Texts in Conversation
In 1 Kings, the Davidic line is described as a lamp preserved in Jerusalem, and Psalm 132 uses similar royal imagery by describing David’s strength growing and presenting a lamp prepared for God’s anointed king.
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1 Kings 11:36
Hebrew Bible
34 I will not take the whole kingdom from his hand. I will allow him to be ruler for the rest of his life for the sake of my chosen servant David who kept my commandments and rules. 35 I will take the kingdom from the hand of his son and give 10 tribes to you. 36 I will leave his son one tribe so there might be a lamp for David my servant all the days before me in Jerusalem59, the city I have chosen as my home. 37 I will select you; you will rule over all you desire to have and you will be king over Israel. 38 You must obey all I command you to do, follow my instructions, do what I approve, and keep my rules and commandments, as my servant David did. Then I will be with you and establish for you a lasting dynasty, as I did for David; I will give you Israel.
Date: 6th Century B.C.E. (Final composition) (based on scholarly estimates)
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Psalm 132:17
Hebrew Bible
14 He said, “This will be my resting place forever; I will live here, for I have chosen it. 15 I will abundantly supply what she needs; I will give her poor all the food they need. 16 I will protect her priests, and her godly people will shout exuberantly. 17 There I will make David strong; I have arranged a lamp for my anointed one.28 18 I will humiliate his enemies, and his crown will shine.”
Date: 6th-3rd Centuries B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... Both the time for lighting and for extinguishing the lamps were used as time specifications for other activities (Exodus 30:7-8) or simply for indicating a certain time of day (1 Samuel 3:3). As natural light takes on positive associations based on its role as dispeller of darkness, a congruent metaphoric range extends to the artificial light from lamps: e.g. 'For you are my lamp, Yahweh, and Yahweh will illuminate my darkness' (2 Samuel 22:29). So, too, we should note the lamp imagery applied to David and the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 21:17; 1 Kings 11:36; 15:4; 2 Kings 18:19; 2 Chronicles 21:7; Psalm 132:17). On the other hand, extinguishing a lamp is a way of referring to divine punishment (Proverbs 20:20; 24:20; Job 18:5-6; 21:17) ..."
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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