READING DAVID IN GENESIS The political agenda of the Pentateuch.

READING DAVID IN GENESISREADING DAVID IN GENESIS

The political agenda of the Pentateuch



Great literature that deals with historical events can also reflect a contemporary political agenda

This has been a phenomenon throughout historypolitics




This has been a phenomenon throughout history

What is the content and critique of each example?Roman politics





What is the content and critique of each example?1. The Book of Daniel

Content: Babylonian exile Critique: Hellenistic politicspolitics






Content: Babylonian exile Critique: Hellenistic politicsRoman politics






Content: Babylonian exile Critique: Hellenistic politics

2. The Book of RevelationContent: Future Apocalypse Critique: Roman politics








3. Shakespeare’s Richard IIContent: 14th cent. Royalty Critique: 17th cent. Royalty









4. Arthur Miller’s The CrucibleContent: 17th cent. Witch trials Critique: 1950’s McCarthyism









4. Arthur Miller’s The CrucibleContent: 17th cent. witch trials Critique: 1950’s McCarthyism









4. Arthur Miller’s The CrucibleContent: 17th cent. witch trials Critique: 1950’s McCarthyism

5. Television/Film M*A*S*H Content: 1950’s Korea Critique: 1970’s Vietnam



• These texts have impact because they are based on “historical”

accounts

• Individuals such as Abraham, Joseph and Moses likely existed

in history

• However, their literary representation likely does not reflect

their actual lives

David & Solomon’s Day Genesis’ Justification

1. David established monarchy despite opposition from traditionalists who wanted God alone as king (Theocracy)

1. Monarchy is endorsed by the highest power, God, who promises David’s ancestor Abraham kings in his posterity (Gen 17:6)

2. Jerusalem, a non-Israelite city, is established as capital

2. One of the four rivers of Eden, where civilization began, shares its name with Jerusalem’s Gihon spring (Gen 2:13)

3. David pushes the borders of his kingdom, engaging in battle with neighbouring states

3. David’s military expansion fulfils God’s promise to give Abraham’s heirs a particular land (Gen 15:18)

4. The nations of Ammon, Moab and Edom come under David’s hegemony

4. These three nations are the ancestors of the patriarchs

Gen. 17:4 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. 5 No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 8 And I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding; and I will be their God.”

Abrahamic CovenantAbrahamic Covenant

Remember the Noah story? Who was Cush?

Gen. 2:10 ¶ A river flows out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it divides and becomes four branches. 11 The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one that flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12 and the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one that flows around the whole land of Cush.

River in Eden - River in Eden - ParadiseParadise

Gen. 2:10 ¶ A river flows out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it divides and becomes four branches. 11 The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one that flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12 and the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one that flows around the whole land of Cush.

River in Eden - River in Eden - ParadiseParadise

1Kings 1:32 ¶ King David said, “Summon to me the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” When they came before the king, 33 the king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon. 34 There let the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan anoint him king over Israel; then blow the trumpet, and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’

Gen. 15:18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, 19 the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”

1Kings 4:21 Solomon was sovereign over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, even to the border of Egypt; they brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.

Abrahamic CovenantAbrahamic Covenant

Gen. 19:35 So they made their father drink wine that night also; and the younger rose, and lay with him; and he did not know when she lay down or when she rose. 36 Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. 37 The firstborn bore a son, and named him Moab; he is the ancestor of the Moabites to this day. 38 The younger also bore a son and named him Ben-ammi; he is the ancestor of the Ammonites to this day.

Gen. 36:6 ¶ Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, his cattle, all his livestock, and all the property he had acquired in the land of Canaan; and he moved to a land some distance from his brother Jacob. … 8 So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir [name changed to Edom]; Esau is Edom.

Abraham’s nephew Lot’s PosterityAbraham’s nephew Lot’s Posterity

Abraham’s son Israel’s PosterityAbraham’s son Israel’s Posterity

David & Solomon’s Day Genesis’ Justification5. David permits the local Canaanite priest and king Zadok (aka Araunah) to retain the title of high priest - a move that is sure to incense more conservative worshippers

5. Abraham presents a tithe to Melchizedek, the local priest of ancient Salem (Jerusalem)

6. Solomon’s Temple becomes the centre of Israelite worship, likely opposed by those who had more closer “high places” to use

6. The only sacrifice Abraham ever makes (burnt ram offered in place of Isaac) was at Mt. Moriah (“mount of the Lord”) identified as Jerusalem

7. David and Solomon (both younger sons!) become kings in place of older brothers in contrast to NE practice of primogeniture

7. Abel supercedes Cain; Isaac supercedes Ishmael; Jacob supercedes Esau; Judah and Joseph supercede older brothers; Perez supercedes Zerah; Ephraim supercedes Manasseh; Moses supercedes Aaron

8. David commits adultery and when tricked into confessing is forgiven

8. Judah sleeps with daughter-in-law, tricked into confessing, is forgiven

Gen. 14:18 And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. 19 He blessed him and said,

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth;

20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”

And Abram gave him one tenth of everything.

Abraham pays tithe to MelchizedekAbraham pays tithe to Melchizedek

1Kings 1:34 There let the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan anoint him king over Israel; then blow the trumpet, and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 38 ¶ So the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, … went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and led him to Gihon. 39 There the priest Zadok took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!”

Gen. 22:2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.”

The Binding (Sacrifice) of IsaacThe Binding (Sacrifice) of Isaac

2Chr. 3:1 ¶ Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had designated, on the threshing floor of Ornan (Araunah) the Jebusite.





7. David and Solomon (both younger sons!) become kings in place of older brothers in contrast to ANE practice of primogeniture




Gen. 48:13 Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right, and brought them near him. 14 But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands, for Manasseh was the firstborn. 17 ¶ When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 20 So he blessed them that day, saying,

“By you Israel will invoke blessings, saying, ‘God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh.’”

So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

Right of Primogeniture IgnoredRight of Primogeniture Ignored

One of many examples

Gen 38:15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16 He went over to her at the road side, and said, “Come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” 17 He answered, “I will send you a kid from the flock.” And she said, “Only if you give me a pledge, until you send it.” 18 He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, “Your signet and your cord, and the staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him.

Judah sleeps with daughter-in-law, TamarJudah sleeps with daughter-in-law, Tamar








8. Judah sleeps with daughter-in-law and when tricked into confessing, is forgiven



• In many ways of the world of Genesis mirrors the personal and

political situation of David and Solomon

1. New political entity created with large borders

2. Made Jerusalem, a city with no ties to tradition, the capital

3. Sacrifice, once permitted throughout the land, now limited

4. Foreigner was made head of the temple cult established there

5. David succeeded by his youngest and not oldest son

• What is ostensibly a narrative about the Patriarchs can also reflect the world of the author (J)

READING DAVID IN GENESIS The political agenda of the Pentateuch.

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