Interpretations of the Name Israel in Ancient Judaism and Some Early Christian Writings: From Victorious Athlete to Heavenly Champion

by C. T. R. Hayward

Overview

Ancient peoples regarded names as indicative of character and destiny. The Jews were no exception. All Jews descended from Jacob, who was given the name Israel. The Bible seemed to explain this name as having to do with struggle. But generations following the Bible found in Israel references to seeing God, singing, ruling, being upright, angelic qualities, and much more besides. This book examines those explanations, and attempts to show how they came to be adopted and why.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199242375
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	08/11/2005
Pages:	416
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.60(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

C. T. R. Hayward is Professor of Hebrew at the University of Durham.

Table of Contents

Introduction1. The Hebrew Bible and Jacob's Change of Name2. Jacob's Change of Name and LXX3. Days without Number: Jacob, Israel, and Ben Sira4. Jacob Becomes Israel: The Story as Told by the Book of Jubilees5. The One Who Sees God: Israel According to Philo of Alexandria6. The Name Israel, Philo, and the Prayer of Joseph7. Jacob Becomes Israel: The Account of Flavius Josephus8. Jacob's Change of Name Expounded in Rabbinic Texts9. New Testament Engagements10. Some Patristic Approaches to the Name IsraelConclusion