Author: Mark Leuchter
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190665106
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 321
Book Description
At a glance, the Hebrew Bible presents the Levites as a group of ritual assistants and subordinates in Israel's cult. A closer look, however, reveals a far more complicated history behind the emergence of this group in Ancient Israel. A careful reconsideration of the sources provides new insights into the origins of the Levites, their social function and location, and the development of traditions that grew around them. The social location and self-perception of the Levites evolved alongside the network of clans and tribes that grew into a monarchic society, and alongside the struggle to define religious and social identity in the face of foreign cultures. This book proposes new ways to see not only how these changes affected Levite self-perception but also the manner in which this perception affected larger trends as Israelite religion evolved into nascent Judaism. By consulting the textual record, archaeological evidence, the study of cultural memory and social-scientific models, Mark Leuchter demonstrates that the Levites emerge as boundary markers and boundary makers in the definition of what it meant to be part of "Israel."
The Levites and the Boundaries of Israelite Identity
Author: Mark Leuchter
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190665106
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 321
Book Description
At a glance, the Hebrew Bible presents the Levites as a group of ritual assistants and subordinates in Israel's cult. A closer look, however, reveals a far more complicated history behind the emergence of this group in Ancient Israel. A careful reconsideration of the sources provides new insights into the origins of the Levites, their social function and location, and the development of traditions that grew around them. The social location and self-perception of the Levites evolved alongside the network of clans and tribes that grew into a monarchic society, and alongside the struggle to define religious and social identity in the face of foreign cultures. This book proposes new ways to see not only how these changes affected Levite self-perception but also the manner in which this perception affected larger trends as Israelite religion evolved into nascent Judaism. By consulting the textual record, archaeological evidence, the study of cultural memory and social-scientific models, Mark Leuchter demonstrates that the Levites emerge as boundary markers and boundary makers in the definition of what it meant to be part of "Israel."
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190665106
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 321
Book Description
At a glance, the Hebrew Bible presents the Levites as a group of ritual assistants and subordinates in Israel's cult. A closer look, however, reveals a far more complicated history behind the emergence of this group in Ancient Israel. A careful reconsideration of the sources provides new insights into the origins of the Levites, their social function and location, and the development of traditions that grew around them. The social location and self-perception of the Levites evolved alongside the network of clans and tribes that grew into a monarchic society, and alongside the struggle to define religious and social identity in the face of foreign cultures. This book proposes new ways to see not only how these changes affected Levite self-perception but also the manner in which this perception affected larger trends as Israelite religion evolved into nascent Judaism. By consulting the textual record, archaeological evidence, the study of cultural memory and social-scientific models, Mark Leuchter demonstrates that the Levites emerge as boundary markers and boundary makers in the definition of what it meant to be part of "Israel."
Ashkenazic Jews and the Biblical Israelites
Author: Jits Straten
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
ISBN: 3110701383
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 122
Book Description
Who were the early ancestors of East European Ashkenazic Jews, how were they related to the biblical Israelites/Judeans, and when and from where did they arrive in Eastern Europe? This book intends to answer these questions, but first it discusses some of the important questions that are neglected in the literature but important in the author’s work such as the ethnic composition of Canaan/Palestine and the switch from a patrilineal system (Israelites/Judeans) to a matrilineal one including converts (Jews). The author also discusses more present-day topics such as whether it is possible to determine if someone is (Ashkenazic) Jewish and a descendant of the biblical Israelites based on a genetic profile, and whether Ashkenazic Jews are more Jewish than Indian or Ethiopian Jews. Jits van Straten argues that the answer is negative in both cases, based on the official definition of who is a Jew. Finally, it is shown why East European Ashkenazis speak Yiddish without originating from a German-speaking region.
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
ISBN: 3110701383
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 122
Book Description
Who were the early ancestors of East European Ashkenazic Jews, how were they related to the biblical Israelites/Judeans, and when and from where did they arrive in Eastern Europe? This book intends to answer these questions, but first it discusses some of the important questions that are neglected in the literature but important in the author’s work such as the ethnic composition of Canaan/Palestine and the switch from a patrilineal system (Israelites/Judeans) to a matrilineal one including converts (Jews). The author also discusses more present-day topics such as whether it is possible to determine if someone is (Ashkenazic) Jewish and a descendant of the biblical Israelites based on a genetic profile, and whether Ashkenazic Jews are more Jewish than Indian or Ethiopian Jews. Jits van Straten argues that the answer is negative in both cases, based on the official definition of who is a Jew. Finally, it is shown why East European Ashkenazis speak Yiddish without originating from a German-speaking region.
