Yahweh Fighting from Heaven: God as Warrior and as God of Heaven in the Hebrew Psalter and Ancient Near Eastern Iconography

372 Pages·1999·9.5 MB·English

by  Martin G Klingbeil

Orbis B ibl icus et Oriental is 169
Martin Klingbeil
Yahweh Fighti ng
from Heaven
God as Warrior and as God of Heaven
in the Hebrew Psalter
and Ancient Near Eastern lconography
University Fribourg Switzerland
Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht Göttingen
Die Deutsche Bibliothek-CIP-Einheitsaufnahme
Klingbeil, Martin:
Yahweh Fighting from Heaven: God as Warrior and as God of Heaven in the Hebrew
Psalter and Ancient Near Eastern lconography / Martin Klingbeil.
Freiburg, Schweiz: Univ.-Verl.; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht, 1999.
(Orbis biblicus et orientalis; 169)
ISBN 3-7278-1250-8 (Univ.-Verl.)
ISBN 3-525-53678-X (Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht)
Publication subsidized by:
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Euro-Africa Division of Seventh-day Adventists
South American Division of Seventh-day Adventists
Marianne Klingbeil
Camera-ready text
submitted by the autor
© 1999 by University Press Fribourg Switzerland / Universitätsverlag Freiburg Schweiz
Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht Göttingen
Paulusdruckerei Freiburg Schweiz
ISBN 3-7278-1250-8 (University Press)
ISBN 3-525-53678-X (Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht)
Digitalisat erstellt durch Florian Lippke, Departement
für Biblische Studien, Universität Freiburg Schweiz
für Thandi

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS XI
1. INTRODUCTION 1
1.1. TERMINOLOGY 2
1.2. ÜBJECTIVES 3
2. METHODOLOGICAL PRELIMINARIES 5
2.1. PROCEDURE 7
2.1.1. Survey ofM etaphors o/God in the Psalms 7
2.1.2. Internal-Exegetical Analysis 7
2.1.3. External-Iconographic Analysis 8
2.1.4. Comparison 8
3. METAPHORS OF GOD IN THE PSALMS 9
3 .1. BIBLICAL META PHOR 9
3.1.1. Review ofL iterature 9
3.1.2. Theories ofB iblical Metaphor 13
3 .1.2 .1. Substitution Theory of Metaphor 14
3.1.2.2. Universal Theory ofMetaphor 15
3 .1.2.3. Intermediate Theory of Metaphor 15
3.1.3. Characteristics and Types ofB iblical Metaphor 16
3 .1.3 .1. General Types of Metaphor 17
3 .1.3 .2. Between Living and Dead Metaphors 18
3 .1.3 .3. Understanding Metaphors 19
3.1.4. Biblical Metaphors o/God 21
3.1.4.1. The Metaphorical Nature of God-Talk 21
3.1.4.2. Anthropomorphisms and the Metaphors of God 22
3 .1.4.3. Religious Historical and Literary Historical Aspect 23
3.1.5. Evaluation ofB iblical Metaphor 27
3.2. SURVEY OF METAPHORS OF GOD IN THE PSALMS 28
3.4. STATISTICAL EVALUATION OF SURVEY 33
3.4.1. Overall Distribution ofM etaphors 34
3.4.2. Distribution According to Metaphor Type 35
3.4.3. Distribution According to Metaphor Category 35
3.4.4. Detailed Distribution of Warrior and God ofH eaven Metaphors 36
VIII TA BLE OF CONTENTS
4. GOD AS WA RRIOR AND AS GOD OF HEAVEN IN THE HEBREW
PSALTER 38
4.1. APPROACH TO THE EXEGESIS OF THE HEBREW PSALTER 38
4.1.1. Survey ofL iterature 39
4.1.2. Exegetical Approach 50
4.2. EXCURSUS: THE LANGUAGE OF THE PSALMS 52
4.2. 1. The Nature ofH ebrew Verse 52
4.2.2. Hebrew Verse and the Dating ofTexts 53
4.3. THE TEXTS 55
4.3.1. Motivationfor the Selection of Texts 55
4.3.2. Psalm 18:8-16 57
4.3.2.1. Text and Translation of Psalm 18:8-16 57
4.3.2.2. The Language of Psalm 18:6-18 61
4.3.2.3. Literary Analysis of Psalm 18 68
4.3.2.4. Comment on Psalm 18:8-16 71
4.3.3. Psalm 21:9-13 74
4.3.3.1. Text and Translation of Psalm 21:9-13 75
4.3.3.2. The Language of Psalm 21:9-13 77
