Flame of Yahweh : Sexuality in the Old Testament

by Davidson, Richard M.

• ISBN13: 9781565638471
• ISBN10: 1565638476
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-06-30
• Publisher: Hendrickson Pub

Summary

The Flame of Yahweh provides a thorough discussion, and perceptive theological understanding, of human sexuality and gender as revealed in the Old Testament. Davidson sets before his readers the original intent and continuing ideal of sexual and gender relations as provided in the Scriptures of the OT. The Edenic ideals of human sexuality, love, and relationship are plunged into discord and disharmony, a discord and disharmony as evident on the pages of the Bible as in the daily news. In response to this disarray, Davidson demonstrates how the OT provides a renewed vision of the true and the right. Recognizing the foundational aspects of his comprehensive study for New Testament studies, the author also outlines the implications for the NT understanding of human sexuality and gender that grew out of the OT literature. Book jacket.

Author Biography

Richard M. Davidson is J. N. Andrews Professor of Old Testament Interpretation at Andrews University

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. xvii
Abbreviations	p. xix
Introduction	p. 1
The Purpose of the Work	p. 2
The Plan and Scope of the Work	p. 6
Overview of Old Testament Sexual Vocabulary	p. 7
Sexuality in Eden: The Divine Design (Genesis 1-3)
Sexuality in the Beginning: Genesis 1-2	p. 15
Sexuality as a Creation Order	p. 17
A Heterosexual Human Duality and Marital Form	p. 19
A Monogamous Marital Form	p. 21
Equality of the Sexes without Hierarchy	p. 22
Sexuality and Wholeness	p. 35
Sexuality and Exclusivity	p. 43
Sexuality and Permanence	p. 44
Sexuality and Intimacy	p. 46
Sexuality and Procreation	p. 49
The Wholesome, Holy Beauty of Sexuality	p. 50
Sexuality and the Fall: Genesis 3	p. 55
The Nakedness of Adam and Eve	p. 55
Divine Judgment concerning the Relationship between Eve and Adam	p. 58
Sexuality outside the Garden: Old Testament Development (Torah, Prophets, Writings)
Creation Ordinance versus Cultic Sexuality	p. 83
Positive Affirmations of the Edenic Ideal	p. 84
The Cultic Sacralization/Divinization of Sex in Pagan Worship	p. 85
Ancient Near Eastern Background	p. 85
Mesopotamia	p. 85
Egypt	p. 90
Anatolia/Hittites	p. 91
Ugarit/Canaan	p. 92
Pentateuch	p. 97
Narratives	p. 97
Legislation	p. 102
Sacralization of Sex and the Male Priesthood in Israel	p. 106
Prophets/Writings	p. 107
Sexually Related Imagery for God	p. 113
God as Husband/Bridegroom	p. 113
God as Father	p. 117
Feminine Imagery for God	p. 120
Is God Male or Female?	p. 126
The Fertility Cults and Divine Grace	p. 130
Human Heterosexuality versus Homosexuality, Transvestism, and Bestiality	p. 133
The Divine Design	p. 133
Homosexual Practice	p. 134
Ancient Near Eastern Background	p. 134
Mesopotamia	p. 134
The Hittite Empire (Anatolia)	p. 139
Egypt	p. 139
Ugarit/Western Semites/Canaan	p. 141
Summary	p. 142
Pentateuchal Narratives	p. 142
Ham's Sin-a Homosexual Act?	p. 142
Sodom: Homosexual Lust or Inhospitality?	p. 145
Pentateuchal Legislation	p. 149
Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13	p. 149
Deuteronomy 23:18-19 (ET 23:17-18)	p. 159
Homosexual Practice in the Prophets/Writings	p. 160
Male Cult Prostitution	p. 160
Judges 19	p. 161
Ezekiel 16 and 18	p. 162
Ruth and Naomi?	p. 164
David and Jonathan?	p. 165
