Deck 8: The Books of Samuel and Kings

Question 1

1. Describe the complicated character of Saul. How are we to understand the Deuteronomistic Historian's depiction of him? How can we explain his acceptance and then rejection by God?

Answer 1

Students should highlight the military qualities of Saul at the beginning of the narrative and then work toward his disobedience of divine commands through Samuel, his tendency to make (and then not keep) rash vows, and his tendency to try to please the people rather than serve as a strong leader. Students may reference the Deuteronomistic Historian's aim of showing why he was ultimately rejected in favor of David for why these flaws are highlighted, and they may reference his suitability for a stubborn people as a reason he was initially appointed to be king (or perhaps a known historical fact that the Deuteronomistic Historian must grapple with to account for Saul's initial kingship before being superseded by the Davidic dynasty).

Question 2

2. Describe the religious practices of Israel as they are presented in 1 Samuel. What innovations do you see? How closely does this picture of religious devotion in Israel match the ideal rules for worship that were discussed in Deuteronomy, Joshua, and Judges?

Answer 2

Students should note the decentralized cultic practices mentioned throughout 1 Samuel, including sacrificial feasts at local sacred spaces, "new moon" festivals, cultic practices overseen and conducted by Samuel (who is not a descendant of Aaron), and no indications of the three major festivals outlined in the Torah. These practices do not much resemble the ideal rules established in Deuteronomy and alluded to in Joshua and Judges.

Question 3

3. Discuss the character of Samuel. In what ways is he an idealized figure? Why do the Deuteronomistic Historian make him so central to the account of the establishment of the monarchy?

Answer 3

Samuel is the transitional figure between the charismatic judges and the hereditary monarchies. More than any other figure, he matches closely to the character of Joshua, trusting solely in YHWH and not seeking his own wealth, vengeance, or benefit but rather that of YHWH and his people. He is not only a charismatic leader but also a prophet and cultic leader. Connecting the rise of the kings to Samuel ensures that the transition from a charismatic (and indirectly theocratic) arrangement to a centralized monarchy is understood as divinely ordained, albeit begrudgingly and acknowledged as the result of the people's unfaithfulness. Samuel serves to legitimize both Saul and David.

Question 4

4. What are the important religious and ideological ramifications of David's establishment of Jerusalem as Israel's capital?

Question 5

5. The Deuteronomistic Historian stresses obedience to the Law of Moses. In what ways did the reign of Solomon epitomize this adherence to this law? In what ways did he fail? Does the Deuteronomistic History view Solomon positively or negatively?

Question 6

6. Describe the relationship between the southern kingdom of Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel in the late tenth to early eighth centuries B.C.E. How did each of these kingdoms evolve and change after they separated?

Question 7

7. Why are Hezekiah and Josiah so important to the Deuteronomistic Historians?

Question 8

8. How did the Deuteronomistic Historians interpret the fall of Samaria and the invasions of Judah? How were these events connected to their overall purposes?

Question 9

2. The Deuteronomistic History is usually pro-monarchy.

Question 10

3. Samuel was elected king of Israel.

Question 11

4. Second Samuel is not a part of the Deuteronomistic History.

Question 12

9. All of David's sons die in 2 Samuel.

Question 13

13. Solomon built several other temples to Yahweh besides the one at Jerusalem.

Question 14

14. As a whole, the Deuteronomistic Historians believed that the monarchs of Israel failed to live up to the laws of Moses.

Question 15

16. The northern kingdom had the same ruling family for several centuries.

Question 16

18. In the ancient world, prophets were found only in Israel.

Question 17

22. Sources indicate that the Babylonians invaded Judah on two different occasions.

Question 18

1) The empire that destroyed Samaria in 722 B.C.E. was

A) Assyria.
B) Babylon.
C) Egypt.
D) Persia.

Question 19

2) In the period covered by Judges and Samuel, the cities of Ashkelon, Ashdod, and Gaza were controlled by

A) Judah.
B) Hittites.
C) Ephraim.
D) Philistines.

Question 20

4) __________ was the final judge and anointed Saul as king.

A) Samuel
B) Deborah
C) Samson
D) Jephthah

Question 21

5) Samuel's mother was named

A) Deborah.
B) Jael.
C) Abigail.
D) Hannah.

Question 22

6) One of the reasons Saul is rejected as king is that he

A) failed to utterly destroy the Amalekites.
B) refused to offer YHWH a sacrifice on time.
C) publicly dishonored Samuel.
D) tried to kill David.

Question 23

7) After Saul is rejected as king,

A) he immediately dies.
B) Samuel curses his children.
C) God sends an evil spirit to torment him.
D) David kills Goliath.

Question 24

11) Saul's oldest daughter is

A) Michal.
B) Abigail.
C) Merab.
D) Hannah.

Question 25

20) Zadok and Abiathar are referred to as

A) generals.
B) sons of Saul.
C) priests.
D) kings.

Question 26

33) The northern kingdom was independent until ____________ B.C.E.

A) 924
B) 722
C) 586
D) 71

Question 27

35) Jeroboam established two shrines, one at ____________ and the other at ____________.

A) Bethel; Dan
B) Bethel; Shechem
C) Shechem; Dan
D) Jerusalem; Shechem

Question 28

36) Omri moved the capital of the northern kingdom to

A) Tirzah.
B) Dan.
C) Shiloh.
D) Samaria.

Question 29

42) In 2 Kings, Josiah's reforms are supported by the prophet

A) Nahum.
B) Zephaniah.
C) Isaiah.
D) Huldah.

Question 30

44) Josiah was killed in battle against the pharaoh

A) Raamses.
B) Neco.
C) Akhenaton.
D) Tutankhamen.

Question 31

46) ____________ was king of Judah during the first Babylonian invasion.

A) Jehoiachin
B) Jehoiakim
C) Josiah
D) Zedekiah

Question 32

47) Jerusalem fell in the year ____________ B.C.E.

A) 586
B) 433
C) 722
D) 674