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The Alienation of Jezebel: Reading the Deuteronomic Historian's Portrait of Jezebel in the Contemporary Global Context Conrad Kandelmwin Bayor

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The Alienation of Jezebel: Reading the Deuteronomic Historian's Portrait of Jezebel in the Contemporary Global Context Conrad Kandelmwin Bayor Santa Clara University Scholar Commons Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations Student Scholarship 4-2017 The Alienation of Jezebel: Reading the Deuteronomic Historian's Portrait of Jezebel in the Contemporary Global Context Conrad Kandelmwin Bayor Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarcommons.scu.edu/jst_dissertations Part of the Religion Commons Recommended Citation Bayor, Conrad Kandelmwin, "The Alienation of Jezebel: Reading the Deuteronomic Historian's Portrait of Jezebel in the Contemporary Global Context" (2017). Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations. 1. http://scholarcommons.scu.edu/jst_dissertations/1 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Scholarship at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE ALIENATION OF JEZEBEL: READING THE DEUTERONOMIC HISTORIAN’S POTRAIT OF JEZEBEL IN THE CONTEMPORARY GLOBALCONTEXT A Dissertation by BAYOR BENI KANDELMWIN CONRAD SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE JESUIT SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY OF SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY In partial fulfillment of the requirements for Doctor of Sacred Theology Berkeley, California April 2017 Committee Signatures: Date Prof. Gina Hens -Piazza, ector Prof Prof. Roberto Mata, Reader i ABSTRACT Even the casual reader of the books of Kings will notice that the Deuteronomic Historian assigns a disproportionately large amount narrated time (Erzählzeit) to the reign of the house of Ahab (1 Kgs 16:29-2 Kgs 10). This is surprising because, in the judgment of the Deuteronomic Historian, “no one sold himself to do evil in the eyes of YHWH as did Ahab, incited by Jezebel, his wife.” (1Kgs 21:25). Why does the Deuteronomic Historian dedicate so much narrated space not only to Ahab but especially to the character and deeds of his wife, Jezebel? And why in this narrative does the Deuteronomic Historian craft such an unprecedentedly abhorrent and objectionable portrait of Jezebel that makes her completely unacceptable even surpassing the evil of her husband? Recent scholarly research has provided a convincing picture of 9th-8th centuries B.C.E. Israel, the setting of the Jezebel story. Ironically, the research discloses a heterogeneous society that enjoyed great diversity, accommodated a variety of deities, hosted a multiplicity of ethnicities with an array of interlocking cultures. This would be a society in which a foreign-born queen like Phoenician Jezebel would not be an anomaly but would be accepted and at home in such an environment. But the deuteronomic narrative about her suggests otherwise. Today, scholarship is almost unanimous in its view that the final redaction of the Deuteronomic History occurred in Judah in the exilic and post-exilic era. Although Judah was permitted to rebuild after the exile, it had to grapple with significant socio-cultural and religious changes and in particular, it had to define a new self-understanding. This dissertation argues that the Deuteronomic Historian’s alienating portrait of Jezebel coincides with and serves the interests of the change in Israel’s self-conceptualization, a change precipitated by the post-exilic crisis of identity. The narrative paints a portrait of Jezebel as ethnically, religiously and culturally unIsraelite. Her unacceptability in the narrative coincides with the exclusiveness that ii haracterized this redefinition of the Israelite community. It offers the Yehud community a clear distinction between what is Israelite and what is not. Such an analysis not only informs our reading of the Jezebel story but also sounds a warning for today’s readers from a postcolonial perspective. The religious, ethnic, cultural and patriarchal biases evident in the narrative of the Deuteronomic Historian’s portrait of Jezebel are still perpetuated in various forms of discrimination today. The greatest tragedies of human history, the senseless wars, holocausts, genocides and endless conflicts, have come about, in part, because the maintenance of identity is so often at the expense of the construction of an “other”. There is more that unites humanity than the religious, ethnic, cultural, gender or geopolitical space differences that frequently pit “us” against “them. When diversity is seen only as a threat, the world loses! Gina Hens-Piazza Professor of Biblical Studies Jesuit School of Theology of SCU Berkeley, CA iii ACKWOLEDGEMENTS A work of this scope will not be possible without the generosity and sacrifices of numerous individuals and groups. I am grateful to the God for enkindling in me a keen interest and love for the Scriptures. My heartfelt gratitude