2 Samuel 22 consists of a piece of biblical poetry, probably by multiple authors, but one with a consistent voice - that assigned to King David. The poem present a somewhat mystical image of God, in which God is not any one thing but is many things at once. Below the poem appears in 11 strophes that I defined by theme. I then analyze it in the subsequent section.
2 Samuel 22: David's Song of Thanksgiving
David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.
[1]
He said: The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge,
my savior; you save me from violence.
I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.
[2]
For the waves of death encompassed me,
the torrents of perdition assailed me;
the cords of Sheol entangled me,
the snares of death confronted me.
[3]
In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I called.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry came to his ears.
[4]
Then the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations of the heavens trembled and quaked,
because he was angry.
Smoke went up from his nostrils,
and devouring fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
[5]
He bowed the heavens, and came down;
thick darkness was under his feet.
He rode on a cherub, and flew;
he was seen upon the wings of the wind.
He made darkness around him a canopy, thick clouds, a gathering of water.
Out of the brightness before him coals of fire flamed forth.
The Lord thundered from heaven;
the Most High uttered his voice.
He sent out arrows, and scattered them
—lightning, and routed them.
Then the channels of the sea were seen,
the foundations of the world were laid bare
at the rebuke of the Lord,
at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
[6]
He reached from on high, he took me,
he drew me out of mighty waters.
He delivered me from my strong enemy,
from those who hated me;
for they were too mighty for me.
They came upon me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my stay.
He brought me out into a broad place;
he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
[7]
The Lord rewarded me
according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands
he recompensed me.
For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
For all his ordinances were before me,
and from his statutes I did not turn aside.
I was blameless before him,
and I kept myself from guilt.
Therefore the Lord has recompensed me
according to my righteousness,
according to my cleanness in his sight.
[8]
With the loyal you show yourself loyal;
with the blameless you show yourself blameless;
with the pure you show yourself pure,
and with the crooked you show yourself perverse.
You deliver a humble people,
but your eyes are upon the haughty to bring them down.
Indeed, you are my lamp, O Lord,
the Lord lightens my darkness.
By you I can crush a troop,
and by my God I can leap over a wall.
This God — his way is perfect;
the promise of the Lord proves true;
he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.
For who is God, but the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?
[9]
The God who has girded me with strength has opened wide my path.
He made my feet like the feet of deer, and set me secure on the heights.
He trains my hands for war,
so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
You have given me the shield of your salvation,
and your help has made me great.
You have made me stride freely,
and my feet do not slip;
I pursued my enemies and destroyed them,
and did not turn back until they were consumed.
I consumed them; I struck them down,
so that they did not rise; they fell under my feet.
For you girded me with strength for the battle;
you made my assailants sink under me.
You made my enemies turn their backs to me,
those who hated me, and I destroyed them.
They looked, but there was no one to save them;
they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
I beat them fine like the dust of the earth,
I crushed them and stamped them down like the mire of the streets.
[10]
You delivered me from strife with the peoples;
you kept me as the head of the nations;
people whom I had not known served me.
Foreigners came cringing to me;
as soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me.
Foreigners lost heart, and came trembling out of their strongholds.
[11]
The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock, and exalted be my God,
the rock of my salvation, the God who gave me vengeance
and brought down peoples under me,
who brought me out from my enemies;
you exalted me above my adversaries,
you delivered me from the violent.
For this I will extol you, O Lord, among the nations,
and sing praises to your name.
He is a tower of salvation for his king,
and shows steadfast love to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.
Analysis of 2 Samuel 22
[1]
God's protection acts in a continuum of capacities: A rock connotes constancy, so God acts as a form of continual safety. A fortress connotes warfare, so God acts on behalf of David in battle. A deliverer connotes oppression, so God acts as a revolutionary who overthrows the old order. The three terms form a continuum from safety to a liminal state of danger to persecution. The next terms - shield, horn, stronghold, refuge - all hold their own connotations as well, with shield and stronghold both suggesting battle or willful confrontation, and horn and refuge both suggesting one who seeks safety (as in the safety offered by grasping one of the horns of the altar; in a similar way blood is dashed on the horns to expiate wrongdoing when a sin offering is made). The closing image is again one of a savior, so that the "strophe" begins at one end of the spectrum and ends at the other.
[2]
Strophe 3 introduces the first water images in the poem, the "waves of death" and "torrents of perdition." These synonymous images recall the destructive waters of the Red Sea that washed over the Egyptians as they pursued the escaping Israelites. The next two synonymous images are objects of binding: cords and snares. These images, like the preceding water images, give the sense that death is an active force that pursues the living. The poet is encompassed, assailed, entangled, and confronted, all actions that frighten or oppress.
[3]
Here is the anthropomorphic God, who lives in the temple. I would argue that the fact of God's hearing is not as important to his anthropomorphism as his residence in the temple. Of course, the mention of the temple indicates composition after the time of David, as Solomon would only build the temple of the Lord after his father's death. But if we consider the temple as part of the poet's cohesive vision, we find that the establishment of a temple serves to make God's temporary residence in the traveling ark permanent with a fixed building. God has been physically present with his people since the time of Moses, and remains with them when the Temple is established. God is not accessed on mountains (as with Moses) or beside a river (as with Jacob), but rather in the temple.
[4]
This strophe is perhaps our first introduction to the prophetic poetry of the bible, with what we might call "apocalyptic" imagery ["Apocalyptic" not in the sense of The Book of Revelation but rather in the sense of revelation of God's actions on earth]. The earth suffers a tumultuous time due to God's anger, in a scene reminiscent of a volcanic eruption. God's anger causes the earth to quake, smoke to arise, and fire and coals to shoot out. These physical manifestations of anger come from God's body, mixing emotion with a very physical reaction, though not an anthropomorphic one per se. God has human features, but these display superhuman capabilities: shooting fire and smoke. The poet seems to say that God is in some ways like humankind, but clearly certain aspects of him are manifested differently. There is a strong connection with the natural world, if only it is the destruction of the natural world.
