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My Bible Queries

My Bible Queries

Dec 25 2007

2 Samuel

2

2Sam1:10 the Amalekite lies. Was he trying to gain David’s favor and a job?

What’s the subjective morality here?  Who knew what when? David “knew” that Saul had asked to be put out of his misery. Or is David a mind-reader and knows the Amalekite lies?  Is this fickle justice? Or is it understood by all ahead of time that no one kills the Lord’s anointed.  Even though the Lord, consistent with the Lord’s prior capricious behavior, will cause some other poor hapless sap to do the dirty work for Him, and then that guy will get nixed too.  This biblical  God never loses does he?

1:26  Now I heard from some BACs (Born again Christians) that ‘those gays’ claim that David and Johnathan were lovers – gay lovers.  First of all, the only people who might know the answer to that are David and Johnathan and they’ve been dead for about 2 and 1/2 millenia. This is unknowable.

But people can project onto the Bible whatever they want, try to read out of it whatever they want… which is probably what I’m doing right now.  At best one might make a plausible case for this or that, but humility and open-mindedness should be fairly practiced by all.

So I wondered how was it that some 20th century gay literary critics might argue that these close friends and allies are gay lovers.  In a poem or song David says of Johnathan “Your love for me was… more wonderful than that of women.”

Oh my.

And David oughta know, considering how many wives and concubines he got to test drive, eh?

At face value, not knowing any Hebrew, nor ancient Hebrew culture, I’d have to say that the gay argument sounds just as likely as that against.

It is useful to separate reason, logic,  empirical evidence, from bias, prejudice, behavioral conditioning, fears, learned paranoia, etc.

2:14 Joab and Abner have young men fight.  What kind of leadership is this?  Old men know that young men want to fight, to prove themselves.  Don’t they know the myth teenagers suffer from: immunity?

Is their clannishness fear-based? Inevitable?  Is ours?

3:1-5   7 wives.  Where did Michal the first wife go?

Apparently only sons count.  Not daughters.

3:7 concubine – inferior social and legal status. A secondary wife.  I suppose that means even more inferior than a regular wife already was in that society…

a trophy wife?

Vanity: excessive regard for one’s self-appearance.

Was that supposed to be Saul’s property and prestige?

Perhaps the disease is deeper than this ancient Hebrew culture could fathom at the time.  An entire culture based on inequity. And maybe the answer is in Feminism.

If a woman can no longer be a possession, then the fighting over women as possession ends?

15 Paltiel cries because he loves Her, or loves her as an object? They took away his Porsche?

3:22  another raid.  Was “raiding” a common and legitimate means of obtaining goods?  Can it be excused as being in the middle of the ‘hatfields and the mccoys’?

3:27 Joab kills Abner.  So you can kill but only ‘the right way’?  There is no way to peace, peace is the way.

3:30 tit for tat only stops when I choose to stop.

3:36 David makes it clear that if a political enemy is defeated unfairly by coincedence, he did not do it, and it grieves him too.

4 house of Saul continues to fall, accomplished by evil men.  But if God sends evil spirits, and uses evil, then God is evil.  Or how about we just stop speculating about God altogether and look at our own choices and consequences?!

Assigning human intentions to the universe is unknowable.

Joab killing Abner echoes the Amalekite killing Saul.  Is there at least some principle which David tries to adhere to?  A bigger reference than immediate personal gain or advantage?

5:12 David knew it was not his will, but god’s will that built him up and not just for personal gain, but for the people of Isreal.

L’etat c’est moi.  (Louis XIV)  I am the state.

But if it really is for the people, how about common resources for all – e.g wells, irrigation, public housing, not just one symbolic king of the hill?

5:19  ask God first before starting any work.  Stop and listen first, maybe some new strategy will come to you.

6:1 Whose idea what is it to bring the ark to david’s city? David’s?  Whom does this serve?  Identify the political and military state with God.  Is religion subservient to the state? And when did this start?!

