Abstract
The story of David as king in 1-2 Samuel is defined by rule of Israel. In contrast, Judah’s centrality in the David narrative is limited to two sections: David’s anointing over Judah in 2 Sam 2:4a (part of a larger unit in vv. 1-4a) and the end of the Absalom lore in 19:9bβ-15, 16b-18a; and 19:41-20:5. These Judah additions or “bookends” interrupt the flow of the narrative, shifting and reorienting the reader’s direction in favor of Judah. Considered as a whole, the secondary nature of Judah in the David narrative invites us to reconsider the political and social landscape of the early monarchy. For the majority of its textual growth, the David material is defined not by a United Monarchy, nor by a clear political division between Israel and Judah, but by one important entity: Israel.
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