How much of what the Bible relates is actually history? How much was intended as polemical allegory, as political propaganda? When we are presented with conflicting accounts, which version of events is true and which false (or, could it be that we are not dealing with 'history', as we think of the word, in either case)?

      In the books of Samuel we are not dealing with history, but rather with polemical mythology written in a historical style. History is the motif ofthese parables, but these parables, while they may involve actual persons, arenot history. Some of the parables appear to be in the form of popular folktales (such as David's killing of Goliath). There is a political spin put on the stories. David was a great hero, and deserved to be King instead of Saul, as even Saul, himself, realized. There is also a theological spinput on the stories. David was courageous because he had faith.

      Other storiesappear to be political propaganda. You can consider the tales describingDavid as a traitor to the Jewish people. In one such talewe are told that David joined up with the Philistines and begged for a chance tojoin them in their war against the Jewish nation. Furthermore, David did notjust go to live in Philistine territory, he went to live in Gath, the home townof Goliath, also, it turns out in this little tale, the home of David. Suchtreachery! (1 Samuel 27:3)

"And David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men that were with him, unto Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife ... And David and his men went up, and made a raid upon the Geshurites, and the Gizrites, and the Amalekites; for those were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt. And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel. And he returned, and came to Achish ... And David left neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying: ‘Lest they should tell on us, saying: So did David, and so hath been his manner all the while he hath dwelt in the country of the Philistines.’" (1 Samuel 27:2)

      David was badly disappointed when he was not allowed to join the Philistines in their war against Israel. The Philistine leader tried to support David's right to join in the Philistine war, saying that he had found no fault with David in all the time he was living in Gath. 'But what have I done?' David asked when he was told to go back to Gath and sit out the war the Philistines were planning. More treachery on the part of David.

"Then said the princes of the Philistines: ‘What do these Hebrews here?’ And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines: ‘Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who hath been with me these days or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell away unto me unto this day?’ But the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him: ‘Make the man (David) return, that he may go back to his place (in Gath, hometown of Goliath) where thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us; for wherewith should this fellow reconcile himself unto his lord? should it not be with the heads of these men? ... Then Achish called David, and said unto him: ‘As YAHWEH liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight; for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day; nevertheless YAHWEHs favour thee not ... And David said unto Achish: ‘But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been before thee unto this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?’ And Achish answered and said to David: ‘I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God; notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said: He shall not go up with us to the battle ... So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines (note: returning in disappointment to his hometown of Gath, after being refused the opportunity to join in the Philistine war against Israel)." (1 Samuel 28:3)

      For further discussion of the controversies surrounding David see the page discussing the late dating of the Torah composition or the discussion of the origins of the virgin birth story or the discussion of historical contradictions in the story of Balaam.

     The Israeli and Judean Royal familieswere hereditary monarchies, and any attack on David was an attack on the Royalhouse of Judah. It is hard to imagine anyone in Judah spinning such tales andkeeping their head. It is easy to imagine someone in Israel writing suchsarcastic propaganda, when you keep in mind the rivalry and wars that took placebetween the two kingdoms during the centuries the Jewish people were divided.

      Some events related in the books of Samuel probably have historic roots. Consider the story of the plague on Israel 'because of David's census.' According to the story census takers traveled the country, going from town totown, and in each town a plague broke out. It is easy to picture how aconnection would have been made in the minds of an ignorant and unscientificpeople between the plague and the census. The census takers were obviouslycarriers of the plague, and had immunity themselves. So the story was spun outover generations.

"Once again the wrath of God burned against Israel for their sins." (2 Samuel 24:1)

     The story opens with 'a theological statement.' Often times I find myself feeling agreat deal of sympathy for our ignorant, superstitious ancestors, for there is acharming childish quality to some of their credulous and gullible stories. So the wrath of God was kindled against Israel, for there was aplague in Israel. The false theological premise is that everyone who gets sickis a sinner, bad things only happen to bad people, and good things only happento the good, a common motif in the earlier form of the Israelite religion.

      All sorts of spectacular mythological elements are then introduced. Destroying angels with swords are cutting people down with the plague. FinallyDavid is able to halt the plague at the gates of Jerusalem with a handy dandy,all purpose, cure all whole offerings sacrifice. It turns out that this wasalso how the story of the building of the temple begins for David needed, ofcourse, to buy some land on which to make his whole offerings sacrifice. Thisplot of land later became the site of the temple. Fascinating little story,probably based on an historical event, but certainly not 'historical' in the waywe normally think of the word.