Bogoslovska smotra, Vol. 91 No. 2, 2021.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.53745/bs.91.2.11
The Role of Numeral Proverbs in the Structure and Message of Am 1:3 - 2:16
Božo Lujić
; Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
In its tripartite structure, Amos's book contains also speeches against foreign nations and Israel (see 1:3 -2:16). These speeches are clothed in literary garments of mutually independent cadenzas characterized by a firm structure that consists of five elements: introductory epistolary form, the general proclamation of irrevocable decision, special explanation via indication of the crime, threat of punishment, concluding epistolary form. Within such a structure, this article will pay special attention to the second element, where one finds the literary form of the gradual numeral proverb that is also to be found in sapiential literature. The research for this article focused on the specification of the concept and place where that concept is used in sapiential literature and on specific characteristics that it has in that context. Two numeral proverbs have been analyzed and the conclusion has been reached that these proverbs appeal to human experience in order to point towards crookedness of specific interpersonal behavior that reaches its peak in the last element of a numeral proverb. God's sanctioning of such acts is mentioned only rarely and in traces. Amos's numeral proverbs maintain the same structure; the only difference being that he made them simpler and shorter in order to point out, even more, their emphasis in the fourth element, called pešaʿ (crime) by the prophet and applying equally to all nations, including Israel. The prophet puts the cadenza of the speech against Israel in the last, eighth place, thereby emphasizing it and showing that crimes of Israel are more serious than crimes of other nations against each other because Israel does such things against their own countrymen. Israel is, therefore, not any better than other nations. Apart from that, God protects human beings and nations and punishes transgressions against the human dignity and rights of nations. The author of this article tries to point out through analysis the importance of emphasis in numeral proverbs and to show its function in the speech against Israel.
Keywords
numeral proverbs; structural elements; dignity of human being; rights of nations; crime; punishment; God's impartiality.
Hrčak ID:
266219
URI
Publication date:
29.7.2021.
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