The universalism of the spirit of prophecy in Numbers 11:26-291

Szamocki, Grzegorz (author)

This article attemptsto explain and interpret the mention in Num 11:26-29 of the prophesying of Eldad and Medad in the context of the historical-literary formation process of Num 11, the Book of Numbers as a whole, and other texts dealing with the primary history of Israel. The presented study results suggest that Num 11:4-32 is a coherent story that received its final form in the late Persian period. The passus in Num 11:26-29 is an addition to the already existing story about the murmuring of the Israelites, the quails, and the prophesying of the seventy elders, which was edited in stages. Its presence can be attributed to the universalising rereading presumed in this article as a phase in the text’s formation under consideration, which followed the Hexateuchal and the Pentateuchal redaction. This rereading reflects the universalising tendencies present in the theological and social concepts of the post-exilic community of Judah, which was concerned about its identity. In the case of Num 11:26-29, it emphasises the democratisation of prophecy and the universalism of the prophetic Spirit.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Old Testament, Numbers, prophecy, Spirit, universalism, identity
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: TEOF - Theological Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2021
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: Str. 629-640
• Numbering: Letn. 81, [št.] 3
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-163965
• UDC: 27-277-242.8
• ISSN on article: 0006-5722
• DOI: 10.34291/BV2021/03/Szamocki
• COBISS.SI-ID: 100029699
• Publication date in RUL: 15.10.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Bogoslovni vestnik
• Shortened title: Bogosl. vestn.
• Publisher: Bogoslovna akademija, Bogoslovna akademija, Teološka fakulteta v Ljubljani, Teološka fakulteta Univerze v Ljubljani, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 0006-5722
• COBISS.SI-ID: 8745472

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Univerzalnost preroškega duha v 4 Mz 11,26-29

Abstract

Članek poskuša pojasniti in interpretirati omembo iz 4 Mz 11,26-29 o prerokovanju Eldada in Medada v kontekstu literarnozgodovinskega oblikovanja 11. poglavja 4. Mojzesove knjige, te knjige kot celote in drugih besedil, ki obravnavajo prazgodovino Izraela. Rezultati pričujoče študije vodijo k ugotovitvi, da predstavlja 4 Mz 11,4-32 celovito zgodbo, ki je svojo končno podobo dobila v poznem perzijskem obdobju. Odlomek 4 Mz 11,26-29 je dodatek k že obstoječi zgodbi o stiskah Izraelcev, njihovih bojih in prerokovanju sedemdesetih starešin, ki se je urejala v različnih fazah. Obstoj odlomka lahko pripišemo univerzalističnemu ponovnemu branju (reinterpretaciji), ki ga predpostavljamo kot eno izmed faz v oblikovanju proučevanega besedila – sledila je redakcijam šesteroknižja in peteroknižja. Takšno branje odraža težnje k univerzalnosti, prisotne v teoloških in družbenih konceptih judovske skupnosti v skrbi za njeno identiteto po izhodu iz Egipta (eksodusu). V primeru 4 Mz 11,26-29 gre tako za poudarjanje demokratizacije prerokovanja in univerzalizma preroškega duha.

• Keywords: Stara zaveza, 4. Mojzesova knjiga (Numeri), preroštvo, duh, univerzalnost, identiteta