Bathsheba Soap?

You see all kinds of stuff on Facebook. Apparently you can actually buy this. 

The Date of the Davidic Covenant

Todd Bolen has written a very good article arguing that the Davidic Covenant (2 Sam 7) was made with David earlier rather than later in his reign. I read an earlier version of this article and have been persuaded that Todd is right. But you can access it here through links provided at his blog.

The Nature of David Sin Against Bathsheba, Again

Last week I drew attention to Andrew Perriman's post on the nature of David's sin with Bathsheba, notably whether it should be classified as adultery or rape (see here). Perriman has now followed up with another post here where he addresses some challenges to his original post. I think Perriman has the better of it. One can see a somewhat different perspective in Carmen Imes' essay here, although I think these two are talking a bit past one another.

The Nature of David Sin Against Bathsheba

Andrew Perriman has a very good post here addressing recent discussions related to the David's sin against Bathsheba, most specifically whether it amounted to rape.

A Biblical Theology of David and Goliath

Jason Hood has a very interesting treatment treatment here of the David and Goliath story (1 Sam 17). His biblical theology treatment is interesting and even persuasive. But, I am wrestling with how his approach is different from the allegorical approaches that he rejects at the beginning of the article. I see two differences. First, Hood replaces anthropocentric allegorical approaches with what he sees as a theocentric biblical theology approach. Second, he approaches the David and Goliath within the broader story of the Bible whereas some other popular allegorical approaches fall outside of the biblical story line. But some of Hood's connections, his tracing of the biblical theology, seem a bit of a stretch for me. In any case, the article is worth checking out.

David's Unfortunate Census

David's unfortunate census is recorded in 2 Samuel 24:1-17 and 1 Chronicles 21:1-30. There are a number of interpretive challenges related to this event, but perhaps one of the stickiest is whether David's numbering was prompted by God (2 Sam 24:1) or Satan (1 Chr 21:1). Sinclair Ferguson attempts to address this conundrum here. While I tend to agree with the principles behind his proposed theological solution, I do wish he would have spent more time in the actual texts of 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles and looking first at the possible textual reasons behind the different approaches taken by the authors of the respective books. 

Three Lessons from David’s Fall and Forgiveness

Jim Newheiser has a good discussion here highlighting three lessons drawn from the fallout from David's sin with Bathsheba (2 Sam 11). As I often say, David messed up royally (pun intended) but the Lord does not allow sin to have the last word.

"Son"

My friend Mathew Tanner has composed and performed a wonderful song called, "Son." The song begins with David's response to the death of Absalom and moves to the death of Jesus. It is not strictly an exercise in typology but it is an interesting move biblically and beautifully done musically. I encourage you to check it out. You can listen to the song, watch the video, or purchase a copy of the song here.

What Happened between David and Bathsheba

Four recent articles/posts (see links below) have sought to clarify what exactly happened (or did not happen) between David and Bathsheba. More specifically, did David rape Bathsheba? The issue is complicated and there is a measure of ambiguity in 2 Samuel 11. My reading of the text suggests that David acts despicably but his actions probably do not qualify as rape, at least not in the biblical definition of the term (see Burk below).

Unsigned article but discusses Rachael Denhollender's view
Denny Burk
Anne Kennedy
Ruth Graham

Was Bathsheba Bathing or Washing

Most are familiar with the infamous encounter of David with Bathsheba. But one question that arises in 2 Samuel 11 is whether Bathsheba was bathing (hygienic) or washing (cultic) when David saw her. Claude Mariottini has a nice discussion on the issue here.

Free Logos Book for April: A Theology of Matthew

The free Logos Book for the Month for April is Charles Quarles's A Theology of Matthew: Jesus Revealed as Deliverer, King, and Incarnate Creator. You can also purchase Tremper Longman's Immanuel in Our Place: Seeing Christ in Israel’s Worship or Mark Boda's After God’s Own Heart: The Gospel According to David in The Gospel according to the Old Testament series for $1.99 and $2.99 respectively. You can also register for a chance win the four-volume A Theology of Lordship. For all these offers, go to the Logos' Free Book of Month page here.

Searching for the Historical King David Video, Again

About two weeks ago, I posted a video here of Yosef Garfinkel's recent presentation, "Searching for the Historical King David: Excavating Kh. Qeiyafa and Kh. al-Ra'i," made at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. You can find another version of the presentation given a few days later at the Lanier Theological Library. This one features a different Q&A.