[5]
Violent imagery continues in strophe 6 as God mounts a campaign against the poet's enemies. God thunders from heaven, the source of wind and clouds and water, taking these elements with him to form a canopy of clouds, like the one that led Israel by day as they wandered in the wilderness. God is conveyed on the wind wrapped up in the natural world elements of clouds and water, and image that combines the most primeval elements of Genesis. He then uses natural and unnatural means to fight the poet's enemies: arrows and lightning. These two parallel verses are synonymous, demonstrating God's ability to defeat armies through natural and supernatural means. God's power lays bare the entire earth, sea and land, a demonstration of his utter hegemony.
[6]
Just as God "came down" in strophe 6, he reaches "from on high" to rescue the poet. God's exact location is indeterminate, but clearly it is some place "up." Here God is not the God that resides within the temple, but the God that protects on the field of battle. In two parallel verses, God rescues the poet first from "mighty waters" and second from a "strong enemy" that is "too mighty for me." The mixing of metaphor and reality helps to muddle the meaning of the poem, as the poet mixes a figurative event with a literal one. Unless this poem is attributed to a person that was saved both from mighty waters and a strong enemy, it is safe to assume that the mighty waters part is metaphor. This allows the reader to question, "What else is metaphor in this poem?" Indeed, we can now interpret a great deal of this poem as metaphor. Perhaps God does not actually breathe smoke and shoot fire from his mouth. Perhaps this application of natural and human images to the divine serves as an attempt at mysticism, an attempt to experience (or in this case, convey) the ineffable through physical means. Mysticism does not tell us that God is something, but rather that God is like something. In this way God can occupy both high places and the temple because this is an acknowledgment that there are certain things we do not understand about him. Mysticism allows for alternative experiences and explanations of God where the traditional falls short.
[7]
The poem shifts here from the nature motif to a description of God's ways. The Lord delivers the poet because of the poet's righteousness and likewise because "he delighted in me," as stated in strophe 7. Keeping with the covenant and all of God's ordinances, the "ways of the Lord," is essential to keeping God's favor. Righteousness is equated with spiritual cleanliness, a way of keeping "holy." In biblical parlance, "holy" means "separate." Spiritual cleanness means staying away from the grime of sin.
[8]
The first four verses of this strophe display a mirroring quality to God: God reveals himself to people the way they are. [By extension, God reveals to people how they act; the loyal see their loyalty mirrored in God and could know that they are loyal.] Ideally the Israelites fall under the first three categories: loyal, blameless, and pure. These humble people conquer others through God's action; God acts as a shield for them in which they take refuge, assuming a passive state. God is a rock. In this sense it seems to be God's work alone that conquers Israel's enemies. However, a few verses clarify God's powers. The Lord is a tool; a lamp to provide light or something that gives crushing or leaping power to the poet. There are "historical" instances of actions like this in the bible, but I wonder whether the poet means it literally. I do not have an answer for this question - but I think the answer to the question would tell us a little more about the person or people behind this poem.
[9]
From this point to the end of the poem, the subject modulates frequently between God/He/You, and I. In classical mystic fashion, this creates an ambiguous quality to the work, so that addressing the Lord in the second person is the same as speaking of him in the third. The added third voice of the poet (I) further confuses the poetry, so that I becomes wrapped up in God, who is also You and He.
The poet is very much concerned with feet, footing, and balance, which conveys the feeling of balance and movement. The Lord secures the poet's feet and strengthens the poet's arms. The poet is aided by the Lord in warfare, so that the poet's enemies are destroyed. They fall under the poet's nimble feet like dust or the muck on a street.
[10]
This strophe makes clear the "poet" is David, or at least a king. The poet is a leader with so many subjects he does not know them all. His name invokes fear in people he has never met, and people surrender to him without a fight.
[11]
Strophe 12 recaps the opposite ends of the spectrum: God as rock and God as deliverer. It closes out the poem with praise for God, who loves and supports his anointed, the king. God is the Savior of Israel forever.
The vision of God presented in the poem is not entirely cohesive, but this allows for a mystical interpretation of the passage. The biblical poet may not have been driving toward a mystical vision, but the fact that we are able to interpret it as such may indicate that the poet held a view of God that the Lord was somehow ineffable, and that language failed to describe God or any experience with God.
Showing posts with label Samuel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Samuel. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
2 Samuel 1-10: Poetry, Christian Interpretation, and Quantum Physics
Last week's entry concluded with the deaths of Saul and his son Jonathan, and David killing the man who claimed to mercifully murder Saul.
Today I will focus on David's early campaign as king. I will go about it a little differently than normal. Let me know if you like it! Or hate it!
David's Lamentation: 2 Samuel 1.19-27
David's mourning over Jonathan takes the form of poetry, in fact a complete poem with a great deal of repetition. The repetition helps to clarify David's psychology. Let's take a look:
Over the course of the poem the formula: "X lies slain upon your high places" is repeated twice, opening first with Your Glory, O Israel and then with Jonathan, so that Jonathan is equated with the Glory of Israel, as opposed to his father, Saul. Of course, it is David and later his son Solomon that are the true glory of Israel, but David's sentiment exemplifies the great love he shared with Jonathan. Even with his emphatic defense of Saul, David appears to value Jonathan more. David is "distressed for you, my brother Jonathan," a sentiment that involves himself personally with Saul's son. On the other hand, David has the "daughters of Israel" "weep over Saul." As much as he supported King Saul, it was with Jonathan that David shared the truest friendship: "greatly beloved were you to me; / your love to me was wonderful, / passing the love of women." [For more on this type of friendship, read "Of Friendship" by Montaigne.]
Christian Interpretation of 2 Samuel 7
Christian interpretation of the bible is something I have steered away from thus far, but I just finished reading Hal Lindsey's The Late Great Planet Earth and feel the need to speak out if only a little on this phenomenon.
