The Threat of Annihilation of Israel in the Desert: An Independent Tradition within Two Stories
In this article I examine the biblical myth of the divine threat of Israel's annihilation during their wandering in the desert. I explore two main instances in the Pentateuch--the story of the spies (Numbers 13-14) and the story of the golden calf (Exodus 32), exposing logical and substantive d...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Print Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Association
[2016]
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| In: |
The catholic biblical quarterly
Year: 2016, Volume: 78, Issue: 4, Pages: 632-647 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Bible. Numeri 13-14
/ Bible. Exodus 32
/ Bible. Psalmen 78
/ Israelites
/ Destruction
/ God
/ Threat
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| IxTheo Classification: | HB Old Testament NBC Doctrine of God |
| Further subjects: | B
threat of destruction
B God (Christianity) B golden calf B PSALMS (Musical form) B CHRISTIAN mythology B Bible stories B Psalm 78 B ANNIHILATIONISM (Christianity) B spy story |
| Parallel Edition: | Electronic
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| Summary: | In this article I examine the biblical myth of the divine threat of Israel's annihilation during their wandering in the desert. I explore two main instances in the Pentateuch--the story of the spies (Numbers 13-14) and the story of the golden calf (Exodus 32), exposing logical and substantive difficulties in them. The study reveals the secondary nature of the annihilation-threat myth in the non-Priestly context of each narrative while indicating a lack of direct dependence between them. This independent myth is proved to be later than Psalm 78, where the implied comment about God's intention to destroy the people (v. 38) is taken to predate Jeroboam I. Adding the myth to the pentateuchal narrative contexts painted the events in religious colors through demonstrating the people's sin and presenting a complex image of God. |
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| ISSN: | 0008-7912 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: The catholic biblical quarterly
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