'From Beyond the Rivers of Cush': Negotiating Ethnic Identity And
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‘From Beyond the Rivers of Cush’: Negotiating Ethnic Identity and Cushite-Israelite Interrelations in the Hebrew Bible by Kevin Burrell Dissertation presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Stellenbosch Promoter: Prof. Louis C. Jonker Faculty of Theology Department of Old and New Testament December 2018 Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za DECLARATION By submitting this thesis/dissertation electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (save to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification December 2018 Copyright © 2018 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved ii - - Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za ABSTRACT It is almost axiomatic that the impetus to study the past is occasioned by contemporary paradigms and circumstances. In recent years the steady flow of critical investigations of ethnic sentiments in the biblical literature can be directly correlated to the salience of ethnic dynamics in our modern, multicultural context. It is reasonable to assert then that the biblical scholar’s primary purpose for studying ethnic dynamics in Israel’s past is to inform, in one way or another, the contemporary struggle for identity in an ethnically and racially fractured social landscape. The primary objective of this work is to investigate representations of Cushites in the Hebrew Bible, and as such it is a study of the past. But relevant to the present, one of the main goals of this project is to provide a more balanced view of Cushite ethnographic representations in the biblical literature by consciously departing from accepted stereotypes of Africa and people of African descent which are largely a feature of the modern age. Varying degrees of racial stereotyping expressed in otherwise competent biblical interpretation tend to emphasize unfavourable portraits of the people the biblical writers called Cushites. Such views are revealed, for example, through a tacit assumption of the slave status of certain Cushites who appear in the pages of the Hebrew Bible. It is a working assumption of this study that modern notions of race and ethnicity were understood differently in the ancient and biblical contexts. Thus, in contrast to racial assumptions, this work seeks to comprehend the biblical view of Cushites first by undertaking a comprehensive examination of comparative representations of Cushites in ancient Egypt and the Mediterranean, and second by a critical examination of the theological outlook of the biblical authors who wrote about them. This study contributes to a clearer understanding of the theological, historical, and ethnic dynamics underpinning representations of Cushites in the Hebrew Bible. iii - - Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za OPSOMMING Dit is byna vanselfsprekend dat die impuls om die verlede te bestudeer deur kontemporêre paradigmas en omstandighede bepaal word. In onlangse jare kan die bestendige vloei van kritiese ondersoeke na etniese sentimente in die Bybelse literatuur direk in verband gebring word met die prominensie van etniese dinamika in moderne, multikulturele kontekste. Dit is dus ook redelik om te beweer dat indien die Bybelwetenskaplike se primêre doelwit is om die etniese dinamika in Israel se verlede te bestudeer, dit op een of ander manier die hedendaagse stryd om identiteit in 'n etniese en rasse-gebroke sosiale landskap sal belig. Die primêre doel van hierdie werk is om die voorstellings van die Kusiete in die Hebreeuse Bybel te ondersoek, en as sodanig is dit 'n studie van die verlede. Maar, een van die hoofdoelwitte van hierdie projek is om dit ook van toepassing te maak op die hede ten einde 'n meer gebalanseerde siening van Kusitiese etnografiese voorstellings in die Bybelse literatuur te bied. Daarvoor word bewustelik afgewyk van aanvaarde stereotipes van Afrika en mense van Afrika-afkoms wat 'n prominente kenmerk van die moderne era is. Verskillende grade van rasse-stereotipering wat uitgedruk word in andersins goeie Bybelinterpretasies, dra daartoe by om ongunstige voorstellings te maak van die mense wat deur die Bybelskrywers die Kusiete genoem is. Sulke sienings word byvoorbeeld versterk deur die stilswyende aanname van die slawestatus van sekere Kusiete wat in die bladsye van die Hebreeuse Bybel voorkom. Dit is 'n aanname van hierdie studie dat moderne begrippe soos ras en etnisiteit verskillend verstaan is in die antieke en Bybelse kontekste. Die studie wil dus, in teenstelling met studies wat vooringenome standpunte oor ras het, probeer om die Bybelse sienings van die