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The Time of the Kings Is Established in the Davidic Covenant (2 Sam 1:18:18)

Why does David kill the Amalekite?

What does the song of and lament and the song of the bow tell the implied reader?

Why does David offer the house of Saul a covenant of peace? What are the deeper

ramifications?

What does Davids lament for Abner and for Sauls son give evidence of to the house of Saul?

In chapters 14, the author has prepared the reader for Davids rise to kingship.

David is shown as being loyal to the house of Saul by honoring Saul in his death in punishing

the !alekite who killed "ahwehs anointed #vv. 1$1%&, and in his 'a!ent for (onathan and

Saul in the Song of the )ow #1*1+$+&. David then reaches out to the house of Saul and offers

a covenant of peace with the! because they showed such courage to their king in rescuing

his body fro! the -hilistines, but bner !ade Sauls son, Ish$bosheth, king over Israel #*1$

1&. war between the house of David and the house of Saul ensued for the ne/t few years,

but Sauls house beca!e weaker and Davids house beca!e stronger, until bner offered to

hand over Israels kingdo! to David #*11$0*0&. bner was un2ustly killed by (oash because

he had killed his brother earlier in a fight. Davids la!ent for bner was accepted by the

people as proof that he had nothing to do with the killing. 3hen Ish$bosheth was killed by

two of his rebel leaders, David again la!ented and killed his assassins further showing his

loyalty to the house of Saul and his innocence in taking the kingdo! by stealth and deceit#4*1$1&. David then !ade a covenant with all Israel and beca!e their king #*1$&.

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Why is the capture of Jerusalem significant and what Old estament Scripture does is fulfill?

Why is the final defeat of the !hilistines important here?

What do we learn about "od in this narrative that has been developing throughout the book?

Why is the mention of #ichal important here in relation to Sauls house?

David then captured (erusale! fro! the (ebusties setting up his kingdo! there,

!oving it fro! 5ebron #*%$1%&. David ne/t defeated the -hilistines which !ade it possible

for David to refocus his attention on the proper worship of "ahweh #*%$&. 6inally, David

brought the ark up to (erusale! in order to restore the nations worship of "ahweh. In the

process he had to learn that all things !ust be done properly as was co!!anded by 7oses.

"ahweh was a holy 8od who could not be treated lightly #%*1$1&. 9he narrator !entions the

reaction of 7ichal who despised Davids actions. Davids response cuts off any chance of the

household of Saul rising to power again, as she never gives birth to a child, thus stopping any

chance of an heir #%*$0&.

The Davidic Covenant (2 Sam :1!2")

Why is the Davidic covenant the ideological point of view of the book?

What is the play on words for house here?

In Sa!uel +*1$, we have the proposed point of view of the book of Sa!uel.

fter "ahweh had given David rest fro! his ene!ies on every side, David proposed to build

a house for "ahweh. :athan gave the word to proceed for "ahweh was with David. 9his was

occasioned by the successful con;uest of (erusale! # Sa! *+& and the transporting of the

rk of the

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e/plicit instructions to :athan.18od is characteri=ed by 5is rhetorical ;uestions. 5e answers

the! all. 3e are learning about "ahwehs character through his ;uestioning."ahweh had

never co!plained or even asked that Israel build 5i! a house # Sa! +*+&. "et, the story

takes a surprising twist* "ahweh would build a house for David.

David #e$%ests to &%ild a 'o%se fo ah*eh (2 Sam%el :1-11a)

Why is it important the "od take the initiative in building the house and not David?

In the Davidic covenant, 8od is portrayed as sovereign in hu!an affairs* 5e

brings rest to David fro! all his ene!ies. 8od is characteri=ed as one who is with David.0

David and the nation prosper because 8od is with the!. "ahweh is the causative agent in the

history of Israel and guarantees >ing Davids success and future dynasty. 8od is portrayed as

redirecting hu!an desires or plans, as giving rest to David? thereby, David now has the

option to build a house. 3e also learn that 8od has a special relationship with David as he is

called 5is servant, a rare honor only given to 7oses up to this point in salvation history.49he

i!plication is that 8od is in charge, even though David and 7oses had i!portant roles to

play. Delegated authority is seen as when 8od first used 2udges to rule his people, and 5e

1>eith )odner, @:athan* -rophet, -olitician and :ovelistABJournal for the Study of the Oldestament #1&* 4+. )odner argues that the !essage to David is a !essage to :athan as well. 9he rebukeand corrective perspective is !eant for a wider audience than David alone. 9his will be seen in :athans laterappearances and procla!ations for "ahweh.

