Abstract
The fourfold recurrence of the root s̈kl in 1 Samuel 18 to describe David (vv. 5, 14, 15, 30) calls for an explanation. While David's characterization as mas̈kîl would seem to refer, above all, to his success in battle, a broader analysis of s̈kl in wisdom-related contexts, as well as elsewhere in the Deuteronomistic History, demonstrates that mas̈kîl functions as an epithet, bestowing upon the holder a wider sense of "success" that is intimately linked with Divine patronage. Thus, David's characterization as mas̈kîl in 1 Samuel 18 promotes a more comprehensive definition of the ideal king, in contrast to the more restricted prerequisite of military skill associated with Saul. While it is most likely that the story in 1 Samuel 18 is composed solely from pre-Deuteronomistic strands, the intensity with which the root s̈kl is employed with relation to David corresponds with the Deuteronomistic agenda of portraying David as the ideal king.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 390-400 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Vetus Testamentum |
| Volume | 65 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 3 Aug 2015 |
Keywords
- David
- Ideal king
- Maskîl
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Language and Linguistics
- History
- Religious studies
- Linguistics and Language
- Literature and Literary Theory