This post is primarily a question posed to all of you biblical scholars out there. I am doing some research for a series of wednesday night youth talks entitled "the beloved of God." While doing some research I came across 2 Samuel and the narrative of David, Bathsheba and the birth of Solomon. I have read that passage before but never noticed that God declared through the prophet Nathan that Solomon's name was to be Jedidiah "beloved of God." Please tell me how I got through a Christian College and even a seminary without noticing this?! Anyway, further research has shown that the name Jedidiah is not mentioned anywhere else in scripture. In fact, every time that God speaks or refers to Solomon, God uses the name Solomon and not Jedidiah. I have a couple of ideas of what could possibly be behind this. I would love some feedback though from you OT scholars out there.
Shalom.
*Image at the top is from http://www.sxc.hu and was posted by brainloc
13 comments:
I have no idea.
God was refering to solomons technical twin that never fully separated and was consumed into the left side of his chest. One of the reason people view Solomon as being wise was because he had the face and top of his twin's head sticking out of his left shoulder a bit. This is the meaning of the double name and contributed to the king's unusually large sex drive.
Joel, your hermeneutical starting point is obviously rooted in the Holy Spirit. I am amazed. I am a little confused now on how to preach this passage in a church setting.
On the flip side, I think Brandon may be on to something as well.
Shalom
brandon always thinks he knows everything... always has to have the right answer. Look how pompous and blowhard his answer is... and that smug picture to boot...
Smug is how I roll, dawg.
Also, I hope that Joel's articulation on the question of Solomon's two names is actually a theory or maybe a fact floating around out there. Otherwise, I'm not sure if I should be impressed or weirded-out at the level of creativity.
Solomon possibly comes from but definitely sounds like the Hebrew for "peace". And Solomon was born right after the death of the illegitimate child conceived at the cost of Uriah's life.
My knee-jerk reaction was to think that David and Bathsheba disobeyed God's directive. But then as you point out, God Himself calls Solomon by that same name.
I guess I'll just have to defer to Joel. But I might entertain your thoughts as well. Don't leave us hanging.
Oh, by the way, my point with the first two sentences was to suggest what connection (rather than a discontinuity that arises from viewing the naming as a disobedience) there might be between "peace" and "beloved of God" in the context of rebuke and (for lack of a better word) judgment directed toward David.
Please, advise.
Finally, I would like to apologize for messing up the humorous interchange. I just brought a friend over to read the comments because it was so incredibly creative and hysterical...and then I got to mine and had to click off because I was embarrassed. I apologize for blemishing the flow of conversation.
well... it seems to me that renaming is not such an oddity (or at least it is somewhat a part of)in hebrew culture. it is also important to remember that the references to solomon in kings, for example, were probably written after his reign. So.. there might have been a point at which the name he was called changed, but it was just never recorded etc etc... blah blah.. historical criticism... i wish i could maintain that my previous answer was the result of great research, but alas it was the product of late night mishief. still, it makes for a great history channel expose don't you think. lets film it... all about how it lead, eventually, to the loss of the ark of the covenant through confusion as to was the real king of israel....
Yes! I can see it now:
[History {or Discovery, TLC, etc} Channel Voice Over That Conveys A Bit Of Humor But Maybe A Little Truth Behind This Expose]
Historical sketchings of Solomon the great king pass by in the background
VO: In Sunday School you heard that he was the wisest of all men...
Drumbeat: THOOMTHOOMTHOOM!
VO: He had more wives than you could shake a stick at...
Drumbeat: THOOMTHOOMTHOOM!
VO: He once told a couple of ladies to cut up a baby...
Drumbeat: THOOMTHOOMTHOOM!
VO: But, is there more to the story?
Record Player Needle Being Taken Off Too
Quickly Scracth Sound: (perplexingly) Record Player Needle Being Taken Off Too
Quickly Scracth Sound!?!?!?!?!?
VO: Find out tonight - Did Solomon have an integrated intelligence system intelligently integrated into his shoulder? Are two heads really better than one? Did Solomon get offended whenever anyone would say (in Hebrew) "Heads up!" on the Solomonic Golf Course? Was the tragic Battle of Kibishishishi fought because wife #452's uncle's brother's cousin's nephew's servant's cousin's (thrice removed) husband said on 'Late Night with Benjamin' that Solomon was quote "Head and head and shoulders above the rest?
Drumbeat and Lyre: (in unison) THOOMTHOOMstrummystrumstruuummmmm.
VO: Only on the Discover Channel. Brought to you in only the way the History Channel can.
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And then we'll be rich. And credible.
It seems as though there's a blog hiatus in progress. Weird.
This coming from someone who updates an average of once a month.
chirp...chirp...tumbleweed..........
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