Undercurrents in Restoration Literature: Abraham and the Promise of the Land in Nehemiah 9:6–37
This article examines the intertwined roles of Abraham and the promise of the land in Neh 9:6-37. I argue that Israel's ownership of the land is the thematic axis that binds the two parts of the prayer in Nehemiah 9: the historical survey (vv. 6-31) and the description of the current generation...
Main Author: | |
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Format: | Electronic Article |
Language: | English |
Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
Journals Online & Print: | |
Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
Published: |
Catholic Biblical Association of America
2022
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In: |
The catholic biblical quarterly
Year: 2022, Volume: 84, Issue: 1, Pages: 39-60 |
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Abraham, Biblical person
/ Divine covenant
/ Bible. Nehemia 9,6-37
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IxTheo Classification: | HB Old Testament HD Early Judaism |
Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
Summary: | This article examines the intertwined roles of Abraham and the promise of the land in Neh 9:6-37. I argue that Israel's ownership of the land is the thematic axis that binds the two parts of the prayer in Nehemiah 9: the historical survey (vv. 6-31) and the description of the current generation (vv. 32-37). The discussion of this confessional prayer underscores the strong connection between Abraham and the land and shows how its author rewrites history in order to create a continuous connection between the people and the land. Although Abraham is central in other exilic- and restoration-generation texts, and in the dispute over the land between the locals and the returnees, his role in Nehemiah 9 differs. There Abraham represents the aspiration of a circle among the returnees for restored hegemony over the land, in opposition to the prevailing ideology of Ezra-Nehemiah, which supported the Persian regime. |
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ISSN: | 2163-2529 |
Contains: | Enthalten in: The catholic biblical quarterly
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Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1353/cbq.2022.0002 |