David has built a house for himself and expresses a desire to build one for the Lord as well. The Lord's response, given to the prophet Nathan in a dream, explores the literal and figurative meanings of house and place. His speech is excerpted below:
God's emphasis on location is fitting in a conversation that centers around a house. David builds for himself a house without building a resting place for God. Yet God insists that he does not have to settle down just yet; David's progeny will take care of the house and its location. Not only will David not need to build a temple/house (literal) for God; God will in fact build a (metaphorical) house for David! What wordplay! [Does anyone speak Hebrew? Are the roots similar? Do both connote house?] The house the Lord will "build" for David is part of the promise of progeny. A great kingdom will be established through David's offspring. The new king will be a great man, his relationship with God like that between father and son. But God will not punish this man on his own. Instead, humans will inflict blows on him for his iniquity. Nevertheless, David's kingdom will be eternal.
That sounds like Solomon, right? David's progeny, iniquity, establishing God's house...The only place where the whole thing breaks down is at the very end, the establishment of the throne forever. The United Monarchy only lasted 5 generations.
Were you able to read that passage without thinking of Jesus? I wasn't. [Those two preceding sentences mimic the style of Hal Lindsey's book. You should check it out if you're still interested. Fair warning, though, it's a bit outdated.] Read enough prophecy and you will see Jesus everywhere. Who established an eternal kingdom on earth? Jesus! Who is an ancestor of David? Jesus! Who endured the blows of human beings? Jesus!
Despite these rather *ahem* remarkable findings, it is highly improbably that this section refers to Jesus. On its own, this is merely the story of God's promise to David of Solomon and a temple in Jerusalem. The problem is that the people who believe that the passage does point to Jesus are drawing from a number of different sources. Two interpretation issues come into play: Biblical inerrancy and metaphor.
God creates metaphor in this section by making the tangible idea of David's house intangible in the sense of the "house of David" - his line of successors. To a degree this gives the reader a license to interpret other things as metaphorical as well, such as the kingdom, which is taken by some Christian readers to mean the so-called "kingdom of heaven" that Jesus ushers in. The biblical inerrantist also has license to assume that the time of David's kingdom has not come yet because, well, the throne clearly was not established forever. By this reading the throne must be established in the future.
The biblical inerrantist has some problems to deal with as well, such as Saul's actions fulfilling most of God's promise. Also, God specifically states that David's son will be punished for his "iniquity" with "blows inflicted by human beings." Certainly Jesus was brutalized, but it definitely was not on account of any iniquity!
Occam's Razor, the idea that the simplest explanation for a quandary is the most likely choice, would seem to apply here. Why jump through hoops to prove Jesus when Solomon is a simpler explanation? Why forecast so far into the future when Solomon is a few years away?
If I haven't confused you enough, let me make one last attempt.
Context is key here. Suppose I was traveling along X road at Y speed in a car with mass Z. According to the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, I would only be able to know either my momentum or my location at any given moment. In fact, this is not true. My momentum is given by the equation ZY and my location by X. So what happened?
It seems I have misapplied the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, which is applicable only at the quantum level. Context changes everything. If I am looking for a way to support my argument for Jesus, that is what I see. It might not be correct, and the way I apply laws may not yield a proper solution, but I can do it.
And because we are talking about something that no one can definitively prove either way [even if the author were alive, some would say the text could not be proven either way!] I am liable to believe whatever I like.
What do I believe? That a literary reading of the bible should acknowledge religious influences both inside and outside of the text. And so you have today's entry.
Today I will focus on David's early campaign as king. I will go about it a little differently than normal. Let me know if you like it! Or hate it!
David's Lamentation: 2 Samuel 1.19-27
David's mourning over Jonathan takes the form of poetry, in fact a complete poem with a great deal of repetition. The repetition helps to clarify David's psychology. Let's take a look:
Your glory, O Israel, lies slain upon your high places!The formula "How the mighty have fallen!" serves to structure the poem, appearing at the beginning and end as well as in the middle. However, the poem truly pivots on the verses that mention both Saul and Jonathan: "The bow of Jonathan did not turn back, / nor the sword of Saul return empty. / Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!" The poem begins with general lamentations for the glory of Israel, before focusing on the death of Saul. But David's mind isn't truly on Saul, for soon after the reference he includes Jonathan, before displaying his greater appreciation of Jonathan.
How the mighty have fallen!
Tell it not in Gath,
proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon;
or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice,
the daughters of the uncircumcised will exult.
You mountains of Gilboa,
let there be no dew or rain upon you,
nor bounteous fields!
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
the shield of Saul, anointed with oil no more.
From the blood of the slain,
from the fat of the mighty,
the bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
nor the sword of Saul return empty.
Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
In life and in death they were not divided;
they were swifter than eagles,
they were stronger than lions.
O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you with crimson, in luxury,
who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
How the mighty have fallen
in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan lies slain upon your high places.
I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
greatly beloved were you to me;
your love to me was wonderful,
passing the love of women.
How the mighty have fallen,
and the weapons of war perished!
Over the course of the poem the formula: "X lies slain upon your high places" is repeated twice, opening first with Your Glory, O Israel and then with Jonathan, so that Jonathan is equated with the Glory of Israel, as opposed to his father, Saul. Of course, it is David and later his son Solomon that are the true glory of Israel, but David's sentiment exemplifies the great love he shared with Jonathan. Even with his emphatic defense of Saul, David appears to value Jonathan more. David is "distressed for you, my brother Jonathan," a sentiment that involves himself personally with Saul's son. On the other hand, David has the "daughters of Israel" "weep over Saul." As much as he supported King Saul, it was with Jonathan that David shared the truest friendship: "greatly beloved were you to me; / your love to me was wonderful, / passing the love of women." [For more on this type of friendship, read "Of Friendship" by Montaigne.]
