This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Burnett, J. S. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Forty-Two Songs for Elohim: An Ancient Near Eastern Organizing Principle in the Shaping of the Elohistic Psalter

Department of Religion, Baylor University, One Bear Place 97284, 1311 South 5th Street, Waco, TX 76798-7284, USA

This article identifies a scholarly consensus that has emerged regarding the place of the Elohistic Psalter (Pss. 42-83) in the growth and development of the book of Psalms. Based on this shaping framework, this study discusses the organizational and thematic significance of the number 42 in this portion of the Psalter, as suggested recently by Laura Joffe. On the basis both of evidence internal to the book of Psalms (including the Dead Sea manuscripts) and comparisons with ancient Near Eastern hymnic and religious texts, this article concludes that the number 42, as well as the use of the divine designation ‘Elohim’, did indeed function as an organizing principle in the formation of the Elohistic Psalter.

Key Words: Elohistic Psalter • Elohim • divine names • book of Psalms • Bible and ancient Near East • biblical numerology

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?