“A Tale of Two Swords”

In this presentation, we will explore one of the most well-beloved narratives in the Hebrew Bible – David’s rise to the throne (1 Samuel 16–31). While many might be familiar with David’s story in the Book of Samuel, I will argue that there is a gap in our understanding of this story. There is an overlooked detail that adds much to our understanding of the story’s literary complexity and beauty.

Without giving too much away, I will seek to demonstrate how the writer of Samuel achieved a literary masterpiece by intricately weaving the drama of David using the threads of geography and legendary weaponry. Along the way, we will explore the origins of this “gap” for our story – namely – poor biblical archaeological interpretation that obscured what I like to call the “Tale of Two Swords.”

Dr. Chris McKinny

Dr. Chris McKinny is a Producer, Director, and Research Fellow at Gesher Media, well as a faculty member at Jerusalem University College. As an active archaeologist and biblical scholar, Chris frequently publishes articles in peer-reviewed journals and teaches courses on biblical archaeology and historical geography. He also co-hosts the weekly podcast OnScript Biblical World, which explores the archaeological, historical, geographical, and cultural backgrounds of the Bible.