Geographical Dimensions of the Book of Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy - Outside the Box - Diana V. Edelman

Diana V. Edelman [+-]
University of Oslo
Diana V. Edelman is Professor Emerita of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament in the Faculty of Theology at the University of Oslo. Her own research focuses on the history, archaeology, and literature of the southern Levant, the development of early forms of Judaisms, and ancient Near Eastern literature viewed from the perspective of social memory. She has thirteen seasons of excavation experience in Israel. While her research tends to focus on the Iron Age and Persian period, she is interested in earlier and later periods and a wide range of topics. Current interests include local responses to imperialism, royal ideology, the development of technology and agriculture, everyday life, issues involving religion and ritual, burial and afterlife beliefs, diaspora studies, migration studies, frontier studies, social memory, ancient economies, and ancient political organization. Her numerous publications include 17 authored or edited books, 44 chapters in edited volumes, 14 articles in refereed journals, 58 dictionary and encyclopedia articles, and 128 book reviews (as of 2/2015).

Description

A number of geographical issues relating to Deuteronomy are explored. The physical characteristics of Cisjordan are described before moving on to the implications of Israelitizing the promised land and the phenomenon of cities of refuge. The chapter ends with an examination of three geographical anomalies. First is the use of the designation Seir/Mt. Seir vs. Edom in the book. Second is the favoring of (Mt.) Horeb instead of (Mt.) Sinai as the name of the site of the giving of the law and covenant-making after leaving Egypt. Finally, why the mountains of Gerizim and Ebal next to Shechem are the place where the words of the Moab covenant are to be inscribed and a commemorative ceremony is to take place, rather than the town of Shechem, Mt. Zion, or Jerusalem, is considered.

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Citation

Edelman, Diana V.. Geographical Dimensions of the Book of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy - Outside the Box. Equinox eBooks Publishing, United Kingdom. p. 95-133 Nov 2024. ISBN 9781800506121. https://www.equinoxpub.com/home/view-chapter/?id=44276. Date accessed: 13 Dec 2024 doi: 10.1558/equinox.44276. Nov 2024

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