Divine War in the Old Testament and in the Ancient Near East

268 Pages·1989·40.069 MB·English

by  Sa-Moon Kang

Sa-Moon Kang
Divine War in the Old Testament
and in the Ancient Near East

Sa-Moon Kang
Divine War in the Old Testament
and in the Ancient Near East
W
DE
G
Walter de Gruyter · Berlin · New York
1989
Beiheft zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft
Herausgegeben von Otto Kaiser
177
Printed on acid free paper
(ageing resistent — pH 7, neutral)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kang, Sa-Moon, 1942-
Divine war in the Old Testament and in the ancient Near
East / Sa-Moon Kang.
p. cm. — (Beiheft zur Zeitschrift für die alttestament-
liche Wissenschaft)
Bibliography: p.
Includes indexes.
ISBN 0-89925-278-8 (U.S.)
1. War — Biblical teaching. 2. Bible. O.T. — Criticism, inter-
pretation, etc. 3. Military art and science — Israel — History.
4. Military art and science — Middle East — History. 5. Military
art and science — Egypt — History. I. Title. II. Series: Beihefte
zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft.
BS1199.W2K36 1989
221.8'355-dcl9 88-27332
CIP
CJ P-Titelaufnähme der Deutschen Bibliothek
Kang, Sa-Moon:
Divine war in the Old Testament and in the ancient Near East /
Sa-Moon Kang. — Berlin ; New York : de Gruyter, 1989
(Beiheft zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft ;
177)
Zugl.: Jerusalem, Univ., Diss., 1984
ISBN 3-11-011156-X
NE: Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft / Beiheft
ISSN: 0934-2575
© Copyright 1989 by Walter de Gruyter & Co., Berlin 30.
Printed in Germany — Alle Rechte des Nachdrucks, einschließlich des Rechts der Herstellung
von Photokopien — auch auszugsweise — vorbehalten.
Satz und Druck: Arthur Collignon GmbH, Berlin 30
Bindearbeiten: Lüderitz & Bauer, Berlin 61
Dedicated to my beloved
mother and late father

Preface
This is a revised version of my doctoral dissertation which was carried
out under the supervision of professors Menahem Haran and Moshe
Weinfeld at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1984.
During the preparation I received much help from a number of
scholars. I am particularly grateful to professor Haran for his encourage-
ment and concern shown from the beginning of my study to the accom-
plishment of the dissertation. Professor Weinfeld offered valuable and
critical suggestions. Professor Raphael Kutscher at the Tel Aviv University
and professor Marcel Sigrist at the Ecole Biblique of Jerusalem read all
the Mesopotamian sources and made many helpful comments and sugges-
tions for improvement. Professor Irene Shirun-Grumach at the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem also kindly read the entire Egyptian sources and
saved me from many mistakes in the hieroglyphic readings. Dr. Galina
Kellermann at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem also read the Hittite
materials and made many helpful comments.
During my stay in Jerusalem I received financial aid from the Ecu-
menical Institute for Advanced Theological Studies (Tantur) and the
Hebrew University of Jerusalem. I sincerely acknowledge my appreciation
to the late Father Lane Kilburn and the rectors of Tantur; professors
Walter Wegner, Walter Harrelson, the late George MacRae, David Burrell,
Donald Nicholl, and D. Patinkin the rector of the Hebrew University. I
would also like to express my appreciation to the editor of the BZAW
series, Professor Otto Kaiser who has taken efforts to publish my revised
dissertation in the above series. 1 am also greatly indebted to the members
of Walter de Gruyter & Co. for their efforts and patience in the printing
and production of the book.
I wish to express my gratitude to my colleagues, Mr. Chulsoo Cho
and professor Sarah Koh who read the first draft and made it in good
style. Finally I owe a great debt to my wife who typed the manuscript
and encourged me in all stages of the work, and my daughter who was
always patient with my studies.
Seoul, July 1987 Sa-Moon Kang

Contents
Abbreviations XIII
Introduction l
PART ONE
DIVINE WAR IN THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST
Chapter I. Divine War in Mesopotamia 11
1. The Context of Divine War 11
2. The Concept of Divine War 13
3. Divine Warriors 23
1) Ninurta 24
2) Inanna/Ishtar 31
3) Marduk 37
4) Assur 40
4. War Conduct 42
1) Before Battle 42
2) Battle 45
3) Post-Battle 46
Chapter II. Divine War in Anatolia 49
1. The Context of Divine War 49
2. The Concept of Divine War 50
3. Divine Warriors 54
1) Teshub 54
2) The Sun-goddess of Arinna 55
4. War Conduct 56
1) Before Battle 56
2) Battle 65
3) Post-Battle 71
Chapter III. Divine War in Syro-Palestine 73
1. The Context of Divine War 73
2. The Concept of Divine War 76
3. Divine Warriors 76
1) Chemosh 76
2) Baal and Others 76
X Contents
4. War Conduct 79
5. Herem 80
Chapter IV. Divine War in Egypt 85
1. The Context of Divine War 85
2. The Concept of Divine War 88
3. Divine Warriors 91
1) Amun-Re 93
2) Seth 96
4. War Conduct 98
1) Before Battle 98
2) Battle 101
3) Post-Battle 105
Summary 108
PART TWO
YHWH WAR IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
Chapter V. Wars in the Traditions of Exodus-Conquest 114
1. The Sea Event 114
2. The War over the Amalekites 125
3. The Conquest Wars in Transjordan 127
1) Conquest War against Sihon 128
2) Conquest War against Og 135
4. The Conquest Wars in Cisjordan 136
1) The Battle of Jericho 143
2) The Battle of Ai 147
3) The Battle of Gibeon 151
4) Southern Conquest Wars 158
5) Northern Conquest Wars 160
Chapter VI. Wars in the Tradition of the Judges and Saul 165
1. Characteristics of the Judges' War 165
2. The Wars of the Judges 173
1) Othniel's War against Aram 173
2) Ehud's War against Moab 174
3) Gideon's War against Midian 174
4) The War of Deborah and Barak against the Canaanite Co- 177
alition
3. Saul's Wars 186
Chapter VII. YHWH War of David 193
1. The Concept of YHWH War 194