>enneth 7.

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now will use David as a prince to shepherd the flock. 3hen David takes the initiative, it is

detri!ental to the unconditionality of the covenant. 8od takes charge by taking back the

initiative and telling David that "ahweh 5i!self would build David a house.%It is a dra!atic

effect to point out the nature of the covenant #unconditional&, not to show "ahweh is slacking

on the 2ob.

$ow would Davids name be made great? %&plain this'

In this section, we have Davids re;uest, :athans response, and then "ahwehs

response dictated to :athan. )ut beyond the narration itself, ideological points of view are

e/pressed by "ahweh. Ene of these ideological or theological points of view that arises is

braha!ic. David is pro!ised that his na!e would be !ade great #v. &. 9his is an

braha!ic blessing. 5ow would Davids na!e be !ade greatA It would be through a

pro!ised Davidic royal heir.

$ow are the Davidic and Abrahamic (ovenants linked?

9he author links the Davidic

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lso, note that the title and na!e donai "ahweh #hwhy ynda& is used in

8enesis 1* and C by braha!, and here it is used seven ti!es # Sa!. +*1C, 1 /J, ,

, C, &.9hese references to braha!ic

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David, the role of priesthood taken up, not only for his heir, but as a representative of all

Israel.

What is the ideological point of view of the 0oahic (ovenant?

What is poetic 1ustice and how does it confuse the reader?

third ideological point of view is the world view that we have seen in the book

of (udges. 8od !entions the 2udges 5e had appointed to deliver the! fro! their ene!ies #v.

11a&. 9his ideological viewpoint is the viewpoint that confuses the reader. It is this conflict

with unpunished sin, or delayed retributive 2ustice that brings doubt to the 2ustice and

sovereignty of 8od. 9he fact that 8od is longsuffering co!plicates poetic 2ustice, which is

when the perpetrator gets everything he deserves in a ti!ely fashion. In our story, the reader

does not know if choices are good or bad until he sees 8ods hand finally intervening in

hu!an affairs. So!eti!es the reader never sees it, but e/pects it in the hereafter. 9his world

view is what pro!pted the :oahic

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Deuterono!y 1% is often alluded to in the book of Sa!uel, particularly a place that

"ahweh will choose.10

What is the dominant point of view in this passage? Why? $ow do all of the complementary

points of view converge in this covenant?

9he fifth and do!inant ideological point of view is the Davidic

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voices, we have a polyphonic narration.B1+9his !ay be the confusion in Sa!uel. 3e have

co!peting or co!ple!entary points of view being heard fro! the character and the narrative

events #5annah, Hli, Sa!uel, Saul, David and the various !inor characters like bigail&.

@9he presentation of !ultiple points of view gives the narrative depth, and, to a large e/tent,

!akes it good narrative. 9wo !a2or effects of the use of !ultiple points of view are

a!biguity . . . and irony, which was !entioned in connection with Sa! 1C*1$0.B1C@Irony

occurs when we speak fro! one point of view, but !ake an evaluation fro! another point of

view? thus, for irony the nonconcurrence of point of view on the different levels is a

necessary re;uire!ent.B1 poe!, a song, a saying, a co!!ent, or an action fro! a character

!ay also fra!e the ideological point of view.Saul is the epito!e of irony. 9he viewpoint

that is presented for Saul, is nonconcurrent with the do!inant viewpoint of the author. 9hese

four co!peting and co!ple!entary viewpoints are now shaped by a new Davidic

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8od that re;uires building !aterials? 8od wants to build a house for David that re;uires

people #dynasty&.1

What is phraseological point of view? $ow is it used here?

