Ancestral consultation

130 Pages·2014·4.1 MB·English

Ancestral consultation: a comparative study of Ancient Near Eastern
and African religious practices with reference to 1 Samuel 28:3-25

by

Nkhumiseni Mulaudzi

27539972

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the

degree

MA Ancient Languages and Cultures

Faculty Humanities

University of Pretoria

Supervisor: Prof G.T.M. Prinsloo

Submission date: 30 August 2013

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DECLARATION
I, Mulaudzi Nkhumiseni, student 27539972, declare that Ancestral consultation: a comparative study of
Ancient Near Eastern and African religious practices with reference to 1 Samuel 28:3-25 is my
own work and that all the sources I used have been acknowledged by means of a complete
bibliography.
Signature:
………………………. at …………………………. date ……/……. /……

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KEYWORDS
Ancestors
Ṅwali
African religion
Worship
Ancestral Veneration
Death
Funerary Customs
The Living-dead
African Tradition
Ancient Near Eastern Tradition
Ancient Near East

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Firstly I thank God/Ńwali musika vhathu, Goko makhulu thi-ḓi for giving me courage, good health
and strength during my studies. If it was not for you this study would not have been a success.
My dear Professor GTM Prinsloo, I am grateful for your support and courageous words. From my
humble beginning you taught me how to read and write Hebrew and you would say “Hebrew is a
child’s play” and indeed through your help and support it became a child’s play. Thank you very
much Prof and your colleagues more especially Ms Agnes Nkuna for always encouraging me. Ms
Janine White (from Admin) thanks for the patience you show during my registration hustle. You
have shown the dedication to you job, keep that spirit up.
I would not have reached thus far academically if it was not for the money, support and prayers of
members of my beloved Reformed Church in South Africa (RCSA), Synod Soutpansberg. I am
grateful for your support and prayers. And thanks to the Board of Curators for giving me an
opportunity to study as ministry candidate of the RCSA this also extends to the Deputies of
Theology from Classis Gauteng.
I would also like to thank my fellow students Ndidzulafhi (Peter), Talifhani, Thendo (Saddam),
Khaulani (Nelson), Khatshutshelo, Rev Netshitungulwane Elia and Rev Mawedzha Ntsieni at the
Heidelberg Theological Sem inary (HTS) for your support and courageous words and prayers all the
time. May our good Lord kee p and bless you until you reach the fullest in His ministry.
The Women from Classis Gauteng of the RCSA deserves special dedication on this work. Through
your visits at our house I felt a great support from you. I am very much grateful for all the things
that you have done for me and my fellow students. You were the true mothers away from my own
mother.
To my beloved Church RCSA Mamelodi East, you welcomed me in your lives and I am where I am
because of your love and support. Because of that I am so happy that you are part of my life and my
family’s life. I am grateful that God placed me amongst you.
How can I forget to mention Elder H.H Mufhadi. When I started my studies in 2007 you were the
father of the students and even now you still the true father. Your cell phone number became
helpline in my life as a student. Your sleepless nights when you visit the student’s house are
appreciated. I extend my gratefulness to your family who were not greedy to share you with
students. Ndi a livhuwa Vhafhadi.
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I have to extend my grateful appreciation to my friends, Colleagues and brothers Mr MED Lawman
(From Chad) and Tichaona Nigel Chikanya (from Zimbabwe). We started this journey together but
unfortunately when I look back I can’t see you. I hope you have courage to follow my steps and
please do so brothers. I owe this Dissertation to you brothers. And to all the University of Pretoria
Theology students who were so supportive to me.
I appreciate my uncle Nematandani M.P for his support and the calls he made asking about the
study progress. Ndi khou livhuwa malume.
I have to appreciate my family’ support, my Mother Mushaisano Annah for being there for me
always. Ndi khou livhuwa nahone ndi khou vha funesa vhukuma. My brothers Shandukani, and
Vuledzani and Mbuyelo. My sisters Tshilidzi and Konanani, Ntakadzeni (Sister-in-law), my nieces
Mashudu, Rihangwele, Ompha, Mulamuleli and Mulweli. I am grateful for your prayers and
support. May this study brings courage to you all and know that ‘pfunzo ndi ifa’. A ni ntshileli
Vhalaudzi, Nephalama.

I’d also like to dedicate this study to my late fellow student at the Heidelberg Theological Seminary
Shandukani Sendedza and my late lecturer at the above mentioned seminary Dr DR Phaswana.
Their lives would always be cherished by those whom they lived with. May their souls find rest in

their creator’s house.
Last but not least, to my beloved wife Mukundwa, I have to thank you for your support and strong
prayers during our family devotion. I am grateful and I love you for that and I pray that you grow
stronger every day.
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SUMMARY

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the African and the
Ancient Near Eastern tradition with regard to the ancestral consultation. 1 Samuel 28:3-25 was used
as a point of departure. This text was used because it is the only text in the Hebrew Bible that shows
the act of consulting the dead except those texts explicitly condemning the act.

