The Art of Lying in King David's Court

Abstract

While telling lies is only one form of deceptive discourse, all deceptions depend upon managing the message. That in turn suggests the possibility of a wide spectrum of potentially benign or harmful consequences based on these interactions ranging from simple embarrassment to physical endangerment. In the examination of affairs at King David's royal court, using Interpersonal Deception Theory (IDT), it will be demonstrated that a great deal of both verbal and physical infighting occurs. And, among the strategies utilized by the competitors for power, various forms of deception are skillfully employed by the characters in these narratives.