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Does anyone else have to re-read passages over and over because of the frequent uses of LORD and lord?
Some times I don't know who's command who to do stuff!
Chapter 24 is one of my favorite readings this year. David and Saul have an impassioned talk about their relationship, with David pleading with Saul to stop his unwarranted aggression.
The golden nugget from this chapter has to be at 24:4 when David's servants remind him that the LORD will one day deliver your enemy to you and you will do what you see fit unto them. David's action is compassion. But how did Saul not know that David cut a piece from his robe?!?!
I found this to be one of the best written pieces we've read so far. How about you?
And Samuel dies. This is VERY glossed over, almost literally "Oh, by the way, Samuel's dead". These books are named after him for christ's sake!
We then get a mini-story that seems to be inserted form another author. In it, David acts more like Saul, being less tolerant and aggressive.
THe interesting part is the strong role of the woman (one of David's future wife and the namesake of our star commenter) Abigail.
It was very much filler, perhaps to put some time between the David/Saul encounters?
Unfortunately, David still doesn't trust Saul, and why should he! I like the sneaking into a sleeping camp and David having a discussion with Abishai about Saul's fate. Felt very Shakespearian.
This of course sets up another dialogue betwixt the king and king to be. Could this be a different version of the previous story?
David then decides that his only chose is to live amongst the Philistines and smote people.
Yeah, I found the David/Abigail story kind of creepy. David and his gang of thugs basically do a mafia protection shakedown. "Nice house you have here. We've been keeping it pretty safe. Shame if anything should happen to it."
ReplyDeleteI was pretty surprised to see David living with the Philistines. They're pretty much public enemy #1 to the Israelites.
All in all, there's great stuff here.
I thought the mention (and it's not much more than that) of Samuel's death was odd as well.
ReplyDelete1 Samuel 25:1 "And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah."
That's it?? The man who started/installed the monarchy gets one line? Sheesh.
I'm gonna say it again - I feel sorta bad for Saul. He seems genuinely sorry for how's he treated David in both stories. That's a rarity in this book. Makes me wonder what personal demons he was dealing with.
I wonder how Saul would be diagnosed on the modern world. Manic-Depressive? Bi-Polar? Persecution Complex? He was definitely a tortured soul.
ReplyDeleteI would put money on the historical Saul suffering from epilepsy or being bi-polar; his strange fits seem to be given differing interpretations (prophetic rapture vs possession by evil spirits) which makes me suspect they're various attempts at explaining a real condition.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure that these stories are 99% fiction, but they are based on historic figures, and Saul probably had a reputation for "fits".
@Abbie,
ReplyDeleteI agree about the fiction part.
It's probably been obvious to others but my cousin pointed out to me back in Judges that these parts of the OT are parable style stories.
Reading it as fiction (meaning that the authors intended it as fiction and not the inspired work of God) has reduced my face-palming greatly!
I also agree that these stories were probably loosely based on actual historical leaders.