Leading Captivity Captive: The Exile as History and Ideology

by Lester L. Grabbe

Publisher:

Sheffield Academic Press

, 1998

Overview

The study of exile has had forceful influence on Old Testament scholarship. When discussing history and literature, things are measured in “pre-exilic” and “post-exilic” terms. The concept of sin¬–exile–restoration has made a major impact on theological thinking, both in the Old Testament itself and in subsequent theological discussion. The exile is a powerful symbol in the Bible. Did real people from Judah go to Babylon into exile? Or are we dealing with a theological and literary concept? This volume aims to address many of the issues in the current approach to studying the exile.

Contributions to this volume include:

• “Die Exilszeit als Ernstfall fur eine historische Rekonstruktion ohne biblische Texte: Die neubabylonischen Konigsinschriften als Primarquelle,” Rainer Albertz
• “Ezra’s Re-enactment of the Exile,” Bob Becking
• “Exile! What Exile? Deportation and the Discourses of Diaspora,” Robert P. Carroll
• “The Exile under the Theodolite: Historiography as Triangulation,” Lester L. Grabbe
• “The Exile in History and Myth: A Response to Hans Barstad,” Thomas L. Thompson
• “The Strange Fear of the Bible: Some Reflections on the ‘Bibliophobia’ in Recent Ancient Israelite Historiography,” Hans M. Barstad
• “Exile? What Exile? Whose Exile?” Philip R. Davies
• “Exile a Period—Exile a Myth,” Knud Jeppesen
• “Reflections,” Lester L. Grabbe

Key Features

• Examination of Jewish history and historiography
• Addresses the cycle of sin and restoration in the Old Testament
• Study of the role of exile in Jewish and Christian thought
• All Scripture references are linked to Hebrew texts and English Bible translations in your library

Product Details

• Title: Leading Captivity Captive: The Exile as History and Ideology
• Editor: Lester L. Grabbe
• Publisher: Sheffield Academic Press
• Publication Date: 1998
• Pages: 161

About Lester L. Grabbe

Lester Grabbe (Ph.D. Claremont) is Professor of Hebrew Bible and Early Judaism at the University of Hull, UK. He is the author of Wisdom of Solomon in this series, Good Kings and Bad Kings and A History of the Jews and Judaism in the Second Temple Period, Vol. 1 (included in the Second Temple Period Collection) and Can a “History of Israel” be Written? (included in the Studies in Old Testament Themes).