Reply #3: Already did!

[onager]

Years ago, even! I raved about it in an Asimov thread. Outstanding book. I only wish it could be updated.

One of my favorite parts in it deals with an Israelite king who needed to seal a political alliance by marrying a non-Jewish woman.

This threatened the monopoly of the priesthood, which started plotting to remove the king by assassination.

The king heard about this, and solved it by the refreshingly straightforward method of killing a few priests. The rest took the hint.

Until the Buy-bull was written. The priests described the king's reign as a terrible time of famine, war, plague, misery, etc. etc.

Asimov dryly noted that they left a few things out. According to secular records, Israel under that king enjoyed 40 years of peace and plenty. It was only AFTER his death that the bad stuff happened.

Sort of reminded me of Bill Clinton...