1 Chronicles 13 – David consults with all his officials. They send word to others in Israel to come to Jerusalem. David wants to bring the Ark of God back “for we neglected it during the reign of Saul” (13:3).

The Ark is in Kiriath-jearim in Judah. They carry it on a new cart from the house of Abinadab with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it. “David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, singing songs and playing all kinds of musical instruments – lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets” (13:8).

Uzzah at one point puts out his hand to hold the Ark steady and this sparks the anger of the Lord. The Lord strikes Uzzah dead, instilling great fear in David. He asks, “’How can I ever bring the Ark of God back into my care?’ So David did nor move the Ark into the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath” (13:12-13).  It remains there for three months, “and the Lord blessed the housefhold of Oded-edom” (13:14).

1 Chronicles 14 – King Hiram of Tyre sends messengers to David along with cedar logs, masons and carpenters to build a house for David. “David then perceived that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel” (14:2). He takes more wives and has more children in Jerusalem—Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Beeliada, Elipehlet. No Bathsheba story in this version of events.

The Philistines come against him in the valley of Rephaim. David inquires of God and God tells him he will give him victory. “The Philistines abandoned their gods there, so David gave orders to burn them” (14:12).

Again the Philistines raid, but this time God gives him advice on how to win.  They do this and strike down the Philistine army. “David’s fame spread everywhere, and the Lord caused all the nations to fear David” (14:17).

Ecclesiastes: Introduction

The Jerusalem Bible introduction says this Wisdom book could not have been written before the Exile. It is usually dated in 3^rd c. BC (pre-Maccabean). As with the other Wisdom books, “the theme progresses fitfully: the idea is stated, repeated, amended” (978.) The theme here is the “emptiness of things human.” The problem is similar to that of Job – does goodness or virtue matter in our lives? Are they rewarded? Both Koheleth (Preacher) and Job say “No.” Still he maintains is faith in God and thinks God has no need to justify his ways

Scholars see the influence of Egyptian thought and Hellenistic Greek writings (Stoic, Epicurean and Cynic philosophies) in Ecclesiastes, especially these two pieces: The Dialogue of the Man weary of life with his soul [http://www.maat.sofiatopia.org/ba.htm] and Sad Songs of the Harpists

Here are some other sources for interpretations of Ecclesiastes: http://www.angelfire.com/nt/theology/eccles.html

Jennifer Hecht’s really great book Doubt has this to say: “Ecclesiastes is about a world without divine justice, without an afterlife and without any overarching meaning. They [the authors] are the first real “doubters” she thinks (84). Koheleth has similarities to Epicureans, but we don’t know if the writer had knowledge of them.

Ecclesiastes 1 – These are the words of Koheleth, and Koheleth is a spokesman for a community, so in some ways a voice for “the people”. And his words are famous: “Vanity of vanities. All is vanity! For all his toil under the sun, what does man gain by it?” (1:1)

The cycles of generation after generation, the processes and functions of life and nature, continue forever. There is never any real change and this is “wearisome” (1:7). “There is nothing new under the sun” (1:9).

Koheleth is identified with King Solomon, and he speaks of his pains to “study all that is done under heaven” and to be a man of wisdom. But now he sees the pursuit of wisdom as being empty: “Much wisdom, much grief, the more knowledge, the more sorrow” (1:11).

Ecclesiastes 2 – So he decides he will pursue pleasure instead and see where it leads. He finds it too is all vain. “I resolved to embrace folly to see what made mankind happy, and what men do under heaven in the few days they have to live” (2:3).

He did many great things – built amazing buildings, planted vineyards, etc. He amasses silver and god, acquired every kind of valued object. “I denied my eyes nothing they desired, refused my heart no pleasure” (2:10). It was all “chasing of the wind. There is nothing to be gained under the sun” (2:11).

So he returned to the pursuit of wisdom because “more is to be had from wisdom than from folly” (2:13). But the same fate awaits the wise man as it does the fool. The fruits of the wise man’s life will eventually go to another, one who has not desired it or worked for it.

“There is no happiness for man but to eat and drink and to be content with his work” (2:24). Koheleth says this as another theory he is exploring, not because he is proposing it as a good thing.

Augustine (354-439)

On the Profit or Benefit of Believing

5 - All that Scripture therefore, which is called the Old Testament, is handed down fourfold to them who desire to know it, according to history, according to ætiology, according to analogy, according to allegory. Do not think me silly for using Greek words. In the first place, because I have so received, nor do I dare to make known to you otherwise than I have received. Next you yourself perceive, that we have not in use terms for such things: and had I translated and made such, I should have been indeed more silly: but, were I to use circumlocution, I should be less free in treating: this only I pray you to believe, that in whatever way I err, I am not inflated or swollen in any thing that I do. Thus (for example) it is handed down according to history, when there is taught what has been written, or what has been done; what not done, but only written as though it had been done. According to ætiology, when it is shown for what cause any thing has been done or said. According to analogy, when it is shown that the two Testaments, the Old and the New, are not contrary the one to the other. According to allegory, when it is taught that certain things which have been written are not to be taken in the letter, but are to be understood in a figure.

I wish, I wish – I find myself saying this every time I read Augustine. I wish there was a very modern, American English translation. I think this section of the treatise is very important, and what I hear it saying is that there are four approaches we can take to reading the Old Testament. We can see it as history; we can see aetiology [causation from a philosophical perspective – why things are the way they are]; we can draw analogies to things we try to understand in the New Testament and we can read there allegories of things that will elucidate things difficult to understand in the gospel. George Fox and other early Quakers were very drawn to what they saw as “types” and “figures” from the Old Testament they saw fulfilled in Christ. This approach was not just a 17^th century, “progressive” way of approaching the Bible. It was a very ancient approach.