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The Rhetoric of Convention: The Foundational S aul Narratives (1 S amuel 9–11) Reconsidered
Author(s) -
Leuchter Mark
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of religious history
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.117
H-Index - 13
eISSN - 1467-9809
pISSN - 0022-4227
DOI - 10.1111/1467-9809.12274
Subject(s) - narrative , convention , rhetoric , rhetorical question , appeal , motif (music) , monarchy , literature , appeal to emotion , history , sociology , theology , art , aesthetics , philosophy , law , political science , politics , social science
Biblical scholars have applied new methodologies to the royal narratives in the D euteronomistic H istory ( J oshua– K ings) as viable resources for recovering authentic historical information regarding the monarchic cultures of ancient I srael and their impact on the development of I sraelite religion. The present study considers anew the narratives regarding I srael's first king, S aul son of K ish. A recurring motif in these narratives is the appeal to socio‐religious convention, which is suggestive of a rhetorical strategy among the authors that sought to situate the S aulide royal lineage in familiar traditions that the institution of kingship was perceived as disrupting.