The book of Nahum gives only one, albeit enigmatic, clue for a biography of ‘Nahum’. I dare not present a biography but will instead try to draw a few lines which might point toward Nahum’s role. Noteworthy is the presence of a large number of Assyrian loanwords as well as the imagery of curses in the Assyrian Loyalty Oaths in Nahum’s text. Where and how did the writer become acquainted with them? I elaborate on the ideas of Parpola and Sano who made it clear that a selection of the elite of conquered areas were educated at the court of Assyria and made familiar with the Assyrian language, scribal tradition, and diplomacy. They were then sent back to their country of origin to act as pro-Assyrian deputies. There are known cases where these persons, however, turned against the Assyrian regime once back in their homeland. This role fits ‘Nahum’.
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Amsterdam University Press is a leading publisher of academic books, journals and textbooks in the Humanities and Social Sciences. Our aim is to make current research available to scholars, students, innovators, and the general public. AUP stands for scholarly excellence, global presence, and engagement with the international academic community.
Abstract This article provides a philological assessment of the statement in Ezra 4:12b and offers a new translation. We focus on the word יַחִיטוּ. We propose to construe the form as originally *יְחִיטוּ, G-stem prefixing conjugation of חיט, »to inspect«. In order to substantiate our proposal we refer to a series of cognates in Aramaic and other Semitic languages. Two newly edited Aramaic documents from Elephantine are mentioned, as well as texts from Bactria, passages from the Gilgamesh Epic, and the story on the Tower of Babylon.
Amsterdam University Press is a leading publisher of academic books, journals and textbooks in the Humanities and Social Sciences. Our aim is to make current research available to scholars, students, innovators, and the general public. AUP stands for scholarly excellence, global presence, and engagement with the international academic community.
Early Islamic sources present the degrading of the goddess Uzza to a mere idol: al-Uzzah. A recently found Late Bronze Age inscription from Timna in the Wadi Arabah, written in the Proto-Sinaitic script, revealed a small piece of evidence for the prehistory of the deity Uzza. The inscription was written in two ovals and reads: R. 'ZRMM; L. & Scaron;KLH. I interpret this as 'z-rmm & scaron;kl(l)h, "Az-Ramam, the scribe." The theophoric element 'z indicates that the deity Uzza was already venerated in the Late Bronze Age.
Recent excavations at ancient Lachish have brought to light a lice comb from the Middle Bronze Age. The comb is made out of ivory and should be classified as a luxury item belonging to someone in or around the court. Remains of lice between the remnants of the teeth indicate the use of the comb. A very old Canaanite inscription was incised on one of the sides. The editors were able to decipher the text and offered a translation. I dare to disagree with them on one point, namely the interpretation of the word.. translated by them as "tusk". In my view, this word should be interpreted as "inscription" leading to a translation: "May this inscription root out the lice of the hai[r and the] beard". The text then would magically underscore the use of the comb.
This article about Exod 4,24-26 argues that God is willing to kill Moses since he had not circumcised his son. The ritual described in the textual unit is an example of circumcision as a life cycle ritual at the threshold of adulthood. Originally, circumcision in ancient Israel was not carried out on boys at the eighth day after birth. As a result of the construction of a new identity after the return from exile, the age of circumcision changed from early puberty to newborn. Exod 4,24-26 offers a glimpse at the earlier custom.
Amsterdam University Press is a leading publisher of academic books, journals and textbooks in the Humanities and Social Sciences. Our aim is to make current research available to scholars, students, innovators, and the general public. AUP stands for scholarly excellence, global presence, and engagement with the international academic community.
Amsterdam University Press is a leading publisher of academic books, journals and textbooks in the Humanities and Social Sciences. Our aim is to make current research available to scholars, students, innovators, and the general public. AUP stands for scholarly excellence, global presence, and engagement with the international academic community.
