Research Catalog

Title

In the wilderness : the doctrine of defilement in the Book of Numbers / Mary Douglas.

Author

Douglas, Mary, 1921-2007

Publication

Sheffield, Eng. : JSOT Press, c1993.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Holdings

Details

Description

259 p. : ill., map; 22 cm.

Series Statement

Journal for the study of the Old Testament. Supplement series ; 158

Uniform Title

Journal for the study of the Old Testament. Supplement series 158.

Alternative Title

• Doctrine of defilement in the Book of Numbers
• Defilement in the Book of Numbers

Subject

• Bible. > Criticism, interpretation, etc
• Wilderness (Theology)
• Sin > Biblical teaching
• Scriptures

Genre/Form

Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. [248]-251) and indexes.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

• I. The book of Numbers in the context of comparative religion -- 1. Defilement -- 2. The intellectualist bias -- 3. Images, magic and monotheism -- 4. The history -- II. The politics of enclaves -- 1. A cultural typology 2. The enclave repeater mechanism -- 3. The fears of the enclave -- 4. Standard solutions -- 5. Moses as leader of an enclave -- 6. conclusion -- III. A priestly hierarchy -- 1. Anti-hierarchical bias -- 2. Hierarchical principles -- 3. Contrapuntal institutions -- 4. Contrapuntal thinking -- 5. Hierarchy's self-celebration -- 6. Kings and leaders in the Bible -- IV. The question of literary form -- 1. problems with the unity of numbers -- 2. Antique learning 3. Myth's spatial framework -- 4. Number's commentary on Genesis -- V. Twelve sections in the overall pattern -- 1. identifying the units of structure -- 2. Hebrew poetic structure -- 3. Exceptions to the rule -- 4. Beginnings and endings -- 5. Matching the paired sections -- 6. Numbers in a ring --^
• VI. The people of Israel numbered -- 1. Prologue -- 2. Three rebellions -- 3. The rod of Aaron -- 4. Marking the quarters -- 5. Political implications -- VII. The laws -- 1. The law sections -- 2. Purification -- 3. Other systems of defilement -- 4. Inadvertency -- VIII. Israel, the mystic bridge -- 1. The laws for women -- 2. The unfaithful wife -- 3. The water of purification -- 4. Israel's cup -- 5. In the days of her youth -- VIIII. Twelve tribes in marching order -- 1. Inclusion and exclusion -- 2. The twelve tribes -- 3. The sons of Levi -- 4. The hierarchical vision -- X. Jacob's prophecies: two story rungs -- 1. First story rung -- 2. Second story rung -- 3. The crises -- 4. Reuben, Simeon and Levi -- XI. Israel defiled, Miriam and her brothers -- 1. Miriam -- 2. Sister of Moses, queen of heaven -- 3. Simeon and Levi -- 4. Jacob and Esau -- 5. Flesh half-consumed -- XII. Balaam and Balak, a political satire -- 1. The story -- 2. Balaam's prophecies --^
• 3. Ezra/Nehemiah in factional perspective -- 4. Eliashib's point of view -- XIII. The land and the jubilee -- 1. The men of Manasseh -- 2. The jubilee -- 3. Peoples of the land -- 4. Nehemiah's limited jubilee -- 5. The inheritance of the people of Israel -- 6. The wilderness.

ISBN

1850754446

LCCN

gb^94000883^

OCLC

• 29457399
• SCSB-9884537

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library