The LORD will Exalt the Power of his Anointed

To conclude, the limits of Kantian retribution for ethics are reviewed and the diversity of approaches to ethical reasoning that may be applied to divine violence in the book of Samuel are emphasised. Three ethical, literary, and political considerations of this study are highlighted. Firstly, the study is organised around instances of subjective violence, but attention to systemic, objective violence has raised alternative evaluations of the ethics of the violence. Secondly, different kinds of emotions/cognitions of God are correlated with the formulations of divine violence. For each emotion/cognition resulting in violence, a corresponding example is given where the same emotion/cognition results in blessing. The contiguity of different formulations of divine violence in 2 Sam 24 suggests a coherence to God’s characterisation despite the diverse traditions, not a ‘light’ and a ‘dark’ side to God. Finally, the political visions of divine violence in the book of Samuel are oriented towards an ideology of the Davidic kings. Although human monarchic sovereignty is expansive, it is also limited by divine violence.

Saul’s Rejection in the Book of Samuel

In 1 Sam 13–15, Saul is guilty of breaking commands that he could not keep. Saul breaks a specific, not universal, command and is tested and scrutinised in a way that David is not. Positive characteristics of Saul’s accession, including humility, sparing opposition, and listening to the people, become weaknesses exploited by God’s command when Saul judges poorly, spares Agag, and listens to the people. The narrative construal of divine regret for Saul’s kingship reflects the compositional development of these texts. Interpreting 1 Sam 13 and 15 through 1 Sam 28, 2 Sam 7, and 1 Sam 25, Saul is not forgiven by God for his sin— he becomes God’s enemy and is paralleled to King Agag of the Amalekites. Because of the lack of restoration implied in divine hostility, Saul does not receive retribution. His punishment at his death is proportional to his offences, but these offences take place after the punishment is declared.

The LORD Kills and Brings to Life

Through the example of David’s census in 2 Sam 24, key issues related to divine violence in the book of Samuel are introduced: the occurrence of inexplicable divine violence; the interplay of divine and human sovereignty; God’s emotion; and the relationship between forgiveness and punishment. The parameters for the use of the term ‘divine violence’ in this study are defined, taking into account the distinction between subjective and objective violence and Walter Benjamin’s technical use of the term. The methodology of this study is outlined. Debate regarding a proposed ‘dark side’ of God will be addressed through contemporary thinkers who challenge the dominance of retributive frameworks in ethical evaluation. An account of the characterisation of God will be given that acknowledges a diversity of traditions in the text and focuses minimally on narrative gaps. Political contexts for the divine violence will be proposed, both monarchic and exilic.

Divine Violence in the Book of Samuel

Much of the drama, theological paradox, and interpretive interest in the book of Samuel derives from instances of God’s violence in the story. The beginnings of Israel’s monarchy are interwoven with God’s violent rejection of the houses of Eli and of Saul, deaths connected to the Ark of the Covenant, and the outworking of divine retribution after David’s violent appropriation of Bathsheba as his wife. Divine Violence in the Book of Samuel explores these narratives of divine violence from ethical, literary, and political perspectives, in dialogue with the thought of Immanuel Kant, Martha Nussbaum, and Walter Benjamin. The book addresses such questions as: Is the God of Samuel a capricious God with a troubling dark side? Is punishment for sin the only justifiable violence in these narratives? Why does God continue to punish those already declared forgiven? What is the role of God’s emotions in acts of divine violence? In what political contexts might narratives of divine violence against God’s own kings and God’s own people have arisen? The result is a fresh commentary on the dynamics of transgression, punishment, and their upheavals in the book of Samuel. The book offers a sensitive portrayal of God’s literary characterisation, with a focus on divine emotion and its effects. By identifying possible political contexts in which the narratives arose, God’s violence is further illumined through its relation to human violence, northern and southern monarchic ideology, and Judah’s experience of the Babylonian exile.

Roh di Endor Pemanggilan Roh dalam 1 Samuel 28:1-25 dan Ajaran Aliran Pangestu

AbstrakPenelitian ini menelusuri ajaran dalam 1 Sam. 28 yang terkait dengan pemanggilan rohorang mati dan membandingkan dengan ajaran Aliran Pangestu mengenai hal itu. Hasilpenelitian pada konteks kitab Samuel menunjukkan bahwa roh yang muncul di Endoradalah bukan roh Samuel, sedangkan dalam ajaran Pengestu mengenai kematian jugadapat disimpulkan bahwa, roh di Endor juga bukanlah roh Samuel karena roh Samuelsudah menyatu atau lebur dengan Allah. Hasilnya dapat dipergunakan dalam proseskontekstualisasi bagi orang-orang Pangestu yang telah menjadi warga Gereja Kristennamun masih diwarnai pandangan lama mereka. AbstractThis article explores the teaching in 1 Samuel 28 about the summoning of the spirit in comparison with the teaching of Pangestu Beliefs concerning the issue. Based on analysis of the historical context of the Book of Samuel, the result shows that the spirit in Endor is not that of Samuel while based on the teaching of Pangestu about death, the spirit in Endor is not the spirit of Samuel either because his spirit has merged in Divine Union. The result of this study can be used in the contextualization process for the Pangestu adherents who have joined the Christian church but still cling to their old-world view.

Targumic Parallels to Variant Readings of the Book of Samuel amongst the Cairo Geniza Manuscripts

The Cairo Geniza has yielded 650+ manuscripts (all fragmentary, of course) of the book of Samuel. A survey of those documents reveals a number of places with variant readings, especially when compared to the great medieval codices: Aleppo (A) and St Petersburg (L). The present article demonstrates that many of these variant readings are reflected in Targum Jonathan and in the Peshitta.

עד דוד הגדיל (1 Sam 20:41) – עד בור הגדול (1 Sam 19:22)

This study focuses on the difficult ending of 1 Sam 20:41 in the Masoretic text (MT): וַיִּבְכּוּ אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ עַד דָּוִד הִגְדִּיל, rendered normally as “They wept together; David wept the longer.” Many have pointed out the peculiarity of this phrase, and different emendations were proposed, based mainly on the LXX. The present article suggests an emendation of 1 Sam 20:41, according to which the original text read here עד בור הגדול. The mention of the “Great Cistern” at the end of the previous story in the Book of Samuel (19:22), provides strong support for this suggestion. It is proposed that the mention of the “Great Cistern” in the original text intended to narrow the geographical gaps between the different stories about David and Saul.