Christian Interpretation of 2 Samuel 7
Christian interpretation of the bible is something I have steered away from thus far, but I just finished reading Hal Lindsey's The Late Great Planet Earth and feel the need to speak out if only a little on this phenomenon.
David has built a house for himself and expresses a desire to build one for the Lord as well. The Lord's response, given to the prophet Nathan in a dream, explores the literal and figurative meanings of house and place. His speech is excerpted below:
Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in?...I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.
And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies.
Moreover the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. When he commits iniquity, I will punish him with a rod such as mortals use, with blows inflicted by human beings. But I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever.The Lord's speech represents a new iteration of the covenant of land and progeny, the patriarchal covenant that stretches back to Abraham. The old iteration of that covenant has been fulfilled: the land promised - Canaan - is now inhabited by the progeny - the Israelites. God's newly designated land will be Jerusalem, where the ark of the covenant will be kept. the promise of progeny is still "a great name," but that comes through one person: David's son Solomon. The old covenant being fulfilled, a new one is established. The spirit of both is the same, while the terms change. Of course, the Israelites are also still bound to the covenant of faithfulness to God established under Joshua.
God's emphasis on location is fitting in a conversation that centers around a house. David builds for himself a house without building a resting place for God. Yet God insists that he does not have to settle down just yet; David's progeny will take care of the house and its location. Not only will David not need to build a temple/house (literal) for God; God will in fact build a (metaphorical) house for David! What wordplay! [Does anyone speak Hebrew? Are the roots similar? Do both connote house?] The house the Lord will "build" for David is part of the promise of progeny. A great kingdom will be established through David's offspring. The new king will be a great man, his relationship with God like that between father and son. But God will not punish this man on his own. Instead, humans will inflict blows on him for his iniquity. Nevertheless, David's kingdom will be eternal.
That sounds like Solomon, right? David's progeny, iniquity, establishing God's house...The only place where the whole thing breaks down is at the very end, the establishment of the throne forever. The United Monarchy only lasted 5 generations.
Were you able to read that passage without thinking of Jesus? I wasn't. [Those two preceding sentences mimic the style of Hal Lindsey's book. You should check it out if you're still interested. Fair warning, though, it's a bit outdated.] Read enough prophecy and you will see Jesus everywhere. Who established an eternal kingdom on earth? Jesus! Who is an ancestor of David? Jesus! Who endured the blows of human beings? Jesus!
Despite these rather *ahem* remarkable findings, it is highly improbably that this section refers to Jesus. On its own, this is merely the story of God's promise to David of Solomon and a temple in Jerusalem. The problem is that the people who believe that the passage does point to Jesus are drawing from a number of different sources. Two interpretation issues come into play: Biblical inerrancy and metaphor.
God creates metaphor in this section by making the tangible idea of David's house intangible in the sense of the "house of David" - his line of successors. To a degree this gives the reader a license to interpret other things as metaphorical as well, such as the kingdom, which is taken by some Christian readers to mean the so-called "kingdom of heaven" that Jesus ushers in. The biblical inerrantist also has license to assume that the time of David's kingdom has not come yet because, well, the throne clearly was not established forever. By this reading the throne must be established in the future.
The biblical inerrantist has some problems to deal with as well, such as Saul's actions fulfilling most of God's promise. Also, God specifically states that David's son will be punished for his "iniquity" with "blows inflicted by human beings." Certainly Jesus was brutalized, but it definitely was not on account of any iniquity!
Occam's Razor, the idea that the simplest explanation for a quandary is the most likely choice, would seem to apply here. Why jump through hoops to prove Jesus when Solomon is a simpler explanation? Why forecast so far into the future when Solomon is a few years away?
If I haven't confused you enough, let me make one last attempt.
Context is key here. Suppose I was traveling along X road at Y speed in a car with mass Z. According to the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, I would only be able to know either my momentum or my location at any given moment. In fact, this is not true. My momentum is given by the equation ZY and my location by X. So what happened?
It seems I have misapplied the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, which is applicable only at the quantum level. Context changes everything. If I am looking for a way to support my argument for Jesus, that is what I see. It might not be correct, and the way I apply laws may not yield a proper solution, but I can do it.
And because we are talking about something that no one can definitively prove either way [even if the author were alive, some would say the text could not be proven either way!] I am liable to believe whatever I like.
What do I believe? That a literary reading of the bible should acknowledge religious influences both inside and outside of the text. And so you have today's entry.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
1 Samuel 10-15: Saul's ineptitude
Despite details foreshadowing Saul's inevitable failure, his reign as king seems to start out well - he is even victorious in battle against the Ammonites. But as Samuel pulls away from his function as leader, Saul's ineptness as king becomes more and more apparent, until it becomes so atrocious that his kingship is revoked. The message seems to be that kingship is a lousy form of governance. Once Samuel - God's chosen man - fades away from leadership, things go south. The kings of Israel remove Israel from its natural leader, God. This throws things quite out of whack.
Saul's Success
Saul enjoys a small measure of success before he fails. He is able to defeat his the Ammonites, whose King Nahash has been gouging out the right eye of all the Israelites across the Jordan. In fact, the "spirit of God" comes upon Saul, just as it came upon Samson in times of need. This spirit even gives Saul the strength to chop up a yoke of oxen and send the pieces throughout the territory to call people to battle. Interestingly, this is the same method by which the Levite calls the Israelites to battle in retaliation for his murdered concubine. In that story a Levite calls Israel to battles the Benjaminites; in this one a Benjaminite calls the Israelites to face an outside threat.
After Saul proves himself a competent ruler by defeating the Ammonites, the people call for Saul's detractors to be murdered, and Saul proves his benevolence by pardoning those who spoke ill of him.
