Jerusalem's Rise to Sovereignty - (Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies) by Ingrid Hjelm (Hardcover)

About the Book

Ingrid Hjelm examines the composition of the Books of Kings, using the Hezekiah narratives in 2 Kings 1820 as a focus. She argues that this narrative is taken from that of the book of Isaiah, with which it shares linguistic and thematic elements. In Kings, it is used with the specific purpose of breaking the compositional pattern of curse, which threatens to place Jerusalem on a par with Samaria.

Book Synopsis

Ingrid Hjelm examines the composition of the Books of Kings, using the Hezekiah narratives in 2 Kings 18-20 as a focus. She argues that this narrative is taken from that of the book of Isaiah, with which it shares linguistic and thematic elements. In Kings, it is used with the specific purpose of breaking the compositional pattern of curse, which threatens to place Jerusalem on a par with Samaria.

Jerusalem traditions are examined against theories of a late Yahwist author and the Pentateuch's origin within a Jerusalem cult. While the Pentateuch in its final form became a common work, acceptable to all groups because of its implied ambiguity, the Deuteronomistic History's favoring of David and Jerusalem holds a rejection of competitive groups as its implied argument.

Review Quotes

'Hjelm's study is a well documented and highly sophisticated work. Scholars and students, even those who disagree with Hjelm, will find alot of useful analysis and will have to take into consideration her arguments for the unity of Kings and the priority of Isaiah's Hezekiah narrative over its parallel in Kings as well as some of her ideological readings.' 'Recommended' - Kenneth A. Ristau, Biblica--Sanford Lakoff

"Hjelm's study is a well-documented and highly sophisticated work. Scholars and students, even those who disagree with Hjelm, will find a lot of useful analysis and will have to take into consideration her arguments" Kenneth A. Ristau Biblica Vol. 88 Fasc 1, 2007--Sanford Lakoff

Old Testament Abstracts: The Catholic Biblical Quarterly/ Vol. 29, 2006--Sanford Lakoff

Review in International Review of Biblical Studies, Vol 51: 2004/05

About the Author

DR. INGRID HJELM is Research Associate at the Carsten Niebuhr Institute of Near Eastern Studies and the Department of Biblical Studies, University of Copenhagen.