Shaping and Meaning in the Story of Naboth's Vineyard. 1 Kgs 21: An Abstract

The Bialik Institute

Prof. Yaira Amit, Tel Aviv University
Beit Mikra - Volume 60 (2015), No. 1, The Bialik Institute

This article deals with the episode of Naboth the Jezreelite's vineyard (1 Kgs 21) and its significance. That will be determined by examining the poetics of the story, i.e. by considering what interpretation is supported by elements like plot development, the characters and their dialogues, the literary style and more. In other words, which interpretation that is coherent with the story's details. My analysis combines diachronic and synchronic approaches.
The present article will therefore try to answer questions regarding the historical background of the story, its time, and the issue of who would have desired to attribute social sins to Ahab, and why.