Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Vol 36.3 (2012): 297-320 © The Author(s), 2012. Reprints and Permissions: http://www.sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0309089211437994 http://JSOT.sagepub.com The Epic and the Prophetic: A Reading of the Primeval History against 1 Samuel 15–16 and 2 Samuel 7 * JAMIE H. FERGUSON Department of English, 233A Roy Cullen Building, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA Abstract This article argues that a ‘prophetic’ redaction of Yhwh’s successive dealings with Saul and David in 1 Samuel 13–16 and 2 Samuel 7 provides a meaningful structural parallel with the ‘epic’ (or non-P) portion of the Primeval History, and that this sequence of material from 1–2 Samuel provides a more compelling frame of reference for the epic portion of the Primeval History than the election of Abraham and his line immediately following. More specifically, this article proposes that the epic portion of the Primeval History reformulates Yhwh’s perpetual acceptance of the line of David as a cosmic reconciliation between divinity and humankind. This argument is supported through a combination of literary analysis and review of various accounts of the compos- ition-history. Keywords: Primeval History, prophetic redaction, epic redaction, Cain, Abel, Saul, David, inner-biblical exegesis. * I am deeply grateful to my teacher, Herbert Marks, who introduced me to the study of biblical literature, inspired the initial drafting of this essay, and provided very helpful comments on an earlier version.