David maintains his tradition of lamenting the death of his enemy. He knows true rivals when he sees them. He respects them, and honors them in death. He insists on the inherent goodness of both Saul and Abner, angry when those beneath him say their deaths were good for Israel.
David was 30 when his reign began, and in total it lasted 40 years, a telling (as in how many years Jesus lived) 33 years under the united crown.
David's city is variously reported as Zion or Jerusalem.
Unlike Jesus, David doesn't much care, usually, for the blind or the lame. He makes an exception in the latter case for Jonathan's son.
He takes the fight back to the Philistines. Cherubim are referenced for the first time. This is theology evolving. Some poor schlub touches the ark and is smited by God, a policy David seems to disagree with. He finally brings the ark to a permanent home. Nathan is soon asking for what amounts to the first temple. Michal, David's wife who is also Saul's daughter, is not pleased to see David return, probably upset at his surviving and her father not their conflict. It's an attitude that's similar to David's brother's earlier, and may confirm my suspicion that dissent from the common opinion may stem from jealousy.
God makes a new covenant with David that's similar to what he made with Abraham, except instead of providing for a whole slew of descendants he speaks of making David's specific line very special. The New Testament interprets this as indicating Jesus. God includes the line, "I will be his father and he shall be my son," which in the Christian perspective is made very literal. If it's meant to refer to Solomon, well...like (that) father like (that) son.
The Philistines are finally eliminated from their perennial threat, as David celebrates. More enemies are eliminated. As David continues to show extreme loyalty to the legacies of Saul and Jonathan, it may be seen as resembling God's devotion to his people, and the loyalty/forgiveness of it to the whole Judeo-Christian tradition from the fall of Adam onward. We screw up and God (no matter how much he really wants to) never truly gives up on us.
So, enter Bathsheba, the famed bathing beauty. David falls hard for her, starts thinking like Samson and Saul before him ways to get her husband out of the picture. He eventually sends the poor guy into the front-lines of battle. God is displeased. Nathan has the occasion to deliver the first parable of the Bible. God isn't upset so much because of the adultery of it (which was one of the big no-nos outlined in the books of Moses) but because David tried to keep it a secret. He and David patch up their differences, and only Bathsheba's resulting child is punished. David grieves while it struggles toward death, and then to the confusion of everyone around the king, stops as soon as the child dies.
How is Bathsheba really important? She's the mother of Solomon!
One of David's son rapes his own sister. This is the start of a whole bloody affair. The son quickly rejects the sister, and another son, Absalom, wreaks terrible vengeance. It marks the first time he plots a conspiracy. Like a regular Shakespeare character, or as Second Samuel increasingly seems, a Greek tragedy.
On the plus side, like his son Solomon later, David is spoken of as possessing great wisdom. Absalom is described as uniquely handsome in the land, like Saul and David before him. He seems to almost be a new Saul, like the predecessor so the successor goes.
David visits the Mount of Olives. The New Testament looms. The conspiracies of Absalom, in fact, start sounding a lot like Judas and Jesus. There is even a betrayal with a kiss at one point.
The phrase, "long live the king!" is uttered.
David goes into hiding, "even now he has hidden himself in one of the pits," which evokes the much later Saddam Hussein and his rat hole. I guess that was a thing a long time ago, too. David in exile is like Moses after guiding the Hebrews out of Egypt. Those with him complain of starving.
Absalom eventually ends up caught in a tree during the decisive battle with David. Some debate (not involving David) follows as to what to do with him. He ends up dead. David, of course, still mourns him, even though he's just tried to usurp the kingdom, after all the weird twists that followed Absalom's murder of his brother. David's men are jealous of this grief. More tumult follows. A place called Abel is referenced, with no reference to the son of Adam, although it certainly evokes the most famous circumstances of his life. This time the troublemaker is Joab, who has replaced Absalom in every sense. He's the guy who killed him, and then took on the rivalry with David, apparently just for the taste of power for finding himself all of a sudden significant.
If you didn't know all this was essential to a lot of people's faith, you could easily read this for no particular religious reason at all...
God is being used as a consultant these days.