6:7 Uzzah’s in trouble…  was the ark tipping?  Did he try to stop it from falling?  This is a bad intention and he is punished for it?

6:13 a bull and a calf sacrificed every six steps.  Distance from Gath to Jerusalem – 25 miles? 132,000 feet.  One step – maybe 3 feet.  132,000 / 3 / 6 = 7340 bulls and calves sacrificed?

Sure…

6:19 true communal charity.

6:16 Michal despises David – why? B/c he danced and got naked in public.

21 – David says maybe it was an accident.

Is not Michal justified in admonishing David… oh wait – silly me, I know the answer, no woman is ever justified admonishing a man in these schizophrenic scrolls.

Ok, but where’s Michal coming from, as if that mattered to anyone?  Does not at least some aspect of David belong to Michal as his wife? Or rather, to Michal plus seven other wives? Or does even the general public, even slaves get to see how handsome David is?

Is nothing unique and special for Michal only?  Yes it’s David’s body, but is it not a special gift to her?

Maybe Michal actually loved David for a while there?!

Was she tired of being passed as property from Saul to David to Paltiel back to David?

23 – women are punished for challenging men.  Her ultimate, and practically her only value in that society was to be a Mom and God takes that away from her too.  God is just the cosmic kill-joy ain’t he?  And I’d better stop asking questions or I’m next on his shit-list.

7:5 God wants to be loved? Are you the one?… as if God was hoping for it.

7:10 wicked people will not oppress them anymore… but who appointed those wicked people? Same guy who sent Saul an evil spirit? Oh wait, I know, stfu.

7:13 if Christians use this as a prophesy of Jesus Christ – watch out – 14 when he does wrong… will Jesus do wrong and be punished? Is this without sin? Sure, whatever.

15 God took his love away from Saul…. I really hope I’m not like Saul.  If God doesn’t like his own creation, and changes his mind, you’re screwed.

7:18 who am I – David recognizes the miracle.

Is this your usual way? Are you usually this generous?

It could be if what?,,,, we live by spiritual principles?

If we adapt our ways to follow the patterns and principles in nature, such as balance, homeostasis, etc., then we will prosper?

7:25 the Lord is God over Israel.  And screw everyone else?

8:2 killing 2/3 rds of captured Moabites.  Killing prisoners of war.  Today, typical ratio of civilians to soldiers killed is around 10:1 when you vote in favor of a war candidate you are supporting the tenfold death of civilians as necessary. You are supporting an ideology which covers this with a euphemism of “collateral damage”.

What percentage of Jews in Europe did the Nazis kill? About 66%?  It’s a fair question.  Don’t like it? Then don’t teach this shit to children anymore.

Hamstrung the horses. What exactly does this do?  Isn’t this cruel?  Why not just kill them?

8:8 take the Bronze b/c they don’t know how to make it themselves?

8:11 If all Israel gets to experience the temple, sort of like a public Art museum today, then this does “share the wealth”.

9:8 tell me about it kid.

10:3 aren’t you here to spy?  Fear and mistrust leads to suspicion, misinterpretation, leads to anger, insult leads to humiliation, reacting with ego leads to a fight.

Prepare for war and you get  war. A self-fulfilling prophecy.

Sure, let’s have the CEOs of Lockheed martin write our foreign policy… duh!

10:5 “stay at Jericho till your beards have grown”

… and buy some pants.

11:1 in the spring when the kings go off to war… like birds migrating now?! It was an entire culture of war. The more things change, the more they stay the same I guess.

11:16 Army officers, like Joab, will follow commands, including murder.  “C-in-C must have a good reason for this…”

How exactly did Pat Tilman die?

This is how you get promoted in human institutions: follow the boss – a human, not the principle – divine.

11:27 it displeased the Lord.  And how did Bathsheeba feel about it? More than a little awkward?  How loving can a relationship based on fear be?  She must do anything to please this billionaire who could have her killed and get away with it, just like he did to her former husband.  That must be a nice little slice of hell on earth.

