The Kingdom of David
Session Two:
The Book and the Sword
Introduction: We begin this course with reading chapters 5-8 in Kirsch's King David followed by viewing episode one of the accompanying film The Kingdom of David - "The Book and the Sword."
After having completed the readings for this session and reviewed the accompanying video you may choose - on a purely optional basis - to answer the study questions and submit them at etwimber@hotmail.com or to contact Dr. Wimberley by phone or email to request a time for dialogue about what you have learned. You may do so by phone or dialogue via Skype or Facetime. Dr. Wimberley's phone number is 239.405.4164. We may also convene group meetings of the class using the Zoom application on our computers. You can enroll in this course by emailing etwimber@hotmail.com or by texting Dr. Wimberley at 239.405.4164.
Readings: Kirsch, Jonathan (2008) King David: The Real Life of the Man Who Ruled Israel. Chapters 5-8.
Video: The Book and the Sword
Study Questions:
- In what way does David's fugitive period relate to the sojourn of the Isrealites out of Egypt?
- What was Goliath's sword doing in the shrine of Yahweh?
- Kirsch likens David during his exile as a "bandit chief" in charge of "desperadoes." Explain.
- "The death of Moses," Kirsch asserts "may be regarded as the great divide in the sacred history of Israel." How so?
- What was it about Jerusalem that led many to consider it holy?
- What are we to make of David's seeming hatred for the lame and the blind?
- When the Judeans returned from Babylon, who was left in their homeland who had not been exiled and how did they respond to returning Judeans.
- How did this post exile mixing of Judeans and non-Judeans in and around Jerusalem set the stage for modern Jewish / Arab conflict?
- The Jews are known as the "people of the book." What does that mean?
- Ezra gathered all of the people together after the Judeans returned from exile. What happened and why is it important?
- Who was the Selucid king Antiochus and what threat did he pose to the Jews and the way they worshiped?