Week 13 1 Kings
The book opens ominously with the old king dying and vultures beginning to circle the palace.
Adonijah Joab Abiathar & their associates are forming up on one side.
Solomon Benaiah Zadok Nathan & David’s high-ranking officers are on the other.
Like the showdown at the O.K. Corral – but way bigger.
The transition of political power in the ancient near east wasn’t like it is in Alberta. Exchange of power in the modern world starts with some basic constitutional guidelines, and from there parties mobilize friendly media-outlets, have public debates and arguments and name-calling along with not so public skullduggery, dishonesty, disinformation, character assassination, election rigging and like that. The big difference between now and then is that back in the day political opponents were routinely killed. In the time of Kings the expectation was that political life could include physical death.
So that’s what I’m seeing as I begin Kings.
It’s a whole different world and it’s hard for a bible-reader not to get twisted up about how brutal murderous cruel violent and inhumane the late Bronze Age was. It’s like reading a history of the 20th century.
So I keep that in mind as I read. The cultural environment was what it was. But as important as it was it isn’t what preoccupies me.
Note: It’s April 1 – time to check my reading progress. I’ve read up to 1 Samuel 24. That’s 291 consecutive chapters + 80 psalms. 371 chapters out of 1189 is 31.2% of the bible in 25% of the year. So I’m ok.