Kusiete te verstaan deur eerstens 'n omvattende ondersoek van vergelykende voorstellings van Kusiete in antieke Egipte en die Middellandse Seegebied te doen, en tweedens, deur 'n kritiese ondersoek te doen van die teologiese perspektiewe van die Bybelskrywers wat oor hulle geskryf het. Hierdie studie wil dus bydra tot 'n beter begrip van die teologiese, historiese en etniese dinamika wat die voorstelling van die Kusiete in die Hebreeuse Bybel ondersteun. iv - - Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Without the direction, assistance, encouragement, and financial support of many individuals and institutions, my vision of completing a PhD in Old Testament could not have come to fruition. This work represents the collective effort of many hearts, hands, and minds. For all who have contributed in some way to the successful completion of this work, I am grateful. This dissertation was completed under the guidance of Dr. Louis C. Jonker of Stellenbosch University, South Africa. From the moment Dr. Jonker accepted to guide me through this process, I felt confident that his background in Apartheid South Africa could only enrich a study which aims to investigate Cushites (a largely “African” people) in the biblical text. Thus, the influence of Dr. Jonker’s emphases on multidimensional and contextual biblical interpretation, in addition to his expertise in Chronicles studies are all evident throughout this work. Moreover, his timely and efficient feedback, and encouraging words have assisted greatly in alleviating the burden which otherwise attends so formidable a task as writing a dissertation. Dr. Jonker’s guidance has been invaluable and I wish to express my deep appreciation to him. I would also like to express my gratitude to the panel of examiners, Dr. Sakkie Cornelius of Stellenbosch University, Dr. Steven Breck Reid of Baylor University, and Dr. Ndikho Mtshiselwa of UNISA for their insightful questions, comments and suggestions. Turning attention to Canadian soil, I am grateful to the administration of Burman University for recognizing academic potential in an undergraduate student many years ago, and for encouraging that student toward further studies. I am even more grateful to Burman University for financially supporting my PhD studies all while employing me as a full-time faculty for the last several years. The faith and goodwill of the administration of Burman University is encouraging, to say the least. But Burman university might not have recognized my academic potential were it not for the instruction and encouragement of the undergraduate faculty of Religious Studies, Dr. Larry Herr, Dr. Bruce Boyd, and Dr. Doug Matacio. It was their initiative which first brought my name to the attention of Burman University administration, and for that I am forever grateful. As it pertains specifically to this dissertation, I wish to acknowledge the excellent assistance which I received from our librarian and her staff. Sheila Clark and her trusty assistants, Darel Bennedbaek and Wilmer Tenerife have gone above and beyond to ensure that v - - Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za I received all the resources necessary to complete this project. The Interlibrary Loan System of Burman University is world class. Turning attention to another department on campus, the bulk of this dissertation was written in a quiet, comfortable room upstairs in the Gwen Bader Fitness Centre over the course of several months. I wish to express appreciation to professor Ron Schafer and his cheerful staff Shirley Unruh and Carol Nycholat for their gracious accommodation. A number of colleagues have also shared insights and encouragement toward the completion of this project. Members of our weekly faculty research group have listened to earlier portions of this work and provided constructive feedback. I wish to thank all of them, especially Dr. Noble Donkor, Dr. Steve Reasor, Professor David Delafield, Dr. Adam Kiš, Dr. Mark Froese, Dr. David Jeffrey, Dr. Cristian Neacsu, Dr. Glen Graham, Professor Jenipher Chitate, Dr. Pekkah Määttänen, and Professor Tim Butler. Another formal expression of thanks is due to Dr. Larry Herr, who apart from being a great mentor, has read through the bulk of this dissertation and provided many constructive feedback. Of his many observations, those related to archaeology, his area of specialization stand out. His reminder to differentiate clearly between the biblical view of Israelite religion and the history of Israelite religion as understood from archaeology was most helpful. Similarly, Dr. James Weinstein, his colleague and former co-editor of BASOR for nearly twenty years, read through the two chapters (3 and 7)