Review of: Tantlevsky I. R. King David and his time in the Bible and history. Saint Petersburg: Publisher RGKhA, 2016; ISBN: 978-5-88812-794-0

Abstract

In his scientifically very valuable monograph I.R. Tantlevsky pursues primarily an apologetic goal - to prove the historical reliability of the biblical account of the united Israelite kingdom of David, which became one of the first, and "maybe the first in history" empire (p. 7). Relying on modern archaeological research, the author refutes the claims of so-called "biblical minimalists", the most radical of whom denied the historicity of King David, considering him a legendary figure. A more moderate position is taken, for example, by such scholars as M. Liverani and I. Finkelstein. They can be conventionally called centrists, as I. Finkelstein described himself. Finkelstein. Indeed, contrary to Tantlevsky (Tantlevsky cannot be called a minimalist because he himself is strongly critical of the minimalism of F. Deveaux. F. Davies and T. Thompson), Finkelstein does not deny the historicity of David, but considers him only a tribal Jewish leader, who ruled an insignificant rural region without any signs of a developed state.