A Sure House: Studies on the Dynastic Promise to David in the Books of Samuel and Kings

This is a study of the texts referring or alluding to the dynastic

promise to David in the books of Samuel and Kings and the Law of the

King . Jan Ruckl pays attention to the textual problems of some of the

studied passages, especially 2 Sam 7 which has different meanings in the

most important textual witnesses. Although the most ancient retrievable

text of 2 Sam 7 is not to be identified with MT, this text form

corresponds to the original basic meaning of the chapter. Special

attention is also given to the value of 1 Chr 17 for the reconstruction

of the oldest text of 2 Sam 7. A statistic study of the patterns of

agreements among the witnesses leads to the conclusion that evaluating

many synonymous differences between 2 Sam 7 and 1 Chr 17 - which

cannot be explained as resulting from mistakes or tendentious -

case by case would lead to arbitrary decisions. The great

majority of these differences are a result of the Chronicler’s

relatively free approach to his source.