Stanley Arthur Cook

“ The (probably Deuteronomic) framework of Israelite history in Kings can be traced in Samuel, and it is a natural assumption that it should have gone back beyond the time of Jeroboam I. While the detailed history of Israelite kings and prophets in 1 Kings xvii.–2 Kings x. (Ahab to Jehu) finds more developed parallels in the narratives of Saul and Samuel, the peculiar treatment of the lives of David and Solomon (Judaean kings over a united Israel) and of the division of the monarchy has complicated the present sources. ”

“ Summary.redactions still awaits solution, and the late insertion of earlier narratives (which have had their own vicissitudes) complicates the literary evidence. Greater care than usual was taken to weave into the canonical representation of history sources of diverse origin, and it is scarcely possible at present to do more than indicate some of the more important features in the composition of a book, one of the most important of all for the critical study of biblical history and theology.
The Hebrew text is often corrupt but can frequently be corrected with the help of the Septuagint. ”

“ On the other hand, this would ignore the representation of (north) Israelite extension over Judah by Joshua and Saul, [8] and it may be inferred that we have to allow for absolutely different and conflicting standpoints in regard to the history of the district, and that the Judaean traditions of David once had their own independent account of the occupation of Jerusalem and its neighbourhood. The fragments preserved in 2 Sam. v.–viii., xxi.–xxiv. are quite distinct from ii. 12–iv.; they throw another light upon David’s relations to Saul’s family (xxi. 1-14) ”

“ The unambiguous allusions in xiii. 13 seq., xv 26-28, and the anointing of David by Samuel in xvi. are ignored in the narratives of the relations between David and Saul, of whose first meeting two contradictory accounts are given (contrast xvi. 21 sqq. and xvii. 55 sqq.) . The independent stories of David place him in the south of Judah, an outlaw with a large following, or a vassal of the Philistines; and his raids upon south Judaean clans are treated as attacks upon Saul’s kingdom (xxvii. 10-12) . ”

“ Moreover, according to 1 Kings ii. 26, Abiathar bore the ark, and while some traditions traced its history to Shiloh, or even found it at Bethel (Judg. xx. 27 seq.) , others apparently ran quite another course, associated it with southern clans ultimately settled in Judah, and supposed that Jerusalem was its first resting-place. The author of 2 Sam. vii. 6 (cf. also 1 Chron. xxiii. 25 sq.) can scarcely have known 1 Sam. i.-iii. with its temple at Shiloh, and although 2 Sam. vi. finds its present prelude in 1 Sam. vi. 17–vii. ”

“ The religious views are so varied that a single writer or even a single age cannot be postulated; note especially 1 Sam. xv. 22 seq. contrasted with the use of teraphim in xix. 13, and the different conceptions of Yahweh (1 Sam. xii. 21 seq., xv. 22 and xxvi. 19, &c.) . [1] Unsystematic additions appear to have been made from time to time on a considerable scale, and we not seldom find two accounts of the same events which not only differ in detail but are certainly of very different date. Thus, the saying “Is Saul also among the prophets? ”

“ North Israelite or Benjamite) are to be expected in a work now in post-exilic form. [14] David’s history is handled independently of Saul in 1 Sam. xxv.; and the narrative, now editorially connected with the context (v. 1, see xxviii. 3, and v. 44, see 2 Sam. iii. 15) , gives a valuable picture of his life in the south of Palestine. [15] With this notice his relations with south Judaean cities in xxx. ”

“ W. of Jerusalem) is commonly admitted to be in alien hands. But it is clear that Nob (1 Sam. xxi. seq.) , about 2 m. N. of the capital, on this view, was scarcely an Israelite city, yet the presence of the priests of Shiloh there is essential to the present structure of the book. ↑ 3 For Joshua, see the older portions of Josh. x., and for Saul, 1 Sam. xiv. 47-51 (his wars) , xv. 4 (his Judaean army) , xvii. 54 (Jerusalem) , xxvii. 7-12 (south Judaean clans under Israelite suzerainty) and 2 Sam. i. ”

“ Although xxi. 1-14 and ix. are of entirely distinct standpoints, [11] both are presupposed in xvi. 5-14, xix. 16-23, and in xvi. 1-4, xix. 24-30 respectively; the gloss xxi. 7 evidently dates after the insertion of ix., while the opening words of ix. 1 point back, not to xxi. which is ignored, but rather to iv., from which it is now severed by the miscellaneous group of passages in v.–viii. [12] In view of a few reco nized signs of diverse origin (contrast xiv. 27 with xviii. 18, and see Budde on xv. 24 sqq., xvii. 17) , it is possible that xvi. ”

“ Judg; ii. 14 sqq.) ; similarly in the (north) Israelite writer in 2 Kings xiii. 3 sqq. (see Kings) . ↑ It is difficult to decide which is the older; for xxvi. see especially M. Löhr, Sam., p. xlv.; H. Gressmann, Schriften d. A. T., ad loc. ”