The study was divided into five chapters. Chapter 1 focused on the introduction and the research
problem. Chapter 2 focused on the study of 1 Samuel 28:3-25 and this was done via and intratextual
and intertextual analysis. The intratextual analysis of 1 Samuel 28:3-25 focused on the
interrelatedness of the text on its literally level. This was done by means of a morphological,
syntactical and structural analysis. The intertextual analysis focused on 1 Samuel 28:3-25 in relation
with other texts in the Hebrew Bible, especially with reference to the practice of ancestral
consultation.

In Chapter 3 the main focus was on the Ancient Near Eastern tradition with regard to ancestral
consultation and thus focused upon extratextual material. In this chapter, Mesopotamian and
Israelite cultural practices were mainly considered. Customs relating to the act of consulting the
dead were studied. It included funerary customs, death and mourning rites, the place and role of the
dead in society. The study concluded that the act of ancestral consultation in the Ancient Near East
was part of their religion. In Ancient Israel, however, it was prohibited by Yahwistic religion.

Chapter 4 focused on ancestral consultation in African tradition. In this chapter, personal
knowledge and experience were also important. Ancestral consultation in Africa is still a living
tradition. The role of the anc estors was studied and also the role that the living have in relation to
their ancestors. In this cha pter the role of Christianity in Africa played pivotal role because
Christianity shaped African religion of today. It is clear from the study that African Christianity still
pays tribute to their dead relatives as they are believed to be closer to God. Both Christians and
those who practice traditional religion agree on the role of the ancestors.

In Chapter 5 the researcher brought together the information in Chapters 1 to 4. In that sense it can
be regarded as the climax of the investigation into ancestral consultation as an ancient and modern
cultural and religious practice. This chapter contains a comparison between African and Ancient
Near Eastern tradition regarding ancestral consultation. The chapter indicates that there is a lot to
compare between the two traditions, but one needs to consider the differences in time, religious
perceptions, geography, economic and political background of the two traditions. This should
especially be considered in evaluating the Ancient Near Eastern tradition because it is in the
“archive”; we can only read and learn about it with reference to available sources, while African
tradition is an existing one.

In Chapter 6 the researcher summarised the main findings of the study with special reference to the
research problem as discussed in the first chapter.

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TABLE OF CONTENT Page
Chapter 1 ............................................................................................................................................ 10
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 10
1.1 Introduction and the research problem .................................................................................... 10
1.2 Aim of the research ................................................................................................................. 15
1.3 Methodology ........................................................................................................................... 16
1.4 Study objectives ...................................................................................................................... 17
1.5 Expected results ...................................................................................................................... 18
Chapter 2 ............................................................................................................................................ 19
An intra- and inter-textual analysis of 1 Samuel 28:3-25 .............................................................. 19
2.1 Text and translation: 1 Samuel 28:3-25 .................................................................................. 19
2.2 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 22
2.3 The placement of 1 Samuel 28:3-25 in the whole book of 1 Samuel ..................................... 24
2.4 Morphological analysis ........................................................................................................... 24
2.5 Syntactical analysis ................................................................................................................. 25
2.6 Segmentation and structure ..................................................................................................... 25
2.7 Schematic presentation of structure ........................................................................................ 26
2.8 Exegetical discussion of 1 Samuel 28:3-25 ............................................................................ 27
2.8.1 Desperate times in Saul’s life .............................................................................................. 27
2.8.2 Saul with the medium at Endor ........................................................................................... 33

2.8.3 Saul asks for help from Sheol .............................................................................................. 36

2.8.4 Saul’s last supper before his death ...................................................................................... 38
2.9 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 38
Chapter 3 ............................................................................................................................................ 40
Ancestral consultation in the Ancient Near East ........................................................................... 40
3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 40
3.2 Worldview of the Ancient Near East ...................................................................................... 40
3.3 History of the ancestral veneration in Ancient Near Eastern traditions .................................. 42
3.3.1 Mesopotamia ....................................................................................................................... 42
3.3.1.1 Who were the Mesopotamians? ....................................................................................... 42
3.3.1.1.1 Sumeria ............................................................................................................................ 43
3.3.1.1.2 Babylonia ......................................................................................................................... 43
3.3.1.1.3 Assyria ............................................................................................................................. 44
3.3.1.2 Cult of the dead in Mesopotamia ..................................................................................... 45
3.3.1.2.1 Death and the funerary customs ...................................................................................... 45
3.3.1.2.2 The role of the ancestral veneration and the ancestors .................................................... 46
3.3.1.2.2.1 Feeding of the ancestors ............................................................................................... 46
3.3.1.2.2.2 The power they had over the living ............................................................................. 47
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3.3.1.2.2.3 A place where they stay ............................................................................................... 48
3.3.2 Egypt ................................................................................................................................... 49
3.3.2.1 Historical background of Egypt ....................................................................................... 49
3.3.2.2 Cult of the dead in Egypt ................................................................................................. 50
3.3.3 Israel .................................................................................................................................... 55
3.3.3.1 Historical background of Israel ....................................................................................... 55
3.3.3.2 Funerary customs in Israel ............................................................................................... 56
3.3.3.1.1 Death and mourning customs .......................................................................................... 56
3.3.3.1.2 Burial customs ................................................................................................................. 58
3.3.3.3 Israel’s understanding of Sheol/Underworld ................................................................... 59
3.3.3.4 Necromancy ..................................................................................................................... 60
3.3.3.5 Ancestral veneration ........................................................................................................ 61
3.3.3.6 Yahwism and ancestral consultation ............................................................................... 62
3.4 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 63
Chapter 4 ............................................................................................................................................ 64
Ancestral consultation in African tradition .................................................................................... 64
4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 64
4.2 The history of ancestral consultation in Africa ....................................................................... 64
4.3 African understanding of funerary customs ............................................................................ 66
4.3.1 Death ................................................................................................................................... 66