The Levites and the Boundaries of Israelite Identity
Author: Mark Leuchter
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780190665128
Category : Levites
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description
The biblical record attempts to present the Levites as a clerus minor under the Aaronides, a second class priestly order occupying a mediating role between them and the larger Israelite public. But scholars have long recognized that this literary presentation obscures a much more complicated reality pertaining to the origin of the Levites and their role in the development of Israelite religion. This study provides a renewed examination of the Levites as a social entity within ancient Israel, providing a detailed picture of their origins, their ideas, their response to adversity, and the deep impact of the traditions they forged and preserved in literary form
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780190665128
Category : Levites
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description
The biblical record attempts to present the Levites as a clerus minor under the Aaronides, a second class priestly order occupying a mediating role between them and the larger Israelite public. But scholars have long recognized that this literary presentation obscures a much more complicated reality pertaining to the origin of the Levites and their role in the development of Israelite religion. This study provides a renewed examination of the Levites as a social entity within ancient Israel, providing a detailed picture of their origins, their ideas, their response to adversity, and the deep impact of the traditions they forged and preserved in literary form
The Oxford Handbook of the Writings of the Hebrew Bible
Author: Donn F. Morgan
Publisher:
ISBN: 0190212438
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 529
Book Description
This handbook provides an important resource for the serious study of the Writings of the Hebrew Bible. It addresses historical and literary contexts as well as its roles as scripture and canon in Judaism and Christianity. The volume provides creative presentations of the messages and import of the books and the canonical division as a whole.
Publisher:
ISBN: 0190212438
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 529
Book Description
This handbook provides an important resource for the serious study of the Writings of the Hebrew Bible. It addresses historical and literary contexts as well as its roles as scripture and canon in Judaism and Christianity. The volume provides creative presentations of the messages and import of the books and the canonical division as a whole.
Locations of God
Author: Mark G. Brett
Publisher:
ISBN: 0190060239
Category : Bibles
Languages : en
Pages : 229
Book Description
Political theology is critical reflection on the intersections of religious, political and economic life, and in the Hebrew Bible it emerges in a broad range of topics - sovereignty, leadership, law, peoplehood, hospitality, redemption, creation and hope. The classic biblical literature has shaped the social imaginations of many peoples from ancient Canaan to global Christianity today, so this study also gives attention to key developments in the history of the Bible's reception. Understanding the inner-biblical debates and their later interpretations will continue to be relevant for those who still live within the Bible's history of influence.
Publisher:
ISBN: 0190060239
Category : Bibles
Languages : en
Pages : 229
Book Description
Political theology is critical reflection on the intersections of religious, political and economic life, and in the Hebrew Bible it emerges in a broad range of topics - sovereignty, leadership, law, peoplehood, hospitality, redemption, creation and hope. The classic biblical literature has shaped the social imaginations of many peoples from ancient Canaan to global Christianity today, so this study also gives attention to key developments in the history of the Bible's reception. Understanding the inner-biblical debates and their later interpretations will continue to be relevant for those who still live within the Bible's history of influence.
Joshua 13-24
Author: Thomas B. Dozeman
Publisher: Yale University Press
ISBN: 0300274505
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 436
Book Description
The second installment of Thomas B. Dozeman’s authoritative commentary on the book of Joshua Following the Pentateuch in the traditional canon, the book of Joshua chronicles the conquest of the Canaanite nations, the distribution of the newly acquired land to the twelve tribes of Israel, and Joshua’s death at the conclusion of the covenant ceremony at Shechem. The second half of the book traces the development of a burgeoning pan-Israelite identity as the tribes receive territorial assignments, form a political league, and unite in the worship of Yahweh, the God of Israel. In the second volume of his two-volume commentary on the book of Joshua, Thomas B. Dozeman provides an overview of critical debates surrounding the composition of the book, its function in relationship to the Pentateuch and the Former Prophets, and the role of geography in ancient literature. He shows how the book of Joshua originated as an independent Samarian myth of tribal conquest and land distribution, and outlines how it evolved into its role as an Israelite origin story. Complete with a thorough introduction and a new translation of these twelve chapters, this volume explores how the book of Joshua employs the twin themes of genealogy and geography to underscore both unity and difference among the tribes, conveying ancient Israelite beliefs about ownership, identity, and power.
