FOREWORD  (XIII)

0. INTRODUCTION. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BOOK OF SAMUEL (1)
0.1. THE EARLIER AUTHOR’S STORY ON DAVID AND HIS KINGDOM (3)
0.1.1. The boundaries, purpose, and message of the book’s earliest layer (6)
0.2. THE SECOND AUTHOR’S EDITING OF THE HISTORY OF DAVID (8)
0.3. THE LONG PERIOD OF TRANSMISSION ENDS IN AN EDITORIAL PROJECT (11)
0.4. THE ‘DEUTERONOMISTIC’ EDITING OF SAMUEL AND KINGS (13)

1. SOLOMON’S SUCCESSION AND THE CONSOLIDATION OF HIS KINGDOM (1 KGS 1–2) (17)
1.1. THE HISTORIOGRAPHICAL EPISODE OF SOLOMON’S SUCCESSION (19)
1.1.1. The debate over the origin of the story of Solomon’s succession (19)
1.1.2. Vicissitudes in the story of Solomon’s succession (22)
1.1.2.1. How the story of Solomon’s ascension once concluded the story of David (23)
1.1.2.2. Why did the second author omit David’s old age and Solomon’s succession from his revised version? (28)
1.1.2.3. Why and how do the episodes of David’s old age and Solomon’s succession appear in the Book of Kings? (30)
1.1.2.4. Why did the author of Chronicles omit the episodes of David’s old age and the struggle between Adonijah and Solomon over David’s throne? (31)
1.1.3. Examination of the story’s historiographical testimony (31)
1.1.3.1. The claims of Adonijah’s party (32)
1.1.3.2. The claims of Solomon’s party (34)
1.1.3.3. The identification of Adonijah’s supporters (36)
1.1.3.4. The identification of Solomon’s supporters (38)
1.2. A LITERARY AND RHETORICAL STUDY OF THE SUCCESSION STORY (41)
1.2.1. David’s old age, the search for virgins and the appearance of Abishag (42)
1.2.2. Adonijah’s pretense to be the successor and his feast (vs. 5–10) (43)
1.2.3. Bathsheba and Nathan implore the king to intervene (1:11–53) (46)
1.2.4. David orders Solomon’s coronation (51)
1.2.5. King David’s testament and his instructions to King Solomon (52)
1.2.5.1. David’s call to observe God’s ways and its link to Nathan’s oracle (53)
1.2.5.2. David’s instructions of reward and retribution for certain dignitaries (55)
1.2.6. Adonijah asks to marry Abishag and loses his life (2:13–46) .(57)

2. SOLOMON BECOMES KNOWN AS THE WISE KING (1 KGS 3–4) (69)
2.1. SOLOMON’S JOURNEY TO THE CITY OF GIBEON AND HIS DREAM (70)
2.1.1. The reality and significance of the large offering and Solomon’s dream (71)
2.1.1.1. Examining the time of the story’s events (71)
2.1.1.2. The status of the city of Gibeon and its large high place (73)
2.1.1.3. The political significance of Solomon’s visit to his Benjaminite proponents (75)
2.1.1.4. The political significance of the celebration and Solomon’s dream (77)
2.1.2. Historiographic and poetic features in the story in Kings (79)
2.1.2.1. The editorial notes preceding the story of the dream (1 Kgs 3:1–3) (81)
2.1.2.2. The dream story as narrated in the Book of Kings (3:5–14) (82)
2.1.3. The historiography and socio-theology that constitute the version of Chronicles (87)
2.2. THREE RIDDLES, TWO HARLOTS, AND ONE INFANT IN THE KING’S TRIAL (89)
2.2.2. Is there a concealed colophon at the end of the earliest version? (89)
2.2.2. Context and links in the final parts of the earliest version (90)
2.2.3. Various questions, answers, and reading methods in Solomon’s trial (92)
2.2.4. The focus shifts to the communication between narrator and reader (96)
2.2.4.1. The appearance of the two harlots and the claim of the first one (100)
2.2.4.2. Both women debating the motherhood of the living baby (106)
2.2.4.4. The king summarizes the case and issues his first verdict (108)
2.2.4.5. The two women respond to the king’s verdict (110)
2.2.4.6. The king changes his verdict on behalf of the true mother (114)