4.3.3.3. Literary Analysis of Psalm 21 81
4.3 .3 .4. Comment on Psalm 21 :9-13 83
4.3.4. Psalm 29:3-9 84
4.3.4.1. Text and Translation of Psalm 29:3-9 85
4.3.4.2. The Language of Psalm 29:3-9 88
4.3.4.3. Literary Analysis of Psalm 29 93
4.3.4.4. Comment on Psalm 29:3-9 96
4.3.5. Psalm 46:7-12 100
4.3.5.1. Text and Translation of Psalm 46:7-12 100
4.3.5.2. The Language of Psalm 46:7-12 101
4.3.5.3. Literary Analysis of Psalm 46 107
4.3.5.4. Comment on Psalm 46:7-12 108
4.3.6. Psalm 65:10-14 110
4.3.6.1. Text and Translation of Psalm 65:10-14 111
4.3.6.2. The Language of Psalm 65:10-14 112
4.3.6.3. Literary Analysis ofPsalm 65 117
4.3.6.4. Comment on Psalm 65:10-14 119
4.3.7. Psalm 68:15-22 121
4.3.7.1. Text and Translation of Psalm 68:15-22 122
4.3.7.2. The Language of Psalm 68:15-22 125
4.3.7.3. Literary Analysis of Psalm 68 130
4.3.7.4. Comment on Psalm 68:15-22 131
T ABLE OF CONTENTS IX
4.3.8. Psalm 83:14-18 135
4.3.8.1. Text and Translation of Psalm 83:14-18 135
4.3.8.2. The Language of Psalm 83:14-18 136
4.3.8.3. Literary Analysis of Psalm 83 139
4.3.8.4. Comment on Psalm 83:14-18 141
4.3.9. Psalm 144:5-8 143
4.3.9.1. Text and Translation of Psalm 144:5-8 143
4.3.9.2. The Language of Psalm 144:5-8 145
4.3.9.3. Literary Analysis of Psalm 144 148
4.3.9.4. Comment on Psalm 144:5-8 150
4.3.10. Summary 152
5. GOD AS W ARRIOR AND AS GOD OF HEA VEN IN ANCIENT
NEAR EASTERN ICONOGRAPHY 158
5 .1. lNTRODUCTION: ICONOGRAPHY AND BIBLICAL METAPHORS 15 8
5 .2. THE lCONOGRAPHY OF THE W ARRIOR AND GOD OF HEAVEN IN THE
ANCIENT NEAR BAST 165
5.2.1. The Source Material 165
5.2.2. Gods with Warrior Attributes 168
5.2.2.1. The Smiting God 168
5.2.2.2. Archer Scenes 178
5.2.2.3. The God with the Spear 184
5.2.2.4. The God/dess in Arms 188
5.2.3. Gods with God ofH eaven Attributes 196
5.2.3.1. The God in the Winged Sundisk 196
5.2.3.2. The Water-Providing God 205
5.2.3.3. The Sacred Palm Tree 211
5.2.3.4. The Goddess in the Star Nimbus 216
5.2.3.5. The Celestial Throne 222
5.2.3.6. The God/dess in Creation 225
5.2.3.7. The Winged Sphinx 228
5.2.3.8. The Winged God/dess 234
5.2.3.9. Miscellania 238
5. 2. 4. Gods with Warrior and God ofH eaven Attributes 241
5.2.4.1. The Smiting God with the Vegetation-Spear 241
5.2.4.2. The Smiting God with the Bundle of Lightning 243
5.2.4.3. The Weather-God standing on Mountains 247
5.2.4.4. The Weather-God fighting the Snake 249
5.2.4.5. The Weather-God in Arms 252
5.2.4.6. The God in the Winged Sundisk with the Bow 257
5.2.4.7. Miscellania 262
5.2.5. Summary 264
X TA BLE OF CONTENTS
6. GOD AS W ARRIOR AND AS GOD OF HEAV EN IN THE HEBREW
PSALTER AND ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN ICONOGRAPHY 268
6.1. THE COMPA RATIVE METHOD 268
6.1.1. Typological Comparison 270
6.1.2. Historical Comparison 271
6.1.3. Application ofthe Comparative Method 273
6.1.3.1. Comparative Approach 276
6.1.3.2. Contrastive Approach 277
6.1.3.3. Contextual Approach 278
6.1.4. Evaluation ofthe Comparative Method 279
6.2. COMPARISON OF TEXTUAL AND ICONOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE 281
6.2.1. Psalm 18:8-16 282
6.2.2. Psalm 21:9-13 285
6.2.3. Psalm 29:3-9 288
6.2.4. Psalm 46:7-12 290
6.2.5. Psalm 65:10-14 292
6.2.6. Psalm 68:15-22 295
6.2. 7. Psalm 83:14-18 298
6.2.8. Psalm 144:5-8 299
6.2.9. Jconographic Contrasts 301
7. CONCLUSIONS 303
APPENDIX: CATALOGUE OF ICONOGRAPHIC OBJECTS 311
LIST OF TABLES AND GRAPHS 322
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 323
BIBLIOGRAPHY 326
AUTHOR INDEX 344
BIBLICAL REFERENCES INDEX 348
SUBJECT INDEX 355
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The present study is based on a doctoral dissertation, submitted in January
