Mercer University Press: The Blood of Abel

The Blood of Abel
The Violent Plot in the Hebrew Bible

by Mark McEntire

Violence in the Bible is a them that has received a tremendous amount of attention in recent years. What has been lacking in many such studies is the kind of sustained exegesis of biblical texts which allows the bible itself to set the agenda. This book attempts to begin with biblical texts and to stay with them long enough to hear what they have to say, rather than using a collection of texts to support an argument. Part I traces the biblical story of Israel, focusing on tests at the turning points of the narrative. Violence enters the human community in the story of Cain and Abel. The thread of violence than runs through the entire biblical narrative. It appears prominently in texts where the status of Israel changes from free persons to slaves to wanderers to land-owning tribes to citizens of a monarchy to citizens of two monarchies to exiles.

The interpretations of these passages expose their violent nature and then ask what they tell us about human violence. They reveal that violence is an inevitable part of human existence, which defies attempts to control it. They illustrate the ways in which violence alters human identity, both of the victims and the perpetrators. Finally, these texts portray an ambiguous role for god in the midst of human violence.

Part 2 examines representative prophetic texts as responses to Israel's violent story, revealing that even these oracles accept the inevitability of violence and ultimately promote it. Even visions of peace and restoration are preceded by violent action which makes way for them. The conclusion looks at ways this concern about violence may have shaped the Hebrew and Christian canons.

Mark McEntire is the Dean of the Department of Theology and professor Old Testament at Mekane Yesus Seminary. He earned degrees from the University of Illinois and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has written articles for Word and World and The Ecumenical Review.

Title of related interest

Perspectives on War in the Bible

Call us toll free at 800-637-2378, ext. 2880 or 800-342-0841, ext. 2880 (in GA)
For help on orders email us at mupressorders@mercer.edu

Retail $19.95, paperback

Relgious Studies

ISBN 978-0-86554-629-5

MUP/P183


	Home \| About Us \| Author Info \| Books \| Search \| E-Mail © 2002 Mercer University Press. All rights reserved.