Jezebel: Portraits of a Queen (Interfaces) [Paperback]

Patricia Dutcher-Walls (Author), Barbara Green (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2004 | Series: Interfaces

Powerful. Assertive. Evil. What we know of Jezebel, queen of Israel, seems pure malevolence. What we know is what ancient writers, in their attempt to shape a theological history, considered important. More than just an intriguing story, Jezebel: Portraits of a Queen provides insight into a character used (and portrayed) by biblical writers as a negative example. Two portraits of Jezebel are created: that of Jezebel the story character, taken from narrative criticism, and Jezebel the queen, drawn from a sociological study. Combining these two portraits, the reader can begin to understand the ancient writers' worldviews, theologies, values, and loyalties. Jezebel's story gives readers a new perspective with which they may approach all biblical texts. The focuses on social organization and monarchy will help students study the text within a framework of biblical society.

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About the Author

The Reverend Dr. Patricia Dutcher-Walls is Associate Professor of Hebrew Scripture and Old Testament at Knox College, at the University of Toronto, as well as a minister in the Presbyterian Church in Canada.

Product Details

• Paperback: 158 pages
• Publisher: Michael Glazier Books (September 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081465150X
• ISBN-13: 978-0814651506
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,033,386 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Jezebel--the Evil Queen, January 2, 2012

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Steven J. Torrey (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Jezebel: Portraits of a Queen (Interfaces) (Paperback)

Patricia Dutcher-Walls provides an excellent recording of the Omrid Dynasty of the Northern Kingdom, Israel. Because Jezebel, a daughter of a king of Sidon,and Ahab worshiped Baal/Melkart, the whole northern Kingdom of Israel was apostate; when Shalmaneser and Sargon defeated the Northern Kingdom in 722, the loss was attributed to Jezebel's--and the Northern Kindgom's--evil worship of foreign gods. Patricia Dutcher-Walls examines Jezebel era with a close reading of the story line, looks at the formulas used to describe Jezebel and Ahab, and looks at the world view of the Northern Kingdom in contrast to the monotheistic world view of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. And most importantly, perhaps, what the true prophets of YAHWEH prophecy comes to pass. Patricia Ducher-Walls further reminds the reader that the Kings Narrative is a recapitulation of events long after the event as amended by narrators of the Southern Kingdom Judah which would end up being home of the Monotheistic YAHWEH cult in Jerusalem. And again reminded of emendations to the King's narrative after the exilic return in 522 BCE with emphasis on the political and religious agenda of the returnees; that is to say, the returnees remained faithful to YAHWEH during the exile and that fidelity led them to return to Jerusalem and the sacred land of Judah.

I always like that Paris Hilton saw fit to bring the Bible with her to prison; she may as well have brought Anthony Trollope. Those who study Hebrew scripture soon learn there is density and sophistication within those Hebrew words, not readily accessible without close reading of the text like a reading Patricia Dutcher-Walls gives.

5.0 out of 5 stars Good introduction to Biblical Narrative Analysis. Great Bible Study Aid, June 12, 2010

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B. Marold "Bruce W. Marold" (Bethlehem, PA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Jezebel: Portraits of a Queen (Interfaces) (Paperback)

Patricia Dutcher-Walls, Jezebel: portraits of a Queen (Collegeville, MN, Liturgical Press, A Michael Glazier Book, 2004)

From the bibliographical reference above, pay particular attention to the fact that the title is `portraits', plural, and not singular. This is important. What is not important is the fact that the book is published by a house from which you may expect light materials, with a devotional bent. This book is not like that. Another possible wrong turn one may take with the book is to believe it is not suitable as material for an adult Bible Study text, especially a woman's adult Bible Study group, because of the reputation of the title character, Jezebel. This is mistaken for three reasons.

First, the story of Jezebel spans a remarkably long stretch of the history of the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah, as described in 1 and 2 Kings. It starts at 1 Kings 16, when Ahab takes the throne of Israel, marries Jezebel of Sidon, Phoenicia, and begins worshiping the Canaanite god, Baal. It ends at 2 Kings 9, with Jezebel's death at the hands of YHWH's anointed successor to the throne, Jehu. Other kings of Israel and Judah reigned for longer times, but have much shorter narratives in the Deuteronomic history.

Second, the story of Jezebel and Ahab, two names to conjure with in the history of western literary art, is dramatically interesting. It may not be quite as poetic or as well stitched together as Shakespeare's Macbeth, but it may have been where Shakespeare got some of his ideas, especially of the character of the female figure stiffening the backbone of her royal consort.

Third, the book is an excellent introduction to how to read Biblical dramatic narrative. The fact that the instructions work so well for the Bible means they will work well as a guide to reading Sophocles, Marlowe, and Tennessee Williams. What the book gives you is the basic sense of how to read dramatic dialogue like a director. My favorite example of this kind of reading comes from Genesis 18:22--33, where Abraham is arguing with God over the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. At verse 30, Abraham says `Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. ` This is a plain queue to let us know that in God's previous speech, his attitude was starting to become just a bit annoyed with his `servant', Abraham.

Just like all drama, and like all political rhetoric, for that matter, the Old Testament writing uses many techniques to convince one of an idea which are not purely logical. The book illustrates these techniques using scenes from this story of Jezebel.

The most general of these techniques are: accumulation of detail or repetition; disruption or introduction of something new and unexpected; connection between a dramatic act or character and a narrative element; introducing complexity or ambiguity; attempt to use or at least a `show' of logical arguments to prove a point.

Techniques of association, which attempt to take you from the familiar to the unfamiliar are: arguments from authority; an illustration used to fill out a narrative element; using a visionary or mythic symbol to build an argument; piling up a series of terms to make a cluster.

Techniques of dissociation, which attempt to dissuade or discourage someone from a position are: omitting a point, suggesting it's unimportant; excluding details from a point, also to signify unimportance; dramatically connect a point with a negative association; showing that something or someone is NOT like someone or something which is liked.

The book now illustrates all these techniques in telling the story of Jezebel. The story analyzed from three different points of view. The first is a narrative of Jezebel as the Queen of Israel. The second is a narrative analysis of Jezebel as the Queen mother of Ahab's two heirs. The third is a sociological analysis of Jezebel's two roles. Then, all three portraits are combined into a single overall image of the historical character.

The sociological analysis is similarly excellent, placing you in the context of ancient Israel, by your imagining that: a) Your primary social group is your extended family, extending out to assorted grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. b) Your primary social context is your small hilly rural village, consisting of a number of extended families like yours. c) Your livelihood depends on agriculture: vegetable gardens, grain fields, vineyards, olive orchards and fruit orchards. d) Your social network and decisions are made by the eldest heads of the extended families. e) Your religious life depends on a collection of villages comprising your clan, centered by a home shrine and a local holy site. f) Interactions with the region occurs primarily through travelling merchants. g) The greatest extent of your world is governed by the household of the royal family, to which you have an obligation to support. h) The royal family lives a lifestyle you can never hope to share. i) The royal house claims the blessing of the nation's God, YHWH. j) The royal family interacts with the international neighbors. The analysis of the story establishes each character's role in these contexts, and the relations between each of the characters' roles.

Like any type of Biblical `deconstruction', narrative analysis is not easy, but this book puts it within the range of what educated lay people can do in a thoughtful Bible study group.

The `Suggestions for Further Reading' gives an excellent lineup of sources for both the Biblical text and the techniques of narrative analysis.