Of wings and wheels : a synthetic study of the biblical cherubim / Alice Wood.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Wood, Alice.

Series:

Beihefte zur Zeitschrift fur die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft ; 385.

Beihefte zur Zeitschrift fur die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, 0934-2575 ; Bd. 385

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Angels--Biblical teaching.

Angels.

Bible. Old Testament--Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Bible.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (268 p.)

Place of Publication:

Berlin ; New York : Walter de Gruyter, c2008.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This study examines the physical form and cultic function of the biblical cherubim. Previous studies of the cherubim have placed too great an emphasis on archaeological and etymological data. This monograph presents a new synthetic study, which prioritises the evidence supplied by the biblical texts. Biblical exegesis, using literary and historical-critical methods, forms the large part of the investigation (Part I). The findings arising from the exegetical discussion provide the basis upon which comparison with etymological and archaeological data is made (Parts II and III).The results suggest that traditions envisaging the cherubim as tutelary winged quadrupeds, with one head and one set of wings, were supplanted by traditions that conceived of them as more enigmatic, obeisant beings. In the portrayal of the cherubim in Ezekiel and Chronicles, we can detect signs of a conceptual shift that prefigures the description of the cherubim in post-biblical texts, such as The Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice and the Enochic texts.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Abbreviations

Introduction

Part I. The Biblical Texts

Part II. The Root k-r-b and Comparative Semitic Material

Part III. The Archaeological Evidence

Backmatter

Notes:

Originally presented as author's thesis (Ph. D.--University of Edinburgh).

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

ISBN:

9786613397263

9781283397261

1283397269

9783110211214

3110211211

OCLC:

476206352