Fate of Justice and Righteousness During David's Reign: Narrative Ethics and Rereading the Court History According to 2 Samuel 8:15-20:26

293 Pages·2009·1.69 MB·English

by  Richard G. Smith

LIBRARY OF HEBREW BIBLE/
OLD TESTAMENT STUDIES

508

Formerly Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series

Editors
Claudia V. Camp, Texas Christian University
Andrew Mein, Westcott House, Cambridge

Founding Editors
David J. A. Clines, Philip R. Davies and David M. Gunn

Editorial Board
Richard J. Coggins, Alan Cooper, John Goldingay, Robert P. Gordon,
Norman K. Gottwald, Gina Hens-Piazza, John Jarick, Andrew D. H. Mayes,
Carol Meyers, Patrick D. Miller, Yvonne Sherwood
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THE FATE OF JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS
DURING DAVID’S REIGN

Rereading the Court History and Its Ethics
according to 2 Samuel 8:15b–20:26

Richard G. Smith
Copyright © 2009 by Richard G. Smith

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher, T & T Clark
International.

T & T Clark International, 80 Maiden Lane, New York, NY 10038

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T & T Clark International is a Continuum imprint.

Visit the T & T Clark blog at www.tandtclarkblog.com

A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.

ISBN-13: 978-0-567-02684-2

06 07 08 09 10 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For Jill, Truett and Emmet
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CONTENTS

Preface xiii
Abbreviations xv

Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION 1

Chapter 2
CRITICAL METHODOLOGY 5
1. Problems for Descriptive Narrative Ethics
in the Hebrew Bible 6
2. Theology and Ethics 10
a. Towards a Philosophy of Theology 10
b. Aspects of Modern Moral Philosophy 16
(1) Theories and Principles 17
(2) Morality 20
(3) Moral Dilemmas 22
(4) Character Ethics 22
(5) Ethical Language 24
3. Narrative Criticism 26
a. Aspects of Literary Competence 27
b. The Art of Close Reading 32
c. Appreciating Rhetorical Techniques of Narrative 33
4. A Word on Textual Criticism 40

Chapter 3
JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS AS ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN
ETHICAL IDEAL AND HERMENEUTICAL CONSTRUCT 42
1. On הקדצו טפשׁמ and kittum u mī¡arum
as Semantic Equivalents 44
2. The Family Factor: Genesis 18–20 as Narrative Analogue 46
3. The Ideal Purpose of Kingship 49
4. Associated Behaviors 52
5. A Divine Gift 56
6. The Wisdom Factor 57
7. The Warrior Factor 59
viii The Fate of Justice and Righteousness during David’s Reign
8. Expectations for Palaces and Royal Cities 60
9. The Problem of Punishing Royals 62
10. Conclusion 63

Chapter 4
REDEFINING THE COURT HISTORY ACCORDING TO
2 SAMUEL 8:15B–20:26 AS A LITERARY UNIT 65
1. 2 Samuel 8:15b as the Beginning of the Unit 65
2. Establishing “Justice and Righteousness”
in 2 Samuel 8:15–20:26 70
a. David’s Acts of דסח (9:1–10:6) 70
b. The Ammonite–Aramean War (10:6–11:1; 12:26–31) 73
c. David’s Sin and Its Punishment (11:2–12:25) 74
d. The Amnon–Tamar–Absalom Affair (13:1–14:33) 75
e. Absalom’s Rebellion (15:1–19:9[8]) 75
f. David’s Return and Sheba’s Secession (19:10[9]–20:26) 77
3. A Suggested Theme 77
4. Wisdom Interest 78
5. The Use of Motifs 81
a. The Author’s Use of Traditional Literary Motifs 81
b. The Author’s Use of His Own Literary Motifs 83
6. Reflections on Style 85
7. Degree of Coherence 87
a. Weighing Major Lines of Evidence for Coherence
in 2 Samuel 18:15b–20:26 88
(1) Stylistic/Linguistic Features and Intracharacter
Contrasts 89
(2) The Problem of Absalom’s Sons: 14:27 vs. 18:18 89
(3) Problems Related to David’s Punishment 91
(a) The Significance of 12:6–14 for the Nature
and Duration of David’s Punishment 92
(b) Evidence of David’s Awareness of His
Punishment in 13:1–19:9(8) 94
(c) Evidence of the Narrator’s Awareness
of David’s Punishment in 13:1–19:9(8) 99
(d) Evidence of David’s Awareness of His
Punishment in 19:10(9)–20:26 100
(e) Evidence of the Narrator’s Awareness
of David’s Punishment in 19:10(9)–20:26 100
b. Conclusions Regarding Coherence 101
8. 2 Samuel 20:26 as the End of the Unit 102
9. Conclusion 105
Contents ix
Chapter 5
READING 2 SAMUEL 8:15B–10:19 AS THE BEGINNINGS
OF JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS: DAVID’S ACTS OF דסח
AND THE AMMONITE–ARAMEAN WAR 107
1. David’s דסח towards Mephibosheth and Treatment
of Zibah (9:1–13) 107
2. David’s דסח towards Hanun and the Ammonite–Aramean
War (10:1–19) 110
a. The Sending of Comforters to Hanun (10:1–5) 111
b. The Ammonite–Aramean War (10:6–19) 112
c. The Battle at the Gates of Rabbah (10:6–14) 113
d. The Battle of Helam (10:15–19) 114
3. Conclusion 116

Chapter 6
READING 2 SAMUEL 11–12 AS THE CORRUPTION
OF JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS:
THE URIAH AFFAIR AND THE FALL OF RABBAH 120
1. The Uriah Affair (11:1–12:25) 121
a. David’s Adultery (11:2–5) 122
b. David’s Attempts to Conceal His Adultery (11:6–15) 124
c. The Death of Uriah (11:16–24) 126
Excursus 126
d. David’s Response to Uriah’s Death (11:25–27) 130
e. Nathan’s Confrontation of David (12:1–15a) 131
f. David’s Response to the Death of the Child (12:15b–24) 134
2. The Fall of Rabbah (12:26–31) 134
3. The “Misuse” of the Traditional “Final-Capture-of-a-City”
Form in 12:26–31 135
a. Joab’s Capture of the City and Citadel (12:26–27) 137
b. Joab’s Orders to David (12:28) 138
c. David’s Compliance with Joab’s Orders (12:29) 139
d. David and the Crown of Milcom (12:30a–c) 140
e. Despoiling the City and the Maltreatment
of Its Inhabitants (12:30d–31) 141
4. Conclusion 143

Chapter 7
READING 2 SAMUEL 13:1–19:9(8) AS THE PERVERSION
OF JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS: THE ABSALOM AFFAIR 146
1. David and the Justice of Absalom (13:1–14:33) 146
a. Amnon’s Crime as Incestuous Rape Deserving
of Death (13:1–19) 147
b. Absalom’s Execution of Amnon (13:20–36) 153