4. 1 & 2 Samuel

Question 1

What are the books of the bible that are mostly hotly disputed in terms of their historical content?

Answer 1

Samuel and Kings

Question 2

What part of Samuel and Kings is most contentious?

Answer 2

David and Solomon

Question 3

Who is the minimalist that completely rejects David all together, even after additional evidence has come out?

Answer 3

Philip R. Davies

David is as historical as King Arthur

Question 4

What is the extra-biblical evidence for the Kingdom of Israel?

Answer 4

1. Merneptah Stele
2. Moabite Stone
3. Tel Dan Inscription

Question 5

What is the date for the Merneptah Stele and what is significant about it?

Answer 5

1. First mention of people of Israel

2. 1207BC

Question 6

What is the date for the Moabite Stone and what is significant about it?

Answer 6

1. 9th century BC

2. First mention of “House of David”

Question 7

What is the date for the Tel Dan Inscription and what is significant about it?

Answer 7

1. 9th century BC

2. Definitive mention of House of David

Question 8

Why is Israel not mentioned more often by the great empires

Answer 8

1. Not interested in Israel

2. Israel is too small

Question 9

What are three additional reasons that the biblical account of Samuel/Kings is correct?

Answer 9

1. The Bible is consonant with the period in question
2. There were three mini-empires attempting to control this region, Israel is just the fourth
3. The correct theory encompasses the most data and provides simplest explanation

Question 10

What are two literary structures that bring together 1 and 2 Samuel?

Answer 10

1. Hannah’s prayer (1 Sam. 1:9-11) and Song (1 Sam. 2); Samuel = King Maker
2. David’s prayer (2 Sam. 24) and Song (2 Sam. 22); David = King of Israel
   (Hannah’s song looks forward to David, David’s song looks back to his victories through God)

Question 11

What is one major factor in understanding how the Davidic covenant would operate?

Answer 11

David and his heirs would be the embodiment of the nation
(so what happened to David or his descendants in a sense happened to the nation; this is like the federal head and is represented in Jesus crucifixion; aka corporate solidarity)

Question 12

What did God promise in the Davidic covenant?

Answer 12

an eternal descendant
an eternal kingdom
an eternal throne

Question 13

How does the Davidic covenant relate back to the Israelite covenant?

Answer 13

Through the concept of corporate solidarity

Question 14

What now controls God’s purpose for the nation of Israel?

Answer 14

His purposes for the Davidic king

Question 15

What are the two ways that the Davidic covenant connects to the Abrahamic?

Answer 15

1. finally grants rest to the people and will give them the land
2. God will use David to bless the nations