ISRAELS MONARCHY:

1
ISRAELS MONARCHY

• I and II Samuel, I and II Kings

2
Lead-in from Judges

• In those days there was no king in Israel.
  Every man did what was right in his own eyes.

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Main Story Line, pt. I

• Through Samuel, God allows Gods spirit to rest
  upon human kings. Under the kings, Israel
  becomes a united national entity and a player in
  the Ancient Near Eastern political landscape
  culminating in the building of the Temple in
  Jerusalem. But

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Main Story Line, pt. II

• the human kings prove as well to be Israels
  downfall. By getting overly cozy with the other
  nations (and their gods), and through their own
  sad greed, Israels monarchs allow Israel to
  become divided, then overcome by enemies, leading
  to the Babylonian captivity.

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Themes

• Israel becomes more like other nations settled,
  powerful, led by skilled politicians, trading
  with other nations, etc.
• On the other hand, Israel becomes more like other
  nations having human kings, entering into
  alliances with idol-worshippers, etc.

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Main Characters

• Samuel, the kingmaker the last judge who anoints
  the first kings.
• Saul, Israels first king and a tragically-flawed
  man.

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(Main characters, continued)

• David, a local boy made good. A savvy
  politician, he becomes king after God and Samuel
  both reject Saul.
• Solomon, who built the Temple, and whose
  disregard for Israels God set the stage for the
  kingdoms split.

8
(Main characters, continued)

• Rehoboam, Solomons son who ascended the throne
  after Solomon died and couldnt get the support
  of the northern territories.
• Jeroboam, under whose leadership the northern
  territories seceded and declared their
  independence.

9
(Main characters, continued)

• The Deuteronomistic Historian, who during the
  Babylonian captivity brought together many
  stories and traditions into the single history we
  read here.

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SAMUEL, the last judge

• Hannah prays for a son in the sanctuary at
  Shiloh. The priest Eli believes her to be drunk.
  (Deuteronomist criticizing the priesthood.)
• Samuels miraculous birth, early signs of being a
  prophet. (1 Sam 1-3)
• In conflict with Philistines, Samuel proves
  himself to be a judge.

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SAMUEL, the last judge

• Samuel, the last judge, got old, and the people
  did not want his sons to take over. The nation
  lobbied for a radical departure from the
  covenantal structure "Appoint a king to rule us,
  like the other nations" (I Sam 85).

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SAUL, the first king of Israel

• Samuel is deeply shaken by the peoples request
  for a king. Rejection of God?
• After warning the people that a king will impose
  heavy burdens (Deuteronomist editorializing?)
  Samuel anoints Saul as king.

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SAUL, the first king of Israel

• Anointing There is some evidence that priests
  and prophets were anointed, but the ceremony was
  especially used to designate kings.
• Anointed one mashiach in Hebrew, rendered
  messiah in English and christos in Greek.
  Christ moshiach/messiah anointed king.

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Saul Cycle

• Anointed king by Samuel and presented to Israel
  (I Sam. 9, 10)
• Wins victory against Ammonites and is acclaimed
  king by Israel (11)
• Disobeyed Samuel by offering an unlawful
  sacrifice (13) and is rejected as king by Samuel
  (15)
• Tried to kill David (19) eventually his life is
  spared by David (23-26).
• Died in battle with the Philistines on Mount
  Gilboa (31)

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Saul Cycle Source Critical Issues

• Three accounts of the anointing of Saul
• 1) While looking for his fathers donkeys one
  day, Saul finds a seer in Ramah (later revealed
  to be Samuel) who anoints him. (1 Sam 91-1016)

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Saul Cycle, Source-Critical Issues

• 2) The people appeal to Samuel directly for for a
  centralized monarchy. By drawing lots, Samuel
  narrows the choice of king down to Saul -- who is
  found hiding in the luggage and subsequently
  anointed. (1 Samuel 1017-24 and 121-5)

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Saul Cycle, Source-Critical Issues

• 3) Saul is anointed king by Samuel as a result
  of his military victory against the Ammonites and
  Jabesh-Gilead. (1 Samuel 111-11 and 1115)

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Saul Cycle source-critical hypothesis

• The donkey story and the military victory story
  are pro-monarchic traditions that predate the
  exile. The account from 1017-24 and 121-5, on
  the other hand, comes from the so-called
  republican source, a later source that was
  critical of the monarchy.

19
DAVID

• David found by Samuel in an unlikely place --
  Bethlehem.
• Also unlikely David is the youngest son of
  Jesse. (Theme of youngest son receiving the
  promise.)
• House of David - Samuel promises that Israels
  eternal kingship will come from Davids lineage.

20
DAVID

• David is anointed, and immediately the spirit of
  God rests upon him as it did upon Saul.
• David returns to the southern territory of Judah,
  his home tribe.
• David unifies the tribal territories into one
  kingdom. Shows extraordinary political savvy
  doesnt alienate Sauls followers in the north,
  and moves his capital to Jebus/Jerusalem in the
  north, and calls it the city of David.

21
DAVID

• Eternal promise given to Davids descendents
  Your house and your kingdom will be established
  firmly forever before me. Your throne will be
  established forever. (716)
• But all is not well with David signaled by the
  David and Bathsheba episode.
• Court history of David - infighting among his
  sons.

22
SOLOMON

• II Samuel ends with David offering a sacrifice to
  end a plague. The place where he offers the
  sacrifice becomes the site of the temple.
• I Kings Solomon proves his fitness for kingship
  through being wise.
• Builds temple.
• Divides territory up into twelve districts that
  dont match tribal boundaries.

23
The Kingdom Splits

• To fund the building of the temple and get the
  supplies, Solomon gave some of the northern
  territory away to other nations and entered into
  foreign alliances through marriage.
• His son Rehoboam cant unite the kingdom in the
  face of resentment from the north. Northern
  secession led by Jeroboam.
• Northern kingdom becomes Israel (ten tribes)
  Southern Kingdom becomes Judah (tribe of Judah).
  Levites have no territory.

24
Northern Kingdom Falls

• Israels kingship line corrupt stage for
  Elijahs prophetic activity.
• Israel falls first to the Assyrians.
• Of the twelve tribes, only Judah remains.
• Deuteronomist records Judahs history after the
  fall of the northern kingdom Josiahs reforms
  to eliminate worship centers other than
  Jerusalem focus on the book of the Torah
  (Deuteronomy).

25
Southern Kingdom Falls

• Josiah killed in battle at Megiddo
  (Armageddon)
• Southern kingdom falls into hands of Assyrians,
  and then in short order the Babylonians conquer
  the Assyrians.
• Babylonian captivity

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Deuteronomistic Historian

• Deep ambivalence about kingship tragedy that
  kings were even needed.
• Hope in the promise of Davidic line Through the
  house of David that Israel will be restored.
• Reserves special condemnation for northern
  kingdom.
• Writing from Babylonian captivity.
• Chooses to incorporate both pro-monarchic and
  anti-monarchic material.