Publisher: Yale University Press
ISBN: 0300274505
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 436
Book Description
The second installment of Thomas B. Dozeman’s authoritative commentary on the book of Joshua Following the Pentateuch in the traditional canon, the book of Joshua chronicles the conquest of the Canaanite nations, the distribution of the newly acquired land to the twelve tribes of Israel, and Joshua’s death at the conclusion of the covenant ceremony at Shechem. The second half of the book traces the development of a burgeoning pan-Israelite identity as the tribes receive territorial assignments, form a political league, and unite in the worship of Yahweh, the God of Israel. In the second volume of his two-volume commentary on the book of Joshua, Thomas B. Dozeman provides an overview of critical debates surrounding the composition of the book, its function in relationship to the Pentateuch and the Former Prophets, and the role of geography in ancient literature. He shows how the book of Joshua originated as an independent Samarian myth of tribal conquest and land distribution, and outlines how it evolved into its role as an Israelite origin story. Complete with a thorough introduction and a new translation of these twelve chapters, this volume explores how the book of Joshua employs the twin themes of genealogy and geography to underscore both unity and difference among the tribes, conveying ancient Israelite beliefs about ownership, identity, and power.
In Search of Jonathan
Author: Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0197637779
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 393
Book Description
"This book analyses the character of Jonathan in 1 Sam 13-2 Sam 1 and in contemporary fiction. The first part of each chapter is devoted to the literary portrayal of Jonathan in the final form of the biblical text. It seeks to establish an interpretation that allows Jonathan to be read as a psychologically cohesive character. This part raises a series of questions. What kind of man is Jonathan who shows initiative, daring, and clear leadership ability (1 Sam 13-14), yet also is willing to lay down his crown before the usurper David's feet in humble submission (1 Sam 18-23)? What kind of son is Jonathan who rebels against Saul and takes David's part in the conflict between the two men, yet remains loyal to his father until the bitter end on Mount Gilboa? The second part of each chapter investigates the depictions of Jonathan in contemporary fiction, with focus on novels, short stories, and poetry. It explores how a wide range of modern retellings of the David saga highlight, transform, and subvert the biblical portrayal of Jonathan. This part responds to the series of questions raised in the first part. Together, the two parts demonstrate how fictional retellings both deepen and challenge the ways that scholars interpret the biblical text"--
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0197637779
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 393
Book Description
"This book analyses the character of Jonathan in 1 Sam 13-2 Sam 1 and in contemporary fiction. The first part of each chapter is devoted to the literary portrayal of Jonathan in the final form of the biblical text. It seeks to establish an interpretation that allows Jonathan to be read as a psychologically cohesive character. This part raises a series of questions. What kind of man is Jonathan who shows initiative, daring, and clear leadership ability (1 Sam 13-14), yet also is willing to lay down his crown before the usurper David's feet in humble submission (1 Sam 18-23)? What kind of son is Jonathan who rebels against Saul and takes David's part in the conflict between the two men, yet remains loyal to his father until the bitter end on Mount Gilboa? The second part of each chapter investigates the depictions of Jonathan in contemporary fiction, with focus on novels, short stories, and poetry. It explores how a wide range of modern retellings of the David saga highlight, transform, and subvert the biblical portrayal of Jonathan. This part responds to the series of questions raised in the first part. Together, the two parts demonstrate how fictional retellings both deepen and challenge the ways that scholars interpret the biblical text"--
The Oxford Handbook of Deuteronomy
Author: Don C. Benjamin
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190273550
Category : Bibles
Languages : en
Pages : 529
Book Description
The Oxford Handbook of Deuteronomy is a gateway to what legal traditions teach about the cultural identity and social world of the people of YHWH -- how they thought about themselves, and about their world and how they faced and resolved the challenges of daily life. This Handbook introduces readers to significant topics in the thriving conversation and the rich diversity in the academic community studying Deuteronomy.
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190273550
Category : Bibles
Languages : en
Pages : 529
Book Description
The Oxford Handbook of Deuteronomy is a gateway to what legal traditions teach about the cultural identity and social world of the people of YHWH -- how they thought about themselves, and about their world and how they faced and resolved the challenges of daily life. This Handbook introduces readers to significant topics in the thriving conversation and the rich diversity in the academic community studying Deuteronomy.
With the Loyal You Show Yourself Loyal
Author: T. M. Lemos
Publisher: SBL Press
ISBN: 0884145085
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 553
Book Description
Contributors to this volume come together to honor the lifetime of work of Saul M. Olyan, Samuel Ungerleider Jr. Professor of Judaic Studies and Professor of Religious Studies at Brown University. Essays by his students, colleagues, and friends focus on and engage with his work on relationships in the Hebrew Bible, from the marking of status in relationships of inequality, to human family, friend, and sexual relationships, to relationships between divine beings. Contributors include Susan Ackerman, Klaus-Peter Adam, Rainer Albertz, Andrea Allgood, Debra Scoggins Ballentine, Bob Becking, John J. Collins, Stephen L. Cook, Ronald Hendel, T. M. Lemos, Nathaniel B. Levtow, Carol Meyers, Susan Niditch, Brian Rainey, Thomas Römer, Jordan D. Rosenblum, Rüdiger Schmitt, Jennifer Elizabeth Singletary, Kerry M. Sonia, Karen B. Stern, Stanley Stowers, Andrew Tobolowsky, Karel van der Toorn, Emma Wasserman, and Steven Weitzman.
