Cultic Prophecy and Levitical Inheritance in the Elijah-Elisha Cycle
This article seeks to elucidate the nature and significance of the enigmatic mantle transfer rite involving Elijah and Elisha in 1 Kgs 19.19. When Yahweh instructs Elijah to anoint Elisha to be prophet in his place, Yahweh has a type of symbolic adoption in mind to take Elisha as an heir through the...
| Published in: | Journal for the study of the Old Testament |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Sage
[2016]
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| In: |
Journal for the study of the Old Testament
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| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Bible. Könige 1. 19,19-21
/ Prophet
/ Inheritance
/ Levite
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| IxTheo Classification: | HB Old Testament |
| Further subjects: | B
Samuel
B Cultic prophecy B Levites B Inheritance B double portion B Elisha B 1 Kgs 19.19–21 B Elijah |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | This article seeks to elucidate the nature and significance of the enigmatic mantle transfer rite involving Elijah and Elisha in 1 Kgs 19.19. When Yahweh instructs Elijah to anoint Elisha to be prophet in his place, Yahweh has a type of symbolic adoption in mind to take Elisha as an heir through the rite of mantle transfer. This article argues that Elijah's mantle is a marker of his identity, and that the conferment of his clothing is a means of claiming Elisha, who subsequently takes leave of his natural father (v. 20). Elijah and Elisha function in the northern kingdom as cultic prophets, performing duties typical of both prophet and priest, not unlike Samuel. This double role gives context for an analogy—or possible typology—for Elisha's inheritance with that of the Levitical priest in Deuteronomy. |
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| ISSN: | 1476-6728 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal for the study of the Old Testament
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1177/0309089216628410 |