The Succession Narrative in Twenty-first-century Research

Although research on the Succession Narrative has proliferated in recent decades, no comprehensive surveys of secondary literature have appeared since the mid-1990s. In this article, I survey the many disparate works of Succession Narrative scholarship that have been published since that time. I focus on recent conclusions about the boundaries, unity, date, intention, and theme of the traditionally delineated Succession Narrative (2 Samuel 9–20; 1 Kings 1–2). While the traditional theory of the text, as formulated by Leonhard Rost, dominated scholarship of the twentieth century, in the twenty-first, nothing approaching a consensus can be claimed for any aspect of the Succession Narrative.

Bathsheba in Contemporary Romance Novels

The biblical texts about Bathsheba have notorious gaps, even by the laconic standards of Hebrew narrative. Post-biblical receptions of the story flesh out the terse chapters of 2 Samuel 11–12 and 1 Kings 1–2, ascribing feelings and motives to Bathsheba and David that are not contained in the Hebrew text. This essay examines the intersection of reception history and feminist biblical scholarship by considering eleven novels about Bathsheba from the twentieth and twenty-first century. These novels expand Bathsheba’s character beyond the text, but in fairly gender stereotypical ways, such that feminist readers of the novels may be left wanting more.

The Conflict between Adonijah and Solomon in Light of Succession Practices Near and Far

The protocols for succession to the throne in ancient Israel and Judah have attracted little scholarly attention. In this article I first survey monarchic societies throughout history to show that there are no universally valid succession principles, despite scholars often treating primogeniture as such. I then look at evidence from ancient Near Eastern societies and suggest that in a “standard” scenario the incumbent king was expected to select a successor from a pool of viable candidates. I conclude by rereading Solomon’s accession to David’s throne in 1 Kings 1-2 in light of this.

Orang Kristen dan Politik: Belajar dari Kasus Salomo dan Adonia dalam Persaingan Menuju Takhta

This article aimed to give theological biblical insight how Christian should be involved in politics. Trough narrative interpretation to the books of 1 Kings 1-2 revealed the rivalry between Solomon and Adonijah for the throne filled with intrigue and political exclusion. Trough this analysis shown that the story could not be used as theological justification but as an example so that the same incident does not happen anymore. On the other hand Christians also need to understand that politics is an effort in embodying love and justice for others.Abstrak. Artikel ini bertujuan untuk memberikan pemahaman teologis biblis bagaimana sikap umat Kristiani dalam menghadapi perpolitikan nasional. Melalui pendekatan tafsir naratif terhadap teks 1 Raja-raja 1-2 terungkap persaingan antara Salomo dan Adonia dalam memperebutkan takhta yang dipenuhi intrik dan politik penyingkiran. Melalui analisis terhadap teks tersebut terlihat bahwa kisah tersebut tidak bisa dijadikan pembenaran teologis tetapi berperan sebagai pembelajaran agar hal yang sama tidak terulang kembali. Sebaliknya umat Kristiani juga perlu memahami bahwa politik adalah media perjuangan kasih dan keadilan kepada sesama.

Wisdom, Power, Worship: Solomon’s Reign—1 Kings 1–12

FOLLOWING THE REMARKABLY frank and intimate views of Saul’s tortured mind and David’s troubled family, the account of Solomon may at first seem dry by comparison. For the most part, reports of palace intrigue end with the death of David (1 Kgs 2:10–11). The inside view of Solomon’s reign focuses on something that has played little or no role in the preceding royal accounts: the apparatus of monarchy. The chapters treated here include a list of royal officials and regional prefects (4:1–19), almost certainly the oldest official document in the Bible. Included also are detailed reports on requisitions of food for the royal banquet table and fodder for the royal stables (5:2–8 Heb., 4:22–28 Eng.). Banqueting was an essential vehicle of diplomacy in the ancient world,...