:athan reports to David "ahwehs pro!ise of a house. :athan shifts fro! a third

person narration to a first person narration. 5e starts by saying "ahweh will !ake a house for

you, then shifts to direct speech* @I will raise up your descendants after you.B 9his narration

gives the i!pression that either 8od is speaking through :athan or 8od is speaking directly

to David. 9his is an e/a!ple of phraseological point of view. 9his happens in a na!e shift or

in direct speech* he said, she said. In this case, pronouns are used* 9hus says the 'ord or the

use of the pronoun @IB as 8od speaks through :athan. -hraseological point of view tells the

reader who @has the floorB or whose point of view is represented. 9he te/t tells us :athan

spoke all these words in accordance with all this vision. Is is :athan speaking or "ahwehA

9his is forceful either way, because "ahweh is seen speaking directly to David in a revelatory

!anner. 9his gives incredible authority to the pro!ise. It is not :athan speaking any!ore,

@8o, do all that is in your !ind, for the 'ED is with youB #v. 0&. ather we have an even

stronger authoritative word, @9hus says the 'EDB #v. , C, 11b&.

What kind of house is this? $ow is this a figure of speech? Why is the concept of sonship

here significant? Why is hesed important here? Why would man fail without hesed? $ow is

this a paradigm shift in regards to ideological point of view? Why would "od include the

name of Saul in so important of a covenant?

9his is no ordinary house though, this is a dynasty. 5ouse is used as a figure of

speech for Davids future dynasty.Davids heir would build the physical house for "ahwehs

na!e, but "ahweh would establish the enduring throne of Davids kingdo! forever #vv. 1$

1

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10&. 7oreover, "ahweh says, @I will be a father to hi! and he will be a son to 7e.B 9he

perspective is divine* a divine Son. David is thinking physical house, 8od is speaking of a

spiritually established house. 9he point of view here is epic in nature. 9his is no ordinary

pro!ise? this is a paradig! shift fro! a revelatory perspective. link is !ade to the 7osaic

covenant in the ter! lovingkindness #h6esed&, @3hen he co!!its ini;uity, I will correct hi!

with the rod of !en and the strokes of the sons of !en, but 7y lovingkindness shall not

depart fro! hi!, as I took it away fro! Saul, who! I re!oved fro! before youB #vv.14b$

1&. 3ithout the covenant kindness #h6esed& of "ahweh, !an would utterly fail. I!!ediately,

the reader begins to see why Saul failed !iserably. 5e did not have the lovingkindness of

"ahweh to fall back on. 'ovingkindness #h6esed& is the key covenantal ter! that triggers

re!e!brance of the 7osaic covenant. 9he Davidic covenant, as presented here, will also be

defined by "ahwehs lovingkindness. It is a!a=ing that in this earth shaking covenant, the

na!e of Saul should be !entioned. 3hy would 8od or Israel want such an e/a!ple of

kingly failure to be forever etched into the !e!ory of such a blessed national pro!ise of

eternal hopeA It highlights the difference between Saul and David* 8ods h6esedpartnership

with David. 9he focus is not on !an #David&, but on 8od #5is attribute of covenant

kindness&.

What are the Abrahamic and #osaic elements that are present in the covenant? What are

some new elements? -s this covenant unconditional or conditional?

:otice the braha!ic and 7osaic ele!ents that are present in this pro!ise #a

great na!e, !y people, plant the! #land&, give the! rest, offspring, !y son&. 9his Davidic

pro!ise also has new ele!ents #Davids seed will build a house for 8ods :a!e, 8od will behis father, and Davids heir will be "ahwehs son, and Davids dynasty will endure forever&.

lso, notice the unilateral wording of the covenant #@I willB&.

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$ow is this a paradigm shift in regard to the progress of revelation and theological point of

view? Why must the implied reader now view the book from this perspective?

3e now have a new and different ideological or theological point of view in the

progress of revelation. It is the Davidic

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David as king represents Israel as their !ediator preserver to the 7osaic

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0

even though, 5e could have destroyed the!. 3e saw 5is divine attributes of !ercy portrayed

to the world through 5is covenant kindness #h6esed&. 9he sa!e scenario is happening here.

