David: The Divided Heart (Jewish Lives)
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David: The Divided Heart (Jewish Lives) Hardcover – September 16, 2014
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"A sensitive and utterly unsparing reading of the most attractive and least edifying character in the Hebrew Bible."—Jack Miles
(Jack Miles)"How can a man who murders his lover's husband in order to cover up an adulterous affair be fit to be king? . . . Wolpe gently and gracefully explores the many facets—king, sinner, father, lover, and husband, among others—that together create David's outsized personality . . . In the end, the author observes, contemporary readers identify with David so well because he is full of contradictions, and he is great because of this complexity, not in spite of it."—Publishers Weekly
(Publishers Weekly)"A portrait of David that is vibrant and nuanced, full of the complications that marked his life."—Jewish Week
(Jewish Week)“A lovely book (whose) power is in its artistry.”—Walter Brueggemann, Christian Century
(Walter Brueggemann Christian Century)"David Wolpe’s fascination with his namesake brings to life in stunning clarity why King David is the most beloved man in the Bible."—Moment
(Moment)
About the Author
David Wolpe is the rabbi of the Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, the largest Conservative congregation west of the Mississippi River. He is the author of seven books, including the national best-seller Making Loss Matter: Creating Meaning in Difficult Times. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By
Claudia R. Dillaire
on September 29, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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Rabbi David J. Wolpe has undertaken a monumental task in David: A Divided Heart. The book of Samuel, from which the author draws much of his biography, was painted with the broad strokes of ancient writers, the “spin doctors” of their day, trying to colour a problematic life in the best light possible. The rabbi’s beautifully nuanced writing, peppered with insightful quotes from the Tanach, enrich this book tremendously; it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, evocative and powerful. But rather than solving any of the riddles of David’s enigmatic life, the esteemed author has succeeded in adding more questions to the debate.
The vignettes of David’s life portrayed in the book are rife with inconsistencies and leave one puzzled about this shepherd turned king. To illustrate:
Lover and Husband – In order to escape her father Saul’s murderous intents, Michal turns to magic to spirit away her husband. She uses a household idol, generally no more than six inches in height, and places it in David’s bed. This stretches the boundaries of anyone’s reality. Apparently the only sin David did not commit was idol worship, yet his wife has household idols? And how would that idol replace a full-grown man? Perhaps this was added to the David saga to explain his “charmed” existence.
Fugitive – On the eve of Saul’s final battle, Saul turns to the Witch of En-gedi for guidance. Though sorcery is forbidden, Saul also turns to “magical” means against David. What are we to make of this? David, though anointed by God, is not divine, he is a mere human being, and can be defeated by traditional methods. The story seems out of place and out of character, even for the melancholic Saul, as if it too were added by a later writer to bolster David’s image and add credence to David’s ascension to the throne.Read more ›
The vignettes of David’s life portrayed in the book are rife with inconsistencies and leave one puzzled about this shepherd turned king. To illustrate:
Lover and Husband – In order to escape her father Saul’s murderous intents, Michal turns to magic to spirit away her husband. She uses a household idol, generally no more than six inches in height, and places it in David’s bed. This stretches the boundaries of anyone’s reality. Apparently the only sin David did not commit was idol worship, yet his wife has household idols? And how would that idol replace a full-grown man? Perhaps this was added to the David saga to explain his “charmed” existence.
Fugitive – On the eve of Saul’s final battle, Saul turns to the Witch of En-gedi for guidance. Though sorcery is forbidden, Saul also turns to “magical” means against David. What are we to make of this? David, though anointed by God, is not divine, he is a mere human being, and can be defeated by traditional methods. The story seems out of place and out of character, even for the melancholic Saul, as if it too were added by a later writer to bolster David’s image and add credence to David’s ascension to the throne.Read more ›
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By
msgema
on October 11, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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David has always been my favorite Biblical person. He has had so much going for him and there is the good and bad evident in what he does. Rabbi Wolpe goes into great detail and I have found things I never knew. I have not finished the book, but I am really learning somethings from it. It has to be read slowly to appreciate everything.
Thank you, Rabbi Wolpe.
Thank you, Rabbi Wolpe.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By
Dr. Afshine Emrani
on September 24, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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It's wonderful to get a new perspective on a very complicated character by a rabbi who is well versed in the Bible, in poetry, and in the riddles of the human heart. This Biblical legend comes to life in the pages of this book. The book is a fascinating read in that it also sheds light on our own schizophrenic actions, our divided personalities, our own flaws. Still, in the end, we find that God uses broken vessels to mend this world. David, the king, and David, the author, are both well loved by God.
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