“cursed to be born beautiful poor and female, there’s none who suffer more” – Perry Farrell. Porno for pyros.

THE WHITE SLAVE

By Joe Hill

(Air: "Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland")

One little girl, fair as a pearl,

Worked every day in a laundry;

All that she made, for food she paid,

So she slept on a park bench so soundly;

An old procuress spied her there,

She came and whispered in her ear:

CHORUS

Come with me now, my girly,

Don't sleep out in the cold;

Your face and tresses curly

Will bring you fame and gold,

Automobiles to ride in, diamonds and silk to wear,

You'll be a star bright, down in the red light,

You'll make your fortune there.

Same little girl, no more a pearl,

Walks all alone 'long the river,

Five years have flown, her health is gone,

She would look at the water and shiver,

Where’re she'd stop to rest and sleep,

She'd hear a voice call from the deep:

Girls in this way, fall every day,

And have been falling for ages,

Who is to blame? You know his name,

It's the boss that pays starvation wages.

A homeless girl can always hear

Temptations calling everywhere.

12:8 What god gives is more than sufficient for living in tune with God.

12:11 out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you… because the kids learned to be sneaky from dad and that he could get away with it.  Whatever example you are you children will follow.

12:13 David says I have sinned against the Lord.  Well, I suppose strictly speaking I’d have to say this is unknowable. What is knowable is that David sinned against, or rather murdered Uriah.  He also sinned against Bathsheeba and all of Uriah’s loved ones.

So what amends are you going to make to all of them?!

And what amends will you make to society at large for the fear and suspicion people live under when the leader of the land commits premeditated murder for personal gain?!

David just says I’m sorry, does some sort of offering to God, still gets to keep Bathsheeba as stolen property?

I am not impressed.  What does the Torah say must happen to him?  Should David be stoned? What about equal justice under the law?

Of course there is no political will to prosecute David to that extent.  Just as there is no political will on the part of the so-called democratic leadership to prosecute GWB and company for high crimes, and treason.

12:26 Joab, even after carrying out the murder of one of his better soldiers or officers, appears to be doing well, still in command.  Must be inspiring to serve in that army.

Sort of like the officers who cover up the cause of Pat Tilman’s death, stage the “rescue” of Jessica Lynch http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessica_Lynch#Lynch.27s_criticism

Evidently, it ain’t always the cream that rises to the top.

13:1 Amnon and Tamar, same father different mother? Is that legal? That’s half-sister…

Jonadab a shrewd man – of course – the middle manager types and sycophants who rise up in court politics must be shrewd.  Not just anyone gets to be buddies with the king’s kids.

This on-going process of advancement within carefully controlled environments or bubbles for the elite should be very revealing still today.  Everyone lives within a bubble or two, a limited view of the world, but the more wealthy and powerful, the more layers of insulation?

13:13 so you could marry a half-sister?  Did he love her, or perhaps he loved the idea of her.  Then he resented her, he resented the real her.  Therefore it’s not really love, but infatuation.

If daddy does not deny himself any women and gets away with it then so will i.

Send away = not take care of $or socially.

20 don’t take this to heart? I.e. don’t feel bad?  Now there’s a sensitive male.

Reminds me of a news story in Kenya when many high school girls died in some panic – trampling incedent.  They were petrified of a large group of boys who conspired to rape them.  When some Kenyan politicians commented on this tragedy, they said “I don’t know what the girls were so afraid of, the boys only wanted to rape them.”

Male apathy or dismissive attitudes towards rape is not limited to Kenya by any means.  Apparently in KBR Halliburton it’s protected. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Leigh_Jones

12:32 Jonadab knew, so it’s not like this unresolved stuff was such  big secret.

12:37 but David mourned for absolom every day.  No matter what you do – who loves you?!

14:14  instead God devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him.

What about that punishing unto the 4th generation stuff?  This does not sound like the same God.  Maybe this god is schizophrenic.

I think I prefer god on the forgiving-type-god-days.