Saul's Failure
It is after these displays of goodness that things begin to go south for Saul. Samuel backs out of leadership of Israel, in effect pulling out the rug from under Saul. He invokes the dialectical tensions between God and Israel, warning that the Israelites will be punished if they do not obey the Lord: "If you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, you and your king" (1 Sam. 12.25). This is a warning against wickedness in the future only; their wickedness in demanding a king is explicitly forgiven.
In 1 Samuel 10, Samuel advises Saul to wait for him seven days at Gilgal so that he may come to make a sacrifice. Saul, waits seven days, and when Samuel does not show up he makes a sacrifice to gain the favor of the Lord in battle against the Philistines. This story parallel's Samuel's similar sacrifice, and in so doing shows how Saul fails where Samuel succeeds. Samuel arrives after the sacrifice has been completed. He is furious with Saul, who explains that Samuel was late and the army needed the favor of the Lord for protection. Apparently Samuel still outranks Saul, as the former judge informs the king that his kingdom will not be established, but will rather be established by another Israelite.
In the tale that follows, Saul's son Jonathan is set up as a foil to his father's inability. Jonathan and his armor-bearer kill 20 men and cause a panic among the Philistines. Though he does not know the cause of the panic (and it is his own son!) Saul takes advantage of it and routs the Philistines.
In a victory that is not really even his doing, Saul makes another mistake by swearing an oath that any soldier that eats food shall die. Of course Jonathan, who has been off turning the tide of battle in the Israelites' favor, does not get the message and eats some honey. When he discovers that his son has violated the oath, Saul is ready to kill his own son. Jonathan is saved by the people, who ransom the brave warrior.
Then we hear of all the good Saul does in war: fighting Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, Zobah, and the Philistines. "He did valiantly, and struck down the Amalekites, and rescued Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them" (1 Sam. 14.48). But in this last action comes Saul's downfall.
God commands Saul (through Samuel) to spare not man, woman, child, infant, ox, sheep, camel, or donkey of the Amalekites. So of course Saul and the people spare Agag (the King) and the best sheep and cattle, and lambs and valuables.
It is at this point that the Lord confides in Samuel his regret of making Saul king. Saul has been an awful king - not carrying out God's commands explicitly as he was charged. And where is he? Building a monument to himself at Carmel. When Samuel confronts Saul the king explains that he spared Agag's life and that the people took the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to God. Even if this were true, it willfully ignores the fact that God commanded for every living thing to be destroyed. Saul has failed as a leader. For his sin against the Lord, Saul's kingship is revoked.
In the third instance of this bloody ceremony, an angry and violent Saul does the Lord's work to Agag, hewing him into pieces before the Lord. Israel is now without a leader.
Saul's Success
Saul enjoys a small measure of success before he fails. He is able to defeat his the Ammonites, whose King Nahash has been gouging out the right eye of all the Israelites across the Jordan. In fact, the "spirit of God" comes upon Saul, just as it came upon Samson in times of need. This spirit even gives Saul the strength to chop up a yoke of oxen and send the pieces throughout the territory to call people to battle. Interestingly, this is the same method by which the Levite calls the Israelites to battle in retaliation for his murdered concubine. In that story a Levite calls Israel to battles the Benjaminites; in this one a Benjaminite calls the Israelites to face an outside threat.
After Saul proves himself a competent ruler by defeating the Ammonites, the people call for Saul's detractors to be murdered, and Saul proves his benevolence by pardoning those who spoke ill of him.
Saul's Failure
It is after these displays of goodness that things begin to go south for Saul. Samuel backs out of leadership of Israel, in effect pulling out the rug from under Saul. He invokes the dialectical tensions between God and Israel, warning that the Israelites will be punished if they do not obey the Lord: "If you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, you and your king" (1 Sam. 12.25). This is a warning against wickedness in the future only; their wickedness in demanding a king is explicitly forgiven.
In 1 Samuel 10, Samuel advises Saul to wait for him seven days at Gilgal so that he may come to make a sacrifice. Saul, waits seven days, and when Samuel does not show up he makes a sacrifice to gain the favor of the Lord in battle against the Philistines. This story parallel's Samuel's similar sacrifice, and in so doing shows how Saul fails where Samuel succeeds. Samuel arrives after the sacrifice has been completed. He is furious with Saul, who explains that Samuel was late and the army needed the favor of the Lord for protection. Apparently Samuel still outranks Saul, as the former judge informs the king that his kingdom will not be established, but will rather be established by another Israelite.
In the tale that follows, Saul's son Jonathan is set up as a foil to his father's inability. Jonathan and his armor-bearer kill 20 men and cause a panic among the Philistines. Though he does not know the cause of the panic (and it is his own son!) Saul takes advantage of it and routs the Philistines.
In a victory that is not really even his doing, Saul makes another mistake by swearing an oath that any soldier that eats food shall die. Of course Jonathan, who has been off turning the tide of battle in the Israelites' favor, does not get the message and eats some honey. When he discovers that his son has violated the oath, Saul is ready to kill his own son. Jonathan is saved by the people, who ransom the brave warrior.
Then we hear of all the good Saul does in war: fighting Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, Zobah, and the Philistines. "He did valiantly, and struck down the Amalekites, and rescued Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them" (1 Sam. 14.48). But in this last action comes Saul's downfall.
God commands Saul (through Samuel) to spare not man, woman, child, infant, ox, sheep, camel, or donkey of the Amalekites. So of course Saul and the people spare Agag (the King) and the best sheep and cattle, and lambs and valuables.
It is at this point that the Lord confides in Samuel his regret of making Saul king. Saul has been an awful king - not carrying out God's commands explicitly as he was charged. And where is he? Building a monument to himself at Carmel. When Samuel confronts Saul the king explains that he spared Agag's life and that the people took the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to God. Even if this were true, it willfully ignores the fact that God commanded for every living thing to be destroyed. Saul has failed as a leader. For his sin against the Lord, Saul's kingship is revoked.