The Old Testament Wisdom Tradition?	p. 167
Summary	p. 169
Transvestism (Cross-Dressing)	p. 170
Bestiality	p. 172
Distortions of the Heterosexual Marital Form and Divine Grace	p. 175
Monogamy versus Polygamy/Concubinage	p. 177
Positive Affirmations of the Edenic Divine Design	p. 177
Plural Marriages (Polygamy/Concubinage)	p. 178
Ancient Near Eastern Background	p. 178
Pentateuchal Narratives	p. 180
The Bigamy of Lamech	p. 181
Polygamy at the Time of the Flood	p. 181
Abraham's Polygamy/Concubinage	p. 184
Jacob's Polygamy/Concubinage	p. 186
The Polygamy of Esau and Concubinage of His Son	p. 189
Moses, a Bigamist?	p. 189
Pentateuchal Legislation	p. 191
Legislation concerning the Female Slave: Exodus 21:7-11	p. 191
Legislation against Marrying "a Woman to Her Sister": Leviticus 18:18	p. 193
Legislation regarding the King's Marital Status: Deuteronomy 17:17	p. 198
Other Legislation Purportedly Presupposing Polygamy	p. 201
Polygamy in the Prophets/Writings	p. 202
Summary	p. 210
Plural Marriages and Divine Grace	p. 211
Elevation versus Denigration of Women	p. 213
Leadership/Submission/Equality and Old Testament Patriarchy: An Overview	p. 213
The High Valuation of Women in the Old Testament: Pentateuchal Narratives	p. 223
Genesis Matriarchs	p. 226
Sarah	p. 226
Hagar	p. 228
Rebekah	p. 230
Rachel and Leah	p. 232
Tamar	p. 233
Conclusion	p. 235
Women at the Exodus	p. 235
Shiphrah and Puah	p. 236
The Egyptian Princess	p. 237
Jochebed	p. 237
Miriam	p. 237
The Seven Daughters of Jethro (Including Zipporah)	p. 239
Conclusion	p. 240
Daughters of Zelophehad	p. 241
The High Status of Women in Pentateuchal Laws	p. 242
Women's Status vis-a-vis That of Men in Pentateuchal Law	p. 242
Legislation Purportedly Presenting an Inferior Status for Women	p. 244
Numbers 5	p. 245
Leviticus 12:1-8	p. 245
Leviticus 27:1-8	p. 247
Numbers 30:4-17 (ET 30:3-16)	p. 248
Deuteronomy 25:11-12	p. 248
Woman as Chattel?-the Tenth Commandment and Other Passages	p. 249
An All-Male Priesthood	p. 251
The High Status of Women in Religious and Civil Affairs	p. 253
Conclusion	p. 255
The High Valuation of Women in the Prophets/Writings	p. 256
The Former Prophets	p. 256
Women in Joshua	p. 256
Women in Judges	p. 259
Women in Samuel and Kings	p. 266
The Latter Prophets	p. 273
Specific Women	p. 273
Groups of Women	p. 273
Other Elevated Valuations of Women	p. 274
The Writings: Narratives/History	p. 276
Ruth	p. 276
Esther	p. 278
Writings: Hymnic/Wisdom Literature	p. 280
Job	p. 280
Psalms	p. 282
Proverbs	p. 283
Ecclesiastes	p. 286
Distortion of the Divine Ideal: Exploitation, Denigration, and Abuse of Women	p. 288
Pentateuch	p. 288
Prophets/Writings	p. 289
The Denigration of Women and Divine Grace	p. 294
Wholeness versus Fragmentation (Prostitution, Mixed Marriages, Masturbation, Sexual Blemishes, and Impurities)	p. 297
Positive Affirmations of the Edenic Ideal for Sexual Wholeness	p. 297
Wholistic Anthropology	p. 297
The Whole Family	p. 298
Complementarity-Whether Married or Single	p. 299
Wholeness of Sexual Organs and Freedom from Ritual Impurities	p. 302
Fragmentation of Sexual Wholeness	p. 302
Prostitution/Harlotry	p. 302
Ancient Near Eastern Background	p. 303
Pentateuchal Narratives	p. 305
Pentateuchal Legislation	p. 306
Prophets/Writings	p. 307
Metaphorical References	p. 310
Grace	p. 315
Mixed (Interfaith) Marriages	p. 315
At the Time of the Flood (Gen 6:1-4)	p. 315
Patriarchal Warnings	p. 316
Mosaic Legislation	p. 317
Prophets	p. 318
Writings	p. 319
