Sworn Enemies : : The Divine Oath, the Book of Ezekiel, and the Polemics of Exile / / C. A. Strine.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter DGBA Backlist Complete English Language 2000-2014 PART1
• VerfasserIn: Strine, C. A.,
• Place / Publishing House: Berlin ;, Boston : : De Gruyter, , [2013]; ©2013
• Year of Publication: 2013
• Language: English
• Series: Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft , 436
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (343 p.)

Sworn Enemies explains how the book of Ezekiel uses formulaic language from the exodus origin tradition – especially YHWH’s oath – to craft an identity for the Judahite exiles. This language openly refutes an autochthonous origin tradition preferred by the non-exiled Judahites while covertly challenging Babylonian claims that YHWH was no longer worthy of worship. After specifying the layers of meaning in the divine oath, the book shows how Ezekiel uses these connotations to construct an explicit, public transcript that denies and mocks the non-exiles’ appeals to a combined Abraham and Jacob tradition (e.g. Ezek 35). Simultaneously, Ezekiel employs the oath’s exodus connotations to support a disguised polemic that resists Babylonian claims that YHWH was powerless to help the exiles. When YHWH swears “as I live” the text goes on to implicitly replace Marduk with YHWH as the deity who controls nations and history (e.g. Ezek 17). Ezekiel, thus, shares the “monotheistic” concepts found in Deutero-Isaiah and elsewhere. Finally, using James C. Scott’s concept of hidden transcripts, the author shows how both polemics cooperate to define a legitimate Judahite nationalism and faithful Yahwism that allows the exiles to resist these threatening “others”.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- Table of Contents -- Acknowledgements -- Sigla and Abbreviations -- Chapter One: Introduction -- Part One: The Meaning of the “As I Live” and “Lifted Hand” Formulae -- Chapter Two: The Ancient Near Eastern Context for the Divine Oath -- Excursus One: The Lifted Hand Formula and Akkadian našû-nadānu -- Chapter Three: Genre Analysis of the “As I Live” and “Lifted Hand” Formulae -- Chapter Four: Social and Literary Setting of the “As I Live” and “Lifted Hand” Formulae -- Excursus Two: The Meaning of the “Lifted Hand” Formula -- Part Two: The Function of the “As I Live” and “Lifted Hand” Formulae -- Chapter Five: The Intra-Judahite Polemics of Exile -- Chapter Six: The Inter-National Polemics of Exile -- Chapter Seven: Summary and Conclusion -- Appendix One: A Structural Analysis of the “As I Live” and “Lifted Hand” Passages -- Bibliography -- Index of Ancient Texts -- Index of Authors