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While telling lies is only one form of deceptive discourse, all deceptions depend upon managing the message. That in turn suggests the possibility of a wide spectrum of potentially benign or harmful consequences based on these interactions ranging from simple embarrassment to physical endangerment. In the examination of affairs at King David's royal court, using Interpersonal Deception Theory (IDT), it will be demonstrated that a great deal of both verbal and physical infighting occurs. And, among the strategies utilized by the competitors for power, various forms of deception are skillfully employed by the characters in these narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biblical narrative is filled with embedded conversations. Positioning theory and conversation analysis are aids in interpreting embedded dialogues within biblical narrative. They contribute to an understanding of how shifts in position by dialogue partners also contribute to a shift in identity. In this way the story-teller enlivens the characters function within the narrative by having them attempt to create new or expanded identities for themselves. Three examples are provided that demonstrate this narrative strategy: the story of Amnon and Tamar (2 Sam 13:1–19), the diatribe by Shimei against David (2 Sam 16:5–10), and the conversation between Jethro and Moses (Exod 18:13–27). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study is intended to serve as a methodological illustration of how an embedded dialogue such as that found in John 4:1-26 can be analyzed using a variety of social scientific techniques. Each method will be briefly introduced prior to the exegesis of the passage to provide a theoretical foundation for drawing conclusions. The subsequent analysis of the successive stages in the dialogue makes it clear that identity is the central focus of this narrative. It also becomes clear that the author is employing socially/culturally understood conventions of dialogue to make the characters and the setting plausible to the audience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]