BERIT OLAM

Studies in Hebrew Narrative & Poetry

2 Samuel

Craig E. Morrison, OCarm

Jerome T. Walsh

Editor

A Michael Glazier Book

LITURGICAL PRESS

Collegeville, Minnesota

www.litpress.org

A Michael Glazier Book published by Liturgical Press

Cover design by Ann Blattner.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

© 2013 by Order of Saint Benedict, Collegeville, Minnesota. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by print, microfilm, microfiche, mechanical recording, photocopying, translation, or by any other means, known or yet unknown, for any purpose except brief quotations in reviews, without the previous written permission of Liturgical Press, Saint John’s Abbey, PO Box 7500, Collegeville, Minnesota 56321-7500.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Morrison, Craig E., 1958–

2 Samuel / Craig Morrison, OCarm ; Jerome Walsh, editor.

pages cm. — (BERIT OLAM: studies in Hebrew narrative & poetry)

A Michael Glazier book.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-8146-5043-1

1. Bible. Samuel, 2nd—Criticism, interpretation, etc. I. Walsh, Jerome T., 1942– II. Title. III. Title: Second Samuel.

BS1325.52.M67 2013

222'.4407—dc23

2013028485

For Bella and Henry Tovey, from whom I learned to distinguish

an aleph from a beth and much, much more.

CONTENTS

Preface

List of Abbreviations

1. Introduction

2. Act 2: David Rules in Hebron: 2 Samuel 1:1–5:5

3. Act 3: David Establishes His Reign in Jerusalem: 2 Samuel 5:6–8:18

4. Act 4: Divine Rescue for a Beguiled King: 2 Samuel 9–20

5. Act 5: David’s Public Life Draws to a Close: 2 Samuel 21–24

Epilogue

For Further Reading

Index of Authors Cited

Index of Biblical Citations

PREFACE

As I embarked on this commentary on 2 Samuel, I assumed that my task was to interpret, or “exegete,” the life of King David for my readers. But the more I tried to interpret him, the more elusive, complex, and distant he became. A king, a father, a warrior, a diplomat, a murderer, a manipulator, a tyrant, a beguiler who is often beguiled, David, as baffling as he is ambiguous, interprets and exposes the fictions of those who meet him. Over the past several years, I have spoken to many people about David, and their ideas are buried in these pages. Rev. Stephen Pisano, SJ, an Old Testament professor here at the Pontifical Biblical Institute, critiqued my shifting deliberations and then took the time to read my final draft and offer suggestions. Rev. Quinn Conners, OCarm, PhD, a clinical psychologist at St. Luke’s Institute in Silver Spring, Maryland, offered insights into my interpretation of 2 Samuel 13: the rape of Tamar. Sharmila Andrews, Rita Mary Cote, and ...