Category Archives: II Samuel

Reinventing Richard Nixon 8

Posted on October 4, 2013 by jamesbradfordpate

I finished Daniel Frick’s Reinventing Richard Nixon: A Cultural History of an American Obsession.  In this post, I’ll use as my starting-point something that Frick says on pages 222-223: “…Dallas Boyd, who has developed a fascination with Buddhism, theosophy, astrology, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Buddhism, II Samuel, Politics, Religion | 6 Comments

Did David Know That Uriah Knew (Assuming Uriah Knew)?

Posted on August 19, 2011 by jamesbradfordpate

In my reading today of Poetics of Biblical Narrative, Meir Sternberg plays with the idea that, in II Samuel 11, David realizes that Uriah knows all about David’s affair with Bathsheba.  Sternberg also provides reasons for the possibility that Uriah … Continue reading →

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Samaritan Self-Identity, Atonement Tensions, Usury

Posted on October 25, 2009 by jamesbradfordpate

1. Emanuel Tov, Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2001) 82-83. …the historical data on the origin of the Samaritan community do not point to an exceptionally early date, and thus do not support the claims of the … Continue reading →

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II Samuel 24: Security in Religion, Debt, Faith, Works, Etc.

Posted on October 25, 2009 by jamesbradfordpate

My weekly quiet time this week was on II Samuel 24, in which David takes a census of the people of Israel, leading God to punish him by sending a pestilence upon the nation.  Here are a couple of points: … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, II Samuel, Movies, Religion, School, Weekly Quiet Time | 1 Comment

Fit to Rule, a Good Randall Flagg

Posted on October 18, 2009 by jamesbradfordpate

For my weekly quiet time this week, I read II Samuel 23.  It contains a song of David and talks about David’s mighty men.  Here are two points that came to me as I prayed about the chapter: 1.  In vv … Continue reading →

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David’s Dramatization

Posted on October 11, 2009 by jamesbradfordpate

I read II Samuel 22 for my quiet time this week. II Samuel 22 is mostly the same as Psalm 18. Both of them apply the song to God’s deliverance of David from the hands of Saul. Of particular interest … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, II Samuel, Religion, Weekly Quiet Time | 3 Comments

The Excluded (Yet Loved) Gibeonites

Posted on October 4, 2009 by jamesbradfordpate

My weekly quiet time for this week was in II Samuel 21. There, David hands over two sons and five grandsons of Saul to the Gibeonites so they can hang them. Saul during his reign had killed several Gibeonites, Amorites … Continue reading →

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Stopping Me in My Tracks, God in My Life

Posted on September 27, 2009 by jamesbradfordpate

I studied II Samuel 20 for my weekly quiet time this week. Here are two lessons I got out of it: 1. David replaced Joab with Amasa for the job of commander of the king’s army. The reason was probably … Continue reading →

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Judging Joab and Ahab

Posted on September 20, 2009 by jamesbradfordpate

In last week’s post on II Samuel 18, Ahimaaz’s Tidings, I discussed the possible motives of Ahimaaz and Joab when Ahimaaz wanted to run and tell David about his side’s victory, while Joab tried to discourage him from doing so. … Continue reading →

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II Samuel 19: David Flubs Things Up

Posted on September 20, 2009 by jamesbradfordpate

My weekly quiet time in II Samuel 19 was somewhat of a struggle. Reading the commentaries went smoothly, for I was actually feeling pumped and inspired as I read the Jewish Study Bible‘s notes on the chapter, while listening to … Continue reading →

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