The Shepherd Motif in the Psalter

This thesis considers the use of the shepherd metaphor in the Psalter. In keeping<br/>with its use elsewhere in the ANE, it was found to have strongly royal overtones. It is<br/>principally used in descriptions of Israel's God. Less frequently, it is applied to undershepherds<br/>such as Moses, Aaron and David. More specifically, the shepherd<br/>metaphor presents Yahweh as an interventionist deity who deals gently with his people.<br/>The Psalter gives the metaphor a particularly Israelite flavour by connecting it<br/>with both the exodus from Egypt and the temple. The exodus connection is made<br/>not only by explicit references within the psalms to that event, but also through allusions<br/>to Exodus 15. The latter passage contains a jeu de mot which may already link<br/>shepherding to the temple. That connection is further developed in the Psalter and<br/>may explain the placement of some shepherd psalms. A final question that is considered<br/>is the frequency of the shepherd metaphor. Especially in light of the Psalter's<br/>emphasis on kingship, it is argued that the shepherd metaphor is infrequent. A possible<br/>explanation for that phenomenon is proposed which relates to the genre of the<br/>Psalter.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctor of Philosophy (awarded by UHI)

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral Thesis

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of the Highlands and Islands

Year dc:date.issued

2023

Author dc:creator

• Sladek, Daniel

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Grant, Jamie

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

oai:pure.atira.dk:studenttheses/3bc2a893-f1a7-4ca5-ade3-fd15476a4366

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:pure.atira.dk:studenttheses/3bc2a893-f1a7-4ca5-ade3-fd15476a4366