YHWH and Israel in the Book of Judges: An Object – Relations Analysis

Deryn Guest

doi:10.1017/9781108568562

In the Book of Judges the narrator presents an image of the good parent YHWH whose enduring love and loyalty is offset by his wayward child Israel who defaults on the relationship repeatedly. Biblical scholars have largely concurred, demonstrating the many faults of Israel while siding with YHWH's privileged viewpoint. When object-relations theory (which examines how human beings relate to each other) is applied to Judges, a different story emerges. In its capacity to illuminate why and how relationships can be intense, problematic, rewarding, and enduring, object-relations theory reveals how both YHWH and Israel have attachment needs that are played out vividly in the story world. Deryn Guest reveals how its narrator engages in a variety of psychological strategies to mask suppressed rage as he engages in an intriguing but rather dysfunctional masochistic dance with a dominant deity who has reputation needs.

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YHWH and Israel in the Book of Judges

An Object – Relations Analysis

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Contents

YHWH and Israel in the Book of Judges
pp i-i

Society for Old Testament Study - Series page
pp ii-ii

YHWH and Israel in the Book of Judges - Title page
pp iii-iii

Copyright page
pp iv-iv

Dedication
pp v-vi

Contents
pp vii-viii

Acknowledgements
pp ix-x

Introduction
pp 1-15

1 - Problematic Parenting
pp 16-43

2 - Judges’ Cyclical Framework and Trauma Theory
pp 44-88

3 - YHWH and Israel in the ‘Strange Situation’: Attachment Theory and God-Talk
pp 89-137

4 - Israel’s Masochistic Defence Mechanism
pp 138-170

5 - Conclusion: Psychological Theory and Biblical Hermeneutics
pp 171-176

Bibliography
pp 177-192

Index
pp 193-194

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YHWH and Israel in the Book of Judges

An Object – Relations Analysis

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