The kingdom becomes divided rather than united under David. Weird that this would be the case, since in a lot of ways David was supposed to be the epitome of the Jewish dream. One of Saul's sons rules part of the kingdom, while David's divided reign lasts 7 years. The in-fighting keeps evolving, and fittingly around the house of Saul and the house of David. David's grows stronger. It only figures. It's Abner who flies the banner of Saul. They eventually make peace. And then Abner is assassinated. It's funny, David maintains his tradition of lamenting the death of his enemy. He knows true rivals when he sees them. He respects them, and honors them in death. He insists on the inherent goodness of both Saul and Abner, angry when those beneath him say their deaths were good for Israel.
David was 30 when his reign began, and in total it lasted 40 years, a telling (as in how many years Jesus lived) 33 years under the united crown.
David's city is variously reported as Zion or Jerusalem.
Unlike Jesus, David doesn't much care, usually, for the blind or the lame. He makes an exception in the latter case for Jonathan's son.
He takes the fight back to the Philistines. Cherubim are referenced for the first time. This is theology evolving. Some poor schlub touches the ark and is smited by God, a policy David seems to disagree with. He finally brings the ark to a permanent home. Nathan is soon asking for what amounts to the first temple. Michal, David's wife who is also Saul's daughter, is not pleased to see David return, probably upset at his surviving and her father not their conflict. It's an attitude that's similar to David's brother's earlier, and may confirm my suspicion that dissent from the common opinion may stem from jealousy.
God makes a new covenant with David that's similar to what he made with Abraham, except instead of providing for a whole slew of descendants he speaks of making David's specific line very special. The New Testament interprets this as indicating Jesus. God includes the line, "I will be his father and he shall be my son," which in the Christian perspective is made very literal. If it's meant to refer to Solomon, well...like (that) father like (that) son.
The Philistines are finally eliminated from their perennial threat, as David celebrates. More enemies are eliminated. As David continues to show extreme loyalty to the legacies of Saul and Jonathan, it may be seen as resembling God's devotion to his people, and the loyalty/forgiveness of it to the whole Judeo-Christian tradition from the fall of Adam onward. We screw up and God (no matter how much he really wants to) never truly gives up on us.
So, enter Bathsheba, the famed bathing beauty. David falls hard for her, starts thinking like Samson and Saul before him ways to get her husband out of the picture. He eventually sends the poor guy into the front-lines of battle. God is displeased. Nathan has the occasion to deliver the first parable of the Bible. God isn't upset so much because of the adultery of it (which was one of the big no-nos outlined in the books of Moses) but because David tried to keep it a secret. He and David patch up their differences, and only Bathsheba's resulting child is punished. David grieves while it struggles toward death, and then to the confusion of everyone around the king, stops as soon as the child dies.
How is Bathsheba really important? She's the mother of Solomon!
One of David's son rapes his own sister. This is the start of a whole bloody affair. The son quickly rejects the sister, and another son, Absalom, wreaks terrible vengeance. It marks the first time he plots a conspiracy. Like a regular Shakespeare character, or as Second Samuel increasingly seems, a Greek tragedy.
On the plus side, like his son Solomon later, David is spoken of as possessing great wisdom. Absalom is described as uniquely handsome in the land, like Saul and David before him. He seems to almost be a new Saul, like the predecessor so the successor goes.
David visits the Mount of Olives. The New Testament looms. The conspiracies of Absalom, in fact, start sounding a lot like Judas and Jesus. There is even a betrayal with a kiss at one point.
The phrase, "long live the king!" is uttered.
David goes into hiding, "even now he has hidden himself in one of the pits," which evokes the much later Saddam Hussein and his rat hole. I guess that was a thing a long time ago, too. David in exile is like Moses after guiding the Hebrews out of Egypt. Those with him complain of starving.
