It is said in 2 Samuel 21:1-14 that YHWH sends a three-year famine to his people because of their former King Saul's misdeed against the Gibeonites, their old treaty partner. As we know, Saul died earlier in the battle against the Philistines on Mount Gilboa (1 Sam. 31:1-6) - YHWH'S punishment for Saul's disobedience to his command (1 Sam. 28:15-19). Why then does his cause have to be retried, and why in David's reign, and why, this time, with a huge national disaster? Is YHWH so vengeful as to continue to exact punishment? It is said in 2 Samuel 21:1-14 that YHWH sends a three-year famine to his people because of their former King Saul's misdeed against the Gibeonites, their old treaty partner. As we know, Saul died earlier in the battle against the Philistines on Mount Gilboa (1 Sam. 31:1-6) - YHWH'S punishment for Saul's disobedience to his command (1 Sam. 28:15-19). Why then does his cause have to be retried, and why in David's reign, and why, this time, with a huge national disaster? Is YHWH so vengeful as to continue to exact punishment? Preface xi Abbreviations xiii Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Questions Arising from 2 Samuel 21:1-14 1 1.2 Objectives and Method of Study 5 Chapter 2: Research History 2.1 Conservative Approach 9 2.1.1 C.F. Keil 9 2.1.2 C.J. Goslinga 10 2.1.3 R.P. Gordon 11 2.1.4 Summary 13 2.2 Source Criticism 13 2.2.1 A. Kuenen 14 2.2.2 O. Thenius 15 2.2.3 K. Budde 16 2.2.4 O. Ei eldt 17 2.2.5 Summary 19 2.3 Form Criticism 20 2.3.1 H. Gunkel 20 2.3.2 A. Schulz 22 2.3.3 H. Gre ann 23 2.3.4 W. Caspari 25 2.3.5 Summary 26 2.4 Tradition Criticism 27 2.4.1 L. Rost 27 2.4.2 M. Noth 28 2.4.3 R.A. Carlson 29 2.4.4 H.W. Hertzberg 31 2.4.5 Summary 32 2.5 Redaction Criticism 33 2.5.1 R. Smend 33 2.5.2 W. Dietrich 34 2.5.3 T. Veijola 36 2.5.4 P.K. McCarter, Jr. 38 2.5.5 H.J. Stoebe 39 2.5.6 G. Hentschel 41 2.5.7 S. Frolov/V. Orel 43 2.5.8 S. Chavel 45 2.5.9 Summary 47 2.6 Religio-Historical Criticism 49 2.6.1 H. Cazelles 50 2.6.2 A.S. Kapelrud 51 2.6.3 J. Dus 52 2.6.4 N. Poulssen 53 2.6.5 W. Thiel 55 2.6.6 M.-T. Wacker 56 2.6.7 Summary 58 2.7 Synchronic Approach 60 2.7.1 Modern Literary Approach 60 2.7.1.1 D.M. Gunn 60 2.7.1.2 J.P. Fokkelman 62 2.7.1.3 W. Brueggemann 64 2.7.1.4 H.H. Klement 66 2.7.1.5 J. Klein 68 2.7.2 Canonical Approach: B.S. Childs 70 2.7.3 Summary 71 2.8 Conclusion 73 2.8.1 Major Exegetical Issues 73 2.8.1.1 The Death of the Saulides 73 2.8.1.2 The Enigmatic Action of Rizpah 74 2.8.2 Place and Function 75 2.8.3 Literary Character 77 2.8.4 Image of God 78 2.8.5 Outlook 80 Chapter 3: Textual Criticism 3.1 Introduction 81 3.2 Critical Survey of Textual Problems 83 3.2.1 2 Samuel 21:1 83 3.2.2 2 Samuel 21:2 85 3.2.3 2 Samuel 21:4 85 3.2.4 2 Samuel 21:5 86 3.2.5 2 Samuel 21:6 