Priests, Pollution and the Demonic: Evaluating Impurity in the Hebrew Bible in Light of Assyro-Babylonian Texts

The Priestly Source makes no explicit reference to the demonic when describing pollution which supposedly sets it apart from non-biblical conceptualizations of impurity. Most scholars explain the Priestly disregard for demons by referring to the advance of monotheism and the subsequent eradication o...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Cranz, Isabel 1980- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Fernleihe:Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste
Published: Brill 2014
In: Journal of ancient Near Eastern religions
Year: 2014, Volume: 14, Issue: 1, Pages: 68-86
Further subjects:B Priestly Source Assyro-Babylonian incantations demonology history of religion
Online Access: Volltext (Verlag)

MARC

LEADER 00000caa a22000002 4500
001 1561935867
003 DE-627
005 20220604141440.0
007 cr uuu---uuuuu
008 170808s2014 xx |||||o 00| ||eng c
024 7 |a 10.1163/15692124-12341257  |2 doi 
035 |a (DE-627)1561935867 
035 |a (DE-576)491935862 
035 |a (DE-599)BSZ491935862 
040 |a DE-627  |b ger  |c DE-627  |e rakwb 
041 |a eng 
084 |a 0  |2 ssgn 
100 1 |0 (DE-588)109090326X  |0 (DE-627)851712576  |0 (DE-576)461177730  |4 aut  |a Cranz, Isabel  |d 1980- 
109 |a Cranz, Isabel 1980- 
245 1 0 |a Priests, Pollution and the Demonic: Evaluating Impurity in the Hebrew Bible in Light of Assyro-Babylonian Texts 
264 1 |c 2014 
300 |a Online-Ressource 
336 |a Text  |b txt  |2 rdacontent 
337 |a Computermedien  |b c  |2 rdamedia 
338 |a Online-Ressource  |b cr  |2 rdacarrier 
520 |a The Priestly Source makes no explicit reference to the demonic when describing pollution which supposedly sets it apart from non-biblical conceptualizations of impurity. Most scholars explain the Priestly disregard for demons by referring to the advance of monotheism and the subsequent eradication of supernatural forces other than God. Depending on whether monotheism is viewed as gradual process or as the foundation of Israelite religion, commentators either detect a weakened demonic quality in Priestly pollution or claim that the Priestly Source has always been of a non-demonic nature. However, in recent years the idea that monotheism pervades most books of the Hebrew Bible has been increasingly called into question. At the same time, the extensive publication of Assyro-Babylonian ritual texts allows for better understanding of Assyro-Babylonian conceptualizations of impurity. These developments necessitate the reevaluation of the current views on Priestly pollution by examining Assyro-Babylonian texts pertaining to impurity and the demonic. Special attention is given to context and dating of the cuneiform sources used to exemplify the non-demonic nature of Priestly impurity. This renewed comparison of Priestly and Assyro-Babylonian impurity highlights how the Priestly writer frames the concepts of pollution within the context of the sanctuary and its maintenance. The Assyro-Babylonian texts dealing with impurity and demons, by contrast, focus on the individual and his/her relationship to the personal god rather than temple maintenance. Likewise, cuneiform texts that deal with pollution and temple maintenance do not concern themselves with demonic affliction. Consequently, it can be argued that the non-demonic nature of impurity in the Priestly Source is the result of the Priestly focus on the sanctuary and does not give witness to an underlying theological ideal. 
650 4 |a Priestly Source  |x Assyro-Babylonian incantations  |x demonology  |x history of religion 
773 0 8 |i In  |t Journal of ancient Near Eastern religions  |d Leiden : Brill, 2001  |g 14(2014), 1, Seite 68-86  |h Online-Ressource  |w (DE-627)363741046  |w (DE-600)2103852-1  |w (DE-576)11061660X  |x 1569-2124  |7 nnns 
773 1 8 |g volume:14  |g year:2014  |g number:1  |g pages:68-86 
856 4 0 |u http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15692124-12341257  |x Verlag  |3 Volltext 
935 |a mteo 
936 u w |d 14  |j 2014  |e 1  |h 68-86 
951 |a AR 
ELC |a 1 
ITA |a 1  |t 1 
LOK |0 000 xxxxxcx a22 zn 4500 
LOK |0 001 2976792208 
LOK |0 003 DE-627 
LOK |0 004 1561935867 
LOK |0 005 20170808150637 
LOK |0 008 170808||||||||||||||||ger||||||| 
LOK |0 040   |a DE-Tue135  |c DE-627  |d DE-Tue135 
LOK |0 092   |o n 
LOK |0 852   |a DE-Tue135 
LOK |0 852 1  |9 00 
LOK |0 935   |a bril 
ORI |a SA-MARC-ixtheoa001.raw 
REL |a 1 
SUB |a REL