The Hebrew Bible, Nationalism and the Origins of Anti-Judaism: A New Interpretation and Poetic Anthology

This book explores how the Hebrew Bible influenced and was distorted by later national cultures, arguing that works of this nature have an ancient precedent in the Bible. It also examines the self-critical element in the Hebrew Bible, which was adopted in translation by many other national groups, as the basis of later anti-Semitism.

Format: Hardback
Length: 308 pages
Publication date: 31 October 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

In the quest to bring together diverse populations through a shared historical and mythical heritage, this book sheds light on the prevalent cultural nationalism that has existed since the Middle Ages. As an edited compilation, the Bible encompasses texts primarily depicting distant historical periods spanning several centuries. Building upon Aberbach's previous work, National Poetry, Empires, and War, this book posits that works of this nature, such as the Mujo-Halil songs in Albania, the Irish tales of Cuchulain, the songs of the Nibelungen in Germany, or the Finnish legends collected in The Kalevala, bear a profound ancient precedent in the Hebrew Bible, a subject that has largely been overlooked in biblical studies. The self-critical aspect present in the Hebrew Bible, which would later manifest in later national literature, is explored as the foundation of subsequent anti-Semitism. It is noteworthy that the Bible was not limited to the Jewish community but was embraced in translation by numerous other national groups. Through numerous original translations from the Hebrew, this book underscores how the Bible influenced and was subsequently distorted by later national cultures.

Written in a clear and accessible manner, this book is designed for a broad readership, yet it also makes a significant contribution to the study of the Bible, nationalism, and Jewish history.

Weight: 790g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032215969