Publisher: SBL Press
ISBN: 0884145085
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 553
Book Description
Contributors to this volume come together to honor the lifetime of work of Saul M. Olyan, Samuel Ungerleider Jr. Professor of Judaic Studies and Professor of Religious Studies at Brown University. Essays by his students, colleagues, and friends focus on and engage with his work on relationships in the Hebrew Bible, from the marking of status in relationships of inequality, to human family, friend, and sexual relationships, to relationships between divine beings. Contributors include Susan Ackerman, Klaus-Peter Adam, Rainer Albertz, Andrea Allgood, Debra Scoggins Ballentine, Bob Becking, John J. Collins, Stephen L. Cook, Ronald Hendel, T. M. Lemos, Nathaniel B. Levtow, Carol Meyers, Susan Niditch, Brian Rainey, Thomas Römer, Jordan D. Rosenblum, Rüdiger Schmitt, Jennifer Elizabeth Singletary, Kerry M. Sonia, Karen B. Stern, Stanley Stowers, Andrew Tobolowsky, Karel van der Toorn, Emma Wasserman, and Steven Weitzman.
Divine Violence in the Book of Samuel
Author: Rachelle Gilmour
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190938099
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 241
Book Description
Much of the drama, theological paradox, and interpretive interest in the Book of Samuel derives from instances of God's violence in the story. The beginnings of Israel's monarchy are interwoven with God's violent rejection of the houses of Eli and of Saul, deaths connected to the Ark of the Covenant, and the outworking of divine retribution after David's violent appropriation of Bathsheba as his wife. Whilst divine violence may act as a deterrent for violent transgression, it can also be used as a model or justification for human violence, whether in the early monarchic rule of Ancient Israel, or in crises of our contemporary age. In Divine Violence in the Book of Samuel, Rachelle Gilmour explores these narratives of divine violence from ethical, literary, and political perspectives, in dialogue with the thought of Immanuel Kant, Martha Nussbaum and Walter Benjamin. She addresses such questions as: Is the God of Samuel a capricious God with a troubling dark side? Is punishment for sin the only justifiable violence in these narratives? Why does God continue to punish those already declared forgiven? What is the role of God's emotions in acts of divine violence? In what political contexts might narratives of divine violence against God's own kings, and God's own people have arisen? The result is a fresh commentary on the dynamics of transgression, punishment, and their upheavals in the book of Samuel. Gilmour offers a sensitive portrayal of God's literary characterization, with a focus on divine emotion and its effects. By identifying possible political contexts in which the narratives arose, God's violence is further illumined through its relation to human violence, northern and southern monarchic ideology, and Judah's experience of the Babylonian exile.
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190938099
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 241
Book Description
Much of the drama, theological paradox, and interpretive interest in the Book of Samuel derives from instances of God's violence in the story. The beginnings of Israel's monarchy are interwoven with God's violent rejection of the houses of Eli and of Saul, deaths connected to the Ark of the Covenant, and the outworking of divine retribution after David's violent appropriation of Bathsheba as his wife. Whilst divine violence may act as a deterrent for violent transgression, it can also be used as a model or justification for human violence, whether in the early monarchic rule of Ancient Israel, or in crises of our contemporary age. In Divine Violence in the Book of Samuel, Rachelle Gilmour explores these narratives of divine violence from ethical, literary, and political perspectives, in dialogue with the thought of Immanuel Kant, Martha Nussbaum and Walter Benjamin. She addresses such questions as: Is the God of Samuel a capricious God with a troubling dark side? Is punishment for sin the only justifiable violence in these narratives? Why does God continue to punish those already declared forgiven? What is the role of God's emotions in acts of divine violence? In what political contexts might narratives of divine violence against God's own kings, and God's own people have arisen? The result is a fresh commentary on the dynamics of transgression, punishment, and their upheavals in the book of Samuel. Gilmour offers a sensitive portrayal of God's literary characterization, with a focus on divine emotion and its effects. By identifying possible political contexts in which the narratives arose, God's violence is further illumined through its relation to human violence, northern and southern monarchic ideology, and Judah's experience of the Babylonian exile.