Foreman Animal Metaphors and the People of Israel in the Book of Jeremiah

1. Auflage 2011
ISBN: 978-3-647-53258-5
Verlag: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: 0 - No protection

E-Book, Englisch, Band Band 238, 283 Seiten

Reihe: Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments

Though interest in the use of metaphor in the Hebrew Bible has gained momentum in recent years, there is, to date, no investigation which concentrates exclusively on the animal metaphors in the book of Jeremiah. In this book, the author brings to light this neglected area of study by examining the language and imagery of the animal metaphors for the people of Israel in the book of Jeremiah. The contribution that these metaphors make to the theology of the book is given special attention, and since different interpretations have been given to many of the metaphors in question, the author resolves some of the questions regarding the meaning of these images in his in-depth study. Additionally, scholars have not tended to research metaphors for the nation of Israel and thus this volume draws attention to a particular subject which has largely been overlooked.In chapter one Foreman familiarizes the reader with the major theoretical approaches to metaphor and spells out the approach taken in his investigation. Eighteen metaphors are then thoroughly analyzed in chapters two, three, and four. These metaphors are grouped into three categories, each of which constitutes a chapter: pastoral metaphors, mammal metaphors, and bird metaphors. Chapter five draws the results of the inquiry together. This study reveals how animal metaphors make important theological claims about the nation of Israel and demonstrates that they are essential elements of the message of the book of Jeremiah. Foreman’s elucidation of the language and imagery of the animal metaphors for the people of Israel leads to a richer understanding of these metaphors and ultimately contributes to a more precise interpretation of the message of the book of Jeremiah as a whole.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Foreman, Benjamin

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Christentum, Christliche Theologie Bibelwissenschaften Altes Testament: Exegese, Geschichte

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Front Cover;1
2;Title Page;4
3;Copyright;5
4;Table of Contents;6
5;Body;10
6;Preface;10
7;Abbreviations;12
8;Chapter 1: Introduction;14
8.1;Focus of the Investigation;14
8.2;Theoretical Perspectives on Metaphor;17
8.2.1;Aristotle;18
8.2.2;Recent Theories of Metaphor;18
8.2.2.1;I. A. Richards;18
8.2.2.2;Max Black;19
8.2.2.3;Lakoff, Johnson, Turner;21
8.2.2.4;Eva Kittay;22
8.2.3;Identifying Metaphors;25
8.2.4;Distinguishing Metaphors from Other Tropes;27
8.2.5;The “Dead Metaphor”;29
8.2.6;Summary;33
8.3;Metaphor and Biblical Studies;35
8.3.1;Studies Focusing on the Theoretical Aspect of Metaphor;35
8.3.2;The Cognitive Theory of Metaphor;37
8.3.3;Metaphor Theory and its Application to Biblical Texts;40
8.4;Method of Analysis;42
8.4.1;1. Identifying the Metaphor;44
8.4.2;2. Text-Critical Issues;44
8.4.3;3. Discussion of the Metaphor;45
8.4.4;Order of Analysis;46
9;Chapter 2: Pastoral Metaphors;48
9.1;Introduction;48
9.2;§ 1. Sheep-scattering Shepherds and the Restored Flock (23:1–4);57
9.2.1;Identifying the Metaphor;57
9.2.2;Text-Critical Issues;58
9.2.3;Discussion of the Metaphor;60
9.2.3.1;............................;61
9.2.3.2;Verse 3;64
9.2.4;Summary ;70
9.3;§ 2. The Guardian Shepherd (31:10);72
9.3.1;Identifying the Metaphor;72
9.3.2;Text-Critical Issues;73
9.3.3;Discussion of the Metaphor;74
9.4;§ 3. Lost Sheep (50:6–8);81
9.4.1;Identifying the Metaphor;81
9.4.2;Text-Critical Issues;83
9.4.3;Preliminary Consideration: Rhetorical Units in Jer 50;85
9.4.4;Discussion of the Metaphor;86
9.4.5;Summary;93
9.5;§ 4. A Scattered Lamb (50:17–19);95
9.5.1;Identifying the Metaphor;95
9.5.2;Text-Critical Issues;96
9.5.3;Discussion of the Metaphor;97
9.5.3.1;Verse 17;97
9.5.3.2;Verse 19;102
9.5.4;Summary;105
9.6;§ 5. Shepherding Shepherds (3:15);106
9.6.1;Identifying the Metaphor;106
9.6.2;Text-Critical Issues;107
9.6.3;Discussion of the Metaphor;107
9.6.3.1;The Wider Context;109
9.6.3.2;Conclusion;112
9.7;§ 6. The Shepherds and their Flocks (10:21);116
9.7.1;Identifying the Metaphor;116
9.7.2;Text-Critical Issues;116
9.7.3;Discussion of the Metaphor;117
9.8;Chapter Summary;118
10;Chapter 3: Mammal Metaphors;120
10.1;Introduction;120
10.2;§ 1. Lusty Horses (5:8);128
10.2.1;Identifying the Metaphor;128
10.2.2;Text-Critical Issues;128
10.2.3;Discussion of the Metaphor;131
10.2.3.1;An Allusion to Canaanite Cultic Prostitution?;134
10.3;§ 2. War Horse (8:6b);142
10.3.1;Identifying the Metaphor;142
10.3.2;Text-Critical Issues;142
10.3.3;Discussion of the Metaphor;144
10.4;§ 3. Neighing Horse (13:27a);153
10.4.1;Identifying the Metaphor ;153
10.4.2;Text-Critical Issues;153
10.4.2.1;Discussion of the Metaphor;153
10.5;§ 4. Camel and Wild Donkey (2:23–24);157
10.5.1;Identifying the Metaphorical Construction;157
10.5.2;Text-Critical Issues;159
10.5.3;Discussion of the Metaphors;161
10.5.3.1;v. 23 – The Camel;161
10.5.3.2;v. 24 – The Wild Donkey;163
10.5.3.3;The Valley;165
10.5.3.4;The Background of the Metaphor of Harlotry;169
10.5.3.5;The Contribution of Jer 2:23–24 to the Wider Context;171
10.5.3.6;The Identity of Israel in Jer 2;172
10.5.4;Summary;173
10.6;§ 5. Roaring Lion (12:8);175
10.6.1;Identifying the Metaphor;175
10.6.2;Text-Critical Issues;179
10.6.3;Discussion of the Metaphor;180
10.6.4;Summary;186
10.7;§ 6. Spotted Leopard (13:23);187
10.7.1;Identifying the Metaphor;187
10.7.2;Text-Critical Issues;187
10.7.3;Discussion of the Metaphor;188
10.7.3.1;............;190
10.7.3.2;Israel’s Incapability of Returning to Yahweh;191
10.7.3.3;Human Responsibility;194
10.7.4;Summary;195
10.8;§ 7. Untrained Calf (31:18);196
10.8.1;Identifying the Metaphor;196
10.8.2;Text-Critical Issues;197
10.8.3;Discussion of the Metaphor;198
10.8.3.1;..........................;200
10.8.3.2;Israel as a Bovine in Jeremiah;203
10.9;Chapter Summary;209
11;Chapter 4: Bird Metaphors;210
11.1;Introduction;210
11.2;§ 1. Wicked Fowlers (5:26);215
11.2.1;Identifying the Metaphor;215
11.2.2;Text-Critical Issues;216
11.2.3;Discussion of the Metaphor;218
11.2.4;Summary ;224
11.3;§ 2. Migrating Birds (8:7);225
11.3.1;Identifying the Metaphor;225
11.3.2;Text-Critical Issues;225
11.3.3;Discussion of the Metaphor;228
11.4;§ 3. Bird of Prey (12:9);235
11.4.1;Identifying the Metaphor;235
11.4.2;Text-Critical Issues;236
11.4.3;Discussion of the Metaphor;238
11.5;§ 4. Fishermen and Hunters (16:16);245
11.5.1;Identifying the Metaphor;245
11.5.2;Text-Critical Issues;248
11.5.3;Discussion of the Metaphor;248
11.5.3.1;Fishermen;248
11.5.3.2;Hunters;249
11.6;§ 5. Nesting Bird in the Cedars of Lebanon (22:23);254
11.6.1;Identifying the Metaphor;254
11.6.2;Text-Critical Issues;255
11.6.3;Discussion of the Metaphor;255
11.7;Chapter Summary;258
12;Chapter 5: Conclusions;262
12.1;Animal Imagery;262
12.2;Metaphor;265
12.3;Israel;267
13;Selected Bibliography;272
13.1;Sources and Reference Works;272
13.2;Commentaries;275
13.3;Other Secondary Literature;277
14;Scripture Index ;290
15;Back Cover;298

