Jewish Political Thought in the Book of Samuel
In the days of the Judges, “there was no king in Israel” and everyone “did what was right in his own eyes.” Yet, when the people confront the prophet Samuel with the demand for a king, “like other nations,” he warns them of all the terrible dangers of that political order. Why, then, does God support the demand of the people? How does the Hebrew Bible evaluate the contrary dangers of anarchy and royal authority? In what ways do the kings prove to be in need of a prophet? The Book of Samuel (I and II) raises those questions through a moving portrait of King Saul, followed by a narrative that traces the whole life of David: from a bold and cunning youth, to a beloved and successful king, then through a dark turning point, in which he is confronted by the prophet Nathan, finally to a series of events, culminating on his deathbed, torn between his roles as father and as political leader. Does the biblical narrative of the first kings confirm Samuel’s original warning, which has resonated throughout the history of Western political thought?
This reader was developed by Dr. Ronna Burger.
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Jewish Political Thought in the Book of Samuel