The Wicked “Sons of Eli” and the Composition of 1 Samuel 1–4

Scholars have struggled to reach consensus about the literary relationship between the anti-Elide material in 1 Sam 2–3 and the so-called “Ark Narrative” in 1 Sam 4–6. I propose a new resolution to this problem. I argue that the two named characters, Hophni and Phinehas, have been introduced secondarily to and independently from the unnamed “sons of Eli” and represent a redactional layer that runs through chs. 1–2, and 4. Before the addition of these characters, the “sons of Eli” designated a generic priesthood associated with the character, Eli. The material about this priesthood is comprised of discrete passages that have been appended to Samuel’s birth story and its extension. The anti-Elide material was later connected to 1 Sam 4 through the addition of Hophni and Phinehas, who serve to recast the Elides’ iniquities as the reason for the Israelite defeat and loss of the ark.

Kiriath-jearim: In Judah or in Benjamin?

The town of Kiriath-jearim, identified at Deir el-ʿAzar above the village of Abu-Ghosh, has come to scholarly attention recently, due to the renewed excavations led by Israel Finkelstein and Thomas Römer. Based on their preliminary finds and on their reading of the biblical texts, they have interpreted the Iron Age II B-C fortified compound that they have begun to expose on the summit of the site as a northern Israelite fortified compound, “aimed at dominating the vassal kingdom of Judah”. This paper reexamines the position of Kiriath-jearim on the border between Judah and Benjamin according to both the biblical texts and the site’s geographical location, within the context of the ongoing discussions on the biblical tribal territories, that of Benjamin in particular, the “ark narrative” and other texts that mention Kiriath-jearim, and challenges the excavators’ interpretation of the character and purpose of the site during the Iron Age II.

Historiography and History Writing in the Ancient World

Historiography is a narrative that recounts a past derived from written and oral sources. History writers select, organize, and interpret past events to communicate significance and meaning. Biblical and other ancient historians favored a divine causation model to explain events. The Hittites had a sophisticated tradition of royal historiography. Mesopotamian culture recorded and wrote history in the form of inscriptions, king lists, chronographic or annalistic texts, and literary works. As comparative material, these texts help us understand the historical books of the Hebrew Bible and the sources used by their authors. Inscriptions sponsored by the kings of Syria-Palestine are also useful. The historical books used oral sources in the form of grave traditions, sanctuary legends, prophetic tales and miracle stories, heroic folktales, and songs. They also employed written sources of an administrative or archival nature such as rosters, king lists, district lists, and letters. Pre-existing narrative works of a literary nature were incorporated into the historical books, including an Ark Narrative, the Rise of David, an Elijah-Elisha cycle, and the Memoirs of Nehemiah. A legitimate history of Israel can be written on the basis of external evidence, archaeology, and a careful evaluation of the sources behind the historical books.

The Exodus Tradition in Psalm 105 and the Wisdom of Solomon: Notable Similarities

The hymn found in 1 Chronicles 16:8–36 contains portions of Psalms 105:1–15; 96:1–13; and 106:47–48. Since the hymn occurs in a context which focuses upon placing the Ark of the Covenant on Mt. Zion, it is noteworthy that the verses from Pss. 105 and 106 say nothing about the Exodus, since the other verses of these two Pss. are heavy in the Exodus tradition, the primary location of the Ark narrative in the Pentateuch. Is it possible that these Pss. were known only in part or that portions were known to other writers? This article focuses on the similarities that exist between Ps. 105:16–45 and the Wisdom of Solomon. While the similarities do not prove that Ps. 105 directly influenced Pseudo-Solomon’s work, they are provoking enough to lead to that possible conclusion.

Who can stand before a holy God? Literary artistry and theological imagination in the Ark Narrative

This article advocates for an interpretation of biblical stories that takes into account their nature and the way in which they are told. The argument begins with observing the predicament of the biblical interpreter in using contemporary historical and/or literary methods to interpret an ancient text expected to convey a theological message. It then offers a close reading of the Ark Narrative (1 Sam 4:1b–7:1) which exemplifies how theological conclusions can be drawn on the basis of the story alone once its literary structure and dramatic development are identified.

Rereading the Ark Narrative: An Exilic Word of Hope and Warning

This article explains how 2 Sam 6:1-8 was redacted during the Babylonian exile in order to impart a theological message of hope and warning to the exilic community. This is demonstrated through an exploration of the similarities between 2 Sam 6:1-8 and Exod 32. The primary similarities include: (1) how Uzzah fulfills the same priestly role as Aaron; (2) how David serves as a symbolic “Moses figure” who guides the people and the ark to Jerusalem; and (3) how Yahweh broke out against Uzzah in anger, symbolic of how Yahweh allowed the Babylonian army to overthrow Jerusalem and take the people captive.