Absalom eventually ends up caught in a tree during the decisive battle with David. Some debate (not involving David) follows as to what to do with him. He ends up dead. David, of course, still mourns him, even though he's just tried to usurp the kingdom, after all the weird twists that followed Absalom's murder of his brother. David's men are jealous of this grief. More tumult follows. A place called Abel is referenced, with no reference to the son of Adam, although it certainly evokes the most famous circumstances of his life. This time the troublemaker is Joab, who has replaced Absalom in every sense. He's the guy who killed him, and then took on the rivalry with David, apparently just for the taste of power for finding himself all of a sudden significant.
If you didn't know all this was essential to a lot of people's faith, you could easily read this for no particular religious reason at all...
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
First Book of Samuel 11-31
The First Book of Samuel has more classic biblical warfare. Seriously, I bet you could get a lot more people to read at least the Old Testament if they knew how much fighting goes on in it. Plenty of it could very well read like fantasy fiction (Othniel of Middle Earth the judge!), and you can see where not just many of the names you know came from but also some you wouldn't expect to see here (Endor!) can be found too.
Anyway, Saul is very much a warrior king. Samuel may have a different or perhaps only from a certain point of view version of biblical history, when he states "Jacob went into Egypt," where it was clearly Joseph his son who made the family mark there, as clearly stated in Genesis and the start of Exodus. He goes on with further summarizing, which either I wasn't reading closely enough or doesn't exactly follow the Judges record of the judges era, or at least vastly condenses it (no mention of Samson, for instance, who has come to dominate the modern view of that time).
First Samuel doesn't seem so keen on the need for a Hebrew king, that it's kind of a sign of weakness. May be another foreshadow of how the New Testament develops.
Saul's reign lasts for 2 years. It's festooned with Philistine conflict. Those darn Philistines! Samuel is a little like Moses in interpreting what God thinks of certain circumstances. He's displeased with how Saul conducts himself after a battle, thinks it has something to do with hubris. Saul's son Jonathan, as with the remainder of the book, serves as a counterpoint to Saul himself. When one is presented as generally good, the other is presented as generally bad.
Saul's whole family is laid out, the way genealogies were done in previous books. This may be the difference in how long ago the events being recorded took place. His big offense has something to do with preferring sacrifice over obedience. In the numerous laws of Moses, sacrifice was essential to just about everything. That was only a few books ago. Times change. Please take note, religious observers.
Jesse shows up again. He's not really important. It's his offspring, and specifically David, that we really care about. From here, you will start to know a lot of this. Samuel anoints David, the new more perfect chosen one. It's interesting how Saul and David initially interact. Saul calls for some help dealing with what's described as an evil spirit from God (certainly an interesting twist if it's the same as later and more famous demonic possession) but what I'll call foul moods. David is called upon to soothe his lord, a sacred cord no doubt (alleluia!), playing a lyre whenever Saul needs it. Saul is pleased. He thinks very favorably of young David, at first.
The Philistines return for more trouble! Goliath! The valley of Elah looms!
Jesse's sheep are kept in Bethlehem. New Testament looms!
It's interesting that David's brother describes him as presumptuous and having evil in his heart. Maybe it's jealousy. Maybe it's a peek at David's true personality?
Speaking of New Testament looming, David is a "good shepherd," delivered by God from the clutches of predators. It's impossible that in the midst of all the interpreting of scripture he did, Jesus or his friends wouldn't have noted any of this.
David's weapon isn't so much the slingshot as his faith in God. Goliath falls. Head served on a platter, another odd little echo to be found in the New Testament with John the Baptist.
Jonathan's stock is rising as he becomes fast friends with David. Saul starts thinking more craftily as he begins his pursuit of David. He becomes a lot more like Samson. This is where Saul gives David one of his daughters as his wife (David acquires several others, too!), in the hopes he'll have something to use against his new son-in-law later. Jonathan tells his pal how much trouble he's in. There's a waiting period of three days (like Jesus) while things build to a head. David finds himself with the upper hand, which impresses on Saul the nobility of this youth he has become so jealous of. He quits trying to kill him.
Samuel dies, his role complete. David's second bride is like one of those encounters Jesus has in the New Testament, but in a thoroughly Old Testament manner. Saul uses a medium to contact the dead Samuel. The ban against mediums, wizards, etc. (abominations to God, or so say the books of Moses several times) seems to have been lifted, or the Hebrews simply don't care about that edict anymore. (They're not exactly flawless these days.)
