The mechanics of retribution in Hittite, Mesopotamian and Ancient Israelite sources
In: Journal of Ancient Near Eastern ReligionsSearch for other papers by YITZHAQ FEDER in
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Abstract
This paper reevaluates the anthropological theory, still common in Near Eastern studies, that the belief in gods represents a later evolutionary stage which emerged from the more primitive notion of impersonal forces and taboos. Against this conventional view, an analysis of scribal and literary conventions used in Mesopotamian, Hittite and Israelite texts to describe oath-curses and bloodguilt reveals a growing tendency to depict divine retribution as a mechanical or automatic process. In addition to the importance of this study for the anthropological study of religion, it deals with broader questions pertaining to the dependency of cultural explanatory schemes on linguistic and literary conventions.
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| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
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The mechanics of retribution in Hittite, Mesopotamian and Ancient Israelite sources
In: Journal of Ancient Near Eastern ReligionsSearch for other papers by YITZHAQ FEDER in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
This paper reevaluates the anthropological theory, still common in Near Eastern studies, that the belief in gods represents a later evolutionary stage which emerged from the more primitive notion of impersonal forces and taboos. Against this conventional view, an analysis of scribal and literary conventions used in Mesopotamian, Hittite and Israelite texts to describe oath-curses and bloodguilt reveals a growing tendency to depict divine retribution as a mechanical or automatic process. In addition to the importance of this study for the anthropological study of religion, it deals with broader questions pertaining to the dependency of cultural explanatory schemes on linguistic and literary conventions.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 503 | 92 | 3 |
| Full Text Views | 144 | 4 | 1 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 194 | 11 | 4 |
