The strange biography of Samson

The biblical story of the life of Samson hides much from the reader&&the Book of Judges has deleted from the story elements that were deemed improper for the book’s placement among the Holy Scriptures. In this article, the author shows how the Bible transforms Samson from a mythological hero, the son of a god, to a mere mortal whose extraordinary strength came through the spirit of God that rested with him so long as he kept his Nazirite vows. The biblical storyteller could not prevent the story of Samson from entering into the biblical corpus since it was a tale of tremendous popularity. He thus told it in such a way as to bring it closer to his monotheistic beliefs and world-view. In its ‘biblical’ form the story does not bring honor to the figure of Samson, and so his placement as the last of the judges in the Book of Judges prepares the reader for the establishment of the institution of kingship, in the Book of Samuel

David's last and early days

This article deals with the beginning and end of David’s life. David’s lonely end, a reflection of his incapacity to love, marks the tragic close to his promising beginnings. The author shows how the stories that introduce David are missing two elements: a birth story and a genealogy. This absence can be explained by the biblical author’s desire to portray David as a male-Cinderella. This missing birth story can perhaps be reconstructed by reading between the lines in 1 Samuel 16–17, but also through the use of post-biblical traditions. Connections between the portrayals of the beginning and the end of David show that no progress has been made between the disappointing and tragic end of Saul and that of David

From Gods to God

The ancient Israelites believed things that the writers of the Bible wanted them to forget: myths and legends from a pre-biblical world that the new monotheist order needed to bury, hide, or reinterpret. Ancient Israel was rich in such literary traditions before the Bible reached the final form that we have today. These traditions were not lost but continued, passed down through the ages. Many managed to reach us in post-biblical sources: rabbinic literature, Jewish Hellenistic writings, the writings of the Dead Sea sect, the Aramaic, Greek, Latin, and other ancient translations of the Bible, and even outside the ancient Jewish world in Christian and Islamic texts. The Bible itself sometimes alludes to these traditions, often in surprising contexts. Written in clear and accessible language, this volume presents thirty such traditions. It voyages behind the veil of the written Bible to reconstruct what was told and retold among the ancient Israelites, even if it is “not what the Bible tells us.

David's last and early days

This article deals with the beginning and end of David’s life. David’s lonely end, a reflection of his incapacity to love, marks the tragic close to his promising beginnings. The author shows how the stories that introduce David are missing two elements: a birth story and a genealogy. This absence can be explained by the biblical author’s desire to portray David as a male-Cinderella. This missing birth story can perhaps be reconstructed by reading between the lines in 1 Samuel 16–17, but also through the use of post-biblical traditions. Connections between the portrayals of the beginning and the end of David show that no progress has been made between the disappointing and tragic end of Saul and that of David

David's last and early days

This article deals with the beginning and end of David’s life. David’s lonely end, a reflection of his incapacity to love, marks the tragic close to his promising beginnings. The author shows how the stories that introduce David are missing two elements: a birth story and a genealogy. This absence can be explained by the biblical author’s desire to portray David as a male-Cinderella. This missing birth story can perhaps be reconstructed by reading between the lines in 1 Samuel 16–17, but also through the use of post-biblical traditions. Connections between the portrayals of the beginning and the end of David show that no progress has been made between the disappointing and tragic end of Saul and that of David

The strange biography of Samson

The biblical story of the life of Samson hides much from the reader&&the Book of Judges has deleted from the story elements that were deemed improper for the book’s placement among the Holy Scriptures. In this article, the author shows how the Bible transforms Samson from a mythological hero, the son of a god, to a mere mortal whose extraordinary strength came through the spirit of God that rested with him so long as he kept his Nazirite vows. The biblical storyteller could not prevent the story of Samson from entering into the biblical corpus since it was a tale of tremendous popularity. He thus told it in such a way as to bring it closer to his monotheistic beliefs and world-view. In its ‘biblical’ form the story does not bring honor to the figure of Samson, and so his placement as the last of the judges in the Book of Judges prepares the reader for the establishment of the institution of kingship, in the Book of Samuel