4.3.2 Mourning and funerary customs.......................................................................................... 67

4.3.3 The dead and their world ..................................................................................................... 70
4.3.3.1 The world of the dead ...................................................................................................... 70
4.3.3.2 The living dead ................................................................................................................ 71
4.3.4 The calling and the role of the medium/Ńanga ................................................................... 74
4.3.4.1 Their calling ..................................................................................................................... 74
4.3.4.2 The responsibilities of the mediums/Ńanga .................................................................... 75
4.3.5 Worship/veneration of God and the ancestors .................................................................... 77
4.3.5.1 Worship of God/Ńwali ..................................................................................................... 77
4.3.5.2 Veneration of the ancestors ............................................................................................. 79
4.4 Christianity in Africa .............................................................................................................. 80
Chapter 5 ............................................................................................................................................ 84
Ancestral consultation and the comparison between African and ANE traditions ........................ 84
5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 84
5.2 Death ....................................................................................................................................... 84
5.3 Mourning and burial customs ................................................................................................. 85
5.3.1 Mourning customs ............................................................................................................... 85
5.3.2 Burial customs ..................................................................................................................... 86
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5.4 The dead and their world ........................................................................................................ 87
5.4.1 The world of the dead .......................................................................................................... 87
5.4.2 The living dead .................................................................................................................... 88
5.5 The calling and the role of spirit mediums ............................................................................. 90
5.6 Worship of God/Ńwali ............................................................................................................ 91
5.7 Veneration of the ancestors ..................................................................................................... 91
5.8 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 93
Chapter 6 ............................................................................................................................................ 94
Survey of the study and conclusion ............................................................................................... 94
6.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 94
6.2 Survey of the study ................................................................................................................. 94
6.3 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 95
Bibliography....................................................................................................................................... 97
ADDENDUM 1: MORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS ...................................................................... 105
ADDENDUM 2: SYNTACTICAL ANALYSIS ............................................................................. 119
ADDENDUM 3: SEGMENTATION AND STRUCTURE OF 1 SAMUEL 25:3-25 .................... 125

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Chapter 1
Introduction

1.1 Introduction and the research problem
This study is concerned with the comparison of a specific Ancient Near Eastern/Biblical and a
traditional African religious practice. The study was developed when the researcher was reading the
narrative in 1 Samuel 28:3-25 where Saul consulted the dead Samuel via a female medium. The
researcher is aware of consultation of the dead as part of African traditional religion. Reading about
consultation of the dead in the Hebrew Bible is quite surprising, as the practice is not part of
traditional Biblical religious teachings.
Ancestral consultation or consultation of the dead is a living tradition in many of the African
cultures today. This practice takes various forms depending on one’s culture.1 Reading the African
traditional literature about the ancestral consultation and other religious practices, as well as reading
the Bible, has led the researcher to research the problem in this study. Reading 1 Samuel 28:3-25
was very surprising if one were aware of the African traditions and what African people believe.
Africans were a very religio us people even before Christianity, Islam and other “book” religions
came to the continent. This is confirmed by Thomas in his book “African Traditional Religion in
the Modern World” in which he outlines that African people have been practicing their religion for
centuries. “African religion is the spiritual force that has been operating in the lives of African
people for thousands of years. It was in existence for thousands of years before the Hebrew people
gave birth to the Abrahamic faiths – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam”. 2
In 1 Samuel 28:3-25 we read about Saul using dead Samuel as a medium between himself and God.
Saul consulted the dead Samuel in order to find out about the future plans of God for his life and the
battle against the Philistines. Saul did this only after he had failed to get answers from God through
“traditional” Biblical avenues: divine oracles, Urim, dreams and the prophets (1 Samuel 28:6).
When Saul could not get any answers from God, his only solution was to consult a “diviner”,
knowing that through her he would receive answers (1 Samuel 28:7). It is extremely ironic that Saul
reverted to this measure just after the narrator told us that Saul himself removed such people from
the country (1 Samuel 28:3)!

1 Nürnberger, 2007:21.
2 Thomas 2005:5.
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