This article seeks to demonstrate how the Samuel–Kings history uses mother-child narratives typologically both as a structural frame around which to present the history of the kingdom and as a guide to the reader in interpreting that history. The author’s use of structure, emphasis, tension, and selectivity leads the reader to recognize that the child in each narrative typifies Israel’s kingdom. The Hannah narrative (1 Sam 1) introduces the kingdom and nuances Yhwh’s censure of Israel’s request for a king. Solomon’s judgment (1 Kgs 3) foreshadows the divided monarchy. It teaches that Jeroboam’s willingness to rebel exposes the illegitimacy of his dynasty. The Shunammite’s story (2 Kgs 4) anticipates the final fall of David’s kingdom. Through it, the author argues that the Babylonian Exile does not negate the Davidic covenant, but the faithful lean on Yhwh who can and will resolve all impossible contradictions.
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