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This Is An Open Access Title Available Under The Terms Of A Cc By-nc-nd 4.0 International Licence. It Is Free To Read At Oxford Scholarship Online And Offered As A Free Pdf Download From Oup And Selected Open Access Locations. Ancient Prophecy: Near Eastern, Biblical, And Greek Perspectives Is The First Monograph-length Comparative Study On Prophetic Divination In Ancient Near Eastern, Biblical, And Greek Sources. Prophecy Is One Of The Ways Humans Have Believed To Become Conversant With What Is Believed To Be Superhuman Knowledge. The Prophetic Process Of Communication Involves The Prophet, Her/his Audience, And The Deity From Whom The Message Allegedly Comes From. Martti Nissinen Introduces A Wealth Of Ancient Sources Documenting The Prophetic Phenomenon Around The Ancient Eastern Mediterranean, Whether Cuneiform Tablets From Mesopotamia, The Hebrew Bible, Greek Inscriptions, Or Ancient Historians. Nissinen Provides An Up-to-date Presentation Of Textual Sources, The Number Of Which Has Increased Substantially In Recent Times. In Addition, The Study Includes Four Analytical Comparative Chapters. The First Demonstrates The Altered State Of Consciousness To Be One Of The Central Characteristics Of The Prophets' Public Behavior. The Second Discusses The Prophets' Affiliation With Temples, Which Are The Typical Venues Of The Prophetic Performance. The Third Delves Into The Relationship Between Prophets And Kings, Which Can Be Both Critical And Supportive. The Fourth Shows Gender-inclusiveness To Be One Of The Peculiar Features Of The Prophetic Agency, Which Could Be Executed By Women, Men, And Genderless Persons As Well. The Ways Prophetic Divination Manifests Itself In Ancient Sources Depend Not Only On The Socio-religious Position Of The Prophets In A Given Society, But Also On The Genre And Purpose Of The Sources. Nissinen Contends That, Even Though The View Of The Ancient Prophetic Landscape Is Restricted By The Fragmentary And Secondary Nature Of The Sources, It I
This work investigates the nature and function of prophetic divination across ancient Near Eastern, Biblical, and Greek cultures to determine how these societies accessed perceived superhuman knowledge. Martti Nissinen, a scholar of ancient Near Eastern religions, utilizes a vast collection of primary textual sources—including cuneiform tablets, biblical texts, and Greek inscriptions—to construct a comparative framework. He argues that prophecy is a multifaceted social and religious phenomenon defined by the interaction between the prophet, the deity, and the audience, rather than a monolithic practice.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Experts recognize this monograph as a foundational comparative study that synthesizes disparate textual traditions into a coherent analytical framework. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is intended for scholars and students of ancient history and theology.
Page Count:
480
Publication Date:
2017-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0192535978
ISBN-13:
9780192535979