King David in the Deuteronomistic History: Collected Studies (Ancient Israel and Its Literature Book 53)

The books of Deuteronomy to 2 Kings, commonly referred to as the Deuteronomistic History, have been the object of intense research over the last half-century, with different schools of research emerging in the United States and Europe. In this volume, Walter Dietrich brings together thirteen of his seminal essays, most of which appear here in English for the first time, on two topics: (1) the Deuteronomistic History as both sober historiography and a literary work of art; and (2) the figure of King David as he appears in 1 and 2 Samuel, oscillating between historicity and fictionality, success and failure, violence and love. The goal of this collection is to encourage international conversations that will advance the work of scholars and students interested in the Deuteronomistic History in general and the books of Samuel in particular. Walter Dietrich is Professor Emeritus in the Institute of Old Testament Studies at the University of Bern, Switzerland. His works include The Early Monarchy in Israel (2007); David: Der Herrscher mit der Harfe (2016), Samuel, BKAT 8.1–5 (2011–2023); Die Samuelbücher heute lesen (2022), and Die dunklen Seiten Gottes (2 vols., 2023–2024). Read more