The Historical David: The Life of an Invented Hero and Israel's Messianic King: The Real Life of an Invented Hero - Hardcover

Joel Baden

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0062188313 ISBN 13: 9780062188311

Publisher: HarperOne, 2013

Synopsis

David is one of the most celebrated characters in the Bible. We know him as the brave young man who defeated Goliath, the first king of a united Israel, the composer of the beloved Psalms, and, for Christians, the messianic forerunner to Jesus. And yet for all the glory we attribute to David's legend, the historical reality is both fascinating and disturbing. In The Historical David, Joel Baden reveals that, in David's case, the Bible is political spin, "the goal of which is to absolve David of any potential guilt and to show him in a positive light." Through deep textual analysis, Baden reveals how the historical David has been painstakingly and successfully diminished, replaced by the portrait of a glorious king we are now familiar with. To question David's legend opens up a debate about what it means to be a descendant of David be it nationally, ethnically, or religiously. In The Historical David, Baden confronts this challenge, bringing the historical David vibrantly to life, and ultimately revealing that the flesh-and-blood man was far more complex and interesting than the mythical king.

About this title

Product Description:

Described by Diarmuid MacCulloch as 'an invigoratingly grown-up reading of the Bible', this book is a revisionist analysis of King David's presentation in the Hebrew scriptures. Baden shows that the historical figure, who did not write Psalms or kill Goliath, was reinvented as a glorious king through layers of fact and fiction - the spin of Samuel and Chronicles followed by the messianic connections presented in the New Testament - which have contributed to our idealized cultural memory of David.

Review:

"This revionist take on King David--as brilliant politician but despicable human being--combines the best of historical study and literary imagination. Baden's challenge to traditional understandings of Israel's king is always provocative, often compelling, and completely fascinating."--Amy-Jill Levine, Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt University and author of "The Misunderstood Jew"

"All praise be--again--to those biblical studies scholars who can make ancient history matter and can shed light on long-held beliefs. In clear prose and with a documented command of what others have said before him, Baden offers a provocative reinterpretation of one of Western culture's heroes."--Publishers Weekly

Utterly fascinating and writtenw with sublime lucidity.--Booklist, starred review

Utterly fascinating and written with sublime lucidity.--Booklist, starred review

Reading between and behind the lines of the biblical text and its silences, Baden gives an engaging reconstruction of who the true David may have been. This is a brilliant synthesis, with some unexpected and even daring twists of interpretation. A tour de force! --Michael Coogan, Harvard Divinity School lecturer, Director of Publications for the Harvard Semitic Museum and editor of "The New Oxford Annotated Bible""

This revisionist take on King David as brilliant politician but despicable human being combines the best of historical study and literary imagination. Baden s challenge to traditional understandings of Israel s king is always provocative, often compelling, and completely fascinating. --Amy-Jill Levine, Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt University and author of "The Misunderstood Jew""

An invigoratingly grown-up reading of the Bible, taking it seriously but not literally.... David emerges no longer as the author of the Psalms or the slayer of Goliath, yet Baden s scholarly analysis leaves the usurper-King as one of the most crucial shapers of world history. --Diarmaid MacCulloch, Professor of the History of the Church, University of Oxford, author of "Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years""

[Baden] succeeds positively, powerfully, and persuasively in locating Israel s once and future king as an actual historical figure. The multiple layers of fact and fiction, history and theology are cleanly and clearly distinguished but without either modern apologetics or contemporary polemics. --John Dominic Crossan, author of "The Historical Jesus""

Lively. This is a provocative book that raises questions about the nature of biblical narrative and also about the historical continuity of the Davidic line. --John J. Collins, Holmes Professor of Old Testament, Yale University"

All praise be again to those biblical studies scholars who can make ancient history matter and can shed light on long held beliefs. In clear prose and with a documented command of what others have said before him, Baden offers a provocative reinterpretation of one of Western culture s heroes. --Publishers Weekly"

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperOne
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0062188313
• ISBN 13: 9780062188311
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 352