Making Men: The Male Coming-of-Age Theme in the Hebrew Bible

267 Pages·2015·1.791 MB·English

by  Stephen M. Wilson

Making Men

Making Men
The Male Coming-of-Age Theme
in the Hebrew Bible
STEPHEN M. WILSON
1
1
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Wilson, Stephan M., author.
Making men : the male coming-of-age theme in the Hebrew Bible / Stephen M. Wilson.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Summary: “This book identifies seven narratives of male maturation in the Hebrew Bible,
and shows how this theme is employed by biblical redactors and narrators to highlight
transitions in the historical prose of the Hebrew Bible. It also considers how these stories
provide insight into the varying representations of biblical masculinity”— Provided by
publisher.
ISBN 978–0–19–022282–6 (alk. paper) — ISBN 978–0–19–022283–3 (e-book) 1. Masculinity
in the Bible. 2. Maturation (Psychology)—Biblical teaching. 3. Bible. Old Testament—
Criticism, interpretation, etc. I. Title.
BS1199.M34W55 2015
221.8’30531—dc23
2015009157
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed on acid-free paper
Printed by Edwards Brothers, US
To Blair, with gratitude and love

Contents
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction: Masculinity Studies, Rites of Passage, and the
Absence of an Extended Treatment of Male Coming of Age
in Biblical Scholarship 1
The Impact of Masculinity Studies on Biblical Scholarship
and This Project 3
The Interaction of Biblical Masculinity Studies and Biblical
Male Maturation 5
Rites of Passage: History, Application in Biblical Studies,
and Relevance to a Study of Biblical Coming of Age 8
Methodology: Applying Rites of Passage to Biblical
Coming-of-Age Stories 12
Male Maturation Rites as Communicators of a Society’s
Masculine Ideal 13
Identifying the Coming-of-Age Theme in the Hebrew Bible:
Previous Attempts, the Present Methodology, and an Outline
of the Argument 15
Previous Attempts to Define the Coming-of-Age Theme in the
Hebrew Bible: White, Propp, and Bechtel 15
Hugh White 16
William Propp 18
Lyn Bechtel 19
Recognizing the Coming-of-Age Theme 20
Project Goals and Outline of the Argument 22
viii Contents
SECTION I: The Depiction of Manhood and Boyhood in the Hebrew Bible
1. The Defining Characteristics of Manhood in the Hebrew Bible 29
Strength 31
Wisdom and Persuasive Speech 33
Beauty 34
Avoidance of Association with Women 36
Characteristics of Biblical Masculinity Not Recognized by Clines
in “David the Man” 39
Self-control 39
Fertility and Marriage 40
Honor 42
Kinship Solidarity 44
Legal Manhood 45
2. The Depiction of Boyhood in the Hebrew Bible 47
Terms for Young Boys (from Approximately Birth
to Age Twelve) 48
רעַנַ 48
Age range 51
Feminine form 52
Characteristics of םירִעָנְ 53
Powerlessness 53
Lack of wisdom and predilection for rash and violent
action 54
Beauty 55
Summary 56
דלֶיֶ 56
Age range 56
Characteristics of םידִלָיְ 58
Powerlessness 58
Impetuosity and lack of wisdom 58
Positive features of םידִלָיְ 59
Feminine form 59
Summary 60
Contents ix
לוע 60
Characteristics 61
Powerlessness 61
Positive Features of םילִלְוֹע 61
Association with women 62
Summary 62
קנֵוֹי 62
לוּמגָּ 63
ףטַ 64
Age range and characteristics 65
Terms for Older Boys/Young Men (from Approximately Age
Thirteen to Twenty) 65
רוּחבָּ 65
Characteristics of םירִוּחבַּ 66
Strength and military associations 66
Positive connotations 66
Sexual maturity and ability to marry 67
Summary 68
םלֶעֶ 68
Similarity to רוּחבָּ 69
Summary 71
Conclusions about Biblical Boyhood 71
Comparing Boyhood and Manhood in the Hebrew Bible 72
SECTION II: Case Studies of Male Coming of Age in the Hebrew Bible
3. Moses and Samuel: Case Studies of Pre-Monarchic Maturation 77
“In Those Days, Moses Grew Up”: Exodus 2 and the Maturation
of Moses 77
Describing Moses’s Maturation in the Second Scene of Exodus 2 80
Episode 1 (vv. 11–12): Moses defends his Hebrew kinsman 80
Episode 2 (vv. 13–15a): Moses attempts to adjudicate among
his fellow Hebrews 81
Episode 3 (vv. 15b–22): Moses defends Reuel’s daughters
and marries 82