1995 as part of the requirements for a D.Litt. in Ancient Near Eastern
Studies to the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. The manuscript has
been updated to include current bibliographic material and downsized to fit
the requirements ofthe OBO series.
Although written by one author, a dissertation is never the product of an
individual effort, but rather the result of a variety of influences and
personalities who contributed in a direct or indirect way to the present
study in its final stage (for which the author, of course, takes the ultimate
responsibility). Therefore, I would like to single out a number of people to
whom I would like to express my appreciation.
Dr. 1. Cornelius from the University of Stellenbosch proved to be a
competent promoter with an astonishing bibliographical memory who
always knew of another article, monograph, or note pertaining to the issue
under question.
Dr. P. A. Kruger from the University of Stellenbosch served as internal
examiner, and his own interest in the metaphorical language of the Bible
proved tobe the right tool in assessing the present study.
This dissertation would not have been possible without a visit to the
University of Fribourg, Switzerland in February/March 1994. Prof. 0.
Keel's kind invitation and gracious hospitality in the midst of the turmoil
related to the end of the winter semester at the university were highly
appreciated. Although pressed for time he always had a suggestion or an
answer to my numerous questions. He not only proved himself to be the
father of iconography, but also a benevolent host towards a doctoral student
from South Africa. Furthermore, his willingness to function as external
examiner was highly appreciated. The financial assistance of the Biblical
Institute at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, and also of the
University of Stellenbosch for this visit is hereby acknowledged.
A number of individuals have given valuable input to the outcome of this
dissertation: Dr. W. Shea (Biblical Research Institute, Washington, D.C.)
for his repeated encouragement; Dr. J. Doukhan (Andrews University,
Michigan) for pointing out the importance ofthe warrior metaphor; Dr. Ch.
Uehlinger (University of Fribourg, Switzerland) for discussing the project
with me and making valuable bibliographical suggestions.
XII ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My wife, Thandi, has continuously encouraged me to prepare the
manuscript for publication, and supported me not only by proof-reading my
English, but also by creating a peaceful harne atmosphere that served as the
tranquilizing antidote for my violent topic. In addition to that, she also
displayed the artistic vein that I am missing in providing numerous line
drawings for the iconographic objects.
My brother, Dr. Gerald Klingbeil, completed his own doctoral dissertation
at the same time as I, and the exchange of insights and frustrations over
many a good supper helped to renew our motivation when it was needed.
A heartfelt thanks goes also to my colleagues at the Universidad Adventista
de Bolivia in Cochabamba, Bolivia, for their interest in my academic
interests beyond the classroom. Having spent the past three years working
as Associate Professor of Biblical Languages and Old Testament at the
university, surrounded by the impressive Tunari mountain range (5035m),
the theophanic event has taken on a deeper meaning, while watching the
majestic thunderstorms the sweep through our Andes valley (2600m)
during the summer rains.