8od is de!onstrating 5is h6esedto David and Israel through the e/a!ple of Saul. 8od did

not have to e/tend 5is !ercy to David. 5e did not have to guarantee Davids lineage. 5e did

not have to !ake a covenant with David, but 5e did. It is de!onstrated through Saul. David

should have gone the sa!e way as Saul, if it were not for the covenant faithfulness #h6esed& of

"ahweh. 8ods act of h6esedin the book of Sa!uel gives the reader a better understanding of

h6esedin the 7osaic covenant. Hslinger states, @7ore than transgressor, Saul is victi!. 5e

was in the right place at the wrong ti!e. 5e was the king that Israel i!posed on "ahweh and

thus the king that "ahweh eli!inates at first opportunity.BCI !ight add, he was at the right

place, but the wrong tribe #8en 4*1&. Davids successor will not find hi!self in the sa!e

position as @Saul, the co!pro!ise king,B but Saul defines the punish!ent as a @co!parative

point of referenceB with everything e/cept the re!oval of the successor.

$ow is the Davidic (ovenant the resolution of the conflict of Samuel?

9here is !ore to glea! fro! this passage about the characteri=ation of "ahweh.

"ahweh has established a divine relationship with David and his sons. 3e find that "ahweh

will be a heavenly father to Davids heir. 9his heir will be divine. "ahweh will penetrate

hu!an history in a son of David and son of 8od. 3e also learn about the co!passionate

nature of "ahweh as 5e takes control of hu!an history in a !essianic son, because sinful

!an could not save hi!self as is shown in Saul. 8od re!oved his h6esedfro! Saul, therefore

he failed? but, 5e pro!ised to never re!ove 5is h6esedfro! Davids son, because of this

uni;ue covenant relationship.

CHslinger,$ouse of "od or house of David? he )hetoric of * Samuel +, %.

Ibid., %.

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David #es.onds to ah*eh+s ,omise: 2 Sam%el :1!2"

$ow does Davids reaction to the covenant show its significance? $ow does the

phraseological use of Adonai 9ahweh link this with Abrahamic promise? Why is it messianic

in nature? Where was there a clue in the book where a messianic figure is first hinted at?

3e can appreciate this divine pro!ise by e/a!ining Davids response to it. It is

!onu!ental. David was stunned when he reali=ed the i!portance of the divine pro!ise.

David reali=ed that this was no ordinary house #tyB&, but that this pro!ise of a house or

dynasty would be fulfilled in the distant future #v. 1&. >aiser states that the phrase @the

custo! of !anB that David used here is i!portant. It refers to a @charter with hu!anityB

#~dah trAT tazw>&.0David reali=es that this @charter, law or torahof !anB is

universal in blessing #8en 1*0&. 9he rest of the chapter is devoted to this thought. 9his

charter with hu!anity is what we call the Davidic

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you, because you have done this thing. :ow therefore, let your hands be strong and be

valiant? for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of (udah has anointed !e king over

the!B# Sa! *$+&. David is offering the! a friendship treaty #bAj& here. Saul is dead,

David is now >ing of (udah, and he e/tends the sa!e h6esedthey showed Saul. 9hey would

have been loyal followers of Saul #(udg 1*C$14? 1 Sa! 11*1$1&. 5ere @goodnessB #bAj&

represents a treaty of friendship.0+In the sa!e conte/t, bner asks David to set up the

covenant with hi! instead and he would intervene with Israel and (udah to !ake it happen #

Sa! 0*1, 10, 1&. 9his action of bner further illustrates that Davids offer of @goodnessB

was indeed a covenant offer. lthough the ter! covenant is not !entioned here, David

recogni=es the legal ter!s associated with "ahwehs speech. 9his is the reason David is

shocked.

:owhere in the te/t is David told to do anything in regards to his part in the

!aking of the covenant? although David and his heirs would be disciplined with the rod of

!en if they co!!itted ini;uity, "ahweh is to build the eternal dynasty, not David. 9his is

clearly an unconditional covenant.0C

9he !agnitude of the Davidic

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"ahwehs lovingkindness. )ut as a result of this sin, David will be punished severely for it in

the sin, death and rebellion of his sons. 9hese are the ra!ifications of his sin.

he !reservation of +ing David after the (ovenant

Why is there a shift in the narrative here? Why does David fall so rapidly and so far down?

