Together in Guilt: David, Jonadab, and the Rape of Tamar
Jonadab, friend and very wise (חכם מאד) confidant of Amnon, is often blamed for arranging Amnon’s rape of Tamar. David, Amnon’s doting father, likewise bears responsibility for neither preventing nor punishing Amnon. While David’s guilt is more obvious, the justifications offered in narrative readi...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Sage
2021
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| In: |
Journal for the study of the Old Testament
Year: 2021, Volume: 45, Issue: 3, Pages: 309-319 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Historical books
/ Bible. Samuel 2. 13
/ Exegesis
/ Jonadab, Biblical person
/ Amnon
/ Tamar Daughter of David
/ David, Israel, König
/ Kidnapping of women
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| IxTheo Classification: | HA Bible HB Old Testament |
| Further subjects: | B
Rape
B Wisdom B Amnon B David B Tamar B Narrative repetition B Jonadab |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Jonadab, friend and very wise (חכם מאד) confidant of Amnon, is often blamed for arranging Amnon’s rape of Tamar. David, Amnon’s doting father, likewise bears responsibility for neither preventing nor punishing Amnon. While David’s guilt is more obvious, the justifications offered in narrative readings for Jonadab’s guilt lack sufficient evidence. This article employs a narrative analysis focused on repetition in order to explain Jonadab’s situation vis-à-vis the rape. A close look at the narrative repetitions in the text reveals the curious alignment of Jonadab and David and distances the two of them from Amnon. In a fourfold repetition of events, the first (Jonadab) and third (David) iterations hold together, whereas the second (Amnon) and fourth (narration of Tamar) act as a pair. This does not indicate that David and Jonadab are innocent, but are guilty rather of the loss of royal authority (David) and its associated wisdom (Jonadab). |
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| ISSN: | 1476-6728 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal for the study of the Old Testament
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1177/0309089220950342 |