Divine Aggression in Psalms and Inscriptions
Vengeful Gods and Loyal Kings
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Cambridge University Press
Published:15th Oct '20
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
Compares psalms and inscriptions to determine whether the aggression of the biblical God against his king and country was unique.
Students of theology, the Bible, and the Ancient Near East know that the biblical god acted destructively against his own client king and country. This book rereads familiar biblical psalms within their ancient contexts to determine if this theological vision was unique - or if other gods were just as vengeful.The aggression of the biblical God named Yhwh is notorious. Students of theology, the Bible, and the Ancient Near East know that the Hebrew Bible describes Yhwh acting destructively against his client country, Israel, and against its kings. But is Yhwh uniquely vengeful, or was he just one among other, similarly ferocious patron gods? To answer this question, Collin Cornell compares royal biblical psalms with memorial inscriptions. He finds that the Bible shares deep theological and literary commonalities with comparable texts from Israel's ancient neighbours. The centrepiece of both traditions is the intense mutual loyalty of gods and kings. In the event that the king's monument and legacy comes to harm, gods avenge their individual royal protégé. In the face of political inexpedience, kings honour their individual divine benefactor.
ISBN: 9781108842679
Dimensions: 230mm x 153mm x 26mm
Weight: 420g
325 pages