88 3.2.6 2 Samuel 21:7 90 3.2.7 2 Samuel 21:8 91 3.2.8 2 Samuel 21:9 92 3.2.9 2 Samuel 21:10 94 3.2.10 2 Samuel 21:11 95 3.2.11 2 Samuel 21:12 95 3.2.12 2 Samuel 21:14 96 3.3 Conclusion 98 Chapter 4: Exegetical Investigation of 2 Samuel 21:1-14 4.1 Methodology 101 4.2 Linguistic Analysis 103 4.2.1 Syntactic Structure of 2 Samuel 21:1-14 104 4.2.2 Translation of 2 Samuel 21:1-14 111 4.2.3 The Results 114 4.3 Synchronic Analysis 115 4.3.1 Analysis of 2 Samuel 21:1 116 4.3.2 Analysis of 2 Samuel 21:2-6 118 Excursus I: The Gibeonites in David's Time 122 Excursus II: Solidarity and Individualism 136 4.3.3 Analysis of 2 Samuel 21:7-9 139 4.3.4 Analysis of 2 Samuel 21:10-14 145 4.3.5 The Results 153 4.4 Diachronic Analysis 154 4.4.1 Literary Connections 155 4.4.2 The History of the Literary Growth 157 4.4.2.1 The Basic Stratum 157 4.4.2.2 The Literary Source and Form 159 4.4.2.3 Redaction and Composition 161 4.4.2.4 Theological Traditions 165 Excursus III: Two Differing Viewpoints About Kingship? 167 4.4.3 The Results 170 4.5 Theological Analysis 171 4.5.1 Preliminary Remarks 171 4.5.2 Theological Message 172 4.6 Final Remarks on Major Exegetical Issues 176 Chapter 5: 2 Samuel 21:1-14 in Its Context 5.1 Introduction 179 5.2 The Succession Narrative 180 5.2.1 The Succession Narrative, and Its Literary Scope and Tendency 180 Excursus IV: Anti-Davidic Tendency in 2 Samuel 9 20? 182 5.2.2 The Succession Narrative and Its Theme 185 5.2.3 Evaluation 187 5.3 2 Samuel 21:1-14 and the Samuel Corpus in General 187 5.3.1 Preliminary Remarks 187 5.3.2 2 Samuel 21:1-14 and 1 Samuel 1 7 188 5.3.3 2 Samuel 21:1-14 and 1 Samuel 8 2 Samuel 8 190 5.3.4 2 Samuel 21:1-14 and 2 Samuel 9-20 197 5.4 2 Samuel 21:1-14 and 2 Samuel 21-24 205 5.4.1 2 Samuel 21-24: Appendix or Conclusion? 205 5.4.2 2 Samuel 21:1-14 within the Samuel Conclusion 219 5.5 Conclusion 223 Chapter 6: The Literary Character of 2 Samuel 21:1-14 6.1 Introduction 225 6.2 Theories Devaluing Historical Truth Claims 226 6.2.1 Saga/Legend 226 6.2.2 Story 230 6.2.3 Summary 233 6.3 Theories Recognizing Historical Truth Claims 234 6.3.1 Narrative History 234 Excursus V: Current Debate about the Historicity of the Biblical History 236 6.3.2 Apology/Propaganda 239 6.3.3 Theological History 240 6.3.4 Prophetic History 242 6.3.5 Summary 244 6.4 Conclusion 245 Chapter 7: The Image of God in 2 Samuel 21:1-14 7.1 Introduction 247 7.2 Various Aspects of God's Image 250 7.2.1 Preliminary Remarks 250 7.2.2 God's Sovereign Kingship 251 7.2.3 God's Faithfulness 254 7.2.4 God's Justice 256 7.2.5 God's Holiness 258 7.2.6 God's Love 261 7.3 The Relation to the New Testament 265 7.4 Conclusion 268 Chapter 8: General Conclusion and Summary 271 Samenvatting 279 Select Bibliography 285 Index of Select Authors 299