King David, Innocent Blood, and Bloodguilt

David is a complex character in the Hebrew Bible, blessed by God, musically gifted, brave, and eloquent. He is accused of shedding innocent blood due to his son Absalom's rebellion, and this theme is traced throughout his story in the books of Samuel and 1 Kings. Innocent blood and bloodguilt are central to David's reign, seen in his killing of Uriah, the deaths of his sons, Amnon and Absalom, his general, Amasa, and even in his encounters with Shimei.

Format: Hardback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 18 May 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press

Of all the characters bequeathed to us by the Hebrew Bible, none is more compelling or complex than David. Divinely blessed, musically gifted, brave, and eloquent, David's famous slaying of Goliath also confirms that he is a redoubtable man of war. Yet, when his son Absalom rebels, David is dogged by the accusation that he will lose his kingdom because he is not merely a man of war, but a man of bloods - guilty of shedding innocent blood. In this book, for the first time, this language of innocent blood and bloodguilt is traced throughout David's story in the books of Samuel and 1 Kings. The theme emerges initially in Saul's pursuit of David and resurfaces regularly as David rises and men like Nabal, Saul, Ishbosheth, and Abner fall. Innocent blood and bloodguilt also turn out to be central to David's reign. This is seen in a surprising way in David's killing of Uriah, but also in the subsequent deaths of his sons, Amnon and Absalom, his general, Amasa, and even in David's encounters with Shimei. The problem rears its head again when the innocent blood of the Gibeonites shed by Saul comes back to haunt David's kingdom. Finally, the problem reappears when Solomon succeeds David and orchestrates the executions of Joab and Shimei, and the exile of Abiathar.

Attending carefully to the text and drawing extensively on previous biblical scholarship, David J. Shepherd suggests that innocent blood is not only a pre-eminent concern of David, and his story in Samuel and 1 Kings, but also shapes the entirety of David's history. The theme of innocent blood and bloodguilt is woven throughout the books of Samuel and 1 Kings, and it emerges initially in Saul's pursuit of David. As David rises and men like Nabal, Saul, Ishbosheth, and Abner fall, the theme resurfaces regularly. Innocent blood and bloodguilt also become central to David's reign, as seen in his surprising killing of Uriah and the subsequent deaths of his sons, Amnon and Absalom, his general, Amasa, and even in his encounters with Shimei. The problem rears its head again when the innocent blood of the Gibeonites shed by Saul comes back to haunt David's kingdom. Finally, the problem reappears when Solomon succeeds David and orchestrates the executions of Joab and Shimei, and the exile of Abiathar.

Weight: 590g
Dimension: 162 x 241 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198842200