ABSTRACT
In 2 Sam 23:13–17 there is a narrative which describes how David poured water on the ground which was obtained by his men at great risk. Form-critical comparison with comparable narratives concerning Alexander the Great, especially that of Arrian in Anabasis of Alexander 6.26.1–3, appears to indicate that the Greek tradition has influenced the emergence of 2 Sam 23:13–17 in its present form. This implies that material in 2 Samuel 21–24, an apparent appendix in the Deuteronomistic History, may have taken shape in the Hellenistic period, and this gives further credence for scholarly views which posit such later dates for much of the biblical text.
