Chapter 2 David the Pious Musician in Midrashic Literature and Medieval Muslim Sources
In: The Character of David in Judaism, Christianity and Islam
Author:
Sivan Nir
Sivan Nir
Search for other papers by Sivan Nir in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Sivan Nir in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Purchase instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):
Abstract
The paper explores different ways in which Judaism and Islam treated the subject of David’s proclivity for music, highlighting their mutual interdependence as well as originality in this respect. It shows that the Talmuds, Ruth Rabbah and Midrash on Psalms depict David as a musician turned nightly scholar, and investigates how the midrashic imagery informed medieval Jewish commentaries on Psalms 107–108, as well as how it influenced portrayals of David’s piety in Islam and the depictions of his musical skills (used against the demons) in various classical Muslim sources.