to my indefatigable advisor, Professor Gina Hens-Piazza and readers, Professors John Endres, S.J., and Roberto Mata, for their invaluable guidance, suggestions and constructive criticism which made this project so much better. Huge thanks to Most Rev. Philip Naameh, metropolitan archbishop of Tamale, for his fraternal support and guidance. My sincere thanks to my family and friends in Ghana who made tremendous sacrifices on my behalf. I like to make a special mention of my cousins, Clare and Bruce Banoeng-Yakubu, whose generous financial support made this project possible. To Most Rev. Michael Barber, S.J., bishop of Oakland who received me in his diocese, and my pastor and brother, Fr. Carl Arcosa who offered me residence, I have no words to express the gratitude in my heart. The family of parishioners of Church of the Good Shepherd in Pittsburg, California, accepted me and gave me a home among them, supporting and encouraging me at every stage. They will forever be in my heart and my prayers. My sincere thanks to my friends, Bev and Maurice Portley of Phoenix, Arizona, who supported and cheered me on during this journey: All shall be well! I cannot mention, by name, all my many friends and well- wishers who encouraged and supported me, both materially and spiritually, in this project. May God richly bless everyone! iv CONTENTS 1. ABSTRACT i 2. AKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii 3. ABBREVIATIONS v 4. INTRODUCTION 1 5. CHAPTER ONE: REVIEW OF SCHOLARSHIP ON THE JEZEBEL STORY 9 6. CHAPTER TWO: THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THE JEZEBEL STORY 33 7. CHAPTER THREE: THE EMERGENCE OF EXCLUSIONISM IN POST-EXILIC JUDAH 67 8. CHAPTER FOUR: THE JEZEBEL STORY: THE DEUTERONOMIC HISTORIAN’S ALIENATING PORTRAIT OF JEZEBEL 94 9. CHAPTER FIVE: JEZEBEL STORY IN THE CONTEMPORARY GLOBAL CONTEXT 130 10. CONCLUSION 163 11. TRANSLATION OF KEY TEXTS OF THE JEZEBEL STORY 169 12. SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 180 v ABBREVIATIONS Sigla Full Title of Document AB Anchor Bible ABD The Anchor Bible Dictionary AnBib Analecta biblica ANET Ancient Near Eastern Texts AThANT Abhandlungen zur Theologie des Alten und Neuen Testaments ATR Anglican Theological Review BA Biblical Archaeologist BASOR Bulletin of American Schools of Oriental Research BDB Brown-Driver-Briggs BHS Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia Bib Biblica BSac Bibliotheca sacra BZAW Beihefte zur ZAW CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly CurTM Currents in Theology and Mission DSD Dead Sea Discoveries FZPhTh Freiburger Zeitschrift für Philosophie und Theologi HTR Harvard Theological Review ICC International Critical Commentary JANER Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions vi JBL Journal of Biblical Literature JBR Journal of Bible and Religion JNES Journal of Near Eastern Studies JQR Jewish Quarterly Review JR Journal of Religion JSOT Journal for the Study of the Old Testament JSOTSup Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series JSP Journal for the Study of Pseudepigrapha KTU Keilschrift Texte aus Ugarit (Cuneiform Alphabetic Texts) LXX Septuagint MT Masoretic Text OBO Orbis biblicus et orientalis OTA Old Testament Abstracts OTL Old Testament Library OTS Old Testament Studies RB Review Biblique RelSoc Religion and Society RivB Rivista biblica italiana SBL Society of Biblical Literature SBLMS Society of Biblical Literature Monograph Series SP Sacra Pagina StudBib Studia Biblica TBT The Bible Today vii TDOT Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament ThTo Theology Today TWAT Theologisches Wörterbuch zum Alten Testament VT Vestus Testamentum VTSup Vestus Testamentum Supplements WBC Word Biblical Commentary WW Word and World ZAW Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft ZTK Zeitschrift für Theologie und Kirche OLD TESTAMENT Book Abbreviation Genesis Gen Exodus Exod Leviticus Lev Numbers Num Deuteronomy Deut Joshua Josh Judges Judg Ruth Ruth 1–2 Samuel 1–2 Sam 1–2 Kgs 1–2 Kgs 1–2 Chr 1–2 Chr Ezra Ezra Neh Neh viii Esth Esth Job Job Psalm/Psalms Ps/Pss Prov Prov Ecclesiates Eccl Song Song of Songs (Song of Solomon) Isaiah Isa Jeremiah Jer Lamentations Lam Ezekiel Ezek Daniel Dan Hosea Hos Joel Joel Amos Amos Obadiah Obad Jonah Jonah Micah Mic Nahum Nah Habakkuk Hab Zephaniah Zeph Haggai Hag Zechariah Zech Malachi Mal NEW TESTAMENT Book Abbreviation Matthew Matt Mark Mark Luke Luke ix John John Acts Acts Romans Rom 1–2 Corinthians 1–2 Corinthians Galatians Galatians Ephesians Eph Philippians Phil Colossians Col 1–2 Thessalonians 1–2 Thess 1–2 Timothy 1–2 Tim Titus Titus Philemon Phlm Hebrews Heb James Jas 1–2 Peter 1–2 Pet 1–2–3 John 1–2–3 John Jude Jude Revelation Rev 1 INTRODUCTION There are hardly any “homogeneous” countries in terms of culture, religion, ethnicity, and race today. Multiculturalism has become the way to view and form “nationhood” in the Western world. At the end of the introduction to his book, If this is Your Land, Where are your Stories?, Edward
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