The Nathan Narratives
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The Nathan Narratives

Gwilym H. Jones

Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series 80

Copyright © 1990 Sheffield Academic Press

Published by JSOT Press

JSOT Press is an imprint of

Sheffield Academic Press Ltd

The University of Sheffield

343 Fulwood Road

Sheffield S10 3BP

England

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

Jones, Gwilym H. (Gwilym Henry), 1930

The Nathan narratives.

1. Bible. O.T. Historical criticism

I. Title II. Series

221.6′7

ISSN 0309-0787

ISBN 1-85075-225-7

Contents

Preface

Abbreviations

Chapter 1

Introduction

Chapter 2

Nathan the Prophet

Chapter 3

Succession to David’s Throne (1 Kings 1)

Chapter 4

Oracles Concerning the Temple and the Dynasty (2 Sam. 7:1–17)

Chapter 5

Condemnation of David’s Affair with Bathsheba (2 Sam. 12:1–25)

Chapter 6

David and Jebusite Jerusalem

Chapter 7

Conclusion

Bibliography

Index of Biblical References

Index of Authors

Preface

My interest in the Nathan traditions was aroused when I was working through 1 Kings 1–2 for a commentary on 1 & 2 Kings in the New Century Bible series. Support from the University College of North Wales and from the British Academy enabled me to pursue my interest and to bring this study to conclusion. The Senate of the University at Bangor granted me a Study Leave to work on the project, and with the help of a Research Award in Humanities from the Academy I was able to spend time in the University Library, Cambridge and in the British Library, London.

My colleague, the Revd B.A. Mastin, gave of his time to read an earlier draft of this book. I am grateful to him for his advice; his many suggestions saved me from infelicities of expression. Once again I must acknowledge my debt to Mrs Beti Llewellyn, who valiantly tackled my untidily handwritten manuscript and with skill and great patience prepared successive drafts of this work for the press.

Finally, I thank the editors for accepting this book for publication in the Supplement Series of the Journal for the Study of the Old Testament and for their helpful comments and assistance.

Gwilym H. Jones

University College of North Wales

Bangor

April 1988

Abbreviations

AASOR Annual of the American Schools of Oriental Research, New Haven

AB Anchor Bible, New York

AJSL American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures, Chicago

AnBib Analecta Biblica, Rome

ARW Archiv für Religionswissenschaft, Berlin

ASTI Annual of the Swedish Theological Institute in Jerusalem, Leiden

ATD Das Alte Testament Deutsch, Göttingen

AThD Acta Theologica Danica, Copenhagen

BBB Bonner Biblische Beiträge, Bonn

BHH Biblisch-historisches Handwörterbuch, 3 volumes, Göttingen, 1962–66

BHS Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 1976

BHTh Beiträge zur Historischen Theologie, Tübingen

BJRL Bulletin of the John Rylands Library, Manchester

BK Biblischer Kommentar, Neukirchen-Vluyn

BWANT Beiträge zur Wissenschaft vom Alten und Neuen Testament, Stuttgart

BZ Biblische Zeitschrift, Paderborn

BZAW Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, ...

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About The Nathan Narratives

The three Nathan narratives in 2 Samuel and 1 Kings are given detailed consideration in this fascinating study. A persuasive attempt is made to reconstruct the original form of the traditions and to trace the modifications made to them before they were finally accepted into the Succession Narrative. The original Nathan, a court official and chief spokesman for the Jebusite group, sought a working compromise between the original Jebusite inhabitants of Jerusalem and its new Israelite settlers. After accepting service under King David, Nathan tried to secure the best he could for the Jebusites in this new situation. When this tradition was expanded, modified and theologized, the consistent Nathan of early tradition became a complex character, and almost appears as a dual personality: the diplomatic court prophet of the original narrative became an outspoken prophet of Yahweh in the “theological” accounts of his activities.

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