• Remembering Absalom's Death in 2 Samuel 18–19: History, Memory, and Inscription

    Author(s):
    Matthew Suriano (see profile)
    Date:
    2018
    Group(s):
    Ancient Near East, Biblical archaeology, Biblical Studies
    Subject(s):
    Bible, Antiquities
    Item Type:
    Article
    Tag(s):
    Biblical Historiography, Israelite, Inscriptions, Hebrew bible, Biblical archaeology
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/2xqx-bj66
    Abstract:
    The brief notice of Absalom’s pillar in 2 Sam 18:18 provides an important yet un-usual case of how memory is constructed in ancient Israel and the Hebrew Bible. Commemoration of the dead typically works from the perspective of the (living) descendent and is directed towards the (deceased) ancestor. Yet in this example Absalom commemorates himself, effectively circumventing cultural ideals of patrilineal succession, rupturing the symbolic power of memory, and severing the rebellious prince from his father’s lineage. Absalom’s pillar can be compared with the rhetorical self-commemoration of two parallel sources: a Phoenician inscription erected by ʿAbd-ʾosīr (KAI 35) and the recently discovered Old Aramaic stele of Katumuwa from Samʾal (modern Zincirli). In these examples, the mechanics of remembering are inverted. This inversion is a key motif throughout 2 Samuel 18–19, which portrays the end of Absalom’s revolt, the reversal of his fate, and his father David’s survival. From Absalom’s ignoble burial and self-commemoration in 2 Sam 18:17–18, to David’s tragic mourning for his dead son in 2 Sam 19:1–5, the biblical narrative emphasizes interrelated themes of dynastic rupture and continuity in order to bring closure to Absalom’s story and highlight the survival of David’s royal house.
    Metadata:
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    Published as:
    Journal article     Show details
    Pub. DOI:
    10.1628/hebai-2018-0013
    Publisher:
    Mohr Siebeck
    Pub. Date:
    2018-12-12
    Journal:
    Hebrew Bible and Ancient Israel
    Volume:
    7
    Issue:
    2
    Page Range:
    172 - 200
    ISSN:
    2192-2276
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    4 years ago
    License:
    All Rights Reserved
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