« From Shirley's Garden
Main
A World With Few Vowels »
April 16, 2006
The Conquests of David and Sinuhe
Guest Blogger - Loren Fisher
[I want to thank Loren for taking the time to write this post. Loren is both a teacher and a friend so it is a great pleasure to share his extremely interesting perspective on "The Conquests of David and Sinuhe." - Duane]
In my third novel about the Jerusalem Academy, Naam is now a scribe and a teacher in the academy. He is the son of Jonathan and Keziah, and Keziah was the author of the first two books (The Jerusalem Academy and The Minority Report). Naam writes this third one with the working title of The Fractured State. He learned Egyptian from Khety, who is from Egypt and teaches in the academy. Naam has just translated The Story of Sinuhe (1960 BCE) and The Journey of Wen-Amon (1090-80 BCE). He is also teaching a class on storytelling at the tombs in Egypt and Israel. The following excerpt is from one of his classes on this subject:
One of my students said, “In your summary at our last class meeting and when I was reading Sinuhe, I was astounded by the part concerning his fight with a hero of the Retenu. It sounded very much like the stories that I have heard about David’s defeat of Goliath.”
“These stories use the same storyteller’s art. The Egyptians have taught us all how to tell good stories. Actually we have at least two traditions about the killing of Goliath, but the one that will never be changed gives the credit to David. It is a lot like the Sinuhe account that you have just read.”
Another student asked, “Why do you say that it will never be changed?”
“Because the administration’s story about any event cannot be changed. New evidence that could change a story is just not allowed or taken seriously.”
“So, what can be done?”
“The only thing one can do is to keep all of the traditions alive and well, and as my mother has pointed out in her book, The Minority Report, the minority opinions can be the most essential for our future.
“It may be important to note that the age of our ancestors is coming to a close. The stories of our ancestors were recited at their tombs, and they lead to David, and in like manner the stories of David that will be recited at his tomb will certainly include his killing of Goliath, told in the same way as this tale concerning Sinuhe. I think we should read both accounts again. First let’s read the Sinuhe account:
Then came a hero of Retenu,
To challenge me in my own camp.
He was a champion, this one, without equal.
He had subdued all of it.
He said he would fight with me.
He intended to rob me.
He planned to take my cattle,
On the counsel of his tribe. (B 109 – B 113a)
. . .
'‘He came to me; I was waiting, having placed myself near him (R 156). Every heart burned for me; women and men murmured. Every heart was sick for me. They said, “Is there another hero who could fight against him? Then he raised his shield, his axe, and his armful of javelins were hurled toward me. I caused his weapons to pass by me. His arrows amounted to nothing, one after the other. Then he charged me, and I shot him. My arrow stuck in his neck. He cried out; he fell on his face. I slew him with his axe, and I raised my war cry over his back. Every Asiatic shouted, and I gave praise to Montu.’ (B 131b – 142a)
“Now here is the popular tradition of the killing of Goliath:
‘So it happened that the Philistine came and drew near in order to meet David. David hurried; he ran to the battle line to meet the Philistine. David put his hand into the bag; he took from it a stone. He slung it. He hit the Philistine’s brow; the stone penetrated into it. He fell on his face to the ground. David prevailed over the Philistine with the sling and with the stone. He hit the Philistine; he killed him, and there was not a sword in the hand of David.‘David ran.
He stood on the Philistine.
He took his sword;
He drew it from its sheath.
He killed him.
He cut off his head with it.’ (I Samuel 17:48-51a)
“These accounts are told in a delightful manner true or not. There are several interesting parallels in these stories, but two are outstanding. In both, the enemy falls on his face. In Akkadian letters from this period the inferior person begins with obeisance or homage to the addressee. In EA 286 the ruler of Jerusalem, ‘Abdi-Heba, says ‘I fall at the feet of my lord, the king (in this case Pharaoh), 7 times and 7 times.’ (see The Amarna Letters , Edited and Translated by William L. Moran, Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, p 326). By falling on his face, the opponent becomes a ‘servant’ to Sinuhe or to David, albeit in these cases dead servants. Also we note that in both stories the hero uses the opponent’s weapon to kill him and in the case of David, and possibly in the case of Sinuhe, to cut off his head.”
Update April 17, 2006
For the sake of accuracy, the final sentence was modified at Loren's request.
Posted by Duane Smith at April 16, 2006 3:26 PM | Read more on Hebrew Bible |
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.telecomtally.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/1652
Comments
Sorry, comments are closed for this post.
Send me an email if it is important.