Grace	p. 324
Masturbation	p. 324
Sexual Blemishes and Ritual Uncleanness Related to Sexuality	p. 325
Pentateuchal Legislation	p. 325
Prophets/Writings	p. 334
Grace	p. 335
Exclusivity versus Adultery and Premarital Sex	p. 337
Affirmations of the Divine Ideal of Exclusivity	p. 337
Exclusivity in the Marriage Relationship	p. 337
The High Value of Virginity	p. 339
Distortions of the Divine Ideal: Adultery and Premarital Sexual Intercourse	p. 342
Ancient Near Eastern Background	p. 342
Pentateuchal Narratives Related to the Theme of Adultery	p. 344
Pentateuchal Legislation regarding Adultery	p. 345
The Decalogue	p. 345
Other Legislation	p. 346
Adultery in Israel in Contrast with Other Ancient Near Eastern Legislation	p. 347
The "Trial of Jealousy" in Numbers 5	p. 349
Pentateuchal Legislation Dealing with Premarital/Pre-betrothal Sexual Intercourse	p. 354
Premarital Sex with a Betrothed Virgin (Deut 22:23-27)	p. 355
The Case of the Slandered Bride (Deut 22:13-21)	p. 356
Seduction of a Single Woman (Deut 22:28-29; cf. Exod 22:15-16 [ET 22:16-17])	p. 359
Sexual Intercourse with a Betrothed Slave Girl (Lev 19:20-22)	p. 361
A Double Standard of Sexual Faithfulness in the Pentateuch?	p. 363
Adultery in the Prophets	p. 364
Adultery in the Writings	p. 369
Psalms	p. 369
Job	p. 369
Proverbs	p. 370
Adultery, Extramarital Sex, and Divine Grace	p. 373
Permanence versus Divorce/Remarriage	p. 377
Affirmation of the Divine Ideal	p. 377
Distortion of the Divine Ideal: Divorce/Remarriage	p. 384
Ancient Near Eastern Background	p. 385
Divorce in Pentateuchal Narratives	p. 388
Patriarchal "Divorce": Genesis 21:9-14	p. 388
Patriarchal Remarriage: Genesis 25:1	p. 389
Pentateuchal Legislation Related to Divorce: Deuteronomy 24:1-4	p. 389
Translation	p. 389
Literary Form and Structure	p. 389
Grounds for Divorce (v. 1a)	p. 390
Procedure of Divorce (v. 1b)	p. 392
Remarriage and the Second Divorce or Death of a Second Husband (vv. 2-3)	p. 394
Legislation: The Apodosis (v. 4a)	p. 395
Rationale for the Legislation (v. 4a-d)	p. 395
The Overall Purpose of the Legislation	p. 398
Other Pentateuchal Legislation Dealing with Divorce	p. 405
Prohibitions of Divorce	p. 405
Prohibitions against Marrying Divorced Women	p. 406
Rights of Divorced Women	p. 407
A Woman's Right to Divorce	p. 407
Divorce/Remarriage in the Preexilic Prophets	p. 409
Hosea 2:4	p. 410
Isaiah 50:1	p. 411
Jeremiah 3:1, 6-8	p. 413
Judges 14:20-15:2	p. 416
1 Samuel 25:44	p. 416
Divorce and Remarriage in the Postexilic Prophets and the Writings	p. 417
Ezra 9-10; Nehemiah 9:2; 13:3, 30	p. 417
Malachi 2:13-16	p. 417
Divorce/Remarriage and Divine Grace	p. 422
Intimacy versus Incest	p. 425
Affirmations of the Divine Ideal of Marital Intimacy	p. 425
Pentateuch	p. 425
Prophets/Writings	p. 426
Forbidden Degrees of Intimacy: Incestuous Relationships	p. 427
Ancient Near Eastern Background	p. 427
Pentateuchal Narratives concerning Incest	p. 428
Immediately after the Fall	p. 428
Ham and His Mother?	p. 429
Lot and His Daughters (Gen 19:30-38)	p. 431
Reuben and Bilhah (Gen 35:22; 49:4)	p. 432
Judah and Tamar (Gen 38)?	p. 432
Pentateuchal Legislation against Incestuous Relations	p. 434
Incest in the Prophets	p. 443
Amnon and Tamar (2 Sam 13)	p. 443
Absalom and His Father's Concubines (2 Sam 15-16)	p. 445
Other Ceases of Incest	p. 446
Incest and Divine Grace	p. 446
Procreative Sexuality versus Problems/Distortions (Childlessness, Children Born out of Wedlock, and Abortion)	p. 447
