Strategies of stranger inclusion in the narrative traditions of Joshua–Judges : the cases of Rahab’s household, the Kenites and the Gibeonites
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In this article, the authors show that the legal traditions of the OT are rather static and categorical regarding the differentiation of these types of strangers; they minimize the relationship with the נכרים, but provide protection and ensure provisions for the גרי, while the law codes are almost exclusively silent about the possibility of a certain stranger's transition from one category to another.Abstract:
Ancient Israelite thought – represented by biblical Hebrew terminology – is aware of the difference between a non-assimilated stranger (נכר / נכרי ; זר ) and that of a semi-assimilated stranger ( ; ). The legal traditions of the OT are rather static and categorical regarding the differentiation of these types of strangers; they minimize the relationship with the נכרים , but provide protection and ensure provisions for the גרים . In addition, the law codes are almost exclusively silent about the possibility of a certain stranger’s transition from one category to the other. Contrary to this, the narrative accounts of the OT are especially rich in representations of distinct strategies of stranger inclusion. Thus, it is evident that the ancient Israelite thought and everyday practice did not exclude the possibility of transitioning and transforming complete strangers into community members. In fact, the narrative representations of the treatment of strangers in the Books of Joshua and Judges encapsulate authentic ancient Israelite mentalities, cultural conventions, and social mechanisms – in a quite dynamic manner (cf. Rahab’s inclusion in Josh 2 and 6; the Kenites’ status in Judg 4–5; the Gibeonites’ inclusion in Josh 9).read more
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References
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Journal ArticleDOI
Widow, Orphan, and the Poor in Ancient near Eastern Legal and Wisdom Literature
TL;DR: In Islam, the idea of Muslim charity, one of the pillars of that religion, is born from a realization of this duty as mentioned in this paper, which requires kindness to orphans and widows and charity to the poor.
MonographDOI
Rites and Rank: Hierarchy in Biblical Representations of Cult
TL;DR: The notion of holiness in the holiness source was introduced in the Bible as discussed by the authors, where a list of abbretiations and status and hierarchy of the Church of the Holy Source is presented.