The latest issue of the Bulletin for Biblical Research arrived in yesterday’s mail and includes: Joshua Philpot, “Exodus 34:29–35 and Moses’ Shining Face” Edward Bridge, “The Metaphoric Use of Slave Terms in the Hebrew Bible” Gregory Goswell, “Joshua and Kingship” Gregory Wong, “A Farewell to Arms: Goliath’s Death as Rhetoric against Faith in Arms” David DeSilva, “The Human Ideal, the Problem of Evil, and Moral Responsibility in 4 Maccabees”
Gerbrand van den Eeckhout, ‘Anna Presenting Her Son Samuel to the Priest Eli’ In due order within The City of God’s longer discussion of Hannah’s prayer at Samuel’s dedication, 1 Augustine arrives at the clause, “[a]nd [he] shall exalt the horn of His Christ” ( 1 Sam 2:10). Here, Augustine ponders: ...
[caption id="" align=“alignright” width=“250” caption=“15th-c. Illumination (Photo credit: Wikipedia)”] [/caption] First Samuel 18:6 describes David’s return after killing Goliath ( 1 Sam 17:41–58). Precisely how this event sits chronologically in relationship to the surrounding narrative is difficult to establish. 1 One good way of reading the narrative, however, involves treating 1 Sam 18:1–5 as an extended parenthesis, which includes some foreshadowing, and understanding 1 Sam 18:6 to be bringing the reader back to the main plot line that had temporarily paused with 1 Sam 17:58. 2 In this context, it begins to be said הכה שׁאול֙ באלפו ודוד ברבבתיו ( 1 Sam 18:7; Saul has slain by his thousands and David by his ten thousands; see also 1 Sam 21:11; 29:5). 3 Yet, thus far, David has specifically been reported to have killed only one person (Goliath) and some animals ( 1 Sam 17:34–37)—not רבבת (ten thousands). 4 Rather, the women’s song quantitatively represents the qualitative value of David’s victory over Goliath as it relates to Saul’s previous exploits. 5 On hearing this song, then, Saul becomes enraged and starts looking and acting to do David harm ( 1 Sam 18:8–9). ...