In the third instance of this bloody ceremony, an angry and violent Saul does the Lord's work to Agag, hewing him into pieces before the Lord. Israel is now without a leader.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
1 Samuel 7-10
Under the head priest Eli and his wicked sons, Israel has trouble against the Philistines. In last week's reading the Philistines even captured the Ark! Fortunately, the Lord plagues the Philistines and the Ark is returned. However, the Israelites still are wont to behave badly. They will live righteously for a short time under Samuel, but afterwards will reject God and demand a king for themselves. The first king of Israel, Saul, seems to serve as a rejection of Israel's choice. He is inept, incompetent. Later we will see that David is not perfect either. However, Israel in a very real sense seems to be punished by the Lord under Saul.
Samuel as Judge
Though the description of his life as judge is brief, Samuel is nevertheless a highly effective leader, and clearly one with divine support. Samuel is able to focus the Israelites' worship on God alone, which actually lasts through the tenure of his judgment. Samuel is also an excellent (nonviolent) commander in war. When the Philistines, who have caused Israel so much trouble, attempt an invasion, Samuel holds them off by offering burnt offering, at which time the Lord throws the Philistines into confusion and the Israelites pursue them. Under Samuel, Israel regains all the territory it lost - and Samuel judges on a circuit, travelling from town to town to administer justice.
Unfortunately, Samuel's sons are as bad as Eli's sons, which is perhaps the biblical author's attempt to tell us something about rebellious children as a way to preemptively reject a dynastic monarchy. in any case, it fits into the apostasy cycle, which seems to last roughly two generations. In the cycle one generation is faithful to the Lord, the next unfaithful, the one after that faithful, and so forth. The biblical author seems to be reacting to his source materials: If the sons of the high priest and judge of Israel cannot live up to their father's name, what will happen when the king - supreme overlord of Israel - has a son?
The elders of Israel use Samuel's rebellious sons as the prime example for why they need a king (and this is exactly what the biblical author is railing against - the Ignorance of Israel). Samuel (the mouthpiece of good sense) is not pleased. A king, he knows, will ultimately be very bad for Israel. But the people respond as a whole:
Even with Samuel's warning in 1 Samuel 8.11-18, the Israelites still desire a king. God knew this, of course, but Samuel is livid.
The man chosen to lead Israel as ing is a tall young wealthy Benjaminite named Saul. He is a man of Gibeah (AKA Benjamin), which seems to be a rather odd choice for a king. Gibeah was singled out in Judges 19-20 as a heinous town whose sins are not unlike those of Sodom. God's choice in the first king of Israel, however, is very suitable. Saul, who is tall, rich, and handsome, and from a militaristic tribe, only displays signs of outward greatness. (Plus he is a member of the tribe of Benjamin, the youngest son of Israel. [The youngest is generally the favorite in the biblical narrative]). What we don't see at first is that he is just as depraved and incompetent as anyone else. Saul will stand in stark contrast to the shorter lyre-playing Judahite David, who will become the second King of Israel.
God engineers a very complex method for establishing Saul's kingship, which will also stand in stark contrast to the ease of David's appointment. David will have to fight for the throne, but God's favor will be bestowed on his quickly and simply.
In the narrative of Saul's rise to power, what would normally be the extraordinary event of the choosing of a king is cloaked in a folkloric tale about lost donkeys and a seer (Samuel). Saul is drawn away from the donkeys and finds the seer, who proclaims him king and anoints him, before giving him specific instructions involving meeting different groups of people, gathering items, and going into a prophetic frenzy. Saul is also to wait seven days for Samuel once he gets to Gilgal. Samuel then comes to choose by lot a king from the tribe of Benjamin. In the earliest display of Saul's incompetence, he is nowhere to be found at the ceremony of his choosing - until we discover - oh, wait - he's actually over there in the baggage. It's a rather embarassing start to his tenure as king.
Samuel as Judge
Though the description of his life as judge is brief, Samuel is nevertheless a highly effective leader, and clearly one with divine support. Samuel is able to focus the Israelites' worship on God alone, which actually lasts through the tenure of his judgment. Samuel is also an excellent (nonviolent) commander in war. When the Philistines, who have caused Israel so much trouble, attempt an invasion, Samuel holds them off by offering burnt offering, at which time the Lord throws the Philistines into confusion and the Israelites pursue them. Under Samuel, Israel regains all the territory it lost - and Samuel judges on a circuit, travelling from town to town to administer justice.
Unfortunately, Samuel's sons are as bad as Eli's sons, which is perhaps the biblical author's attempt to tell us something about rebellious children as a way to preemptively reject a dynastic monarchy. in any case, it fits into the apostasy cycle, which seems to last roughly two generations. In the cycle one generation is faithful to the Lord, the next unfaithful, the one after that faithful, and so forth. The biblical author seems to be reacting to his source materials: If the sons of the high priest and judge of Israel cannot live up to their father's name, what will happen when the king - supreme overlord of Israel - has a son?
The elders of Israel use Samuel's rebellious sons as the prime example for why they need a king (and this is exactly what the biblical author is railing against - the Ignorance of Israel). Samuel (the mouthpiece of good sense) is not pleased. A king, he knows, will ultimately be very bad for Israel. But the people respond as a whole:
"No! but we are determined to have a king over us, so that we also may be like the other nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles."In effect this is a rejection of holiness - the separateness that differentiates the Israelites from the surrounding peoples. The Israelites are holy because they have no human king - because God is their "king." It is God as YHWH Sabaoththat leads them and fights for them in war and governs them through intermediaries on earth.
(1 Sam. 8.19-20)
Even with Samuel's warning in 1 Samuel 8.11-18, the Israelites still desire a king. God knew this, of course, but Samuel is livid.
