Benjamin and the Anonymous Ten Tribes of Israel: A Holistic Approach to Tribal Confusions
In: Vetus TestamentumSearch for other papers by Andrew Tobolowsky in
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Abstract
This article weighs in on new debates about the affiliation of the tribe of Benjamin between Israel and Judah in the early monarchy. It points to two underappreciated aspects of the Hebrew Bible’s account of tribal realities in the books of Kings: the anonymity of the ten tribes attributed to Israel in 1 Kgs 11–12, and how unusual the absence of a complete and detailed account of tribal arrangements in Kings is in the context of a Primary History as a whole. It argues that both of these realities reflect a deliberate effort to obscure Benjamin’s northern origins and that, in fact, it is impossible to come up with a plausible list of ten Israelite tribes without Benjamin.
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| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
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Benjamin and the Anonymous Ten Tribes of Israel: A Holistic Approach to Tribal Confusions
In: Vetus TestamentumSearch for other papers by Andrew Tobolowsky in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
This article weighs in on new debates about the affiliation of the tribe of Benjamin between Israel and Judah in the early monarchy. It points to two underappreciated aspects of the Hebrew Bible’s account of tribal realities in the books of Kings: the anonymity of the ten tribes attributed to Israel in 1 Kgs 11–12, and how unusual the absence of a complete and detailed account of tribal arrangements in Kings is in the context of a Primary History as a whole. It argues that both of these realities reflect a deliberate effort to obscure Benjamin’s northern origins and that, in fact, it is impossible to come up with a plausible list of ten Israelite tribes without Benjamin.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 588 | 199 | 15 |
| Full Text Views | 141 | 34 | 3 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 366 | 97 | 4 |