Jonathan falls in battle with the Philistines. Saul opts for suicide rather than meeting a similar fate. End of First Book.
Anyway, Saul is very much a warrior king. Samuel may have a different or perhaps only from a certain point of view version of biblical history, when he states "Jacob went into Egypt," where it was clearly Joseph his son who made the family mark there, as clearly stated in Genesis and the start of Exodus. He goes on with further summarizing, which either I wasn't reading closely enough or doesn't exactly follow the Judges record of the judges era, or at least vastly condenses it (no mention of Samson, for instance, who has come to dominate the modern view of that time).
First Samuel doesn't seem so keen on the need for a Hebrew king, that it's kind of a sign of weakness. May be another foreshadow of how the New Testament develops.
Saul's reign lasts for 2 years. It's festooned with Philistine conflict. Those darn Philistines! Samuel is a little like Moses in interpreting what God thinks of certain circumstances. He's displeased with how Saul conducts himself after a battle, thinks it has something to do with hubris. Saul's son Jonathan, as with the remainder of the book, serves as a counterpoint to Saul himself. When one is presented as generally good, the other is presented as generally bad.
Saul's whole family is laid out, the way genealogies were done in previous books. This may be the difference in how long ago the events being recorded took place. His big offense has something to do with preferring sacrifice over obedience. In the numerous laws of Moses, sacrifice was essential to just about everything. That was only a few books ago. Times change. Please take note, religious observers.
Jesse shows up again. He's not really important. It's his offspring, and specifically David, that we really care about. From here, you will start to know a lot of this. Samuel anoints David, the new more perfect chosen one. It's interesting how Saul and David initially interact. Saul calls for some help dealing with what's described as an evil spirit from God (certainly an interesting twist if it's the same as later and more famous demonic possession) but what I'll call foul moods. David is called upon to soothe his lord, a sacred cord no doubt (alleluia!), playing a lyre whenever Saul needs it. Saul is pleased. He thinks very favorably of young David, at first.
The Philistines return for more trouble! Goliath! The valley of Elah looms!
Jesse's sheep are kept in Bethlehem. New Testament looms!
It's interesting that David's brother describes him as presumptuous and having evil in his heart. Maybe it's jealousy. Maybe it's a peek at David's true personality?
Speaking of New Testament looming, David is a "good shepherd," delivered by God from the clutches of predators. It's impossible that in the midst of all the interpreting of scripture he did, Jesus or his friends wouldn't have noted any of this.
David's weapon isn't so much the slingshot as his faith in God. Goliath falls. Head served on a platter, another odd little echo to be found in the New Testament with John the Baptist.
Jonathan's stock is rising as he becomes fast friends with David. Saul starts thinking more craftily as he begins his pursuit of David. He becomes a lot more like Samson. This is where Saul gives David one of his daughters as his wife (David acquires several others, too!), in the hopes he'll have something to use against his new son-in-law later. Jonathan tells his pal how much trouble he's in. There's a waiting period of three days (like Jesus) while things build to a head. David finds himself with the upper hand, which impresses on Saul the nobility of this youth he has become so jealous of. He quits trying to kill him.
Samuel dies, his role complete. David's second bride is like one of those encounters Jesus has in the New Testament, but in a thoroughly Old Testament manner. Saul uses a medium to contact the dead Samuel. The ban against mediums, wizards, etc. (abominations to God, or so say the books of Moses several times) seems to have been lifted, or the Hebrews simply don't care about that edict anymore. (They're not exactly flawless these days.)
Jonathan falls in battle with the Philistines. Saul opts for suicide rather than meeting a similar fate. End of First Book.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Judges 16-21, Book of Ruth 1-4, First Book of Samuel 1-10
Judges picks up again with the familiar conclusion of the Samson affair, the challenges of Delilah, the lost hair and strength, and the two pillars he still manages to bring down on top of a vast assembly of Philistines.
