Prophets and monarchs were complimentary social institutions which balanced power in ancient Israel. Prophets were leaders of the monarch's loyal opposition. Some prophets were closely aligned with royal or religious centers of power, some were peripheral-dependent on popular constituencies for power. Power in ancient Israel was understood as ability to feed and ability to protect. Prophets and monarchs both believed that only Yahweh fed and protected Israel. Monarchs, however, argued that the social system which best acknowledged this belief was the surplus or centralized economic and military system common in Canaanite city states, whereas prophets argued for the subsistence or decentralized system attempted in early Israel (1250-1000 BCE). Royal policy stressed the biblical traditions of covenant stewardship; prophetic policy stressed the traditions of Israel as a slave-free society.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Amsler,S.1980 "Le prophetes et la communication par les actes ." In Werden und Wirken des Alten Testaments. Festschrift für Claus Westermann zum 70. Geburtstag: 194-201. Göttingen , Germany: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.
2.
Bauman, Richard1975 "Verbal Art as Performance." AA77: 290-311.
3.
Beals, Ralph L. and Harry Hoijer1971An Introduction to Anthropology. Fourth edition; New York, NY: Macmillan.
4.
Beckling, B.E.J.H.1989 "I will break his yoke from off your neck: remarks on Jeremiah 30:4-11." OTS25 ( 1989) : 63-76.
5.
Bellman, B.1974 "The Socio-Linguistics of Ritual Performance." In New Dimensions in Dance Research: anthropology & dance: the American Indian. CORD Research Annual6.
6.
Blenkinsopp, Joseph1983A History of Prophecy in Israel. Philadelphia , PA: Westminster.
7.
Bourquin, D.1979 "To Talk of Mime." In Mimes on Miming . Edited by B. Rolfe.Los Angeles, CA: Panjandrum.
8.
Broadbent, R.J.1964History of Pantomime. New York, NY: B. Blom.
9.
Burridge, Kenelm O. L.1981 "Reflections on Prophecy and Prophetic Groups." Semeia21: 99-102.
10.
1969New Heaven, New Earth: a study of millenarian activities. New York, NY: Schocken.
Carroll, Robert P.1973When Prophecy Failed: cognitive dissonance in the prophetic traditions of the Old Testament. New York, NY : Seabury.
13.
Clifford, Richard J.1966 "The use of HOY in the Prophets." CBQ28: 458-64.
14.
Comaroff, Jean1985Body of power, spirit of resistance: the culture and history of a South African people. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago.
15.
Comstock, Tamara, ed. 1974New Dimensions in Dance Research: anthropology & dance: the American Indian . CORD Research Annual6.
16.
Coote, Robert B.1981Amos Among the Prophets. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress.
17.
Crenshaw, James L.1971 "Prophetic Conflict: its effects upon Israelite religion ." BZAW124.
18.
Cross, Frank Moore1973Canaanite Myth and Hebrew Epic: essays in the history of the religion of Israel. Cambridge, MA: Harvard.
19.
Culley, Robert C. and Thomas W. Overholt, eds. 1981Anthropological perspectives on Old Testament Prophecy. Semeia21.
20.
Dalley, Stephanie1984Mari and Karana: two old Babylonian cities. New York, NY: Longman.
21.
Dick, Michael B.1984 "Prophetic Poiesis And The Verbal Icon." CBQ46: 226-46.
22.
Eichrodt, W.1961Theology of the Old Testament. 2 vols. Philadelphia, PA: Westminster.
23.
Eliade, Mircea1964Shamanism: archaic techniques of ecstasy. New York, NY: Pantheon.
24.
Evans-Pritchard, E.E.1964Social Anthropology and Other Essays. New York: Free Press.
25.
Fries, N.K.1904Das philosophische Gesprach von Hiob bis Platon .
26.
Ginsberg, H.L.1978 "The Oldest Record of Hysteria with Physical Stigmata, Zech 13:2-6." In Studies in Bible and the Anceint Near East: presented to S. E. Lowenstamm: 23-7. Jerusalem, Israel.
27.
Greenberg, Moshe1990 "Biblical Attitudes Toward Power: Ideal and Reality in Law and Prophets." In Religion and Law: Biblical-Judaic and Islamic Perspectives: 101-25. Edited by E. B. Firmage, et al. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns.
28.