If God is just a personification of the writer’s father, perhaps the authors of these schizophrenic scrolls had raging alcoholics for dads.

14:24 absolom must not see David’s face.  Is this a legitimate attempt at reconciliation?  How could David ever do that if he never reconciled / amended for his wrongs?

Is this keeping up appearances for society? Is he restraining absolom or himself?

If Absolom could be in David’s presence would that push the envelope of public trust in human authority too far to know that justice does not apply to the royal family?

This society – at least the top of it is corrupt.  The more things change, the more they stay the same?

28 Absolom wants affection and status again.

Is he in the equivalent of minimum security prison?  White collar criminal jail?  What’s up with that 2-tiered layer penal system anyway?

32 Absalom is a whiny little brat.

David must really not be paying attention for this whole situation to develop.  Too many wives, concubines, kids, and enablers and sycophants I guess.

15:4 Absalom a judge, would deliver justice? A murderer?

15:6 Flattery WILL get you somewhere sometimes.

15:13  insert ‘ foolish’ for accuracy – the hearts of the foolish men of Israel are with absolom.  Is this another swipe at populist politics? Re-asserting that generally speaking the majority of people are stupid and require strong central leadership? What a convenient myth for central, self-appointing leaders to teach in religious propaganda.

I’m missing some strategy here. Is david’s army clearly outnumbered? Is the city too large to defend? Or they want to move the fight away from civilians?  Don’t defenders have the advantage?

16:10 appeal to a higher common authority.

16:13 kudos to david for accepting humiliation – at least some peace is worth much more than prestige.

So the tribes and clans of Israel fight each other as well as their neighbors. And sometimes they ally themselves with neighbors. This is a feudal state?

Feudal states become kingdoms, empires and nation states, only after the greatest minorities are conquered or subdued in some fashion.  E.g. it’s not the United States of America as much as it is the Conquered states of America. 

That discord never really went away, it simmers underneath the surface.  See Howard Zinn’s chapter entitled “will it explode?”

16:21 is Ahithophel’s advice Machiavellian?

17:4 all the elders of Israel – so what other political infrastructure is there? Shifting alliances of clan and tribal elders?

17:15 Hushai is a double agent?

17:19 the extra plot twists and hanging by a thread – that the message almost did not get through adds dramatic flair.  It’s a great story telling tool.  It might actually be true. 

Amazing coincidences do sometimes happen and can be interpreted as the hand of God if you want to.

18:9 are mules better in the deserts and hills than horses?

18:18 the handsomest of david’s sons had no sons?  Is this meant to indicate that God was really against him all along?

18:29 shrewdly delivering messages – “it depends” – sizing up the audience first?

19:13 Amasa was an opposing general.  This is a remarkable gesture of trust.

22 it’s time to stop fighting eachother.

24 I’m confused about discrepancies between what Meph said vs. Ziba said.  28 Ziba still gets it and therefore prophecy is fulfilled – about saul’s household.

20:3  concubines in confinement – you’ll just never be good enough.

20:12 Amasa lay wallowing – active – so no coup de grace?

Can you follow a leader who just killed another leader?

Joab negotiates with city of Sheba.  Contrast with “we don’t negotiate with terrorists”.  Al Qaeda said remove US bases from Saudi Arabia.  Why not try that?

21:7 could those 7 males have done anything to try and stop the decimation?  If decimation – perhaps 100s dead.  That’s a lot more than 7 males.

22:24 I have been blameless before him…  um, excuse me? Selective memory david?

23:5 will not god grant me my every desire?

Does this mean – change your desires to be in line with God’s will a la Marcus Aureleus’ meditations?

23:8 Josheb – killed 800 men in one encounter.  Yeah, I saw that in a Bruce Lee Movie.  Funny how the bad guys seem to just wait in line to get beaten like they’re holding a number for the Deli…

23:24 are these all clans within the 12 tribes? Any foreigners?

24 this chapter seems like it was added by a separate author after David’s last words in 23.

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