Divine Aggression in Psalms and Inscriptions
Vengeful Gods and Loyal Kings

Compares psalms and inscriptions to determine whether the aggression of the biblical God against his king and country was unique.

Collin Cornell (Author)

9781108842679, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 15 October 2020

325 pages
23 x 15.3 x 2.6 cm, 0.42 kg

The aggression of the biblical God named Yhwh is notorious. Students of theology, the Bible, and the Ancient Near East know that the Hebrew Bible describes Yhwh acting destructively against his client country, Israel, and against its kings. But is Yhwh uniquely vengeful, or was he just one among other, similarly ferocious patron gods? To answer this question, Collin Cornell compares royal biblical psalms with memorial inscriptions. He finds that the Bible shares deep theological and literary commonalities with comparable texts from Israel's ancient neighbours. The centrepiece of both traditions is the intense mutual loyalty of gods and kings. In the event that the king's monument and legacy comes to harm, gods avenge their individual royal protégé. In the face of political inexpedience, kings honour their individual divine benefactor.

1. Divine aggression in comparative perspective
2. Divine aggression in royal inscriptions
3. Divine aggression in select royal psalms
4. Divine aggression in royal psalms of defeat
5. Divine aggression in prophetic texts of defeat
6. Conclusions and implications
Bibliography.

Subject Areas: Judaism: theology [HRJT], Judaism: sacred texts [HRJS], Biblical studies & exegesis [HRCG], Middle Eastern history [HBJF1]