The House of David: Between Political Formation and Literary Revision

Current scholarly debate over the historical character of David's rule generally considers the biblical portrait to represent David as king of Judah first, and subsequently over "all Israel." The ninth-century Tel Dan inscription, which refers to the "House of David" (byt dwd), is often taken as evidence for the dynasty of Judah. Mahri Leonard-Fleckman argues, however, that references to Judah in the story of David as king do not suffice to constitute a coherent stratum of material about Judah as a political entity. Comparing the "house of . . ." terminology in the ninth-century Tel Dan inscription with early first-millennium Assyrian usage, then giving close examination to the "house of David" materials in 2 Samuel and 1 Kings, she understands the "house of David" as a small body politic connected to David, but distinct from any Judean dynastic context.

One implication is that the identification of Judah as a later southern kingdom may have less to do with an Israelite secession from Jerusalem than with an Israelite rejection of David's lineage and the subsequent redactional creation of Judah-centric language on the part of a Davidic coterie. Leonard-Fleckman's arguments suggest a rethinking of the rise of monarchy in Israel.

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The House of David: Between Political Formation and Literary Revision

Current scholarly debate over the historical character of David's rule generally considers the biblical portrait to represent David as king of Judah first, and subsequently over "all Israel." The ninth-century Tel Dan inscription, which refers to the "House of David" (byt dwd), is often taken as evidence for the dynasty of Judah. Mahri Leonard-Fleckman argues, however, that references to Judah in the story of David as king do not suffice to constitute a coherent stratum of material about Judah as a political entity. Comparing the "house of . . ." terminology in the ninth-century Tel Dan inscription with early first-millennium Assyrian usage, then giving close examination to the "house of David" materials in 2 Samuel and 1 Kings, she understands the "house of David" as a small body politic connected to David, but distinct from any Judean dynastic context.

One implication is that the identification of Judah as a later southern kingdom may have less to do with an Israelite secession from Jerusalem than with an Israelite rejection of David's lineage and the subsequent redactional creation of Judah-centric language on the part of a Davidic coterie. Leonard-Fleckman's arguments suggest a rethinking of the rise of monarchy in Israel.

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The House of David: Between Political Formation and Literary Revision

The House of David: Between Political Formation and Literary Revision

by Mahri Leonard-Fleckman
The House of David: Between Political Formation and Literary Revision

The House of David: Between Political Formation and Literary Revision

by Mahri Leonard-Fleckman

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Overview

Current scholarly debate over the historical character of David's rule generally considers the biblical portrait to represent David as king of Judah first, and subsequently over "all Israel." The ninth-century Tel Dan inscription, which refers to the "House of David" (byt dwd), is often taken as evidence for the dynasty of Judah. Mahri Leonard-Fleckman argues, however, that references to Judah in the story of David as king do not suffice to constitute a coherent stratum of material about Judah as a political entity. Comparing the "house of . . ." terminology in the ninth-century Tel Dan inscription with early first-millennium Assyrian usage, then giving close examination to the "house of David" materials in 2 Samuel and 1 Kings, she understands the "house of David" as a small body politic connected to David, but distinct from any Judean dynastic context.

One implication is that the identification of Judah as a later southern kingdom may have less to do with an Israelite secession from Jerusalem than with an Israelite rejection of David's lineage and the subsequent redactional creation of Judah-centric language on the part of a Davidic coterie. Leonard-Fleckman's arguments suggest a rethinking of the rise of monarchy in Israel.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781506410197
Publisher: Augsburg Fortress, Publishers
Publication date: 06/01/2016
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 416
File size: 4 MB

About the Author

Mahri Leonard-Fleckman is assistant professor of theology at the University of Scranton, Scranton, Pennsylvania. She completed her dissertation under the direction of Daniel E. Fleming.

Table of Contents

List of Abbreviations ix

Preface xiii

Introduction 1

History and Historiography 10

The Syrian "House of X" 16

The Biblical "House of X": An Acting Political Body 18

History of Scholarship on Samuel-Kings 23

Phases of Literary Development 28

Geography 35

Conclusion: David in History 36

Part I The Syrian House of X

1 Ancient Syria and the "House of X" Pattern 41

History of Scholarship: The Bit X and Mar X Terminology 42

2 Adini, Haiupe, and Zamani 53

The Emergence of the Bit X and Mar X in the Assyrian Royal Annals 53

Adini 56

Halupe 66

Zamani 75

Conclusion 80

3 Agusi and Bahiani 83

Agusi and the Sefire Inscriptions 83

Bahiani, Guzdnu, and the Tell Fekheriyeh Inscriptions 96

Conclusion 102

Part II The Biblical House of David

4 Rebellions against David Absalom and Sheba (2 Samuel 15-20) 109

The Secondary Nature of Judah 115

Building Block 1: Absalom's Rebellion (2 Samuel 15: 1-16a) 117

Building Block 2: The Forest of Ephraim (2 Samuel 18:1-19:9ba) 122

Building Block 3: Sheba's Rebellion (2 Samuel 20:14-22) 129

The Building Blocks: Conclusion 130

The Primary Phase: A Mahanaim Journey (2 Samuel 15:17-17:29; 19:16a, 18b-40) 132

The Secondary Phase: Judah (2 Samuel 19:9bβ-15,16b-18a; and 19:41-20:13) 137

Conclusion: Literary Development and David's "House" 140

5 David, King of Israel (2 Samuel 2:1-5:3) 147

The Building Block The Abner-Joab Conflict (2 Samuel 2:l3b-28a) 150

Primary Phase Component 1: The Men of David 156

Primary Phase Component 2: David's Anointing over Israel (2 Samuel 5:3-3) 163

Primary Phase Component 3: The House of David and the House of Saul (Ish-Bosheth) 168

Primary Phase Component 4: Expanded Geography 174

The Judah Addition: David's Anointing (2 Samuel 2:4a) 182

Conclusion 184

6 The Assembly at Shechem (1 Kings 12:1-20) 189

1 Kings 12:1-20: Bridging Solomon and the Two-Kingdom Narrative 191

David's "House" in 1 Kings 12:16 198

The Greek Supplement (3 Reigns 12:24a-z) and 1 Kings 12:1-20 201

The Political Landscape of 1 Kings 12 206

Conclusion 209

7 Conclusion The House of David in History 213

The House of David in the Tel Dan Inscription 215

The Tenth-Century Sheshonq Relief 224

Assyrian Evidence for the Two Kingdoms 231

The Ancient Syrian House of X 235

Reading the Biblical House of David 240

Biblical and External Sources: A Composite Picture 246

History, the Domain of Archaeology? 248

Conclusion 253

Appendix Attestations of Syrian Polities 255

Adini 255

Agusi 257

Bahiani/Guzdnu 257

Halupe 258

Zamani 258

Bibliography 261

Index of Subjects 297

Index of Ancient Sources 313

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