542 Michael Avioz Nathan’s Prophecy in II Sam 7 and in I Chr 17: Text, Context, and Meaning By Michael Avioz (Bar-Ilan-University) Nathan’s prophecy promising David a dynasty is found in two main biblical texts: II Sam 7 and I Chr 17 1 . Although the two texts share basic structure and content, a closer look reveals that there are many differences between them. Our objective in this article is to examine again these differences, to classify them, and to focus on their meaning 2 . According to our view, there is no exclusive way of explaining these differences. Some of the differences come from textual corruptions 3 ; others from a different Vorlage 4 ; and still others are the result of differ- ences in style and language 5 . However, one should also note the possi- bility that some of the differences derive from other reasons. In other 1 Other biblical texts, such as Ps 89, Ps 132 etc. cite or hint at this prophecy, but our main focus will be on II Sam 7 and I Chr 17. G. Gakuru discusses some of the other bib- lical passages, which hint at or cite Nathan’s vision. See his An Inner-biblical Exegetical Study of the Davidic Covenant and the Dynastic Oracle, 2000. 2 We will not focus here on differences between David’s prayer in II Sam 7 and in I Chr 17. On these differences, see S. Japhet, I & II Chronicles, OTL, 1993, 339–341; P.C. Beentjes, Transformation of Space and Time: Nathan’s Oracle and David’s Prayer in I Chronicles 17, Sanctity of Time and Space in Tradition and Modernity, eds. A. Houtman et al., 1998, 43. 3 For example, the difference between vtnil and vtlbl (II Sam 7,10//I Chr 17,9) indi- cates, in Japhet’s view, the presence of textual corruption in Chronicles, and that the correct reading is vtlkl. The exchange of hni for hlk appears in Chronicles on numerous occasions. See S. Japhet, Interchanges of Verbal Roots in Parallel Texts in Chronicles, Hebrew Studies 28 (1987) 29. 4 See Kalimi, Historical Writing., 7, n. 20, and additional material cited there. 5 Japhet, Interchange of Verbal Roots, deals with the question of changes due to differ- ences in style and language. A list of expressions unique to the language of the Chron- icler can be found in the Introduction of Curtis/Madsen to Chronicles. One may add also the differences in context: in Chronicles, Nathan’s oracle is not a part from the so-called »Succession Narrative« as it is in II Samuel. For the differences in context see M. Avioz, The Negotiations between David and Nathan Concerning the Building of the Temple (II Samuel 7) and Its Echoes in Biblical Historiography, PhD, 2003 (Heb.). It was written under the supervision of Professor Moshe Garsiel of the Bible Department at Bar-Ilan University, Israel. ZAW 116. Bd., S. 542–554 © Walter de Gruyter 2004