{"id":59304,"date":"2019-07-12T13:22:28","date_gmt":"2019-07-12T10:22:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=59304"},"modified":"2023-02-04T23:22:04","modified_gmt":"2023-02-04T21:22:04","slug":"david-as-anarchy-personified","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/david-as-anarchy-personified\/","title":{"rendered":"David As Anarchy Personified\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[834,835,423],"acf":{"old_id":"59304","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":38322,"related_cahpter":"261","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"This chapter intimates the dismal prospects David holds out for the integrity and security of the Israelite state","content":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The concluding verse of Judges explains a state of lawless anarchy in Israel, that resulted from the lack of a centralized power: \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his eyes\u201d<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Judges21:25). Yet David\u2019s subsequent rise to power described in 1 Samuel portends the ultimate failure of that new institution to resolve Israel\u2019s political turmoil. The narrative suggests that the monarchy may even deepen the problem by subtly identifying perceptions of David with the very same locution at the end of Judges.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When the Philistines prepare for a military offensive against Israel, Achish\u2019s colleagues question his enlistment of David to join in the campaign against David\u2019s own compatriots. Though Achish acquiesces, he assures David that his personal faith in David\u2019s allegiance never wavered, for \u201cAs the Lord lives, you are right and good in my eyes\u201d&#8230; \u201cand I would like to have you go out and come in with me\u201d (i.e., be my comrade in arms; 29:6). Achish perceives David in the same terms, \u201cright in my eyes,\u201d that captured the chaos at the end of Judges. Ironically, for Achish, this is an expression of confidence in David\u2019s loyalty to act in consonance with Philistine interests. However, what serves Achish\u2019s interests is anathema to Israel\u2019s. Thus, from Israel\u2019s perspective, the phrase conveys the precise sense of impending devastation it did in Judges. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">David\u2019s fealty and collaboration with the Philistines spells disaster for Israel.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Especially ominous for Israel is the consequence of Achish\u2019s favorable perception of David. Achish would have done what was \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">right in his eyes<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,\u201d and favored David with military leadership, expressed by the phrase \u201cgo out and come in with me.\u201d Military leadership is at the very origins of kingship in Israel, rooted in the people\u2019s longing for a champion who would \u201cgo out ahead of us and fight our battles\u201d (8:20). Saul appointed Davidas commander to \u201cgo out and come in ahead of the nation\u201d (18:13) which earned David the love of the people, \u201cfor he would go out and come in at their head\u201d (18:16). The Philistine king\u2019s appropriation of the phrase identifying David as the ideal candidate to head his own military complex co-opts David into the enemy camp. It thus intimates the dismal prospects David holds out for the integrity and security of the Israelite state.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From a narrative point of view, David is a personification of the very anarchy the monarchy was meant to correct. The corruption to which David\u2019s own reign sinks in the Bath Sheba affair when he exploits the army to cover up his own crimes may already be a foregone conclusion. Considering the dubious nature of David\u2019s rise to power, his corruption while occupying the throne, and the repeated failure of virtually every subsequent king for the remaining history of Israel\u2019s monarchy, that last verse in Judges might more appropriately be rendered, \u201c<\/span><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even though there was no king in Israel, everyone did as he pleased<\/span><\/em><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":59305,"id":59305,"title":"isam29-anarchy","filename":"isam29-anarchy.png","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/isam29-anarchy.png","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/david-as-anarchy-personified\/isam29-anarchy\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"isam29-anarchy","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":59304,"date":"2019-07-12 10:21:56","modified":"2019-07-12 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As Anarchy Personified\u00a0","main_caption_size":"1","sub_caption":"This chapter intimates the dismal prospects David holds out for the integrity and security of the Israelite state","preview_embedded":"","preview_image":{"ID":59305,"id":59305,"title":"isam29-anarchy","filename":"isam29-anarchy.png","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/isam29-anarchy.png","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/david-as-anarchy-personified\/isam29-anarchy\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"isam29-anarchy","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":59304,"date":"2019-07-12 10:21:56","modified":"2019-07-12 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