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The Theme of Kingship in Judges 8-9

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The Theme of Kingship in Judges 8-9 "REIGN OVER US!": THE THEME OF KINGSHIP IN JUDGES 8-9 by Sara L. Locke, B.A. A thesis submitted to the Faculty of McMaster Divinity College in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Christian Studies McMaster Divinity College Hamilton, Ontario 2009 ii Master of Arts in Christian Studies McMASTER DIVINITY COLLEGE Hamilton, Ontario TITLE: "Reign Over Us!": The Theme of Kingship in Judges 8-9 AUTHOR: Sara L. Locke SUPERVISOR: Dr. Mark J. Boda NUMBER OF PAGES: viii + 172 McMASTER DIVINITY COLLEGE Upon the recommendation of an oral examining committee, this thesis by SARA L. LOCKE is hereby accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS IN CHRISTIAN STUDIES Primary Supervisor tdltAt-L.!' ~~4Secondary 4 Supen ill< Date: March 16,2009 iv ABSTRACT "Reign Over Us!": The Theme of Kingship in Judges 8-9 Sara L. Locke McMaster Divinity College Hamilton, Ontario Master of Arts in Christian Studies, 2009 The negative portrayal of kingship in Judg 8-9 contributes greatly to the discussion concerning the legitimacy of human kingship for Israel in the book of Judges. Through the implementation of various literary techniques the narrator of the Gideon- Abimelech narrative presents an anti-monarchic ideology. This is emphasized by the actions of Gideon (Judg 8), Abimelech (Judg 9: 1-6,22-57) and Israel (Judg 9:7-21) and is highlighted by the disastrous outcome of events in each of these sections. Further, Judg 8- 9 offers a depiction of the Canaanization of Israel with a particular focus on their adoption of the Canaanite systems of worship and monarchy. When the anti-monarchic tone of this narrative is read against the refrain found throughout Judg 17-21 ("In those days there was no Icing in Israel. Everyone did what was right in their own eyes. "), there is a clear tension which leaves the reader with an ambiguous message concerning human kingship. The negative attention given to human kingship in the Gideon-Abimelech narrative directs focus toward Israel's inability to remain faithful to Yahweh, their king, suggesting that this, rather than the legitimacy of human kingship, is the primary concern of the narrator in Judg 8-9. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND DEDICATION For my very first Bible teachers my Mom and Dad Thank youfor being so wonderful. Your support and encouragement mean more to me than you can ever know. Thank you for your unconditional love. Thank you for demonstrating what it means to have strength and perseverance in living out God's calling in life. For Dr. Mark J. Boda Thank you for being such a wonderful mentor. You challenge me to be a better scholar, you encourage me to find my own voice, and you inspire me to be a better Christian. Thank you for your support and remarkable level of dedication. For Dr. Keith Bodner Thank you for awakening in me a love and passion for the Hebrew Scriptures. Thank you for introducing me to the beauty, complexity and significance of Old Testament narrative. Thank you for your continued encouragement. With thanks to: Mmy Conway for posing challenging questions and offering helpful advice. Dr. Wendy Porter for offering a listening ear and consistent encouragement. Beth Stovell and Colin Toffelmire for humouring my excessive enthusiasm for the Book of Judges and for stimulating conversation in the T.A. office. A multitude offriends who offered encouragement, support and plenty of excuses for much needed breaks from writing. vi CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW 1 1.1 Introductory Comments 1 1.2 Defining the Issue 1 i. Pro-Monarchic Views 3 ii. Anti-Monarchic Views 8 iii. Dealing With the Tension 10 1.3 Thesis Statement 15 CHAPTER2: METHODOLOGY 16 2.1 A Very Brief History ofNanative Criticism 16 2.2 What is Nanative Criticism? 18 2.3 Literary Features 20 i. Point of View 20 ii. Nanative Structure 26 Setting 26 Nanative Types 29 Plot 31 iii. Narration and Dialogue 34 iv. Ambiguity in Old Testament Nanative 36 v. Characterization 38 vi. Wordplay 42 Word Choice 42 Word Order 43 vii. Repetition 43 2.4 Ideological Point of View 45 2.5 Procedure 45 CHAPTER 3: JUDGES 6:1-8:32 - GIDEON'S REFUSAL OF KINGSIDP 49 3.1 Introductory Comments 49 3.2 The Judge Cycle 49 3.3 Plot 51 3.4 Characterization 66 i. Gideon/Jerubbaal 67 ii. Young Boys (13)3) 83 iii. Zebah and Zalmunna 86 3.5 Leitmotif: The Men of Israel 87 3.6 The Significance of the Offer of Kingship 89 3.7 Conclusion 92 vii CHAPTER 4: JUDGES 8:33-9:6,22-57 - THE REIGN AND FALL OF ABIMELECH 95 4.1 Introductory Comments 95 4.2 Plot 97 4.3 Setting 