Just Deceivers by Matthew Newkirk;

Author:Matthew Newkirk; [Newkirk, Matthew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781498201186
Publisher: Lightning Source (Tier 4)
Published: 2015-05-15T07:00:00+00:00

29. Bodner employs Bakhtin’s concept of “pseudo-objective motivation” to suggest that, despite appearances, vv. 36–37 reflect the people’s point of view but not the narrator’s (David Observed, 38–66). However, his conclusion is grounded in unduly skeptical reading. Bodner’s suggestion that Abner is characterized as deceptive in this chapter is based largely on gaps in the story rather than positive evidence. For example, along with McCarter he suggests that because Abner’s quotation of divine speech in vv. 17–18 has no “verifiable antecedent” it is best viewed as a “diplomatic invention” (ibid., 51–52). He admits that it coheres with the concerns of the broader Deuteronomistic narrative, but he asserts that in the immediate context this aspect of Abner’s speech is inadvertent. However, in these verses Abner also quotes the elders of Israel whom he is addressing without a “verifiable antecedent”: “For a while you have been seeking David to be king over you” (v. 17b). Applying the same skepticism to this unverified quotation would suggest that Abner was inventing discourse for the people to whom he was speaking, which is a most implausible situation. Thus principled skepticism of Abner’s speech in vv. 17–18 cannot be sustained consistently throughout the narrative. Just as the veracity of his quotation of the elders should be given the benefit of the doubt, so should his repetition of divine speech.

Elsewhere Bodner suggests, “the triple repetition of ‘peace’ may actually be an example of narrational overstatement to indicate that all is not tranquil” (ibid., 52). Yet he provides no rationale for why such an inversion should be read in the text. On the other hand, Fokkelman analyzes vv. 20–25 and identifies four chiasms consisting of “coming, sending, and going” sections, with each chiasm centering on the “going” of Abner (Throne and City, 95). The first three chiasms center on the three narratorial comments that Abner “went in peace” (וילך בשׁלום, vv. 21, 22, 23). However, while the fourth chiasm similarly centers on Abner’s going, the speaker is no longer the narrator but Joab, who angrily exclaims, “Now he’s gone!” (וילך הלוך, v. 24). Fokkelman notes the disappearance of the element of “peace” here (ibid., 96), which subtly depicts Joab’s perspective on Abner’s departure as quite different than the narrator’s. Therefore, rather than being “narrational overstatement,” the narrator’s threefold perspective of Abner’s peaceful departure is set in sharp contrast against Joab’s exclamation and subsequent hostile actions.

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