Yosef Garfinkel: Searching for the Historical King David Video

Here is Yosef Garfinkel's recent presentation, "Searching for the Historical King David: Excavating Kh. Qeiyafa and Kh. al-Ra'i," that he made at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary on September 11.

David and Goliath

Carl Rasmussen has a good post on the geography of the battle between David and Goliath.David and Goliath here.

Archaeological Evidence for King David

Kenneth Way has a good post here discussing the archaeological evidence for King David.

Did David Author 4,050 Psalms!

Recently while doing some reading I was reminded of a statement in one of the Dead Sea Scrolls that David might have been much more prolific than might be indicated by the 73 psalms associated to him in the Psalter. In fact, we are told that David composed 4,050!

Col. XXVII (Compositions of David Sam 23:7) I and the haft of his spear and he cast them in the fire
leaving no trace of them.

² Blank And David, son of Jesse, was wise, a luminary like the light of the sun, learned, ³ Blank knowledgeable, and perfect in all his paths before God and men. And to him ⁴ Blank YHWH gave a wise and enlightened spirit. And he wrote psalms: ⁵ three thousand six hundred; and songs to be sung before the altar over the perpetual ⁶ offering of every day, for all the days of the year: three hundred 7 and sixty-four; and for the sabbath offerings: fifty-two songs; and for the offering for the beginning ⁸ of the month, and for all the days of the festivals, and for the day of atonement: thirty songs. ⁹ And all the songs which he composed were four hundred and forty-six. And songs ¹⁰ to be sung over the possessed: four. The total was four thousand and fifty ¹¹ He composed them all through the spirit of prophecy which had been given to him from before the Most High. Blank (11Q5 27:2–11)

Translation from Florentino García Martínez, The Dead Sea Scrolls Translated: The Qumran Texts in English (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996), 309.

How Did David Defeat Goliath?

Randy McCracken, building on the work of others, has a very interesting take on how David actually defeated Goliath here. I am typically a bit skeptical of stuff like this, but I think there is something to at least think about here.

HT: Lindsay Kennedy

McKenzie on the Messianic Kingdom

  
I have been scanning some old articles from my files and came across one from the Roman Catholic scholar John L. McKenzie. I have provided two excerpts, one from the beginning of the article and one from the end. 

“Exegetes are not entirely in agreement on the extent on which messianism should be called eschatological: that is, whether the messianic hope is to be realized within history or outside history. In either case, however, messianism is understood to be a divine intervention in history and the establishment of the kingdom of God over all men. In the conclusion of this paper I shall state the meaning which I think should be attached to the word eschatological. Here at the beginning we must notice that the future kingdom of God is conceived and described in the terms of historical kingdom of Israel as the primary term of analogy; consequently, the messianic hope rarely appears entirely deprived of national features.”

“In conclusion, then, we can state that royal messianism is a conviction that Yahweh has promised the dynasty of David an eternal duration. With this eternal duration Israel is inescapably connected. The Davidic king and the kingdom of Israel are to extend their sway over the entire world and to be the medium through which the kingdom of Yahweh realize itself for all men, a kingship not of conquest and oppression like the world empire of the Assyrians, but a kingdom of justice, righteousness, peace and security. This hope in its earliest form focuses upon the dynasty as a whole, represented in each successive historical king. As time goes on and the historical perseverance of the dynasty becomes uncertain, and it finally comes to an end, the hope turns to an assurance that the promises of Yahweh will find fulfillment only in the restoration of the dynasty. Attention is then focused not upon the dynasty as a whole—for it no longer exists, or is shortly to perish—but rather upon the ruler who will restore the dynasty. This founder of the new dynasty will be another David in the sense that the reign is inaugurated with him. Like David, he will exhibit the qualities of the ideal king. In him the fullness of the spirit will be realized, upon him will rest the gifts of the spirit, and through him the power of Yahweh will establish His reign over the entire world, which will submit in peace to the rule of a righteous God.”

John L. McKenzie, “Royal Messianism, Catholic Bible Quarterly 19 (1957): 25, 51–52.
  

Typology and David's Rise to Power

  

James Hamilton has posted a link to his article “The Typology of David’s Rise to Power: Messianic Patterns in the Book of Samuel” from a recent issue of the Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 16:2 (2012). See also his explanatory post here.

 

Michelangelo’s David

  

Some might be interested in this article on Michelangelo’s statue of David.