The man chosen to lead Israel as ing is a tall young wealthy Benjaminite named Saul. He is a man of Gibeah (AKA Benjamin), which seems to be a rather odd choice for a king. Gibeah was singled out in Judges 19-20 as a heinous town whose sins are not unlike those of Sodom. God's choice in the first king of Israel, however, is very suitable. Saul, who is tall, rich, and handsome, and from a militaristic tribe, only displays signs of outward greatness. (Plus he is a member of the tribe of Benjamin, the youngest son of Israel. [The youngest is generally the favorite in the biblical narrative]). What we don't see at first is that he is just as depraved and incompetent as anyone else. Saul will stand in stark contrast to the shorter lyre-playing Judahite David, who will become the second King of Israel.
God engineers a very complex method for establishing Saul's kingship, which will also stand in stark contrast to the ease of David's appointment. David will have to fight for the throne, but God's favor will be bestowed on his quickly and simply.
In the narrative of Saul's rise to power, what would normally be the extraordinary event of the choosing of a king is cloaked in a folkloric tale about lost donkeys and a seer (Samuel). Saul is drawn away from the donkeys and finds the seer, who proclaims him king and anoints him, before giving him specific instructions involving meeting different groups of people, gathering items, and going into a prophetic frenzy. Saul is also to wait seven days for Samuel once he gets to Gilgal. Samuel then comes to choose by lot a king from the tribe of Benjamin. In the earliest display of Saul's incompetence, he is nowhere to be found at the ceremony of his choosing - until we discover - oh, wait - he's actually over there in the baggage. It's a rather embarassing start to his tenure as king.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
1 Samuel 1-7: Feminine Mystique, Samuel, the Ark
1 Samuel 1: The Bible's Feminine Mystique
The biblical author favors the underdogs - widows, orphans, the barren. The last of these in particular is very important in the history of Israel as it is the barren women that are made fertile by the Lord and in turn give birth to the great men of Israel (such as Rachel and Sarah)
1 Samuel 1, like the Book of Ruth, can be read as a genealogical tale, recounting the life of a great woman and in essence demonstrating why the woman is a suitable mother for the male patriarch. This reading may seem a bit harsh in its characterization of the male/female dynamic of the bible, but really what is important to the biblical author is the male character of any given story. Woman are characterized as mothers and daughters not only in language, but in their actions. They give birth or are married off. In addition, women are only mentioned in reference to a man of particular prestige. This is evident even in 1 Samuel 1, in which the only important male character is Samuel, the child. The story of a female both in 1 Samuel 1 and in the Book of Ruth is bookended by males, so that both women's presence must be understood in the context of the males they are tied to.
As in the Book of Ruth, the Narrator first introduces the male figure, an Ephraimite named Elkanah. And, as in the Book of Ruth, the man quickly melts away, having served his purpose of introducing the feminine element. [Like the Book of Ruth as well, this chapter ends with the birth of a son, namely Samuel.] The females of this story are the wives of Elkanah: the fertile and jealous Peninnah, and the barren Hannah, who nevertheless is loved and receives a double portion of all from Elkaah.
The two woman are with Elkanah at Shiloh for their annual sacrifice. Like usual, Hannah is needled by Peninnah and is distressed despite her husband's attempts at comforting her. Hannah weeps bitterly as she prays before the Lord, mouthing the words of her prayer, promising if the Lord grants her a child that it shall be consecrated a nazirite.
Eli the head priest ironically assumes that the women muttering under her breath [offering a nazirite] is drunk. She answers in turn, completing the wine/drunkeness metaphor with imagery of her own: "No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time" (1 Sam. 1.15-16).
Eli tells her to go, and asks that the God of Israel grant her petition. She returns to her husband merry enough to eat and drink. Soon the Lord "remembers her" and she conceives and bears Samuel (meaning "he who is from God"). The child is consecrated a nazirite once he is weaned. There the story ends, with our focus on the closing male bookend Samuel.
A Poetic Interlude
It was established in 1 Samuel 1 that Hannah is an eloquent speaker. The poem that opens 1 Samuel 2 establishes Hannah as a poet as well.
A brief analysis of the poem:
Verses 1-3 praise God and establish his greatness.
Verses 4-5 deal with the power of the Lord to deal in antithesis: "The bows of the mighty are broken/but the feeble gird on strength." The full become starved, the starving are satiated. The barren bear and the fertile become forlorn.
Verses 6-8 deal with the divine power to create and destroy.
The poem concludes with a testament that God's omnipotence is used for good to "cut off" the wicked and shatter his adversaries, All three sections have applications for Hannah and her relationship with the Lord. A barren woman, she bears a son. She has been raised up and made great by the hand of the Lord. In fact, as a result of her carrying a nazirite and continuing to show affection, she is blessed even further with three sons and two daughters.
Prophecy
The era we are entering is the era of the prophets, which Samuel helps to usher in both directly and indirectly. When Eli receives word from God that his two disrespectful sons have provoked the anger of the Lord, it is Samuel that confirms the vision in the famous scene of his calling.
Samuel represents a convenient figure for the Lord to take advantage of, and one that the Lord has rarely taken advantage of in the history of Israel. Unlike Moses or Abraham, Samuel comes pre-devoted to the Lord. There is no need to convince him and he is less likely to doubt the Lord, as Moses did. The Lord must still "choose" him to a degree, but the faith - the literal "dedication" is already established there in the nazirite.
Ark Narrative
The narrative of the ark is a folkloric tale that simultaneously reveals the power of the Lord through the device of the ark and fulfills the prophecy of the slaughter of Eli's family.
Having already lost 4,000 men against the Philistines, the Israelites revert to an older form of warfare, in which the ark of the Lord accompanies the Israelites into battle. Apparently this doesn't work anymore; the Israelites are defeated in spite of the ark's presence and the Philistines capture the ark. Israel suffers the loss of 30,000 foot soldiers, including Eli's sons Hophni and Phinehas. The defeat sets off a chain reaction of deaths. When Eli hears of the capture of the ark (not the death of his sons) he falls and breaks his neck. When Phinehas' wife hears of the capture of the ark and deaths of her father-in-law and husband, she gives birth painfully and begins to fade. Before she passes she names her newborn son Ichabod, meaning "Alas for the Glory!" Even as she faces the loss of her husband and father-in-law, the most distressing aspect of the whole affair is the loss of the ark. The ark trumps all human life. The explanation she gives for Ichabood's name is "The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured."