101 4.4 Characterization 103 i. Abimelech 103 ii. Baals of Shechem 109 iii. Gaal, Son of Ebed 111 iv. God (Elohim)lYahweh 114 v. Unnamed Woman of Thebez 118 vi. Summary of Characterization 119 4.5 Wordplay and Word Choice 119 i. The Significance of Leadership 119 Baal (7)7::1) 120 Princely Rule (iitv) 122 To Reign or Rule (71VD and 17D ) 123 ii. Summary of Wordplay 124 4.6 Conclusion 124 CHAPTER 5: JUDGES 9:7-21- JOTHAM'S FABLE 126 5.1 Introduction 126 5.2 The Literary Genre of the Fable 127 i. The Literary-Rhetorical Function of Parables 128 ii. Interpreting a Parable 131 iii. The Audience of a Parable 133 5.3 Procedure for Interpreting the Fable 133 5.4 Characterization 135 5.5 Setting 139 5.6 Who is Jotham's Audience? 140 5.7 The Fable 142 i. Plot, Characterization, Pattem and Other Stylistic Features 142 ii. The Fable and Jotham's Application 151 iii. The Fable and Reality 157 5.8 The Main Point of the Fable 161 5.9 Conclusion 163 CONCLUSION 165 BIBLIOGRAPHY 168 viii ABBREVIATIONS AB Anchor Bible BDB A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Brown, Driver and Briggs. CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly DH Deuteronomistic History JETS Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society JSOT Journal for Study ofthe Old Testament JTS Journal ofTheological Studies NAC New American Commentary NASB New American Standard Bible NIBC New International Biblical Commentary NIV New International Version OT Old Testament OTL Old Testament Library SJOT Scandinavian Journal ofthe Old Testament VT Vetus Testamentum 1 Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW Introductory Comments The theme of kingship in the Old Testament is particularly significant since it offers insight into Israel's relationship with Yahweh. The aT presents conflicting views on human kingship offering both positive and negative stories of Israelite kings. The present study is concerned, in particular, with the presentation of kingship in the book of Judges. There is great debate among scholars concerning whether the message of Judges is pro-monarchic or anti-monarchic. This debate is encouraged by the very obvious tensions in the book of Judges surrounding this theme. There appear to be conflicting messages concerning kingship and therefore the reader is presented with a text that is ambiguous in this regard. Defining the Issue At the beginning of the book of Judges the judges are presented in a relatively positive light. Othniel is a good judge but as the judge cycle I continues the judges become increasingly worse until the end of Judges where Israel experiences the disastrous results of their own disobedience combined with very poor leadership as provided by the judges. Judges 17-21 then offers a description of some examples of the moral and spiritual cOl1uption ofIsrael as demonstrated through extreme violence and inter-tribal conflict leading to the near demise of the tribe of Benjamin. It has been 1 Judges 3-16 is a record ofthe time in Israel in which judges ruled. The story of each judge follows a particularpattem. The cycle is as follows: 1. Israel does evil in the eyes of Yahweh. 2. Yahweh delivers them into the hand of their enemies whom they serve until they can no longer bear it. 3. Israel cries out to Yahweh. 4. Yahweh has compassion on them and raises up a judge-deliverer to rescue them. 5. Israel has a time of peace until the death of the judge. For a more detailed discussion on the judge cycle see Chapter 3 ofthis study. 2 suggested that this downward spiral throughout the time of the judges may be an indication that the office of judge as a form of leadership for Israel is not effective and that some other form of government must be implemented. This pro-monarchic idea, combined with the refrain of Judg 17-21 ("In those days there was no king in Israel. Every man did what was right in his own eyes") suggests that perhaps the purpose of the book of Judges is to provide a positive view of the monarchy, particularly in light of the monarchy that emerges in the book of Samuel. However, Block suggests that while this statement may simply refer to Israel's lack of a human king, it may instead be explaining Israel's rejection of Yahweh as their king. In this case, the narrator may be suggesting that at this very low point in Israel's history they have no king, neither human nor divine.2 Boling agrees on this issue, stating that it is Israel's lack of acknowledgement of Yahweh's kingship in Israel that is being lamented in the refrain throughout Judg 17-21.3 The real tension surrounding the theme of kingship does not become evident until Judges 8-9, the Gideon-Abimelech narrative.
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