Gunkel, Hermann1987The Folktale in the Old Testament. Translated by M. D. Rutter. Sheffield, UK: Almond Press .
29.
Habel, N.1965 "The Form and Significance of the Call Narrative ." ZAW77: 297-323.
30.
Hanson, Paul D.1985 "Conflict in Ancient Israel and Its Resolution." In Understanding the Word: 185-205. Edited by J. Butler, E. Conrad and B. Ollenburger.Sheffield, UK: JSOT.
31.
1979The Dawn of Apocalyptic. Philadelphia, PA :, Fortress.
32.
Herion, Gary A.1986 "The Impact of Modern and Social Science Assumptions on The Reconstruction of Israelite History." jSOT34: 3-33.
33.
Hieb, L.1986 "Rhythms of Significance: toward a symbolic analysis of dance in ritual." In New Dimensions in Dance Research: anthropology & dance: the American Indian. CORD Research Annual6.
34.
Hossfeld, F.L. and Meyer, I.L.1973Prophet gegen Prophet. Göttingen , Germany.
35.
Huffmon, H.1959 "The Covenant Lawsuit in the Prophets." JBL78: 285-95.
36.
Kapelrud, Arvid S.1967 "Shamanistic Features in the Old Testament." In Studies in Shamanism: 90-96. Edited by Carl-Martin Edsman.Stockholm, Sweden: Almqvist & Wiksell.
37.
Koch, Klaus1983The Prophets: the Assyrian Period. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress.
38.
1984The Prophets: the Babylonian and Persian Periods. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress.
39.
Kohler, Ludwig H.1957Hebrew Man. Nashville, TN: Abingdon.
40.
Lakoff, George1987Women, fire, and dangerous things: what categories reveal about the mind. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago.
41.
Lang, Bernhard1986 "Street Theater, Raising the Dead, and the Zoroastrian Connection in Ezekiel's prophecy." In Ezekiel and His Book: Textual and Literary Criticism and Their Interrelation: 297-316. Edited by J. Lust. BETL 74; Leuven, The Netherlands: Leuven University Press.
42.
1985 "Anthropology as a new model for biblical studies." In Anthropological Approaches to the Old Testament: 1-20. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress.
43.
1983 a Monotheism and the Prophetic Minority. Sheffield, UK: Almond.
44.
1983b "Old Testament and Anthropology: a preliminary bibliography ." Biblische Notizen: Beitrdge zur exegetischen Diskussion20: 37-46.
45.
1980Kein Aufstand in Jerusalem: Die Politik des Propheten Ezechiel . Stuttgart, Germany: Katholisches Bibelwerk.
46.
Lewis, I.M.1981 "What is a Shaman." Folk23: 25-35.
47.
1971Ecstatic Religion: an anthropological study of spirit possession and shamanism. Baltimore, MD: Penguin .
48.
Limburg, J.1978 "The Prophets in Recent Study." Interpretation32: 56-68.
49.
1969 "The Root ryb and the Prophetic Lawsuit Speeches," JBL88: 291-304.
50.
Long, Burke O.1981 "Social Dimensions of Prophetic Conflict." Semeia21: 31-53.
51.
1977 "Prophetic Authority as Social Reality." In Canon and Authority: 3-20. Edited by G. W. Coats et al. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress.
52.
1975 "Social Setting for Prophetic Miracle Stories." Semeia3: 46-63.
53.
McKane, W.1982 "Prophet and Institution." ZAW94: 251-66.
54.
1979 "Prophecy and the Prophetic Literature." In Traditions and Interpretation: 163-88. Edited by G. W. Anderson.Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
55.
Malamat, Abraham1987 "A Forerunner of Biblical Prophecy: the Mari documents ." In Ancient Israelite Religion: 33-52. Edited by P. Miller, Jr., P. Hanson et al. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress .
56.
1989Mari and the Early Israelite Experience. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
57.
March, Eugene1974 "Prophecy." In Old Testament Form Criticism . Edited by John H. Hayes.San Antonio, TX: Trinity University.
58.
Matthews, V.H.1991 "Messengers and the Transmssion of Information in the Mari Kingdom." Unpublished.
59.
1987 "Entrance Ways and Threshing Floors: Legally Significant Sites in the Ancient Near East." Fides et Historia19: 25-40.
60.
