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Nathan Lovell proposes that 1 and 2 Kings might be read as a work of written history, produced with the explicit purpose of shaping the communal identity of its first readers in the Babylonian exile. By drawing on sociological approaches to the role historiography plays in the construction of political identity, Lovell argues the book of Kings is intended to reconstruct a sense of Israelite identity in the context of these losses, and that the book of Kings moves beyond providing a reason for the exile in Israel's history, and beyond even connecting its exilic audience to that history.
The book recalls the past in order to demonstrate what it means to be Israel in the (exilic) present, and to encourage hope for the Israelite nation in the future. After developing a reading strategy for 1-2 Kings that treats the book as a coherent narrative, Lovell examines the construction of Israelite identity within Kings under the headings of covenant, nationhood, land, and rule. In each case he suggests that the narrative of the book creates room for a genuine but temporary expression of Israelite identity in exile: genuine to show that it remains possible for Israel to be Yahweh's people during the exile, but temporary to encourage hope for a future restoration.
List of contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
Chapter One: Kings as Political Historiography
Chapter Two: The Narrative Strategy of Kings
Chapter Three: Covenant: What is Israel?
Chapter Four: Nationhood: Who is Israel?
Chapter Five: Land: Where is Israel?
Chapter Six: Rule: The King After Exile
Conclusions: Israel Among the Nations
Bibliography
Index
About the author
Nathan Lovell is Director of Postgraduate Studies and Senior Lecturer in Old Testament and HebrewGeorge Whitefield College, Cape Town, South Africa.
Summary
Nathan Lovell proposes that 1 and 2 Kings might be read as a work of written history, produced with the explicit purpose of shaping the communal identity of its first readers in the Babylonian exile. By drawing on sociological approaches to the role historiography plays in the construction of political identity, Lovell argues the book of Kings is intended to reconstruct a sense of Israelite identity in the context of these losses, and that the book of Kings moves beyond providing a reason for the exile in Israel’s history, and beyond even connecting its exilic audience to that history.
The book recalls the past in order to demonstrate what it means to be Israel in the (exilic) present, and to encourage hope for the Israelite nation in the future. After developing a reading strategy for 1–2 Kings that treats the book as a coherent narrative, Lovell examines the construction of Israelite identity within Kings under the headings of covenant, nationhood, land, and rule. In each case he suggests that the narrative of the book creates room for a genuine but temporary expression of Israelite identity in exile: genuine to show that it remains possible for Israel to be Yahweh’s people during the exile, but temporary to encourage hope for a future restoration.
Foreword
This volume provides a reading of 1 & 2 Kings that treats the book as a coherent work of narrated historiography examining the literary structure and theological themes and the way they may have impacted on an exilic audience.
Additional text
The resulting study successfully demonstrates that Kings both remembers Israel’s past and presents a vision for the nation’s future.
