Language:
English
Year of publication:
2020
Titel der Quelle:
Deuterocanonical and Cognate Literature Yearbook (2022-2023)
Angaben zur Quelle:
(2020) 141-159
Keywords:
Tobit (Apocryphal book) Criticism, interpretation, etc.
;
Ethnicity in post-biblical literature
;
Jews Identity
;
In post-biblical literature
Abstract:
The Book of Tobit has various interpretational levels. Our study focuses on the final, complex phase of the book. Keywords in the book have different meanings in different narrative situations at different levels of interpretation. “Israel” designates the geographical space of life of Tobit and his relatives before the exile. At the same time, it is the political unit of the northern Yahwists in the eretz. As the third meaning, “Israel” signifies the religious community across geographical borders. Analyses of these levels of meaning, indicate that (like the Book of Ezekiel) the Book of Tobit creates a unity called Israel out of the two geographically and politically defined Yahwistic peoples, Judah, and Israel. This process took place during the exile. In the Book of Tobit, the two groups are represented by Tobit (the northern Israelites) and Sarah (the southern Judahites). Both groups have problems and diseases, but God (by his angel) brought them together, healed them and united them in marriage. The alternative geographical locations of the protagonists also suggest two distinct groups in captivity, whose redemption or common destiny takes shape in Media. A united Israel will return to Jerusalem and will center around its Temple. In my opinion, the Book of Tobit establishes the identity of the post-exilic Yahwistic returnees in Yehud (Jerusalem), which is called Israel. At the same time, it discredits the claim of the northern Yahwists, the Gerizim community, that they are Israel.
DOI:
10.1515/9783111337807-009
URL:
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