3. WHY THE EARLIER EPILOGUE WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE (2 SAM 21–24) (117)
3.1. FAMINE, EXECUTION, A MOTHER’S DEVOTION AND THE LAND EXPIATION (2 SAM 21:1–14) (120)
3.1.1. The historical aspects of the sacrifice of Saul’s family (121)
3.1.2. The time and motivation of Saul’s sin against the Gibeonites (122)
3.1.3. The period of the famine and the execution of Saul’s family males (126)
3.1.4. The meeting between King David and the Gibeonites (130)
3.1.5. The king agrees, transfers the victims and the Gibeonites kill them (131)
3.1.6. Rizpah defends the honor of the impaled sons (137)
3.2. LISTS, EXPLOITS AND PRAISES FOR DAVID’S HEROES (2 SAM 21:15–22; 23:6–39) (140)
3.2.1. David and his warriors kill four Philistines, sons of the Rapha (2 Sam 21:15–22) (140)
3.2.2. The anecdotes of the exploits of the commanders and the list of the warriors of David (2 Sam 21:15–22) (143)
3.3. CENSUS, PUNISHMENT AND GOD REMOVES THE PLAGUE (2 SAM 24:1–25; 1 CHR 21:1–22:1) (145)
3.3.1. The context and intention of the episode of David’s census and plague in the Book of Samuel (145)
3.3.2. The historical background of the episode of the census and the plague (146)
3.3.3. The differences in context and message of the census episode between Samuel and Chronicles (148)
3.3.4. The Lord incites David and David orders Joab to carry out the census (149)
3.3.5. David commands Joab to execute the census, despite the objection of the latter (152)
3.3.6. The Lord punishes the nation and David builds an altar and gains forgiveness for the land (156)
3.4. THREE PSALMS INSERTED BY LATE EDITORS IN THE EPILOGUE AND PROLOGUE (2 SAM 22:1–23:6; 1 SAM 2:1–10) (157)
3.4.1. David’s psalm of thanksgiving to the Lord for saving him from all his enemies (2 Sam 22:1–51) (158)
3.4.2. The psalm of the last words of David regarding his everlasting dynasty (2 Sam 23:1–7) (160)

4. DYNASTIES IN CONTRAST: ELI AND HIS SONS VERSUS SAMUEL AND HIS PARENTS (1 SAM 1–6) (165)
4.1. THE INTRODUCTION OF ELKANAH, AND HANNAH AND SAMUEL’S BIRTH (1 SAM 1:1–28) (167)
4.1.1. A general survey of the structure of the first episode dealing with Samuel’s parents (168)
4.1.2. Various readings of the episode describing Hannah’s barrenness and the preference for a theological close reading (169)
4.1.3. A close reading of the episode describing Hannah’s barrenness and the birth of Samuel and his devotion to the Lord (1 Sam 1) (171)
4.1.3.1. The exposition: introducing characters that play roles in the episodes (171)
4.1.3.2. The yearly meals deteriorating and Elkanah’s group heads toward a family crisis (173)
4.1.3.3. Hannah breaks, Elkanah comforts, Hannah eats and leaves (175)
4.1.3.4. Hannah goes to the shrine to pray and has a dialogue with Eli (180)
4.2. HANNAH’S SONG OF THANKSGIVING TO THE LORD (1 SAM 2:1–10) (184)
4.3. SAMUEL AND THE SONS OF ELI: A CONTRAST BETWEEN THE CANDIDATES TO BE THE SUCCESSOR (2:11–4:1) (185)
4.3.1. The narrator focuses his description on the House of Eli (2:11–26) (185)
4.3.2. The appearance of the ‘man of God’ and his prophecy (2:27–36) (192)
4.3.3. Samuel gets his first revelation and becomes a national prophet (3:1–4:1a) (193)
4.4. THE BATTLE NEAR APHEK AND THE CAPTURE OF THE ARK OF GOD AND ITS RETURN (1 SAM 4:1–7:1) (196)
4.4.1. The war against the Philistines: A historical analysis (197)
4.4.1.1. Background of tensions and campaigns with the Philistines (197)
4.4.2. The war with the Philistines and its consequences: A literary analysis (200)
4.4.2.1. Sin and punishment as an ideological aspect in the campaigns with the Philistines (201)
4.4.2.2. The repetition device and its various points of view on the war with the Philistines (202)
4.4.3. The Ark of God smites Philistine cities and is sent back to Israel (206)

5. SAMUEL AS A PRIEST, PROPHET, AND JUDGE (1 SAM 7–8) (209)
5.1. THE ISRAELITES FIGHT THE PHILISTINES AT MIZPAH AND CHASE THEM WESTWARD (1 SAM 7) (210)
5.1.1. The background of the Mizpah battle, its stages, and far-reaching consequences (210)
5.1.1.1. The historical description behind the historiographical picture (210)
5.1.1.2. A theological-historiographical description of the Mizpah war (223)
5.1.1.3. A brief summary of Samuel’s activity as the last of the judges (vs. 15–17) (227)
5.2. THE ISRAELITES DEMAND A KING AND SAMUEL DELIVERS A WARNING SPEECH (1 SAM 8) (228)
5.2.1. The exposition: Samuel becomes old and his sons do not follow him (8:1–3) (229)
5.2.2. A delegation of elders demand Samuel appoint a king (vs. 4–5) (231)
5.2.3. Samuel’s and the Lord’s reactions to the elders’ request (vs. 6–9) (232)
5.2.4. Samuel delivers a warning speech: “The law of the king” (vs. 10–18) (234)
5.2.4.1. Rhetoric and literary devices in Samuel’s speech against kingship (vs. 10–18) (238)
5.2.4.2. The people’s reaction followed by Samuel consulting the Lord and dispersing the assembly (vs. 19–22) (242)

