Most studies on violence in the Hebrew Bible focus on the question of how modern readers should a... more Most studies on violence in the Hebrew Bible focus on the question of how modern readers should approach the problem. But they fail to ask how the Hebrew Bible thinks about that problem in the first place. In this work, Matthew J. Lynch examines four key ways that writers of the Hebrew Bible conceptualize and critique acts of violence: violence as an ecological problem; violence as a moral problem; violence as a judicial problem; violence as a purity problem. These four 'grammars of violence' help us interpret crucial biblical texts where violence plays a lead role, like Genesis 4-9. Lynch's volume also offers readers ways to examine cultural continuity and the distinctiveness of biblical conceptions of violence. Introduction; Part I. Violence and Ecology: 1. A brother's blood on the land; 2. The cosmic ecology of violence; 3. Covenant and the restraint of violence in creation; Part II. Violence and Moral Speech: 4. Violent deceitfulness in the scheming heart; 5. The violence of arrogant speech; Part III. Violence and Justice: 6. The outcry of violence; 7. Judicial responses to violence; 8. Violence and the divine avenger; Part IV. Violence and Impurity: 9. Violence and the problem of impurity: key texts; 10. The rhetoric of violence and impurity; Conclusion; Appendix. Biblical terms for violence.
THE UNFOLDING DRAMA of Zion's plight and destiny is one of the most captivating features in the b... more THE UNFOLDING DRAMA of Zion's plight and destiny is one of the most captivating features in the book of Isaiah. Several scholars have noted Zion's prominence in the book, arguing variously that Isaiah's central concern is for the restoration and eventual vindication of Zion. 1 Of particular significance for understanding Zion's destiny is Isaiah 60-62, the most sustained portrait of Zion's escha-tological renewal set right in the structural center of Trito-Isaiah.
Pages 169-188 in 'Covenant and Election in Exilic and Post-Exilic Judaism,' Studies of the Sofja ... more Pages 169-188 in 'Covenant and Election in Exilic and Post-Exilic Judaism,' Studies of the Sofja Kovalevskaja Research Group on Early Jewish Monotheism, Vol. V; Forschungen zum Alten Testament 2; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2015.
Take a journey into the heart of the Deuteronomist to discover more about the king after God’s ow... more Take a journey into the heart of the Deuteronomist to discover more about the king after God’s own heart through the eyes of the book of Kings. Matt Lynch interviews Alison Joseph about her Manfred Lautenschlaeger award-winning book Portrait of the Kings. As an intro bonus to this episode Matt gives a little 10-minute overview of the Deuteronomistic History, free of charge (but you can skip to get to the good stuff).
Most studies on violence in the Hebrew Bible focus on the question of how modern readers should a... more Most studies on violence in the Hebrew Bible focus on the question of how modern readers should approach the problem. But they fail to ask how the Hebrew Bible thinks about that problem in the first place. In this work, Matthew J. Lynch examines four key ways that writers of the Hebrew Bible conceptualize and critique acts of violence: violence as an ecological problem; violence as a moral problem; violence as a judicial problem; violence as a purity problem. These four 'grammars of violence' help us interpret crucial biblical texts where violence plays a lead role, like Genesis 4-9. Lynch's volume also offers readers ways to examine cultural continuity and the distinctiveness of biblical conceptions of violence. Introduction; Part I. Violence and Ecology: 1. A brother's blood on the land; 2. The cosmic ecology of violence; 3. Covenant and the restraint of violence in creation; Part II. Violence and Moral Speech: 4. Violent deceitfulness in the scheming heart; 5. The violence of arrogant speech; Part III. Violence and Justice: 6. The outcry of violence; 7. Judicial responses to violence; 8. Violence and the divine avenger; Part IV. Violence and Impurity: 9. Violence and the problem of impurity: key texts; 10. The rhetoric of violence and impurity; Conclusion; Appendix. Biblical terms for violence.
THE UNFOLDING DRAMA of Zion's plight and destiny is one of the most captivating features in the b... more THE UNFOLDING DRAMA of Zion's plight and destiny is one of the most captivating features in the book of Isaiah. Several scholars have noted Zion's prominence in the book, arguing variously that Isaiah's central concern is for the restoration and eventual vindication of Zion. 1 Of particular significance for understanding Zion's destiny is Isaiah 60-62, the most sustained portrait of Zion's escha-tological renewal set right in the structural center of Trito-Isaiah.
Pages 169-188 in 'Covenant and Election in Exilic and Post-Exilic Judaism,' Studies of the Sofja ... more Pages 169-188 in 'Covenant and Election in Exilic and Post-Exilic Judaism,' Studies of the Sofja Kovalevskaja Research Group on Early Jewish Monotheism, Vol. V; Forschungen zum Alten Testament 2; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2015.
Take a journey into the heart of the Deuteronomist to discover more about the king after God’s ow... more Take a journey into the heart of the Deuteronomist to discover more about the king after God’s own heart through the eyes of the book of Kings. Matt Lynch interviews Alison Joseph about her Manfred Lautenschlaeger award-winning book Portrait of the Kings. As an intro bonus to this episode Matt gives a little 10-minute overview of the Deuteronomistic History, free of charge (but you can skip to get to the good stuff).
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