The rhetoric of new conquest and its use in the exilic and post-exilic books
LE3 .A278 2017
2017
Wooden, Glenn
Acadia University
Master of Arts
Masters
Theology
Acadia Divinity College
Violence in the Hebrew Bible is a subject that is uncomfortable, and so scholars often ignore or gloss over it, favouring instead metaphorical or even pacifistic interpretations of uncomfortable texts, rather than interpreting them in their cultural setting. This is especially true for the violent language used in the later books. However, the language is present and needs to be addressed. One of the most important metaphors used in exilic and post-exilic literature was the New Exodus. New Exodus language was used to describe the Exile and return from Persia, which opens the question as to whether or not, like the original Exodus, the figurative Exodus ended in a New Conquest. Coupled to this, there are similarities between the elements of the ban (חרם), which was implemented during the Conquest by the Israelites, and the even ts of the Restoration, and between the justification of the ban in the Conquest and the attitude of the returnees to those in the land. Over the course of this study themes will be discussed that relate to both the original Exodus and Conquest and the Exile and Restoration, in order to clarify the figurative links that were made between the two time periods. Themes that are covered include the use of violent language, the New Exodus, Yahweh as the Divine Warrior, the ban, and the second temple. They are looked at, primarily, to understand how the golah community was interpreting the events and changes that were happening around them. The focus will be on violent language and imagery, which will be followed from its roots in early conquest stories through to its role in the development of apocalyptic literature. The main goal is to demonstrate whether or not the community purposefully used New Conquest language, and for what reason.
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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:2156