HALPERN, BARUCH — David's Secret Demons : Messiah, Murderer, Traitor, King.

Michigan, Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2004. XX, 492 pp.Neat ownership signature on inner frontcover, else fine and unmarked. Paperback. Old Testament - Bible. A leading scholar of biblical history and the ancient Near East, Baruch Halpern traces the development of the David tradition, showing how the image of David grew over time. According to Halpern, David was the founder of a dynasty that progressively exaggerated his accomplishments. Halpern's clear portrait of the historical David reveals his true humanity and shows him to be above all a politician who operated in a rough-and-tumble environment in which competitors were ready literally to slit throats.