Admonition and Curse - The Ancient Near Eastern Treaty;Covenant Form as a Problem in Inter

The occurrence of treaties throughout the Ancient Near East has been investigated on a number of occasions, generally in order to resolve certain questions arising in the biblical field. As a result of that focus, the existence of a similar institution in a number of different cultures has not been treated as a problem in itself. Generally the existence of treaties throughout the area has been taken for granted, or a simple borrowing model has been used to explain how similar forms came to be used in different cultures. Why forms were similar across the area has not been probed. This work investigates treaty occurrences in different cultures and finds that the forms used correlate with ways of maintaining political control both internally and over vassals. Related concepts are projected in official accounts of history. Thus one can roughly distinguish threats based on power from persuasion based on benevolence and historical precedent, though various combinations of these two occur. There is a likely further connection of the means chosen to the degree of centralisation of power within the society. Underlying the local traditions is a common tradition which has to be dated to the pre-literate period. Biblical covenants fit within this pattern. The cultures treated are Mesopotamia, the Hittites, Egypt, Syrian centres and Israel.>

Product details

• Authors: Noel Weeks, Weeks Noel
• Assisted by: Claudia V. Camp (Editor), Andrew Mein (Editor)
• Publisher: T. & T. Clark Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 01.10.2004
• EAN: 9780567081568
• ISBN: 978-0-567-08156-8
• No. of pages: 222
• Series: Journal for the Study of the O; Journal for the Study of the O; The Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies; Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement S.
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Religion/theology > Judaism; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Religion: general, reference works; Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political education; Judentum, Antike, Geschichte des Nahen und Mittleren Ostens, Naher und Mittlerer Osten, Politische Kontrolle, Propaganda und Freiheitsrechte, Asiatische Geschichte, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Freedom, RELIGION / Judaism / General, HISTORY / Middle East / General, HISTORY / Ancient / General, POLITICAL SCIENCE / World / Middle Eastern, Middle East, Judaism, Middle Eastern history, Ancient History, Ancient history: to c 500 CE, Political control and freedoms, Political Control & Freedoms