Elijah's Mantle: A Sign of Prophecy Gone Awry

Although Elijah's mantle is typically understood as a symbol of prophetic authority, this article utilizes a narratological analysis to argue that the mantle is instead a sign of Elijah's decline and decommissioning. The function of the mantle in 1 Kings 19 and 2 Kings 2 is examined in ord...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Fetherolf, Christina Marie (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Sage [2017]
In: Journal for the study of the Old Testament
Year: 2017, Volume: 42, Issue: 2, Pages: 199-212
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Bible. Könige 1. 19 / Bible. Könige 2. 2 / Elija / Coat
IxTheo Classification:HB Old Testament
Further subjects:B 2 Kings 2
B 1 Kings 19
B mantle
B Elisha
B prophetic authority
B Elijah
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:Although Elijah's mantle is typically understood as a symbol of prophetic authority, this article utilizes a narratological analysis to argue that the mantle is instead a sign of Elijah's decline and decommissioning. The function of the mantle in 1 Kings 19 and 2 Kings 2 is examined in order to demonstrate that the mantle is not invested with power and authority. The mantle is instead associated with situations in which Elijah did not perform his prophetic duties in an ideal manner. Descriptions of both Elijah and Elisha elsewhere further reveal that the mantle was not closely related to their identity as prophet, which supports the argument that it was not symbolic of prophetic authority.
ISSN:1476-6728
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal for the study of the Old Testament
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/0309089216670548