Books of Samuel: Difference between revisions

The Deuteronomistic view is that an early version of the history was composed in the time of king [[Hezekiah]] (8th century BC); the bulk of the first edition dates from his grandson [[Josiah]] at the end of the 7th BC, with further sections added during the [[Babylonian exile]] (6th century BC) and the work was substantially complete by about 550 BC. Further editing was apparently done even after then. For example, A. Graeme Auld, Professor of Hebrew Bible at the University of Edinburgh, contends that the silver quarter-shekel which Saul's servant offers to Samuel in 1 Samuel 9 "almost certainly fixes the date of this story in the Persian or [[Hellenistic period]]".{{sfn|Auld|2003|p=219}}

 

 

This view of late compilation for Samuel has faced serious scholarly opposition on the basis that evidence for the Deuteronimistic history is scant, and that Deuteronimistic advocates are not in consensus as to the origin and extent of the History. Secondly, the basic theological concerns identified with the Deuteronimistic school are tenets central to Hebrew theology in texts that are widely regarded as predating Josiah. Thirdly, there are notable differences in style and thematic emphasis between [[Deuteronomy]] and Samuel. Finally, there are widely acknowledged structural parallels between the [[Suzerainty#Hittite suzerainty treaty form|Hittite suzerain treaty]] of the second millennium BC and the Book of Deuteronomy itself, far before the time of Josiah. The alternative view is that it is difficult to determine when the events of Samuel were recorded: "There are no particularly persuasive reasons to date the sources used by the compiler later than the early tenth century events themselves, and good reason to believe that contemporary records were kept (cf. 2 Sam. 20:24–25)."{{sfn|Walton|2009|pp=258–59}}