The Capital Punishment of Achior in the Book of Judith

By means of a comparison with examples of capital punishments attested in Greek Classical and Hellenistic literature, this paper offers a reflection on the character of Achior with particular reference to the theme of capital punishment in the book of Judith. This biblical book is fully embedded in...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Perego, Beatrice (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Interlibrary Loan:Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany)
Published: 2024
In: Journal of septuagint and cognate studies
Year: 2024, Volume: 57, Pages: 183-199
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Judith / Hellenism / Septuaginta (Vetus Testamentum Graecum auctoritate Academiae Scientiarum Gottingensis editum) / Greek language / Literature / Death penalty
RelBib Classification:HB Old Testament
HD Early Judaism
NCA Ethics
TB Antiquity
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Summary:By means of a comparison with examples of capital punishments attested in Greek Classical and Hellenistic literature, this paper offers a reflection on the character of Achior with particular reference to the theme of capital punishment in the book of Judith. This biblical book is fully embedded in the LXX by structural, thematic and linguistic affinities, on the one hand. On the other, many of its motifs and images refer to a Greek Classical and Hellenistic literary background. In light of these considerations, therefore, the present study first intends to analyse the words of Holofernes, in Jdt 6:5-9, asking whether and in what terms they can be interpreted as a death sentence for Achior and focusing on what causes originated this punishment. Subsequently the paper will be concerned with identifying aspects of similarities between the condemnation of Achior and other cases of death sentence in Greek Classical and Hellenistic literature: examples will be presented in order to show points of contact and to shed new light on the cultural background of the author of the book of Judith.
ISSN:2325-4793
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal of septuagint and cognate studies
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.2143/JSCS.57.0.3294341