But it doesn't seem that the Philistines are able to live with the ark; exposure results in a plague of tumors. And their idol Dagon seem to worship at the ark. So they return it along with a guilt offering of gold-cast tumors and mice in a cart drawn by two cows. It is a self-containted sacrifice-mobile. And so the ark returns to Israel. Some of the Israelites do not respect it and are destroyed - which bit harsher than tumors - but that is part of the bargain of being God's chosen people.
The biblical author favors the underdogs - widows, orphans, the barren. The last of these in particular is very important in the history of Israel as it is the barren women that are made fertile by the Lord and in turn give birth to the great men of Israel (such as Rachel and Sarah)
1 Samuel 1, like the Book of Ruth, can be read as a genealogical tale, recounting the life of a great woman and in essence demonstrating why the woman is a suitable mother for the male patriarch. This reading may seem a bit harsh in its characterization of the male/female dynamic of the bible, but really what is important to the biblical author is the male character of any given story. Woman are characterized as mothers and daughters not only in language, but in their actions. They give birth or are married off. In addition, women are only mentioned in reference to a man of particular prestige. This is evident even in 1 Samuel 1, in which the only important male character is Samuel, the child. The story of a female both in 1 Samuel 1 and in the Book of Ruth is bookended by males, so that both women's presence must be understood in the context of the males they are tied to.
As in the Book of Ruth, the Narrator first introduces the male figure, an Ephraimite named Elkanah. And, as in the Book of Ruth, the man quickly melts away, having served his purpose of introducing the feminine element. [Like the Book of Ruth as well, this chapter ends with the birth of a son, namely Samuel.] The females of this story are the wives of Elkanah: the fertile and jealous Peninnah, and the barren Hannah, who nevertheless is loved and receives a double portion of all from Elkaah.
The two woman are with Elkanah at Shiloh for their annual sacrifice. Like usual, Hannah is needled by Peninnah and is distressed despite her husband's attempts at comforting her. Hannah weeps bitterly as she prays before the Lord, mouthing the words of her prayer, promising if the Lord grants her a child that it shall be consecrated a nazirite.
Eli the head priest ironically assumes that the women muttering under her breath [offering a nazirite] is drunk. She answers in turn, completing the wine/drunkeness metaphor with imagery of her own: "No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time" (1 Sam. 1.15-16).
Eli tells her to go, and asks that the God of Israel grant her petition. She returns to her husband merry enough to eat and drink. Soon the Lord "remembers her" and she conceives and bears Samuel (meaning "he who is from God"). The child is consecrated a nazirite once he is weaned. There the story ends, with our focus on the closing male bookend Samuel.
A Poetic Interlude
It was established in 1 Samuel 1 that Hannah is an eloquent speaker. The poem that opens 1 Samuel 2 establishes Hannah as a poet as well.
A brief analysis of the poem:
Verses 1-3 praise God and establish his greatness.
Verses 4-5 deal with the power of the Lord to deal in antithesis: "The bows of the mighty are broken/but the feeble gird on strength." The full become starved, the starving are satiated. The barren bear and the fertile become forlorn.
Verses 6-8 deal with the divine power to create and destroy.
The poem concludes with a testament that God's omnipotence is used for good to "cut off" the wicked and shatter his adversaries, All three sections have applications for Hannah and her relationship with the Lord. A barren woman, she bears a son. She has been raised up and made great by the hand of the Lord. In fact, as a result of her carrying a nazirite and continuing to show affection, she is blessed even further with three sons and two daughters.
Prophecy
The era we are entering is the era of the prophets, which Samuel helps to usher in both directly and indirectly. When Eli receives word from God that his two disrespectful sons have provoked the anger of the Lord, it is Samuel that confirms the vision in the famous scene of his calling.
Samuel represents a convenient figure for the Lord to take advantage of, and one that the Lord has rarely taken advantage of in the history of Israel. Unlike Moses or Abraham, Samuel comes pre-devoted to the Lord. There is no need to convince him and he is less likely to doubt the Lord, as Moses did. The Lord must still "choose" him to a degree, but the faith - the literal "dedication" is already established there in the nazirite.
Ark Narrative
The narrative of the ark is a folkloric tale that simultaneously reveals the power of the Lord through the device of the ark and fulfills the prophecy of the slaughter of Eli's family.
Having already lost 4,000 men against the Philistines, the Israelites revert to an older form of warfare, in which the ark of the Lord accompanies the Israelites into battle. Apparently this doesn't work anymore; the Israelites are defeated in spite of the ark's presence and the Philistines capture the ark. Israel suffers the loss of 30,000 foot soldiers, including Eli's sons Hophni and Phinehas. The defeat sets off a chain reaction of deaths. When Eli hears of the capture of the ark (not the death of his sons) he falls and breaks his neck. When Phinehas' wife hears of the capture of the ark and deaths of her father-in-law and husband, she gives birth painfully and begins to fade. Before she passes she names her newborn son Ichabod, meaning "Alas for the Glory!" Even as she faces the loss of her husband and father-in-law, the most distressing aspect of the whole affair is the loss of the ark. The ark trumps all human life. The explanation she gives for Ichabood's name is "The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured."
But it doesn't seem that the Philistines are able to live with the ark; exposure results in a plague of tumors. And their idol Dagon seem to worship at the ark. So they return it along with a guilt offering of gold-cast tumors and mice in a cart drawn by two cows. It is a self-containted sacrifice-mobile. And so the ark returns to Israel. Some of the Israelites do not respect it and are destroyed - which bit harsher than tumors - but that is part of the bargain of being God's chosen people.
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