A Spatial Reading of Obadiah on the Vertical Axis of the Ancient Near Eastern Cosmic Geography: Festschrift for GTM Prinsloo

Jo-Marí Schäder

doi:10.25159/2663-6573/12685

Authors

Jo-Marí Schäder University of Pretoria https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4268-9796

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25159/2663-6573/12685

Keywords:

Obadiah, cosmic geography, vertical axis, land, edom, esau

Abstract

Since the 1970s, biblical studies have experienced a “spatial turn,” giving rise to an emphasis on a variety of approaches to the spatial analysis of biblical texts. Space is something that is constructed, produced, and represented by means of words. It is thus possible for the associations and memories of spaces to change. This study’s purpose is threefold: (1) to provide a short overview of the significance of studying space and memory together; (2) to provide an overview of ancient Near Eastern cosmic geography to contextualise our study’s reference to vertical spatial orientation; and (3) to illustrate how such a vertical spatial reading can aid us in better understanding the text of Obadiah, which deals predominantly with space in terms of land and sacred space.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Ben Zvi, E. 1996. A Historical-Critical Study of the Book of Obadiah. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110809633 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110809633

Berquist, J. L. 2008. “Spaces of Jerusalem.” In Constructions of Space II: The Biblical City and Other Imagined Spaces, edited by J. L. Berquist and C. V. Camp, 40–52. New York: T&T Clark.

Coggins, R. J., and S. P. Re’emi. 1985. Israel Among the Nations: A Commentary on the Books of Nahum, Obadiah, and Esther. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Cornelius, I. 1994. “The Visual Representation of the World in the Ancient Near East and the Hebrew Bible.” Journal of Northwest Semitic Languages 20 (3): 193–218.

de Hulster, I. J. 2015. “Chapter 1: Picturing Ancient Israel’s Cosmic Geography: An Iconographic Perspective on Genesis 1:1–2:4a.” In Iconographic Exegesis of the Hebrew Bible / Old Testament: An Introduction to Its Method and Practice, edited by I. J. de Hulster, B. A. Strawn, and R. P. Bonfiglio, 45–61. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht. https://doi.org/10.13109/9783666534607.45 DOI: https://doi.org/10.13109/9783666534607.45

de Hulster, I. J. 2021. “The Horizontal Dimension of the Ancient and Biblical View of the World.” In From Stone Age to Stellenbosch: Studies on the Ancient Near East in Honour of Izak (Sakkie) Cornelius, edited by R. M. van Dijk-Coombes, L. C. Swanepoel, and G. R. Kotzé, 191–97. Münster: Zaphon.

de Villiers, G. 2013. “From the Walls of Uruk: Reflections on Space in the Gilgamesh Epic.” In Constructions of Space V: Place, Space and Identity in the Ancient Mediterranean World, edited by G. T. M. Prinsloo and C. M. Maier, 143–57. London: Bloomsbury.

Jensen, P. P. 2008. “Obadiah.” In Obadiah, Jonah, Micah: A Theological Commentary, 3–27. London: T&T Clark.

Keel, O. 1997. The Symbolism of the Biblical World: Ancient Near Eastern Iconography and the Book of Psalms, translated by T. J. Hallett. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns.

Kruger, P.A. 2005. “Symbolic Inversion in Death: Some Examples from the Old Testament and the Ancient Near Eastern World.” Verbum et Ecclesia 26 (2): 398–411. https://doi.org/10.4102/ve.v26i2.232 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ve.v26i2.232

Lefebvre, H. 1991. The Production of Space, translated by D. Nicholson-Smith. Oxford: Blackwell.

Mason, R. 1991. “Obadiah.” In Micah, Nahum and Obadiah, 85–108. London: T&T Clark. https://doi.org/10.5040/9780567705099 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5040/9780567705099

Matthews, V. H. 2013. “Remembered Space in Biblical Narrative.” In Constructions of Space IV: Further Developments in Examining Ancient Israel’s Social Space, edited by M. K. George, 61–75. London: Bloomsbury.

McCullough, L. 2007. “Dimensions of the Temple: The Temple Account in 1 Kings 5–9 Compared with Ancient Near Eastern Temple Paradigms.” MA thesis, Graduate School of Vanderbilt University.

Nogalski, J. D. 2017. “Not Just Another Nation: Obadiah’s Placement in the Book of the Twelve.” In The Book of the Twelve and Beyond: Collected Essays of James D. Nogalski, 115–34. Atlanta: SBL Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt1rfzzfs DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt1rfzzfs

Potgieter, J. H. 2003. “A Poetic Analysis of the Book of Obadiah.” Old Testament Essays 16 (3): 653–67.

Prinsloo, G. T. M. 2005. “The Role of Space in the שׁירי המעלות (Psalms 120–134).” Biblica 86 (4): 457–77.

Prinsloo, G. T. M. 2006. “Šeôl  Yerûšālayim  Šāmayim: Spatial Orientation in the Egyptian Hallel (Psalms 113–118).” Old Testament Essays 19 (2): 739–60.

Prinsloo, G. T. M. 2013. “Place, Space and Identity in the Ancient Mediterranean World: Theory and Practice with Reference to the Book of Jonah.” In Constructions of Space V: Place, Space and Identity in the Ancient Mediterranean World, edited by G. T. M. Prinsloo and C. M. Maier, 3–25. London: Bloomsbury.

Schäder, J. 2010. “Understanding (the Lack of) Space in Psalm 47:6 in Light of its Neighbouring Psalms: A Spatial Reading of Psalms 46–48.” Old Testament Essays 23 (1): 139–60.

Wolff, H. W. 1986. Obadiah and Jonah: A Commentary, translated by M. Kohl. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House.

Wyatt, N. 2001. Space and Time in the Religious Life of the Near East. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.