David and Solomon: In Search of the Bible's Sacred Kings and the Roots of the Western Tradition

Cover......Page 1
Title page......Page 4
CONTENTS......Page 6
PROLOGUE - The Shepherd and the Slingstone......Page 10
INTRODUCTION - David, Solomon, and the Western Tradition. Ancient Legends, the Bible, and Archaeology......Page 14
PART I - RECOVERING HISTORY......Page 34
CHAPTER 1. Tales of the Bandit. The Rise of David in the Hill Country of Judah......Page 40
LIFE ON THE HIGHLAND FRONTIER......Page 42
THE CLUE OF CHANGING SETTLEMENT PATTERNS......Page 46
IN THE REALM OF ABDI-HEBA......Page 49
OUTLAWS AND KINGS......Page 53
DAVID AS APIRU?......Page 55
FROM BANDIT TO CHIEFTAIN......Page 59
THE STRATIGRAPHY OF HEROIC TALES......Page 62
TALES FOR COLD WINTER NIGHTS......Page 66
CHAPTER 2. The Madness of Saul. Egypt, the Philistines, and the Fall of Earliest Israel......Page 70
WHO, WHEN, AND WHERE?......Page 73
THE RISE OF THE NORTHERN HIGHLANDS......Page 76
A MYSTERIOUS ABANDONMENT......Page 79
RETURN OF THE PHARAOH......Page 80
SHISHAK\'S HIDDEN STRATEGY......Page 83
WHY IS JERUSALEM NOT MENTIONED?......Page 87
THE FORGOTTEN BETRAYAL......Page 90
SAINT, OR TRAITOR?......Page 94
CHAPTER 3. Murder, Lust, and Betrayal - Legends of the Davidic Court in Jerusalem......Page 100
AN ABSENCE OF EVIDENCE......Page 103
THE FIRST ISRAELITE ROYAL COURT......Page 107
THE RISE OF JUDAH......Page 110
RESHAPING THE PAST......Page 115
MORE GEOGRAPHICAL CLUES......Page 119
THE DEATH AND REBIRTH OFTHE DAVIDIC DYNASTY......Page 122
PART II - THE EVOLUTION OF A LEGEND......Page 128
CHAPTER 4. Temple and Dynasty. The Birth of the First Written Epic......Page 130
THE NEW ASSYRIAN ORDER......Page 132
AN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL REVOLUTION......Page 138
A FLOOD OF REFUGEES......Page 143
ONE PEOPLE, ONE TEMPLE......Page 147
THE FIRST AUTHORIZED VERSION......Page 150
HEZEKIAH\'S REVOLT......Page 153
SENNACHERIB\'S REVENGE......Page 155
CHAPTER 5. Solomon\'s \\Visdom?Client Kingship and International Trade......Page 160
RISING FROM THE ASHES......Page 163
HAZOR, MEGIDDO, AND GEZER......Page 168
ALL THE KING\'S HORSES......Page 172
CARAVANS, CAMELS, AND THE QUEEN OF SHEBA......Page 176
WHO BUILT THE TEMPLE?......Page 180
KING SOLOMON\'S MINES?......Page 182
CREATING THE SOLOMONIC MYTH......Page 184
CHAPTER 6. Challenging Goliath. The Davidic Legacy and the Doctrine of Deuteronomy......Page 188
EMPIRES IN TURMOIL......Page 195
DAVID AND THE PHILISTINES......Page 198
NEW TERRITORIAL CLAIMS......Page 202
WHO KILLED GOLIATH?......Page 204
HOMERIC COMBAT AND GREEK MERCENARIES......Page 205
THE CONQUEST OF BETHEL......Page 209
RESHAPING DAVID AND SOLOMON......Page 212
THE MESSIANIC LEGACY......Page 215
PART III - HOW THE LEGEND SHAPED HISTORY......Page 218
CHAPTER 7. Patron Saints of the Temple. From Royal Propaganda to Religious Ideal......Page 220
A PROPHETIC REVIVAL......Page 223
DAVIDIC ROYALTY\'S LAST FLICKER......Page 226
FROM KINGS TO PRIESTS......Page 229
THE CHRONICLES VERSION......Page 231
SAMARIA, AGAIN......Page 234
DAVID AND SOLOMON AS THEOLOGY......Page 239
CHAPTER 8 - Messianic Visions. David and Solomon, from Judaism to Christianity......Page 242
DAVID AND SOLOMON: THE ROYAL HELLENISTIC VERSION......Page 243
MESSIANIC VISIONS......Page 246
EXORCISING THE DEMONS......Page 250
PROPHETS OF A NEW GOSPEL......Page 253
SCHOLARS OF THE LAW......Page 256
DAVID AND SOLOMON AS CHRISTIAN METAPHORS......Page 258
NEW DAVIDS AND SOLOMONS......Page 259
EPILOGUE - Symbols of Authority. Medieval and Modern Images of David and Solomon......Page 262
Appendix I - Did David Exist? THE MINIMALISTS AND THE\rTEL DAN INSGRIPTION......Page 270
Appendix 2 - The Search for David and Solomon\'s Jerusalem......Page 276
Appendix 3- Solomon\'s Fabled Kingdom......Page 284
Appendix 4 - King Solomon\'s Copper Industry?......Page 291
Appendix 5 - Dismantling the Shrines......Page 294
Appendix 6 - Tyrants, City Leagues, and Mercenary Bodyguards......Page 298
Appendix 7 - Deportees, Returnees, and the Borders of Yehud......Page 302
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND SUGGESTED READING......Page 306
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 334
INDEX......Page 336
ABOUT THE AUTHORS......Page 352