Why is David punished fourfold? $ow does David fulfill the rule of a Despotic king here?

fter Davids heroic rise, we also see his tragic downfall. (ust as it appears that

David has arisen and could do no wrong, he falls into adultery, pre!editated !urder, and

abuse of his kingly power. It appears that David falls lower than Saul. "et the

characteri=ation that is portrayed by the i!plied author is that David is an endearing hero.

5ow could anybody hate DavidA 5e has beco!e our hero. 3e as readers can identify with

hi!. 3e i!agine ourselves falling into the sa!e sins as David. 3hat will prevent David fro!

falling and being replaced by another kingA 5ere we will see for the first ti!e the application

of the Davidic athryn oberts, @3ho >nowsA "ahweh 7ay )e 8racious* 3hy 3e -ray,B inDavid and ;ion,5iblical Studies in $onor of J' J' #' )oberts, ed. )ernard 6. )atto and >athryn '. oberts #3inona 'ake, I:*Hisenbrauns, 4&, 1%$+. oberts suggests that the child was a propitiatory death, thus 8od passed overDavids sin.

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C

the way of a king #1 Sa! C*11&. David is headed in the e/act sa!e direction as Saul and is

portrayed as Sa!uels prophetic description of a despotic king #1 Sa! C*1$1C&.

$ow is David portrayed in the analogy with Abimelech? Why do we as readers forget the

grave sins David had committed?

In fact David beco!es !ore Saul$like co!pared to the faithful Griah the 5ittite.4

3hen David has Griah killed in the )attle of !!on, (oab !akes a direct link to bi!elech,

Israels first renegade king.41(oab says, @nd if it happens that the kings wrath rises and he

says to you, F3hy did you go so near to the city to fightA Did you not know that they would

shoot fro! the wallA 3ho struck down bi!elech the son of (erubbeshethA Did not a wo!an

throw an upper !illstone on hi! fro! the wall so that he died at 9hebe=A 3hy did you go so

near the wallA 9hen you shall say, F"our servant Griah the 5ittite is dead alsoB # Sa!uel

11*$1&. David is characteri=ed as a despot 2ust like bi!elech and >ing Saul. David could

not be portrayed any lower than this. David is portrayed as the e!bodi!ent of deceit and self

interest.4

9he narrator applies the disobedience of a degenerate leader in what is called the

rule of law which connects a leaders conduct with his fate and the fate of his house* @

degenerate leader, whether it is hi!self who has sinned or his sons, will ulti!ately be

deposed #see the story of Sa!uel and his sons& or co!e to a tragic end, 2ust as Hli and his

sons die on the sa!e day, and so do Saul and his son. 9his law holds true of David also? he is

4-igott, @3ives, 3itches, and 3ise 3o!en* -rophetic 5eralds of >ingship in 1 and Sa!uel,B1+.

418arsiel,he 4irst 5ook of Samuel, A essler, @Se/uality and -olitics* 9he 7otif of the Displaced 5usband in the )ooks of Sa!uel,B4.

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What is the chiastic structure found in * Sam =>?

9here is a si!ilar chiastic structure in Sa!uel C, solidifying the royal

ideology which includes two lists, two battle narratives and two narratives of @legiti!ationB

of ark and oracle.4+9his connects the epilogue with Sa!uel C. 4C

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)ibliography

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)ruegge!ann, 3alter.-chabod oward $ome, he Journey of "odGs "lory. 8rand apids*Herd!ans, .

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8elston, nthony. @:ote on Sa!uel +*1.B;eitschrift fur die Alttestamentliche WissenschaftC4#1+&* $4.

8eorge, 7ark >. @. @6luid Stability in Second Sa!uel +.B (atholic 5iblical 8uarterly%4 #&*

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-reston, 9ho!as . @9he 5erois! of Saul* -atterns of 7eaning in the :arrative of the Harly

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