David and Solomon: In Search of the Bible's Sacred Kings and the Roots of the Western Tradition

It is so refreshing to read a book like this! For too long, biblical romantics have fantasized that archaeology would `verify' the history constructed by the biblical text itself; the narrative account. More recently, "revisionists" have argued that the biblical text is so divorced from history so as to be nothing more than an ideologically grounded fiction! Finkelstein and Silberman show, through a clear and readable account, just how far archaeology has come in demonstrating that the history out of which the Bible arose - in this case, the stories of David & Solomon - is different from the account given in the biblical text, while simultaneously revealing that the actual history behind the text; the stories of the two great heroes and many of the details of the books of Samuel and Kings--were not just "made up" by later writers. As such, archaeology is disproving both the biblical literalists (who think that history must reflect what the Bible says, and who therefore distort archaeology and history to their own ends) and those who dismiss the Bible as having no historical veracity at all. This book is a must read for anyone - religious or not - who wants to understand the relationship between the biblical text and our growing understanding of what actually happened in the ancient Near East between 1000 BCE and the time of Christ. The authors show how the two kingdoms - Israel and Judah - developed differently; how the writers of the stories of David & Solomon were responding to contemporary conditions and problems. Yet they also incorporated authentic details, remembered from earlier times, into what became the biblical text. Finkelstein and Silberman allow the reader to follow the development of the stories of David and Solomon, from the 9th and 8th centuries BCE down through the time of Christ and the early church; showing how the roles of David and Solomon have changed over the centuries. They even allude to the way David and Solomon are depicted in mediaeval art and the role their stories have played in modern politics and revolutions.

I actually talked with Israel Finkelstein prior to his publication of this book and I remember being very concerned. In order to do proper biblical analysis, I think the application of two skill sets is most preferable: 1) An appreciation of the curated material that the Bible gives...or text analysis and 2) An appreciation of the extra biblical material including not only archeologicial findings but other preserved historical writings and traditions. The reason I was concerned about this book when I talked with Finkelstein was because he didn't then give me the feeling that he was familiar with, let alone, respectful of the process of text analysis. Traditional text analysis tells us that the Old Testament of the Bible was composed by five basic authors: 1) A J author, so called because he (she, according to Harold Bloom) consistently refers to god as Yahweh (or Jahweh/Jehovah as rendered by the original German text critics) throughout his tale of creation and exodus; 2) An E author, so called because he supposedly hailed from Ephraim or Israel, the northern Yahweh worshiping Iron Age Canaanite community and called his god Elohim (at least until he revealed his name to Moses at the opening of Exodus); 3) A P author so called because his textual emandations focused on matters of concern to Priests; 4) A D author connected with Deuteronomy and Samuel 1 and 2 and Kings 1 and 2...the Bible's so called Deuteronomistic history; and 5) An R author so called because he made the final redactions necssary to bring these materials together as a complete account. However, it is significant to point out that even these materials have been deemed to be predated under text analysis by other biblical materials most notably including: 1) Exodus 15...the Song of the Sea, dated by text analysis to around 13 to 12 hundred BCE; 2) Deuteronomy 33...the Blessing of Moses, dated by text analysis to around the time of the Song of the Sea; 3) Judges 5...the Song of Deborah, dated between the Song of the Sea and the Blessing of Moses and 4) The Blessing of Jacob...at the end of Genesis dated to around the time of King David. As can be seen from the foregoing discussion, a text analysis, properly utilized could reveal much in terms of understanding the Bible's origins. That's why I was very pleased to see that in his finished work, Finkelstein produced a product showing respect for not only the archeological field work he has been so connected with but also the text analysis that can be so helpful in rendering competent opinions on biblical origins. Needless to say, what Finkelstein says about biblical origins does carry great evidentiary support. As a couple of for instances: 1) The David and Solomon monarchies were little more than country hill chiefdoms. This account, as he correctly points out, squares not only with the archeological evidence showing little growth in Jerusalem until some two hundred years following the time of David and

