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Overview
"The negative biblical presentation of King Saul of Israel has been biased in favour of David at the expense of Saul. This book presents a more positive picture and more realistic view of the culture of the period extending from Saul to the schism. Simcha Shalom Brooks explores a number of controversial issues such as the historicity of the biblical text on which so many modern scholars are sharply divided; that David was ambitious and coveted Saul's throne, and even though David became king, the people continued to support the house of Saul." This book makes a valuable contribution to the current biblical debate as to the existence of ancient Israel in the Iron Age 1 Period. Shalom Brooks draws on literary, historical and archaeological material to present a balanced view of the period.Synopsis
Brooks, a British scholar of the Old Testament, examines the first king of Israel, using a historical-literary approach that draws on biblical and non-biblical written sources and archaeological findings. Her purpose is not to privilege one over the other, but to investigate whether a dialogue between them can be found that illuminates not only the actual events of the past, but also how and why these were portrayed as they are in the Old Testament. Among her topics are whether ancient Israel is a fiction or historical reality, Saul and David, Gibeah of Saul, and from Saul to schism. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR