{"title":"Three Sixteenth-Century Jewish Messiahs","authors":"Gavin Michal","doi":"10.25159/2663-6573/11922","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25159/2663-6573/11922","url":null,"abstract":"Messianic movements and their messianic claimants are surprisingly ubiquitous in Jewish history. The hypothesis is that these movements always show some influence from a previous form of mysticism and reach their expression and culmination in a renewed urgency for messianic activity. This article demonstrates that sixteenth-century messianic tensions, as an example of this phenomenon, repeatedly had their genesis in one or another system of mysticism. The deeper the mystical component, the more dramatic the messianism. The messianic claimant believes he has the power to speak to kings and popes and is convinced he has the means to immediately effect a change in the religious, political, and cosmic order. This investigation focuses on three sixteenth-century Jewish messiahs, Asher Lemlein, David Reuveni, and Shlomo Molcho. Each, as I show, was rooted in an earlier form of mysticism.","PeriodicalId":42047,"journal":{"name":"Journal for Semitics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44491459","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Disjunctive Questions in Biblical Hebrew: A Syntactic, Semantic, and Pragmatic Analysis","authors":"Jesse Scheumann","doi":"10.25159/2663-6573/12534","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25159/2663-6573/12534","url":null,"abstract":"A disjunctive question presents an alternative to a previously-expressed state of affairs. Biblical Hebrew has four constructions for forming disjunctive questions. After an initial hă-question, the second can be introduced with hă, ʾim, wəʾim, or ʾô. While Hebrew reference grammars simply acknowledge the variation, this paper systematically addresses these constructions and distinguishes them on syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic grounds. The key results are a finer distinction between conjunction and disjunction and a recognition of how ellipsis discriminates between polar and alternative questions.","PeriodicalId":42047,"journal":{"name":"Journal for Semitics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49142349","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Spatial Reading of Obadiah on the Vertical Axis of the Ancient Near Eastern Cosmic Geography","authors":"J. Schäder","doi":"10.25159/2663-6573/12685","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25159/2663-6573/12685","url":null,"abstract":"Since the 1970s, biblical studies have experienced a “spatial turn,” giving rise to an emphasis on a variety of approaches to the spatial analysis of biblical texts. Space is something that is constructed, produced, and represented by means of words. It is thus possible for the associations and memories of spaces to change. This study’s purpose is threefold: (1) to provide a short overview of the significance of studying space and memory together; (2) to provide an overview of ancient Near Eastern cosmic geography to contextualise our study’s reference to vertical spatial orientation; and (3) to illustrate how such a vertical spatial reading can aid us in better understanding the text of Obadiah, which deals predominantly with space in terms of land and sacred space.","PeriodicalId":42047,"journal":{"name":"Journal for Semitics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44062206","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Peshitta to Ezekiel, the Context of its Translation, and the Identity of its Translators","authors":"Godwin Mushayabasa","doi":"10.25159/2663-6573/12883","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25159/2663-6573/12883","url":null,"abstract":"The Peshitta to Ezekiel has recently been described as a translation that closely represents the frames in the Hebrew text with corresponding frames in the natural Syriac language of the time of its translation. Such an approach to translation entailed a novel translation technique, as far as the translations of the Scriptures in the period up to the first three centuries CE were concerned. Such a characteristic feature of the translation, together with other socio-political conditions leads us to reflect on the ongoing question about the identity of the translators as well as the motivations behind their translation. A close literary and historical analysis of these factors showed that the Peshitta to Ezekiel would have been produced for a Christian community, rather than for Jews.","PeriodicalId":42047,"journal":{"name":"Journal for Semitics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47920113","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Trauma Reading of Isaiah 1–12 from the “Unity Movement” Perspective","authors":"A. Groenewald, Elsa Esterhuizen","doi":"10.25159/2663-6573/12888","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25159/2663-6573/12888","url":null,"abstract":"In this contribution we focus firstly on the “unity movement” which has changed the face of Isaianic studies over the last 30 or more years, having been characterised by the Duhmian interpretation of three separate books for nearly 100 years. The unity movement focusses on the book of Isaiah as a literary unity, but it does not deny the historical growth of this literary masterpiece which took place over centuries. Secondly, we give a brief overview of the use of trauma theory as a reading lens in biblical studies and its implication for reading the book of Isaiah in this manner. In the third part we focus on three themes which are important from the perspective of the unity of the book of Isaiah (specifically in Isaiah 1–12 which is the first major subsection within the larger composition of the book of Isaiah). These three themes are important for a trauma reading of the book of Isaiah, as will be indicated in this contribution: the concept of the we-group (remnant), the woe oracles, and the theme of the “day of YHWH // this day.” These themes are briefly dealt with within Isaiah 1–12, although they have major implications for a more detailed study of the book of Isaiah (read as a literary unity) from a trauma theoretical perspective.","PeriodicalId":42047,"journal":{"name":"Journal for Semitics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44988494","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Debate on the Sectarian Movement in the Dead Sea Scrolls Continues","authors":"Ananda B. Geyser-Fouché","doi":"10.25159/2663-6573/12387","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25159/2663-6573/12387","url":null,"abstract":"This article reviews the debate concerning the sectarian movement in the Dead Sea Scrolls. The consensus that the movement described in the Damascus Document and Community Rule originated in a dispute over the high priesthood in the mid-second century BCE has broken down in the last two decades since the unveiling of more texts, especially those from Cave 4. The scope of this debate and the ensuing developments are vast; therefore, the article only briefly discusses the main arguments and the more contemporary discourses, focusing on the five main aspects with their associated topics. These aspects are the Righteous Teacher, the Wicked Priest, the possible schism, the socio-historical context, and the sectarian movement.","PeriodicalId":42047,"journal":{"name":"Journal for Semitics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49016022","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Learning Biblical Hebrew Stem Formations through isiXhosa Stem Formations","authors":"Ntozakhe Simon Cezula","doi":"10.25159/2663-6573/9402","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25159/2663-6573/9402","url":null,"abstract":"This article aims to help Bantu-speaking students who struggle to grasp Biblical Hebrew (BH) stem formations. To ease the learning of BH stem formations for Bantu-speaking learners, this article proposes that Bantu stem formations be used to teach BH stem formations. To realise this aim, two strategies are used. The first is to employ typology to demonstrate to learners the similarities between BH and their languages, so that they realise that their languages are similar to BH in quite significant respects. The second strategy is to present isiXhosa verb conjugations to demonstrate what BH verb conjugations are about. IsiXhosa verb conjugations are demonstrated as an analogy for BH conjugations. Tabular juxtaposition of BH stem formations with stem formations of some Bantu languages are presented to provide clear and explicit details of the discussion.","PeriodicalId":42047,"journal":{"name":"Journal for Semitics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45029075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Jonah—A Quest to Identify its Genre","authors":"Henk Potgieter","doi":"10.25159/2663-6573/12282","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25159/2663-6573/12282","url":null,"abstract":"Considering the brevity of Jonah, or perhaps because of it, it is remarkable that the literary genre of the book remains an enigma. This is not the result of a lack of attempts to classify it. Most scholars agree that Jonah is a narrative, but what type of narrative? This article proposes that Jonah is a narrative about a specific episode in a prophet’s life, namely his flight from an assignment. To verify the possibility of such a literary category, one must find similar incidents in other known prophets’ lives and compare Jonah with those episodes. Consequently, a comparison is made with the story of Moses in Exodus and Elijah in 1 Kings 19.","PeriodicalId":42047,"journal":{"name":"Journal for Semitics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47540127","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Comparative Stylistic and Technical Analysis of Four Ancient Egyptian Bronzes from Ditsong Museum, South Africa","authors":"Mariette Harcombe","doi":"10.25159/2663-6573/10686","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25159/2663-6573/10686","url":null,"abstract":"The Ditsong National Museum of Cultural History in Pretoria, South Africa, is a holding institute for thousands of objects that are accessioned in its collections, including a small collection of Egyptian antiquities. As a multitude of these objects have been donated to the museum over many decades by private collectors, some information regarding object provenance and provenience is unknown. Missing details often include the object’s place of origin, its relative production date, production materials, as well as production methods and techniques. The archaeology collection features a small collection of ancient Egyptian bronze statuettes, also known as votive figures. Four bronzes, Sekhmet, Bastet/Cat, the Jackal/Dog, and the ibis, were investigated as part of the author’s doctoral study, which employed a mixed methodological approach that combined surface investigations, tomography, and comparative stylistic analysis to provide insights into ancient production. This article focuses on a comparative stylistic analysis in which online museum collections were consulted alongside published descriptions of similar objects and the gods/goddesses they depict. Following the analysis, recommendations are made towards the re-identification of two of the figures, while additional insights gained about their possible function could be incorporated into the Museum’s object catalogue.","PeriodicalId":42047,"journal":{"name":"Journal for Semitics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45101195","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"“They Covet Fields and Houses … and Seize Them”: Interpreting Micah 2:2 in Light of Economic Deprivation for Holding on to Power in Nigeria","authors":"S. Ademiluka","doi":"10.25159/2663-6573/10682","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25159/2663-6573/10682","url":null,"abstract":"Micah 2:2 condemns the injustice of land grabbing in eighth-century Israel. Contrary to the traditional perception that each clan’s land belonged to it as a permanent inheritance, by the eighth century BCE land had become a commodity that could be bought and sold, or even seized. The article examines Micah 2:2 in the context of public elections in Nigeria where, having been pauperised by the ruling class, the electorate yield themselves to politicians who exploit them to keep themselves in power. Employing the historical-critical and descriptive methods, the article concludes that the Micah passage speaks to the Nigerian context in the sense that just as the economic exploitation of the peasant farmers violated the theocratic order, in Nigeria this attitude is inimical to democratic rule and the good of the people.","PeriodicalId":42047,"journal":{"name":"Journal for Semitics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49121169","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}