Characters and Characterization in the Book of Kings - (Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies) by Keith Bodner & Benjamin J M Johnson

Book Synopsis

This book is an examination of characters in the books of Kings; showing how understanding and interpretation of key characters affects readings of the story. The volume begins with more general pieces addressing how the study of characters can shed light on the composition history of Kings and on how characters and characterization can be considered with respect to ethics, particularly with respect to the moral complexity of biblical characters.

Contributors then consider key characters within the Kings narrative in depth, such as Nathan, Bathsheba, Solomon and Jezebel. The contributors use their own specific expertise to analyze these characters and more, drawing on insights from literary theory and considering such approaches as questioning our view of a particular character with based on the character within the text with whom we identify. Contributors also assess whether or not characters as portrayed in the biblical text necessarily match up to their possible counterparts in history.

Review Quotes

The studies in this volume raise some interesting and thought-provoking methodological questions regarding narratological analysis and illustrate how it can be fruitfully combined with other methods to provide new insights into the biblical text.
Catholic Biblical Quarterly

About the Author

Keith Bodner is Professor of Religious Studies at Crandall University, USA.

Benjamin J.M. Johnson is Tutor in Religious Interpretation at Wycliffe Hall, University of Oxford, UK.