The Contrasting Faces of the Ark in 1 Samuel 4 and 5-6
The article analyzes Samuel’s vita in 1 Samuel 1-4 and 7 and suggests that it is a unified literary work whose structure was shaped by the Deuteronomist. It then examines and dismisses the hypothesisof an early Ark Narrative in 1 Sam 4,1b-7,1 and observes that the story in chapter 7 directly follows...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2025
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| In: |
Scandinavian journal of the Old Testament
Year: 2025, Volume: 39, Issue: 2, Pages: 228-244 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Bible. Samuel 1. 4
/ Bible. Samuel 1. 5
/ Bible. Samuel 1. 6
/ Samuel Biblical character
/ Philistines
/ Ark of the Covenant
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| Further subjects: | B
Ark Narrative
B Eli Biblical character B Exodus plagues B Mizpah B Deuteronomistic History B Samuel’s vita B Philistines |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | The article analyzes Samuel’s vita in 1 Samuel 1-4 and 7 and suggests that it is a unified literary work whose structure was shaped by the Deuteronomist. It then examines and dismisses the hypothesisof an early Ark Narrative in 1 Sam 4,1b-7,1 and observes that the story in chapter 7 directly follows that of chapter 4. It posits that chapters 5-6 are late insertions to Samuel’s history. Assuming that the messages of Samuel’s history were directed to readers after the downfall of the monarchy and the despoliation of its sacred objects, the early narrative (4,1b-18) delivers the message that the loss of the ark is not a national catastrophe. What matters is the clearing of the religious sins, the making what was right in the eyes of YHWH and the setting of a deserved leader. The late author did not agree to this message. By inserting the Ark Narrative (chapters 5-6) to Samuel’s vita, he delivered a new message of the great sanctity of the ark and its pivotal importance for the people of Israel. It blurred the message of the original work and put the ark and its divine owner at the centre stage of the narrative. |
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| ISSN: | 1502-7244 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Scandinavian journal of the Old Testament
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/09018328.2025.2483233 |