Is Biblical Studies Stuck in Antiquarianism?: The Case of Behemoth and Leviathan

In this article, a trajectory is traced that demonstrates that the soft consensus that Behemoth and Leviathan are the hippo and croc, respectively, is part of a larger phenomenon whereby these originally monstrous beasts have become domesticated and demythologized or their mythological nature ration...

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Dettagli Bibliografici
Autore principale: Sneed, Mark R. (Autore)
Tipo di documento: Elettronico Articolo
Lingua:Inglese
Verificare la disponibilità: HBZ Gateway
Interlibrary Loan:Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany)
Pubblicazione: 2023
In: Journal of the bible and its reception
Anno: 2023, Volume: 10, Fascicolo: 2, Pagine: 221-244
(sequenze di) soggetti normati:B Behemoth / Leviathan / Mostro / Demitologizzazione / Scienze dell'antichità / Orientalismo (Cultural studies)
Notazioni IxTheo:BC Religioni dell’Antico Oriente
HB Antico Testamento
Altre parole chiave:B Monster Theory
B Enlightenment
B Leviathan
B antiquarianism
B Behemoth
B Orientalism
Accesso online: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Descrizione
Riepilogo:In this article, a trajectory is traced that demonstrates that the soft consensus that Behemoth and Leviathan are the hippo and croc, respectively, is part of a larger phenomenon whereby these originally monstrous beasts have become domesticated and demythologized or their mythological nature rationalized. The great beasts as natural Egyptian animals only goes back to a 17th century Huguenot who was an etymologist, orientalist, antiquarian, and minister. This process of/domestication/demythologization in a weak form actually can be discerned in the Hebrew Bible itself but reaches its zenith during the Enlightenment. In the article, a trajectory of protest against this process is mapped out. And, finally, monsters are shown to be important theodicean agents in the ancient world as well as representing important mechanisms of cultural identity.
ISSN:2329-4434
Comprende:Enthalten in: Journal of the bible and its reception
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1515/jbr-2023-0008