Leseproben

Chapter 1 Introduction (S. 1-2)

Focus of the Investigation

The book of Jeremiah is a cornucopia of metaphor.1 From the outset it is clear that in order for the reader to properly understand the message of the book, s/he will have to come to grips with its imagery. Chapter two alone contains metaphors of betrothal, ?rst fruits, cisterns, slaves, lions, harlots, vineyards, camels, wild donkeys, thieves, the wilderness, virgins, and immoral women. According to Daniel Bourguet, the number of metaphors in Jeremiah reaches up to nearly 250.2 It is not an overstatement, therefore, to say that in Jeremiah, meaning and metaphor are inseparably intertwined.

Although research on metaphor in the Hebrew Bible has blossomed in recent years, the study of metaphor in the book of Jeremiah has been neglected. Only a few book-length studies dedicated to metaphors in Jeremiah have been published in the past twenty or so years.3 Commentaries often do not pay adequate attention to the language and imagery of the metaphors and thus their analyses are often imprecise, or even incorrect. Sometimes scholars simply translate the metaphors literally into English (or another modern language), and offer little or no comment on what exactly the metaphors mean. Their analogies are also sometimes misunderstood, and the limits of the metaphor are not always clearly delineated. In short, an investigation dedicated to the interpretation of metaphors in Jeremiah is needed.

There are a number of ways in which a study of the metaphors of the book of Jeremiah might be carried out. Since the bulk of the research for this project was completed in north-east Scotland, it may be appropriate to illustrate this by comparing the book of Jeremiah to a common sight in this part of the world: a sixteenth century castle. There are an almost in?nite number of features which can be admired in any particular castle. One might choose to examine the architectural features of the structure and compare them with the architecture of other historic buildings from the same period. Others may be more interested in what is inside the castle.

This could also take many shapes. Some may be fascinated by the quality and variety of the building’s furniture and in what this has to say about its inhabitants. The similarities and dissimilarities of the different rooms may catch the eye of others. Still others might focus on one particular room and consider its distinguishing features in light of the castle as a whole. In short, the exploration of a castle can take many different shapes depending on one’s interest. The same thing is true for the study of the imagery of the book of Jeremiah. An almost in?nite number of approaches are possible, and every approach will lead to different results. It is the questions which are asked which will shape the nature of the outcome.