6. SAUL EXPERIENCES THREE ENTHRONEMENTS AND A WAR (CHAPS. 9–12) (245)
6.1. THE FIRST MEETING BETWEEN SAUL AND SAMUEL, AND THE ANOINTMENT (246)
6.1.1. Saul and his lad set out on a lengthy search for donkeys (247)
6.1.2. Saul and his lad cross the border of the land of Zuph (253)
6.1.2.1. The consultation between Saul and his servant (256)
6.1.2.2. The guests meet local young women (261)
6.1.3. Saul meets Samuel, is anointed, and plans for future (265)
6.1.3.1. The banquet near the Bamah and night in Mizpah (9:22–25) (268)
6.1.3.2. Samuel instructs Saul, anoints him, and gives him signs (9:26–10:8) (271)
6.1.3.3. The return home and fulfilment of the signs (10:9–16) (275)
6.2. THE PUBLIC ENTHRONEMENT OF SAUL AT MIZPAH (10:17–27) (277)
6.3. WAR AGAINST THE AMMONITES AND THE RENEWAL OF SAUL’S KINGSHIP IN GILGAL (11:1–15) (281)
6.3.1 The siege and the call for help from the delegates in Gibeah (vs. 1–9) (282)
6.3.2. Israel prevails and rejoices at the renewal of the kingship (vs. 10–18) (287)
6.4. SAMUEL’S SPEECH AFTER SAUL’S THIRD CORONATION (CHAP. 12) (289)
6.4.1. Samuel’s third warning speech regarding the current ruling (291)

7. SAUL’S OTHER BATTLES AND RIFTS WITH SAMUEL (CHAPS 13:1–15:35) (295)
7.1. THE INDEPENDENCE WAR NEAR MICHMASH (CHAPS 13–14) (296)
7.1.1. History, geography, archaeology and military points of view (296)
7.1.1.1. Early steps in planning a rebellion, but not executing it (297)
7.1.1.2. The Philistines cautiously monitor Saul’s moves (301)
7.1.1.3. Saul, Jonathan, and Samuel on the eve of the rebellion (303)
7.1.1.4. A historical analysis of the Battle of Michmash (304)
7.1.1.5. First movements and deployments of both armies (306)
7.1.1.6. The Philistines send three divisions of destroyers (309)
7.1.1.7. Both armies position themselves on opposite hills (315)
7.1.1.8 Jonathan and his arms bearer initiate excursion and attack (315)
7.1.1.9. Saul joins the battle and pursues the retreating Philistines (318)
7.1.2. A literary study of the story and its ideological significance (321)
7.2. THE LATER EDITOR’S SUMMARY OF SAUL’S KINGSHIP (14:47–52) (330)
7.3. A BATTLE WITH AMALEK AND A RIFT BETWEEN KING AND PROPHET (CHAP 15) (333)
7.3.1. Saul’s attack against Amalek—a historical analysis (334)
7.3.2. Saul’s war and argument with Samuel—a literary perspective (337)
7.3.2.1. Samuel transmits God’s command to Saul to ban Amalek (15:1–3) (338)
7.3.2.2. Saul’s faulty execution (vs. 4–9) (339)
7.3.2.3. God reacts and sends Samuel to the king (vs. 10–12) (342)
7.3.2.4. Samuel goes to locate the king who is celebrating victory (343)
7.3.2.5. Confrontation between the prophet and king (vs. 13–35) (345)

8. SAMUEL ANOINTS DAVID, DAVID IS SUMMONED TO SAUL’S COURT (CHAP. 16) (353)
8.1. SAMUEL’S SECRET MISSION TO ANOINT A NEW KING (VS. 1–13) (355)
8.1.1. God rebukes Samuel and orders him to find a king from the family of Jesse (355)
8.1.2. Samuel goes to Bethlehem and anoints David (358)
8.2. DAVID JOINS SAUL’S COURT TO FULFILL TWO FUNCTIONS (VS. 14–23) (364)
8.2.1. A solution based on the composition of various sources or traditions (365)
8.2.2. A solution based on a change of the narrative sequence’s chronology (366)
8.2.3. A suggestion to view chap 16 as a literary introduction (367)

9. EPILOGUE (369)

BIBLIOGRAPHY (375)