Matthews, V.H. and Don C. Benjamin1991Old Testament Parallels: laws and stories from the ancient Near East. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist.
61.
Montagu, Ashley, ed. 1974Frontiers of Anthropology. New York, NY: G. P. Putnam's Sons.
62.
Mowinckel, Sigmund1987 "Cult and Prophecy." In Prophecy in Israel: search for an identity: 74-98. Edited by D. Petersen.
63.
Mullen, E. Theodore, Jr.1980The Divine Council in Canaanite and Early Hebrew Literature. Chico, CA: Scholars.
64.
Newberry, P.E.1893Beni Hassan. Egypt Exploration Society .
65.
Nicoll, A.1963Masks, Mimes and Miracles: studies in popular theatre . New York, NY: Cooper Square.
66.
Nobleman, R.1979Mime and Masks. Rowayton: New Plays.
67.
Overholt, Thomas W.1989Channels of Prophecy: the social dynamics of prophetic activity. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress .
68.
1988 "The end of prophecy: no players without a program." JSOT42: 103-115.
69.
1986Prophecy in Cross-Cultural Perspective: a sourcebook for biblical researchers. Atlanta, GA: Scholars .
70.
1985 "Prophecy, the problem of cross-cultural comparison." In Anthropological Approaches to the Old Testament: 60-82. Edited by B. Lang.Philadelphia, PA: Fortress.
71.
1982 "Seeing is Believing: the social setting of prophetic acts of power." JSOT23: 3-31.
72.
Parker, S.B.1978 "Possession trance and prophecy in pre-exilic Israel ." VT28: 271-85.
73.
Petersen, David L.1988 "Rethinking the End of Prophecy." Wunschet ferusalem Frieden : 37-64. Edited by M. Augustin and K. D. Schunk.Frankfurt , Germany: P. Lang.
74.
1987Prophecy in Israel: search for an identity. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress.
75.
1981The Roles of Israel's Prophets. Sheffield , UK: Journal for the Study of the Old Testament.
76.
Porter, Joshua R.1982 "The Origins of Prophecy in Israel." In Israel's Prophetic Traditions: 12-31. Edited by R. Coggins , A. Phillips, M. Knibb.New York, NY: Cambridge .
77.
Pritchard, J.1969Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament , 3rd ed. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
78.
Ringgren, Helmer1982 ''Prophecy in the ancent Near East." In Israel's Prophetic Tradition: 1-11. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University.
79.
Rogerson, J.W.1984Anthropology and the Old Testament. Sheffield, UK: JSOT.
80.
Rolfe, B.1979 "Introduction." In Mimes on Miming: writing on the art of mime. Edited by B. Rolfe.Los Angeles, CA: Panjandrum .
81.
Ross, J.1962 "The Prophet as Yahweh's Messenger." In Israel's Prophetic Heritage: 98-107. Edited by B. W. Anderson and W. Harrelson.New York, NY: Harper & Brothers.
82.
Rowley, H.H.1952 "The Nature of Old Testament Prophecy in the Light of Recent Study." In The Servant of the Lord and other Essays in the Old Testament: 91-128. London.
83.
Tyler, Stephen A.1987The Unspeakable: discourse, dialogue, and rhetoric in the postmodem world. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin.
84.
1978The said and the unsaid: mind, meaning, and culture. New York, NY: Academic.
85.
De Vries, S.1978Prophet against Prophet. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
86.
Wallace, Anthony F. C.1972The Death and Rebirth of the Seneca. New York: Vintage.
87.
Weber, Max1952Ancient Judaism. Translated and edited by Hans H. Gerth and Don Martindale.Glencoe: Free Press.
88.
Weinfeld, Moshe1986 "The Protest Against Imperialism in Ancient Israelite Prophecy ." In Origins and Diversity of Axial Age Civilization : 169-82. Edited by S. Eisenstadt.Albany, NY: SUNY.
89.
Westermann, Claus1967Basic Forms of Prophetic Speech. Trans. by Hugh Clayton White. Philadelphia, PA: Westminster .
90.
Wilson, A.E.1935King Panto, the story of pantomime. New York, NY: E. P. Dutton.
91.
Wilson, Robert R.1980Prophecy and Society in Ancient Israel. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress.
92.
Wolff, Hans Walter1986 "Prophets and Institutions in the Old Testament ." Currents in Theology and Mission13: 5-12.