The authors have put together research from a variety of disciplines to explore the Biblical stories of David and Solomon. They clearly present their findings. While I was aware that the stories were spread over a number of books, I was not aware that the presentation changed. I presume that the story I learned in Sunday School was the one in Chronicles. Like the Biblical record of Jesus, the records of David and Solomon were written at minimum 100 years after the events. I had never thought to question "why" they were written. The authors suggest that texts were written to elevate the Davidic successors, or Judah. If this is so, the intended audience would have a cultural ethic that would admire the cave living Robin Hood/bandit, the keeping of wives and concubines, the story of Bathsheba and her husband's fate. These are hardly the values of today's Judeo-Christian ethic. The book discusses the influence of David and Solomon on art and on governmental theories. It's a stretch to say that this book "traces" them, which I believe would require a separate book (or multi-volume set). I think the material given on this is just enough for the scope of this volume. The power of this book is its citation of the Biblical text, side by side with maps and research findings. Each chapter begins with a chart capsulizing the story, the historical period and the archeaologic findings. This clearly tells the reader what will be developed in the chapter, and the promise is fulfilled. The writers and the book designers are in sych, (so often books are rushed and maps appear pages beyond their narrative) and very clear maps and tables appear along side the narrative they illustrate. One area that the author's present without comment is that the Queen of Sheba is from Yemen. If you ask, most American Blacks will tell you she was from Ethiopia. (The eastern most part of this African region is separated from Yemen by a narrow straight.) Reseachers who have ignored the oral traditions of Thomas Jefferson's progeny have had to deal with recent DNA testing. Has forensic research verified the location of Sheba in Yemen? This was an excellent book. It's brings together the work of thousands of people from many disciplines. I hope in a few years there is a update.

Authors Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman first caught my attention with their book 'The Bible Unearthed'. That book presented new discoveries and ways of looking at previous discoveries in the area of archaeological research and the origins of the Bible. This is one of the latest contributions of major scholars to the continuing quest for clarity and understanding of the development and meaning of the biblical texts. 'We believe that a reassessment of finds from earlier excavations and the continuing discoveries by new digs have made it clear that scholars must now approach the problems of biblical origins and ancient Israelite society from a completely new perspective. This book follows some of their speculations and continues their methods of treading between the more fundamentalist 'the Bible is history and the only history' camp and the minimalist 'the Bible has nothing to do with history' camp. There is historical content and influence on the text of the Bible, according to Finkelstein and Silberman, but the Bible is not nor was ever intended to be a historical textbook of the sort we have today. This is particularly important when dealing with the greatest of Biblical kings, David and Solomon. 'Our challenge will be to provide a new perspective on the David and Solomon story by presenting the flood of new archaeological information about the rise and development of the ancient society in which the biblical tale was formed. We will attempt to separate history from myth; old memories from later elaboration; facts from royal propaganda to trace the evolution of the David and Solomon narrative from its ancient origins to the final compilation of the biblical accounts.' In this vein, the authors trace the biblical narrative of David and Solomon, and then combine it with what is known from archaeological and extra-biblical textual evidence. They look at issues of psychology and politics, institutional and cultural development, and later influences and growths from the earlier narrative strands. I found the appendices to be particularly valuable in this volume. Finkelstein and Silberman discuss the recent Tel Dan discovery, a controversial rendering of an inscription that is the earliest mention of David outside of the Bible (the inscription refers to a king of the House of David who dies with the king of Israel, most likely the kings Jeroram and Ahaziah) - the authors state that this discovery deals a serious blow to the minimalist idea. Other appendices look at Jerusalem more specifically, other cities that would have been part of Solomon's kingdom, and more. This is a text written in a popular, accessible style - thus, footnotes/endnotes are scarce. However, there is a good index, and an excellent bibliography/selected readings section that is categorised by chapter and topic. Finkelstein has a position at Tel Aviv University, as director of the Sonia and Marco Nadler Archaeological Institute, and is currently w

Having read "The Bible Unearthed," I can say that this is a more-than-worthy follow-up. I am now something like 80% convinced that Finkelstein's redatings are correct; his hypothesis of the development of the Davidic tradition is compelling. While I don't agree with a few of his assertions (such as the idea that the term "seren" must be a seventh-century interpolation), the overall quality of the book is 5-stars. It is very well-researched; there is an extensive bibliography at the end. Also interesting- in contrast to those who consider Finkelstein and Silberman to be "minimalists"- is their critique of real minimalists like Davies and Thompson. Highly recommended.