Title
Looking for Levites in the Book of Judges
Abstract
The social location of the village culture as portrayed in the Judges period provides no legitimate place or cultic role for Levites. Their occasional appearances, (aside from the artificial injection of Phinehas into the civil war narrative in Judg 20:27-28), simply reinforce that fact that they do not and cannot perform the tasks that are traditionally assigned to Levites in the monarchy period. Instead, they, like most other characters in Judges, are portrayed as flawed individuals, who have little stake in teaching about or ministering before Yahweh. It is more in character that they are willing to serve idols and to sacrifice others rather than speak the truth. This narrative is intentionally presented as a world-turned-upside-down and it would upset the balance of chaos for Levites to suddenly appear to rectify the situation.
Department(s)
Religious Studies
Document Type
Article
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1163/18712207-12341257
Publication Date
2013
Recommended Citation
Matthews, Victor H. "Looking for Levites in the Book of Judges." Horizons in Biblical Theology 35, no. 2 (2013): 136-150.
Journal Title
Horizons in Biblical Theology
