Throughout most periods of ancient Near Eastem history, religious rituals frequently played an important role in the resolution of legal disputes that were brought to trial. It appears that judges would sometimes make use of them arbitrarily but often when they felt the available evidence was insufficient or at least too ambiguous to render a decisive verdict. The rituals—or cultic procedures, ...

500 years of ancient Near Eastern history from the earlier second millennium BCE, including such pivotal figures as Hammurabi of Babylon, Šamši-Adad I (who conquered Aššur) and Zimrilim of Mari, has long floated in calendar time subject to rival chronological schemes up to 150+ years apart. Texts preserved on clay tablets provide much information, including some astronomical references, but des...

Abstract In Judg 14–15, the source of Samson’s strength is not his uncut hair, but רוח־יהוה . A Leitmotif biblical warrior tradition, a corporealized metaphor fiery anger that envelops Samson and grants him great power. This motif was adapted from early poetry, in which Yhwh’s wrath erupted as breath ( רוח ) against cosmic foes. study explores how historical context 14–15 informs use this motif...

This article offers a new comparison of the ancient Mesopotamian story Enuma Elish and biblical Garden Eden (Genesis 2:4–3:24) as case study that demonstrates how attention to myth theory comparative method might improve studies Southwest Asian literatures. illustrates connection between myth, meaning making, lived experiences produced perpetuated these myths by focusing on cultural value work ...

Hellenistic medicine". The contributors have sought in their different ways to assert a place for the medicine of ancient Israel among her neighbours, and by stating what is known of a little studied subject, to provide a basis for further research and investigation. in his study of pharmacology and dietetics in the Bible and Talmud, Fred Rosner gives a general overview of the subject and then ...

Humans have been writing for over 5,000 years, but in addition to linguistic symbol systems there have been many non-linguistic systems. Some examples include mathematical symbology, European heraldry, barn stars, Mesopotamian deity symbols and totem poles. While writing represents natural language units such as phonemes, syllables, morphemes or in some cases words, non-linguistic systems repre...