Wouldn't it be nice if that were the last of the Philistines, or the last heroic judge the Hebrews needed? Except Samson seemed to spend all his time doing very much his own thing. His story is a little bit about hubris and personal redemption more than anything directly concerned with Jewish history or faith.
The next judge is Micah, who leads all of Israel, basically, into idolatry, so he's not a very good one at all. Bethlehem is mentioned. The Hebrews fall into some of their worst habits. There's a terrible story about a concubine who's raped all night and then chopped into bits.
However, it's fun on a purely Jewish cultural note when the phrase "such a thing" at the start of a sentence appears. Apparently it has long roots!
And then they all further degenerate into inter-tribal warfare, and thus ends Judges.
The first incredibly short book of the Bible, the Book of Ruth, comes next, and it's set during the time of the judges. It's very much a story about the Jewish faith being kept alive despite the troubled times, by a widow and her daughter-in-law, Ruth, who is rewarded by winning a husband, which results in the birth of Obid, who becomes the father of Jesse, who becomes the father of David. At this point in the beginnings of the Bible, we have what previously could very easily have been included in a larger book, but clearly the books have already begun to be codified. Ruth's story is intended to fill in a gap that would otherwise have existed, and explain that not all Jews were behaving badly in those times.
The phrase, "the Lord be with you," appears, which later generations of the faithful will certainly recognize.
The First Book of Samuel begins and we find ourselves in familiar echoing material. Hannah's journey to motherhood would certainly have sounded familiar to those familiar with Genesis and how Rebekah and Isaac ended up conceiving their children Jacob and Esau. It also evokes Abraham and Sarah, Jacob himself with Rachel, and the New Testament's Mary and Elizabeth. Hannah is the mother of Samuel, by the way.
Hannah's prayer reads a lot like a revised statement of faith in God, now that the relationship between Israel and the Lord has altered since the time of Moses and other such generations. It's a lot more relaxed, and familiar to our own times, another touchstone in the development of everything we know and believe now. It includes the phrase, "the pillars of the earth," as well as "not by might shall a man prevail," which is rank contradiction to the time of Moses and Joshua, when I saw all that blatant conquering going on. It represents another clear theological shift. One might say that the Jews had begun to distance themselves from the idea that it was God telling them to fight so much.
Eli, who previously appears as Hannah's religious confessor, becomes Samuel's mentor, including the famous moment where Samuel is confused when God begins speaking with him, confusing the Lord for his mentor. Hey, at this point it was increasingly rare to be granted an audience with the Almighty.
It's stated that "the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men," which the gospels later evoke with Jesus. There's a clear connection between the New Testament and the emerging story of David, and that should come as no surprise.
There's a little summary and a little prophecy, by now standard biblical material. Samuel is the first person in the Bible since Abraham to speak with God so freely.
The Philistines! The Hebrew tribes, in their compromised state, do battle with their perennial foes, and make a curious decision on the battlefield. They elect to use the ark of the covenant as a means of intimidation. The ark has taken on perhaps a different kind of meaning at this point in history, not so much a symbol of faith and the accord with God, but a totem of power. The Philistines are suitably impressed (though they seem to believe it represents not God but many Hebrew gods, which wouldn't be far from the mark, and shows just how far the chosen people had fallen). They end up stealing it!
Eli dies from the shock of learning this. He lasted as a judge for 40 years. The ark causes the Philistines a lot of trouble. They decide it would be a better idea to negotiate it back into the hands of Israel, and so that actually happens, which also has the effect of proving the Philistines aren't always so bad.
Like the later Egyptian pyramids and those who sought to loot them, the returned ark proves a cursed curiosity to some of the happy Hebrews. They open it. God smites them. Raiders of the lost ark.
Twenty years pass. God tells Samuel about the future Hebrew king, and he accurately describes the coming reign of Saul. Saul is then introduced. He's described as the most handsome man in all the land, which funny enough evokes his successor David (and Snow White). All in all, Saul comes off well in his younger years. He's even a prophet. Samuel anoints him, he becomes king. He might even be described as a sort of John the Baptist figure, or maybe he fights for that role with Samuel. Either way, David is coming...
