The Firstborn of Death: Monotheism and the Mythology of Death in Job 18

Job 18 depicts the destruction of the wicked as a kind of ambush by "the firstborn of death." Much of the discussion of this passage has centered on this figure's identification, and whether one should look primarily to Ugaritic or Mesopotamian mythological traditions for its backgrou...

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Détails bibliographiques
Auteur principal: Brown, Ken 1982- (Auteur)
Type de support: Électronique Article
Langue:Anglais
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Publié: Brill [2019]
Dans: Vetus Testamentum
Année: 2019, Volume: 69, Numéro: 4/5, Pages: 543-566
Sujets / Chaînes de mots-clés standardisés:B Bibel. Ijob 18 / Baal-Mot-Epos / Mythologie / Mort / Séjour des morts
RelBib Classification:BC Religions du Proche-Orient ancien
HB Ancien Testament
Sujets non-standardisés:B Hebrew Bible
B Ancient Near East
B Monotheism
B Bibel. Ijob 18
B Death
B Mythology
B Book of Job
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Résumé:Job 18 depicts the destruction of the wicked as a kind of ambush by "the firstborn of death." Much of the discussion of this passage has centered on this figure's identification, and whether one should look primarily to Ugaritic or Mesopotamian mythological traditions for its background. Yet the passage as a whole concludes with a reference to a single "God," knowledge of whom is determinative for human fate. This raises a basic question concerning the relation between "God" and the "firstborn of death." Through a close comparison with the Ugaritic Baal Cycle and the Neo-Assyrian Underworld Vision on the one hand, and Job 5 and Deuteronomy 32 on the other, this paper argues that "the firstborn of death" most likely does represent a chthonic deity, but that such powers have been subordinated to the one God whom Bildad presumes to bear sole authority over life and death.
ISSN:1568-5330
Contient:Enthalten in: Vetus Testamentum
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1163/15685330-12341375