A Sure House

This is a study of the texts referring or alluding to the dynastic promise to David in the books of Samuel and Kings and the “Law of the King”. Jan Rückl pays attention to the textual problems of some of the studied passages, especially 2 Sam 7 which has different meanings in the most important textual witnesses. Although the most ancient retrievable text of 2 Sam 7 is not to be identified with MT, this text form corresponds to the original basic meaning of the chapter. Special attention is also given to the value of 1 Chr 17 for the reconstruction of the oldest text of 2 Sam 7. A statistic study of the patterns of agreements among the witnesses leads to the conclusion that evaluating many “synonymous” differences between 2 Sam 7 and 1 Chr 17 – which cannot be explained as resulting from “mistakes” or “tendentious” – “case by case” would lead to arbitrary decisions. The great majority of these differences are a result of the Chronicler’s relatively free approach to his source.