The strange biography of Samson

The biblical story of the life of Samson hides much from the reader; the Book of Judges has deleted from the story elements that were deemed improper for the book’s placement among the Holy Scriptures. In this article, the author shows how the Bible transforms Samson from a mythological hero, the son of a god, to a mere mortal whose extraordinary strength came through the spirit of God that rested with him so long as he kept his Nazirite vows. The biblical storyteller could not prevent the story of Samson from entering into the biblical corpus since it was a tale of tremendous popularity. He thus told it in such a way as to bring it closer to his monotheistic beliefs and world-view. In its ‘biblical’ form the story does not bring honor to the figure of Samson, and so his placement as the last of the judges in the Book of Judges prepares the reader for the establishment of the institution of kingship, in the Book of Samuel

From Gods to God How the Bible Debunked, Suppressed, or Changed Ancient Myths and Legends

The ancient Israelites believed things that the writers of the Bible wanted them to forget: myths and legends from a pre-biblical world that the new monotheist order needed to bury, hide, or reinterpret. Ancient Israel was rich in such literary traditions before the Bible reached the final form that we have today. These traditions were not lost but continued, passed down through the ages. Many managed to reach us in post-biblical sources: rabbinic literature, Jewish Hellenistic writings, the writings of the Dead Sea sect, the Aramaic, Greek, Latin, and other ancient translations of the Bible, and even outside the ancient Jewish world in Christian and Islamic texts. The Bible itself sometimes alludes to these traditions, often in surprising contexts. Written in clear and accessible language, this volume presents thirty such traditions. It voyages behind the veil of the written Bible to reconstruct what was told and retold among the ancient Israelites, even if it is "not what the Bible tells us.".Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- acknowledgments -- Translator's Note -- Introduction: When God Fought the Sea Dragons -- Part 1. The World of Myth -- 1. Eden's Winged Serpent -- 2. When Gods Seduced Women -- 3. Moses or God? Who Split the Sea of Reeds? -- 4. What Is Manna? -- 5. The Hero Who Stopped the Sun -- Part 2. Cult and Sacred Geography -- 6. The Wandering Gate of Heaven -- 7. Seeing and Weeping: Managing the Story of a Divine Defeat -- 8. Where Were Rachel and Jacob Buried? -- 9. Where in the Wilderness Did Israel Receive the Torah? -- 10. Some More Reasons for Eating Matzah -- 11. Was Worshiping the Golden Calf a Sin? -- 12. Where Was the Law Given? In the Wildernessor in the Land of Israel? -- 13. When and How Was the City of Dan Sanctifi ed? -- Part 3. Biblical Heroes and Their Biographies -- 14. What Did Ham Do to His Father? -- 15. Out of the Fire: Recovering the Story of Abraham's Origins -- 16. The Reinterpretation of a Name: Jacob's In Utero Activities -- 17. Were the Israelites Never in Egypt? A Peculiar Tradition about Ephraim -- 18. Moses's Most Miraculous Birth -- 19. Moses's African Romance -- 20. Moses's Necessary Death -- 21. Son of God? The Suspicious Story of Samson's Birth -- 22. A Cinderella Tale: Clues to David's Lost Birth Story -- 23. Finding the Real Killer of Goliath -- 24. How a Savior Became a Villain: Jeroboam and the Exodus -- Part 4. Relations between Men and Women -- 25. Sister or Not: Sarah's Adventures with Pharaoh -- 26. The Story of Rebekah and the Servant on the Road from Haran -- 27. Reuben, Bilhah, and a Silent Jacob -- 28. Seduction before Murder: The Case of Jael -- 29. No Innocent Death: David, Abigail, and Nabal -- 30. Not Just Riddles: Solomon and the Queen of Sheba -- In Closing -- Glossary of Extra-Biblical Sources -- IndexThe ancient Israelites believed things that the writers of the Bible wanted them to forget: myths and legends from a pre-biblical world that the new monotheist order needed to bury, hide, or reinterpret. Ancient Israel was rich in such literary traditions before the Bible reached the final form that we have today. These traditions were not lost but continued, passed down through the ages. Many managed to reach us in post-biblical sources: rabbinic literature, Jewish Hellenistic writings, the writings of the Dead Sea sect, the Aramaic, Greek, Latin, and other ancient translations of the Bible, and even outside the ancient Jewish world in Christian and Islamic texts. The Bible itself sometimes alludes to these traditions, often in surprising contexts. Written in clear and accessible language, this volume presents thirty such traditions. It voyages behind the veil of the written Bible to reconstruct what was told and retold among the ancient Israelites, even if it is "not what the Bible tells us.".Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, YYYY. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries