Ethnography and Biblical Studies: âA Land Flowing with Milk and Honeyâ as a Case Study for Re-contextualising a Familiar Phrase
In: Biblical InterpretationSearch for other papers by Rebekah Welton in
Current site
Google Scholar
Abstract
The expression âa land flowing with milk and honeyâ has traditionally been understood to refer to the abundance of food and fertility in the promised land. However, this article argues that this phrase has become overly familiar and thus certain strategies should be employed in order that contemporary, dominating assumptions about milk and honey in biblical texts may be reconsidered. In order that biblical scholars may refrain from imposing their own expectations or ideologies onto the ancient Israelites and Judahites, ethnographic data that exposes us to a diversity of alternative understandings in relation to food are worth being aware of prior to biblical exegesis. Through exposure to the use of dairy products and the connotations of honey as reported in ethnographic scholarship, this article offers a re-conceptualisation of what milk and honey may refer to as a pair in biblical texts. As a consequence, the benefits of such inter-disciplinary methods are made apparent.
Purchase
Buy instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):
Institutional Login
Log in with Open Athens, Shibboleth, or your institutional credentials
Personal login
Log in with your brill.com account
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 1172 | 168 | 11 |
| Full Text Views | 143 | 11 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 336 | 25 | 0 |
Ethnography and Biblical Studies: âA Land Flowing with Milk and Honeyâ as a Case Study for Re-contextualising a Familiar Phrase
In: Biblical InterpretationSearch for other papers by Rebekah Welton in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
The expression âa land flowing with milk and honeyâ has traditionally been understood to refer to the abundance of food and fertility in the promised land. However, this article argues that this phrase has become overly familiar and thus certain strategies should be employed in order that contemporary, dominating assumptions about milk and honey in biblical texts may be reconsidered. In order that biblical scholars may refrain from imposing their own expectations or ideologies onto the ancient Israelites and Judahites, ethnographic data that exposes us to a diversity of alternative understandings in relation to food are worth being aware of prior to biblical exegesis. Through exposure to the use of dairy products and the connotations of honey as reported in ethnographic scholarship, this article offers a re-conceptualisation of what milk and honey may refer to as a pair in biblical texts. As a consequence, the benefits of such inter-disciplinary methods are made apparent.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 1172 | 168 | 11 |
| Full Text Views | 143 | 11 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 336 | 25 | 0 |
