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David's Secret Demons: Messiah, Murderer, Traitor, King (Bible in Its World (Paperback))
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About David's Secret
Product Description "The Bible Portrays King David as an exceptional man and a paragon of godly devotion. But was he? Some scholars deny that he existed at all. Did he? This challenging book examines the written and archaeological evidence critically in an effort to paint an accurate picture of one of the Bible's central figures."--BOOK JACKET. From The Critics Library Journal Halpern (Jewish studies, Pennsylvania State Univ.) has given us a scholarly, fascinating, and controversial study of the figure of David in the Hebrew Scriptures. He does not doubt the actual existence of a historical figure named David, as does Thomas Thompson in his Early History of the Israelite People (Brill, 2001). However, he argues that the historical David was a far different person than the one pictured in 1 and 2 Second Samuel. The controversial nature of this study can be seen in the title of one of the chapters: "King David, Serial Killer." Halpern presents a close textual analysis of the stories about David in 1 Samuel 8 through 2 Samuel 1, along with a special study of 2 Samuel 8. He builds his case around the idea that there were two sources, identified here as A and B, which were used for the final versions of 1 and 2 Samuel. While Source A shows some of his faults, Source B is a kind of whitewashing apology for David in order to justify the kingship of Solomon and his successors. The real David, Halpern thinks, was a ruthless individual who was willing to murder or have murdered all of Saul's family so that he could secure the throne. Sure to receive much scholarly attention, Halpern's work can be profitably read by lay persons and scholars alike. Recommended for both public and academic libraries. David Bourquin, California State Univ., San Bernardino Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information. Review Publishers Weekly -- Starred Review "In a dazzling display of erudition, Halpern dissects the story of David with sparkling, witty prose, using historical, textual, psychological, and archaeological analysis. Conventional perceptions of David fault him for his affair with Bathsheba and for arranging the death of her husband, but generally portray him as a handsome, brave shepherd who became king and established Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Halpern elaborates and exploits the story of Bathsheba to paint David as a villain. He methodically demolishes any positive image of David, calling him a serial killer, thug, mercenary, adulterer, assassin, bandit, brigand, and predator. . . An outstanding study. " Jonathan Kirsch in The Los Angeles Times "For any reader who is troubled by the notion that the Bible might not be historically accurate or complete, there is both good news and bad news in David's Secret Demons. . . Its author, co-director of the archeological excavations at Megiddo, where the Bible says the battle of Armageddon will occur, is among the most accomplished and distinguished scholars of his generation, or any generation. As both a biblical historian and a working archeologist, he brings an unrivaled depth of scholarship to his work. . . David's Secret Demons is an intellectual tour de force that gathers all the strands of technical Bible scholarship and ties them to the figure of David as he has been recalled and celebrated in the whole sweep of Western civilization. Along the way, Halpern displays an inventiveness and even a playfulness that is rare in Bible scholarship. " Bible Review "The book is exhaustively researched, covers enormous ground and is brilliantly original, offering great reward to the brave reader." Theological Studies "This study shows not only that skeptical minimalism and credulous biblicism are not only options in the current debate about ancient Israel, but also that there is a future for biblical texts in the reconstruction of history, when they are read in the light of other ancient historical documents. . . Halpern has set a standard in the critical use of both biblical and nonbiblical