Wouldn't it be nice if that were the last of the Philistines, or the last heroic judge the Hebrews needed? Except Samson seemed to spend all his time doing very much his own thing. His story is a little bit about hubris and personal redemption more than anything directly concerned with Jewish history or faith.
The next judge is Micah, who leads all of Israel, basically, into idolatry, so he's not a very good one at all. Bethlehem is mentioned. The Hebrews fall into some of their worst habits. There's a terrible story about a concubine who's raped all night and then chopped into bits.
However, it's fun on a purely Jewish cultural note when the phrase "such a thing" at the start of a sentence appears. Apparently it has long roots!
And then they all further degenerate into inter-tribal warfare, and thus ends Judges.
The first incredibly short book of the Bible, the Book of Ruth, comes next, and it's set during the time of the judges. It's very much a story about the Jewish faith being kept alive despite the troubled times, by a widow and her daughter-in-law, Ruth, who is rewarded by winning a husband, which results in the birth of Obid, who becomes the father of Jesse, who becomes the father of David. At this point in the beginnings of the Bible, we have what previously could very easily have been included in a larger book, but clearly the books have already begun to be codified. Ruth's story is intended to fill in a gap that would otherwise have existed, and explain that not all Jews were behaving badly in those times.
The phrase, "the Lord be with you," appears, which later generations of the faithful will certainly recognize.
The First Book of Samuel begins and we find ourselves in familiar echoing material. Hannah's journey to motherhood would certainly have sounded familiar to those familiar with Genesis and how Rebekah and Isaac ended up conceiving their children Jacob and Esau. It also evokes Abraham and Sarah, Jacob himself with Rachel, and the New Testament's Mary and Elizabeth. Hannah is the mother of Samuel, by the way.
Hannah's prayer reads a lot like a revised statement of faith in God, now that the relationship between Israel and the Lord has altered since the time of Moses and other such generations. It's a lot more relaxed, and familiar to our own times, another touchstone in the development of everything we know and believe now. It includes the phrase, "the pillars of the earth," as well as "not by might shall a man prevail," which is rank contradiction to the time of Moses and Joshua, when I saw all that blatant conquering going on. It represents another clear theological shift. One might say that the Jews had begun to distance themselves from the idea that it was God telling them to fight so much.
Eli, who previously appears as Hannah's religious confessor, becomes Samuel's mentor, including the famous moment where Samuel is confused when God begins speaking with him, confusing the Lord for his mentor. Hey, at this point it was increasingly rare to be granted an audience with the Almighty.
It's stated that "the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men," which the gospels later evoke with Jesus. There's a clear connection between the New Testament and the emerging story of David, and that should come as no surprise.
There's a little summary and a little prophecy, by now standard biblical material. Samuel is the first person in the Bible since Abraham to speak with God so freely.
The Philistines! The Hebrew tribes, in their compromised state, do battle with their perennial foes, and make a curious decision on the battlefield. They elect to use the ark of the covenant as a means of intimidation. The ark has taken on perhaps a different kind of meaning at this point in history, not so much a symbol of faith and the accord with God, but a totem of power. The Philistines are suitably impressed (though they seem to believe it represents not God but many Hebrew gods, which wouldn't be far from the mark, and shows just how far the chosen people had fallen). They end up stealing it!
Eli dies from the shock of learning this. He lasted as a judge for 40 years. The ark causes the Philistines a lot of trouble. They decide it would be a better idea to negotiate it back into the hands of Israel, and so that actually happens, which also has the effect of proving the Philistines aren't always so bad.
Like the later Egyptian pyramids and those who sought to loot them, the returned ark proves a cursed curiosity to some of the happy Hebrews. They open it. God smites them. Raiders of the lost ark.
Twenty years pass. God tells Samuel about the future Hebrew king, and he accurately describes the coming reign of Saul. Saul is then introduced. He's described as the most handsome man in all the land, which funny enough evokes his successor David (and Snow White). All in all, Saul comes off well in his younger years. He's even a prophet. Samuel anoints him, he becomes king. He might even be described as a sort of John the Baptist figure, or maybe he fights for that role with Samuel. Either way, David is coming...
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