Differences between Saul & David - Middle School World History Homework Help Needed

by skeeter1 6 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  skeeter1

  Please note that I was a super bad JW at Bible Stories. I only got "piecemeal" of the WTS publications. I also never took a World History class in my life. My middle schooler forgot the textbook at school. So, keep my ineptitude in mind . . .

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  My middle schooler has World History. They are studying the Isrealites. There are two SAs to write. The first is "Which of the 10 Commandments do you think is the most important today and why?" The second is to differentiate between King Saul and King David. Yes, this is public school. HELP, needing help on #2.

  For #1, the answer for my middle schooler was thou shall not murder. It's a good SA! We read it together, and talked about murder versus accidental death. Revised the SA for that distinction.

  For #2, we are stuck. The two are very similar. Handsome, warriors, kings, etc. But, the differences of "serving Jehovah" (Saul didn't serve but David did) was not talked about in school. What was talked about was taxes, and how Saul taxed the people. I don't know if David lowered the taxes or not? Are there any other 'secular' differences?

  So, I went on the Internet to study up on Saul. Skeeter is like Saul. Saul wasn't a bad man. He seems very practical and logically minded. But, there was this prophet Samuel. Samuel claims to speak with Jehovah (like the Governing Body). Samuel appoints Saul as a King becuase Jehovah said so. Saul is to kill a whole bunch of people, their animals, etc. Wipe them out. But, Saul sees the riches and good things, and decides to spare these things. Samuel (and Jehovah) are not happy because Saul is not following "loving" Jehovah's commandments.

  Samuel tells Saul to meet him, and doesn't show up for 7 days. I understand that this is before trains, cars, and automobiles, and people could be late for days back then. But, Saul also sees an army preparing to take the town they are to meet. So, Saul gets impatient and mounts a defense to try to save the town. Samuel is not pleased with this because Saul didn't blindly follow Samuel (speaking for Jehovah).

  So, Samuel gets fed up with Saul and appoints a "yes" man, David. Becuase David is a mindless idiot who does as Samuel (and Jehovah) commands, David goes down in the "Bible" History books as a hero. Sorry, but Saul appears to me to be a better man.

  I see this in modern Islam. The Ayatollah speaks for Allah, and appoints/directs the leaders. I also see it in the Jehovah Witnesses. The Governing Body appoints the elders who oversee the followers, and all use "God's Channel" over everyone's head. Any independent thinking, and you go down in the books as Saul.

  So, I now have reason to firmly know that the God of Abraham was/is NUTS.

  Skeeter

  p.s. So, my middle schooler and I are reading up on King Saul and King David and the thousands of people they murdered simply because they believed in different gods. What does my middle schooler say, "So, why isn't that (regular wars, holy wars, etc) also murder?" Brilliant.
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  skeeter1

  30 views and no help? I guess the WTS didn't teach this subject! LOL.
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  Band on the Run

  I don't know the details well enough to comment. Isn't it true that there is little archaeological evidence that David existed? Your analysis sounds very good. If this is a public school, the teacher will want a textual answer. I do recall from reading the story that it seemed too much like propaganda. Also, I am certain that the David faction wrote the story. Saul, the loser, would have no input on the story. It is one perspective.

  I skimmed the David scriptures a few years ago and found him not so worthy.

  David and Goliath seemed ridiculous to me unless I saw news footage of the Palestinian uprising. Their slingshots could bring down a very large person. I imagined a Tom Sawyer type slingshot.

  It is nice that you help your child with homework.
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  skeeter1

  btttt assignment due tomorrow.
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  skeeter1

  bttt.

  OK, this is interesting. I have only one response to the middle school hw question on ancient Isrealites. No response from an one else on two main characters of the Bible, from a group of Jehovah's Witnesses (ok, many ex)?

  I realized that all my years of "Bible Studies" in the Jehovah's Witnesses left me inept to answer my middle schooler's homework question. Why is this so? Because such analysis is not done within the JWs. Rather, it's all canned topics with canned questions, stringing together Bible verses taken out of context to further their idea that the End is near. I think my middle schooler is getting a better "Bible" education then we got as JWs!

  Skeeter
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  CaptainSchmideo

  Okay, here are some key points:
  Saul's lineage pretty much ended with Saul.None of his offspring succeeded him as King (they died with him in battle.)

  David did have a successor, but it was settled after a pretty bloody power struggle amongst his sons (the whole account reads like a Hebrew version of "The Godfather".)

  Saul suffered from manic depression. David suffered from sexual addiction (ie; his conquest of Bathsheba). David was guilty of pretty despicable things (setting up Bath-Sheba's husband so that his death in battle was all but guaranteed isnt' very God-fearing to me).
  
  Actually, why don't you just some up the King Arthur legend instead? Same plot, basically, complete with a Merlin figure (Samuel).
  
  I saw a great documentary on PBS that posited that the Jews really didn't get a true "national identity" until after the Restoration from Babylon. Prior to that, they were a pretty puny group, and the great Kingdom of David and Solomon really didn't exist, except as a legend to keep the spirit of the Judeans up during captivity. They weren't even very monotheistic, and practiced idolatry to God and Mrs. God (little idols of male and female deities were found in pre-Captivity archaeological digs in the area, in household structures.) They really didn't become aggressively monotheistic Jews (capital J) until they got back from Babylon, and started to rebuild their national identity.

  I know this is not exactly what you wanted, but it may give you some ideas?
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  jgnat

  This is probably too late for you, Skeeter. I think you've nailed it in your first analysis. I don't think the school is going to go too deep in to the real history.

  Saul relied on his physical strength and stature, and when in a crunch, leaned on his own political savvy. He had a great son (Johnathan).

  David, slight of stature and an ignored younger son, relied on God's strength in a crunch (i.e. confronting Goliath). He generally had lousy sons (Absolom).