Ch. 8 forms the concluding survey to the history of David (cf. 1 S 14*fi-51 at the end of the history of Saul) : in its present form the chapt*** represents the work of the Deuteronomic editor, who seems, however, to have made use of the older sources. The wars are first noticed: with the Philistines (v.l), with the Moabites (v.2), with the Aranixans and their allies (vv.3.8); then follows an account of the homa^je paid by the king of Hamath (w.9-10); [the spoil dedicated by David to Jehovah (w.n. 12)]; the subjugation of Edoni (RV Syria) ^y^,,13.U), The notices of David's family at Hebron (3**) and at Jerusalem (513-16) should be inserted here (Wellh-, Budde): Budde would also insert 54-6 (RD). The chapter concludes with an account of David's administration (v.i5), and a list of his officers (vv. it>-i*').
A fuller account of the two campaigns against the Aramseans Is presented in ch. 10, which has been condensed and slightly altered by RD in w.3-8 : he has also inserted vv.l*- 10 here, transferring them from the end of ch. 10 (see below), to which VV.13 and 14 properly belong (cf. the similar conclusion '^ and i-ib). Vv.ll-12 are probably a late insertion. It is remarkable that in ch. 10 the victories over the Aram»ans form but two episodes in the war with Ammon ; yet this war is ignored in ch. 8, and in its stead (v.2) the subjugation of Moab is described. This fact is not mentioned elsewhere, and seems inconsistent with I 223f- : it is far from improbable, therefore, that Moab has been substituted for Ammon in S2 (Budde).
(c) II 9-20 (J) [and 1 K 1. 2]. Life at David's court, or the history of the succession to David's throne.
The events narrated in these chapters are closely connected with, and mutually dependent on, one another : they are further distinguished by unity of plan and conception. The story of Meribbaal (ch. 9) explains the action of Ziba(lU'-*) and the speech of the former (19'"-'»): lO'-lli with 12=«-»' explain how David became acquainted with Bath- sheba, and how he compassed the death of Uriah, while tlie whole section chs. 10-12 forms the neces- sary introduction to the final choice of David's successor in 1 K 1. 2. The narrative throughout, by its lifelike touches and its minutoiiess of detail, as well as by its bright and flowing style, betrays its early origin, ana must have been composed soon after the events which it describes.
(1) 9'"". David on inquiry learns of the exist- ence of Meribbaal (Mephibosiif.tii), the lame son of Jonathan : for Jonathan's sake he deals kindly with his son, and retains him at court ; Saul s estates are restored to his grandson, and Ziba, Saul's servant, appointed to look after them.
Budde would place ch. 24 and 211 1' before this chapter, on the ground that the incident narrated in '.ill'- is presupposed in ch. 9 and 107'- 192<*, and that the census (ch. 24) would naturally take place soon after David's accession. It is dilRcult, how- ever, on this theor)', to explain the present position of 21il« and 24. and, as Wellhausen has pointed out. the popular and legendary character of these chapters is very different from that of chs. 9-20 (for a fuller discussion of this point see on ihs. 21- 24). More probable is Buddo's view, that 44i> should be placed after v.*.
(2) 10-12. Owing to the insult oflercd to his ambassadors, war breaks out between David and Ammon : the latter call in the Aramwans to their aid, and prepare to defend their capital. Joab, with the pick of the troops, attacks and dcfeaW the AJamajaus, while the rest of the army undei
390
SAilUEL, I. AND II.
SAMUEL, L AND II.
Abisliai successfully engage the Ammonites (10'""). Once more the Aramaeans, under Hadadezer, assemble against Israel, but are a},'ain defeated, this time by David himself : Joab is then sent to besiege the Ammonite capit.al (lO^-ll' ; see Rab- BAH). David remains at Jerusalem, where he commits adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of his warriors. After a vain attempt to conceal the sin, he sends a letter to Joab instructing him to bring about the death of Uriah : his orders are carried out, and David then marries Bathsheba, who bears him a son (cli. 11). The prophet Nathan awakens David to a sense of his guilt by means of a parable, and announces the Divine punishment: the child of Bathsheba dies despite David's penitence ; but another son (Solomon) is born (12''^). Meantime the siege of Kabbah has been drawing to a close, and David in person commands the final assault : the chapter ends with an account of the spoil, and of the punishment inflicted on the inhabitants
Except in the speeches of Nathan, which have probably been expanded, the narrative appears to have been presented in its original form ; after ll'-^ we must restore the lontjer text of the LXX (see Driver, Text of Sam, p. 224) in accordance with w. 19-21 ; 1210-12 are probably due to the Deuteronomic editor, who regarded all the misfortunes of David's bouse as resulting from his great sin, while the phrase, ' the house of the Lord,' in V.20, seeuis an anachronism. With regard to the relation of 101-111 and 122S-31 to ch. 8, it is noticeable that (1) according to lO^f- the Ammonites hire the services of the Aramaeans of Beth- rehob and Zobah, the king of Maacah, and the men of 'lob : in 83- ■* the Ammonites are not mentioned, and there is only an obscure notice of a victory over the Aramaeans: (2) in 83 Hadadezer of Beth-rehob (for son of Jifhob) is mentioned by name as leader of the Aramaeans : in lOif- his name is given so abruptly (V. 16) that he must, as Budde conjectures, have been mentioned earlier in the original narrative ; (3) both accounts describe a second campaign : in S^ the Ar.amaeans of Damascus, in HH6 those * that were beyond the River' came to the assist- ance of their countrymen. Budde conjectures verj' plausibly that when the detailed account lOlf- was appended, the editor attemjited to make the two narrutives dissimilar : to this end he omitted the name of Hadadezer in 10*^, and substituted Damascus for ' beyond the River ' in 8^. By these means he was able to transfer the notices of Ton's homage (8^- lO) and of the Edomite war (813- 14) from the end of ch. 10 to their present position,