LOS ORÍGENES DE LA MONARQUÍA EN ISRAEL

MIGUEL ÁLVAREZ BARREDO, Los orígenes de la monarquía en lsrael. Traducciones literarias y enfoques teológicos de 1 Sam 8-12 (Publicaciones del Instituto Teológico de Murcia OFM 52; Murcia: Servicio de Publicaciones Instituto Teológico de Murcia OFM/Editorial Espigas, 2009). Pp. 261. Papel' €20. ISBN 978-84-86042-82-0.

(-C.T.B. en Old Testament Abstracts 33, 2010)

Á.'s study of the much-controverted segment, 1 Samuel8-12, unfolds in three stages: (1) redactional-critical analysis: (2) a synchronic reading of the extant complex with particular attention to the evolving portrayals of the various characters and their interactions; and (3) a consideration of the theological dimensions of the component sections and strata of the passage. According to Á., the extant 1Samuel 8-12 is the end product of a long literary process in which originally independent units (e.g., the story of Saul's finding and acclamation on the basis of his outstanding physique in 1Sam 10:21b-24a or the anti-monarchical "pamphlet" 1 Sam 8:11-18) were successively combined and retouched by a series of redactors, a process that culminated with the work of the Deuteronomist(s) whose contributions are to be found especially in chaps. 8 and 12. In its present form, 1 Samuel 8-12 shows itself to be a highly complex, nuanced account of the origin of the monarchy in Israel.
On the one hand, the segment makes clear that the idea for a human kingship like that of Israel's neighbors originated-not with Yhwh or Samuel-but rather with the people and reflects their lack of trust in their provident God. On the other hand, however, Yhwh does accept the people's request for a human king and allows the new institution to be incorporated into the existing framework of the covenantal relationship between himself and Israel, if only the people (and their king) will stay faithful to him in the future. The volume comes with a bibliography, an index of biblical texts, and a detailed table of contents.