The Tanakh Podcast

The prophet comes to David and accuses David of murder and adultery and pronounces David's punishment. David admits his sin. Batsheva's child dies.

In the stories of David there is no sin greater than David's adultery and murder in this chapter. We shall see how sin leads to complication and complication to further sin as David is tempted to use his royal power to cover his own misdeeds.

David sends a diplomatic delegation to console the ammonite king Hannun after the death of his father. However Hannun humiliates David's officials. This is in essence a declaration of war against Israel as Ammon rally an entire alliance of forces to fight David's army. Yoav and his brother Avishai show their phenomenal military prowess in their management of the battle.

David decides to show his kindness and loyalty to the House of Shaul. He seeks out any remaining descendants and discovers that Mefiboshet, Yonatan's son, a handicapped man, is still alive. Through the story we meet Tziva, the caretaker of Saul's estate, who has essentially assumed control over the assets of the former king. David honours Mefiboshet by having him eat at the royal table, and he instructs Tziva to serve his master Mefiboshet. (However with Mefiboshet in Jerusalem and Tziva handling Saul's estate, the potential for indiscretion will be great. We will meet Tziva and Mefiboshet in later stories.

David fights on every front: Philistines, Moav, Aram, Edom, Amalek, Amon, and succeeds in growing the kingdom to a veritable empire. The chapter ends with David's growing national administration. Our discussion will focus upon the military force that David is using and its justification.

David requests to build the Temple. God says no. Why? Is it because he has blood on his hands? Our chapter offers a different reason. -- Whatsapp group - alexisrael.org/whatsapp All videos - alexisrael.org/focus

David has captured Jerusalem. But how does he bring God to the city? By making a home for the Aron - the Ark of God - in Jerusalem. But a terrible accident happens as the procession makes its way - the Ark slips and Uzzah tries to save it but is killed. What is David going to do to repair the situation? And how does this relate to the argument between David and his wife, Michal bat Shaul?

In this chapter David becomes King over the entire nation and immediately sets to create a new capital city - Jerusalem. The entire chapter depicts the way that David solidifies and stabilizes his position as monarch. Why Jerusalem? How was it captured? -- For High Holiday content, see alexisrael.org/focus For the (silent) whatsapp group see alexisrael.org/whatsapp

Two officers of Ish-Boshet's army come into his house and murder him in broad daylight. What do they wish to achieve? What is their motivation? In this, the third of the assassination stories, we hear yet again how David does not want to rise to the throne over the death of his political rivals. we also address two other topics: 1. Ish-Boshet's strange name. And 2. The story of the tribes of Be'erot. -- To join our whatsapp group with content for the Yamim Noraim, please go to alexisrael.org/whatsapp

Avner argues with the King, Ish-Boshet, and as he realizes that the northern faction led by Sauls' son, is weakening, he decides to capitalize on the moment and create a coalition with King David. However Yoav, David's general, has a vendetta with Avner (Avner had killed Yoav's brother) and he murders Avner. Now the peace deal is severely jeopardized. Will David manage to salvage the peace and reunite the kingdom under his rule?

David is crowned in Yehuda. But Avner crowns Saul's son, Ish-Boshet, over the Northern Tribes. For seven years the generals - Yoav and Avner - are engaged in conflict. We witness one particularly bloody day of fighting.

Today we address two questions: 1. Why do we receive two accounts of Saul's death? 2. Was Saul a success? Was he set up for failure?

Saul and his three sons die in battle on Mount Gilboa. But whereas Saul's son's are killed by the enemy, Saul takes his own life. Was Shaul permitted to end his own life? What were the alternatives?

David and his men return to Ziklag. Amalek have attacked. The town has been burnt and the women and children taken captive. David goes on the chase. In this chapter we can understand more deeply what is problematic about Amalek, and we learn some important war ethics.

The Philistines are mobilizing to fight Israel. And David and his men are mobilizing with them! Will David fight his own people? But if he doesn't fight, how will he retain his loyalty to Achish? Or will something else save David from this predicament?

War has broken out. The Philistines are attacking. Saul is terrified. He needs reassurance. God won't answer him! He resorts to a necromancer, a woman who raises spirits from the grave. And Saul chooses to raise Samuel from the dead. What will Samuel say to him? The most simple truth, but the most devastating news that Saul could ever hear. -- Music. "Ghost Town" The Specials Recorded February 2, 2023

David leaves the land of Israel and the jurisdiction of King Saul. Now he is safe. But he still needs to play a double game - fighting the enemies of Israel on the one hand, and presenting himself as loyal to Achish, the Philistine king, on the other. -- Originally recorded January 31, 2023

Once again, David has a chance to assassinate Shaul, but he refrains from taking the king's life. But Chapter 26 seems almost a repeat of Chapter 24! What is the need to relate both of these stories?

While an outlaw, David and his men have been patrolling the Southern Border and ensuring the safety of local farms and polulations. When one of the local farmers - a rich sheep farmer called Naval - insults David and his men, refusing to share the bounty of the farm at the sheep-shearing, David decides to attack. It is the quick action of Naval's wife, Avigail, that saves David from performing a massacre. But this story reminds us of the violence that David can wield, and of the restraint that he has employed towards Shaul. First recorded: January 29, 2023

In this chapter, David gets close enough to Saul that he can cut off the corner of his coat. Why doesn't David murder Saul? What moral principles guide David? -- Originally recorded January 28, 2023