Positive Affirmations of the Edenic Ideal	p. 447
The First Children	p. 447
Procreative Fruitfulness, Covenant, and Circumcision	p. 448
The Cherishing of Children	p. 452
Childlessness	p. 453
Orientation and Terminology	p. 453
Pentateuch	p. 454
Prophets/Writings	p. 456
Adoption	p. 457
Levirate Marriage, Related Legislation, and the Sin of Onan	p. 461
Levirate and "Onanism" in the Pentateuchal Narrative	p. 462
Genesis 38	p. 462
Genesis 38:8-10: "Onanism"	p. 464
Levirate in the Pentateuchal Legislation: Deuteronomy 25:5-10	p. 465
Why Levirate Marriage?	p. 465
Who Qualified as Levir?	p. 467
Does Levirate Marriage Entail Incest?	p. 471
What Does the "Sandal Ceremony" Symbolize?	p. 473
Why Is This Law Placed Here in Deuteronomy?	p. 474
The "Immodest and Violent Lady Wrestler" of Deuteronomy 25:11-12	p. 476
Levirate in the Prophets/Writings: The Book of Ruth	p. 480
Caring for the Widows and Orphans	p. 483
Children Born out of Wedlock	p. 484
Pentateuchal Legislation	p. 484
Prophets/Writings	p. 485
Reproduction/Population Control and Abortion-Related Issues	p. 486
Reproduction/Population Control	p. 486
The Status of the Human Fetus and Implications for Abortion	p. 491
Ancient Near Eastern Background	p. 491
Exodus 21:22-25	p. 493
Other Old Testament Passages Dealing with the Status of the Human Fetus	p. 497
Problems/Distortions of Procreative Sexuality and Divine Grace	p. 500
Beauty versus Rape and the Parody of Beauty	p. 503
Positive Affirmations of the Edenic Ideal	p. 503
Pentateuchal Narratives	p. 503
Pentateuchal Legislation	p. 504
Prophets/Writings	p. 506
Distortions of the Beauty of Human Sexuality: Rape	p. 509
Ancient Near Eastern Background	p. 510
Pentateuchal Narratives	p. 512
Lot's Daughters (Gen 19)	p. 512
Dinah (Gen 34)	p. 512
Pentateuchal Legislation concerning Rape	p. 519
Exodus 22:15-16 (ET 22:16-17) and Deuteronomy 22:28-29	p. 519
Deuteronomy 22:25-27	p. 519
Leviticus 21:7, 14	p. 520
Rape in the Prophets/Writings	p. 521
The Levite's Concubine (Judg 19)	p. 521
Bathsheba (2 Sam 11)	p. 523
Tamar (2 Sam 13)	p. 532
Rape and Divine Grace	p. 535
Sexuality as Unwholesome, Ugly, and Evil	p. 536
Distorted Sexuality as a Parody of Beauty	p. 538
Return to Eden
Sexuality in the Song of Songs: The Holy of Holies	p. 545
Allegorization of the Song of Songs	p. 545
The Literal Interpretation of the Song of Songs	p. 549
Return to the Garden of Eden	p. 552
Sexuality as a Creation Order	p. 554
A Heterosexual Human Duality and Marital Form	p. 556
A Monogamous Marital Form	p. 561
Equality of the Sexes without Heirarchy	p. 569
Sexuality and Wholeness	p. 578
Sexuality and Exclusivity	p. 587
Sexuality and Permanence	p. 589
Sexuality and Intimacy	p. 592
Sexuality and Procreation	p. 604
Sexuality in the Song of Songs: The Flame of Yahweh	p. 607
The Wholesome, Holy Beauty of Sexuality	p. 607
The Flame of Yahweh	p. 621
Afterword: Some Implications for a New Testament Theology of Sexuality	p. 633
Sexuality as a Creation Order	p. 633
Heterosexual versus Homosexual Practice	p. 634
Monogamy versus Polygamy	p. 638
Elevation versus Denigration of Women	p. 639
Wholeness versus Fragmentation	p. 652
Exclusivity versus Adultery	p. 654
Permanence versus Divorce	p. 654
Intimacy versus Incest	p. 657
Sexuality and Procreation	p. 658
The Wholesome Beauty of Sexuality	p. 658
Bibliography	p. 659
Index of Modern Authors	p. 803
Index of Ancient Sources	p. 817
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