Military Coups in Ancient Israel and Their Implications for Conceptions of YHWH’s Divine Army

Abstract

ABSTRACT Military officers who posed a threat to the kings of Israel are readily found throughout the biblical texts. Although officers were often loyal servants who fought battles on behalf of their kings, they could also prove dangerous adversaries if the tide of opinion turned against the monarchs. In this light, it is interesting that YHWH’s divine army never mentions any generals or ranks; despite its innumerable numbers, YHWH had sole command. This paper explores whether this portrayal of YHWH’s divine army was a natural consequence of the authors’ focus on YHWH, or whether it was influenced by an awareness of the threat that military commanders could pose toward their kings.