The Body Royal: The Social Poetics of Kingship in Ancient IsraelThe present volume seeks to identify the underlying code of meanings about the Israelite king operating in various ways in texts and other artifacts surviving from the culture. The focus is upon the (living) body of the king, its anatomical characteristics, its constitution through ritual, and the conventions concerning its proper self-display by the king. This study combines careful linguistic and historical-critical analysis of the texts considered (both biblical and ancient Near Eastern, the latter used comparatively where appropriate) with a critical use of contemporary approaches to the study of signs in language, objects, and movements (semiotics), in general, and the study of the body, in particular. This book argues that the royal psalms contain a set of officially sanctioned notions about the royal body and its use. The king was thought to have an outsized, superhuman body owing to his being the son of the deity, a status he attained upon his coronation. Other texts, often from circles outside the royal court, significantly altered these notions. The king's body was thus for ancient Israelites the locus of reflection on power, gender, religion, and even international relations. Through careful historical analysis, it is possible to reconstruct the terms of an Iron Age intellectual inquiry that still influences our contemporary world. |
Contents
Chapter Two Creating the Body of the King in | 32 |
22220 | 39 |
Psalm | 45 |
Copyright | |
9 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
The Body Royal: The Social Poetics of Kingship in Ancient Israel Mark W. Hamilton Limited preview - 2005 |
The Body Royal: The Social Poetics of Kingship in Ancient Israel Mark W. Hamilton No preview available - 2008 |
Common terms and phrases
actions Ancient anointing appears argued Assyrian battle becomes Bible Biblical bodily Book Cambridge chapters claim connection contest coronation culture dangerous David death deity describes discussion display divine enemies evidence example explain foreign hand heart Hebrew History human ideas important indicates Inscriptions interpretation Iron Isaiah ISBN 90 Israel Israelite Jerusalem John Judah Judahite king king's king's body kingship later least male Mark means mention military monarchy narrative narrator nature Note notion offers oracle origins performance perhaps political possible practice present problem prophet question reading reference reflect Religion ritual role royal body royal psalms rule rulers Samuel Saul Saul's Scholars seems Semiotics sense serves sexual Sheffield skill social society Song story Studies subjects successful temple Testament texts tion tradition understanding University Press vols warrior Yahweh York