Mixed Marriages Intermarriage and Group Identity in the Second Temple Period

by Frevel, Christian

• ISBN13: 9780567187482
• ISBN10: 0567187489
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2013-03-28
• Publisher: Bloomsbury T & T Clark

Summary

Intermarriage and group identity in the Second Temple Period will be investigated from different points of view with regard to methodology and analyzed texts. With an introduction to the history of research and a summarizing final section, the individual contributions will be associated with the larger context of the recent debate. Thus not only the diversity of texts on mixed marriage within the Hebrew Bible and related scripture will be shown and emphasized but the question of continuity and discontinuity as well as the socio-historical background of marriage restrictions will be dealt with, too.

Covering a wide range of texts from almost every part of the Hebrew Bible as well as from Elephantine, Qumran and several pseudepigrapha, like Jubilees, its focus is on possible counter texts with a more positive notion of foreign wives, in addition to restrictive and prohibitive texts.

These different approaches will illuminate the dynamics of the construction of group identity, culminating in conflicts concerning separation and integration which can be found in the debate on the topic of the "correct" marriage.

Author Biography

Christian Frevel is Professor of Old Testament Studies at the Ruhr-University of Bochum, member of the board of the German Society for the Exploration of Palestine, internal fellow of the International Consortium for Research in the Humanities "Dynamics in the History of Religions" and Co-editor of the series "Beiträge zur Wissenschaft des Alten und Neuen Testaments".

Table of Contents

Preface List of Contributors Abbreviations Introduction: Christian Frevel: The Discourse on Intermarriage in the Hebrew Bible Chapter 1: Christian Frevel and Benedikt J. Conczorowski: Deepening the Water: First Steps to a Diachronic Approach on Intermarriage in the Hebrew Bible Chapter 2: Katherine E. Southwood: An Ethnic Affair? Ezra's Intermarriage Crisis against a Context of "Self-Ascription" and "Ascription of Others" Chapter 3: Ralf Rothenbusch: The Question of Mixed Marriages between the Poles of Diaspora and Homeland: Observations in Ezra/Nehemiah Chapter 4: Juha Pakkala: Intermarriage and Group Identity in the Ezra Tradition (Ezra 7-10 and Neh 8) Chapter 5: Benedikt J. Conczorowski: All the same as Ezra? Conceptual Differences between the Texts on Intermarriage in Genesis, Deuteronomy 7 and Ezra Chapter 6: Jan Clauß: Understanding the Mixed-Marriages of Ezra-Nehemiah in the Light of Temple-Building and the Book's Concept of Jerusalem Chapter 7: Karen S. Winslow: Mixed Marriage in Torah Narratives Chapter 8: Yonina Dor: From the Well in Midian to the Baal of Peor: Different Attitudes to Marriage of Israelites to Midianite Women Chapter 9: Gary N. Knoppers: "Married into Moab": The Exogamy Practiced by Judah and his Descendants in the Judahite Lineages Chapter 10: Sebastian Grätz: The Question of "Mixed Marriages" (Intermarriage): the Extra-Biblical Evidence Chapter 11: Armin Lange: Mixed Marriages and the Hellenistic Religious Reforms Chapter 12: Christian Frevel: "Separate Yourself From the Gentiles" (Jub. 22:16): Intermarriage in the Book of Jubilees Chapter 13: Hannah Harrington: Intermarriage in Qumran Texts: The Legacy of Ezra-Nehemiah Chapter 14: Karen S. Winslow: Moses' Cushite Marriage: Torah, Artapanus, and Josephus Chapter 15: Claudia Camp: Feminist- and Gender-Critical Perspectives on the Biblical Ideology of Intermarriage Index of References Index of Authors