Death In The Iron Age Ii And In First Isaiah (forschungen Zum Alten Testament)
by Christopher B Hays /
2011 / English / PDF
4.4 MB Download
Death is one of the major themes of First Isaiah, although it has
not generally been recognized as such. Images of death are
repeatedly used by the prophet and his earliest tradents. The book
begins by concisely summarizing what is known about death in the
Ancient Near East during the Iron Age II, covering beliefs and
practices in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Syria-Palestine, and Judah/Israel.
Incorporating both textual and archeological data, Christopher B.
Hays surveys and analyzes existing scholarly literature on these
topics from multiple fields.
Death is one of the major themes of First Isaiah, although it has
not generally been recognized as such. Images of death are
repeatedly used by the prophet and his earliest tradents. The book
begins by concisely summarizing what is known about death in the
Ancient Near East during the Iron Age II, covering beliefs and
practices in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Syria-Palestine, and Judah/Israel.
Incorporating both textual and archeological data, Christopher B.
Hays surveys and analyzes existing scholarly literature on these
topics from multiple fields.
Focusing on the text s meaning for its producers and its initial
audiences, he describes the ways in which the rhetoric of death
functioned in its historical context and offers fresh
interpretations of more than a dozen passages in Isa 5 38. He shows
how they employ the imagery of death that was part of their
cultural contexts, and also identifies ways in which they break new
creative ground. This holistic approach to questions that have
attracted much scholarly attention in recent decades produces new
insights not only for the interpretation of specific biblical
passages, but also for the formation of the book of Isaiah and for
the history of ancient Near Eastern religions.
Focusing on the text s meaning for its producers and its initial
audiences, he describes the ways in which the rhetoric of death
functioned in its historical context and offers fresh
interpretations of more than a dozen passages in Isa 5 38. He shows
how they employ the imagery of death that was part of their
cultural contexts, and also identifies ways in which they break new
creative ground. This holistic approach to questions that have
attracted much scholarly attention in recent decades produces new
insights not only for the interpretation of specific biblical
passages, but also for the formation of the book of Isaiah and for
the history of ancient Near Eastern religions.
Forschungen zum Alten Testament No. 79
Forschungen zum Alten Testament No. 79