Permutations of Sovereignty in the Priestly Tradition

Abstract According to P and H, Israelites can in some respects be seen as "sojourners" (גרים) not just in foreign lands but also in the land given to Abraham's seed. As one would expect, Israelites are also viewed as citizens in their own land, yet ironically this is affirmed in H pas...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Vetus Testamentum 2013, Vol.63 (3), p.383-392
Main Author: Brett, Mark G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Countries
Divinity
empire
Exegesis and biblical criticism
Exile
History and sciences of religions
Land ownership
Land use
mimicry
Narratives
Old testament
Pentateuch
priestly
Sovereignty
Theology
Torah
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Summary:Abstract According to P and H, Israelites can in some respects be seen as "sojourners" (גרים) not just in foreign lands but also in the land given to Abraham's seed. As one would expect, Israelites are also viewed as citizens in their own land, yet ironically this is affirmed in H passages such as Lev. 24:22 and Exod. 12:49 which call for equality between natives and immigrants. The paper suggests that P and H are engaged in a debate with the Deuteronomistic traditions about the significance of political sovereignty and citizenship. The priestly writers mimic imperial symbolism and imply that the "many nations" descended from Abraham (Gen. 17:4), and the "assembly of nations" descended from Jacob-Israel (Gen. 35:11), would embody an imperial rather than national sovereignty.
ISSN:0042-4935
1568-5330
0042-4935
DOI:10.1163/15685330-12341116