Old Testament

Biblical tradition portrays King David as an exceptional man and a paragon of godly devotion. But was he? Some scholars deny that he existed at all. Did he? This challenging book examines the textual and archaeological evidence critically in an effort to paint an accurate picture of one of the Bible's central figures.

A leading scholar of biblical history and the ancient Near East, Baruch Halpern traces the development of the David tradition, showing how the image of David grew over time. According to Halpern, David was the founder of the dynasty that progressively exaggerated his accomplishments. Halpern's clear portrait of the historical David reveals his true humanity and shows him to be above all a politician who operated in a rough-and-tumble environment in which competitors were ready literally to slit throats.

David's Secret Demons explores a number of provocative questions:

Did King David actually exist?
Was David an Israelite or a Philistine?
Was Solomon really David's son?
Did David take the throne of Israel by the consent of the people?
How many murders did he commit on his way to the throne?
Are the biblical texts about David reliable?

Challenging, well argued, and written with accessible, at times humorous prose, David's Secret Demons will provoke discussion by scholars and general readers alike.

"The primary purpose of this history of the high priests in the Second Temple age has been to gather and assess all of the available information about each one of them, from Joshua in the late sixth century bce to Phannias during the Jewish revolt against Rome (66–70 ce). A secondary aim has been to investigate the status of these high-ranking officials—specifically whether they also wielded civic authority. . . .It is worth emphasizing what this book is and is not. It is a history of the Second Temple high priests; it is not a history of the priesthood. . . . The book is not primarily a history of the Second Temple period, although the history regularly impinges on the narrative and provides the organizing principle of the presentation." — from the Preface

The acclaimed Old Testament Library provides fresh and authoritative treatments of important aspects of Old Testament study through commentaries and general studies. Its judicious commentaries explain in a highly readable format the most significant historical, linguistic, literary, and theological features of the biblical texts. Of no exception, Susan Niditch s commentary on the book of Judges pays careful attention to the literary and narrative techniques of the text and yields fresh readings of the book s difficult passages: stories of violence, ethnic conflict, and gender issues. Niditch aptly and richly conveys the theological impact and enduring significance of these stories.