Abstract
On the basis of a few Hittite sources, which allude to the place of the king's cart and attendants in some legal proceedings, it is suggested that the pericope II Sam 15,16, although cast in the form of a casual narrative depicting Absalom's regal pomp and manoeuvres to press his claim to the throne, reflects in fact the outlines of royal legal proceedings. It is shown that the pericope is strewn with various technical terms from the realm of legal proceedings, and these include the royal cart and the fifty runners, which seem to have played a defined role in such legal proceedings presided over by the king in ancient times, as well as the (ratifying) kiss and the bow mentioned in v. 5. Absalom thus seems to be underlining thereby one of the main roles of the king in ancient times that of the supreme judge.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 44-52 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Zeitschrift fur die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft |
| Volume | 122 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 2010 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- History
- Religious studies