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.

Some of the best-known Biblical episodes are found in the story of David’s rise to kingship in First and Second Samuel. Why was this series of stories included in the Bible? An answer that has become increasingly popular is that this narrative should be interpreted as the “apology of David,” that is, the personal justification of King David against charges that he illegitimately usurped Saul’s throne. Comparisons between “the History of David’s Rise” and the Hittite “Apology of Hattušili,” in particular, appear to support this view that the Biblical account belongs to the genre of ancient Near Eastern royal apology.

Having presented this approach, Randall Short argues that the Biblical account has less in common with the Hittite apology than scholars have asserted, and he demonstrates how interpretive assumptions about the historical reality behind the text inform the meaning that these scholars discern in the text. His central contention is that this story should not be interpreted as the personal exoneration of David composed to win over suspicious readers. Rather, composed for faithful readers represented by David, the story depicts the dramatic confirmation of David’s surprising election through his gradual emergence as the beloved son of Jesse, Saul, all Israel, and yhwh Himself.