The Alternative Story of the Division of the Kingdom: 3 Kingdoms 12:14a-z.

• Author: Wevers, John Wm.

The author had dealt with the Greek story of 3 Kingdoms 12:24a-z in three earlier essays, and in the volume under review makes a full statement of her position on the origin, structure, and background of the "Alternative Story." This reminds one of the preoccupation of D. W. Gooding with this same story (as well as with similar midrash-like tales at 2:35a-k and 2:46a-1) in a series of articles. The contrast between the two scholars is marked, since they come to diametrically opposed conclusions as to the origin of the Story: Gooding is certain that the author used LXX materials, i.e., it is a kind of midrash based on Greek sources, whereas Talshir is equally certain that the Story is translated from a Hebrew original.

In fact, the first half of Talshir's interesting volume constitutes a discussion of the origin of the Story, a discussion divided into two chapters, one on "The Original Language of the Alternative Story," and a second one in which a detailed synopsis and commentary is presented. Here she presents her retroversion of the Greek story into its presumed Hebrew parent text. It is, then, this reconstructed Hebrew text which is basic to part two of the book: "The Composition of the Alternative Story of the Division of the Kingdom."

Briefly, the Story rewrites the account of the division of the kingdom at the onset of Rehoboam's reign. It informs us of Solomon's death and his son's accession to the throne. Jeroboam, the villain of the Story, has to flee to Egypt after revolting against Solomon, and returns after Solomon's death to his home town, Zererah. There follows the story of the sick child, born to his Egyptian wife, Ano, who takes him to Ahijah, who predicts the death of the child. Meanwhile, Jeroboam gathers the tribes of Israel to Shechem, where the people confront Rehoboam. When the young king (only sixteen years old) follows the advice of his peers, the people revolt, and the kingdom is divided. Shemaiah, the prophet, warns Rehoboam not to invade the northern kingdom, since the division was the will of God.

Talshir maintains that this is a skillfully contrived story in which Jeroboam, the rebel, is never acknowledged as king, but only as a rebel leader, whose forebears were questionable; in fact, his father is not mentioned, and his mother was a prostitute. The Story is thus quite distinct, both from MT and its LXX translation, though related to both. The volume carefully analyzes the distinctiveness of the Story.

It is...