Difference between revisions of "Shimshon and Shemuel/0"
m |
|||
Line 35: | Line 35: | ||
<td> | <td> | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
− | <li><b><span style="color: #993366;">Husbands</span></b> – Both husbands bring a sacrifice in the context of the | + | <li><b><span style="color: #993366;">Husbands</span></b> – Both husbands bring a sacrifice in the context of the consecration scenes.</li> |
<li><b><span style="color: #993366;">Man of God</span></b> – In each story there is a man of God (the angel in the Shofetim story and Eli in Sefer Shemuel) who plays a role in promising the birth of the child. The angel actively promises the couple a son, while Eli more passively tells Channah, "May Hashem grant your request that you asked of Him."</li> | <li><b><span style="color: #993366;">Man of God</span></b> – In each story there is a man of God (the angel in the Shofetim story and Eli in Sefer Shemuel) who plays a role in promising the birth of the child. The angel actively promises the couple a son, while Eli more passively tells Channah, "May Hashem grant your request that you asked of Him."</li> | ||
<li><b><span style="color: #993366;">Missing something</span></b> – Both Manoach and Eli are portrayed as knowing less than the females around them. Manoach is not privy to the original prophecy and erroneously believes that the angel's visit will cause death. Similarly, Eli is in the dark regarding Channah true nature, accusing of her drunkenness until she corrects his mistake.</li> | <li><b><span style="color: #993366;">Missing something</span></b> – Both Manoach and Eli are portrayed as knowing less than the females around them. Manoach is not privy to the original prophecy and erroneously believes that the angel's visit will cause death. Similarly, Eli is in the dark regarding Channah true nature, accusing of her drunkenness until she corrects his mistake.</li> | ||
Line 92: | Line 92: | ||
<h2 name="">Analysis</h2> | <h2 name="">Analysis</h2> | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
− | <li><b>Degree of similarity</b> – All of the above phrases have a very high level of linguistic similarity | + | <li><b>Degree of similarity</b> – All of the above phrases have a very high level of linguistic similarity.</li> |
− | <li><b>Distinctive phrases</b> – Both of the phrases "וּמוֹרָה לֹא יַעֲלֶה עַל רֹאשׁוֹ"‎‏‎<fn> | + | <li><b>Distinctive phrases</b> – Both of the phrases "וּמוֹרָה לֹא יַעֲלֶה עַל רֹאשׁוֹ"‎‏‎<fn>The terminology used by the laws of the nazirite is slightly different: "תַּעַר לֹא יַעֲבֹר עַל רֹאשׁוֹ".</fn> and "וַיִּגְדַּל הַנַּעַר"‎<fn>The plural form of the phrase, "וַיִּגְדְּלוּ הַנְּעָרִים " appears by Yaakov and Esav in Bereshit 25, but is missing the context of growing up with Hashem.</fn> appear only in these two stories. The exact opening "וַיְהִי אִישׁ אֶחָד מִ... וּשְׁמוֹ" is also unique to these narratives but similar phrasing introduces the stories of the Idol of Michah, Shaul, Esther and Iyyov as well.<fn>Each include the component of a man being in or from a certain place and then named.  All, thus, include forms of the words איש היה מ/ב... ושמו. In addition, in both the stories of Shaul and Esther, like here, the person being introduced is  the father/guardian of the hero or heroine.</fn> </li> |
+ | <li><b>Content Parallels</b> – Though other stories of barren woman share components with each of these events,<fn>Thus one might compare Elkanah's having two wives, one who has children and one who cannot, with Yaakov's marriage to the fertile Leah and barren Rachel.  Similalry, the angel's announcement to Manoach might be compared to the similalr announcement to Avraham and Sarah.</fn> most of the specific parallels mentioned above are not included in those stories.</li> | ||
</ul> | </ul> | ||
Line 128: | Line 129: | ||
</table> | </table> | ||
+ | |||
+ | <h2 name="">Implications</h2> | ||
+ | The comparison of the two stories and the differences between them suggest that | ||
</page> | </page> | ||
</aht-xml> | </aht-xml> |
Version as of 02:03, 29 May 2015
Shimshon and Shemuel
Introduction
The Shimshon and Shemuel narratives each open with a scene in which the leader's birth and future destiny is promised. The two birth stories contain a significant number of plot similarities, buttressed by some linguistic allusions. The similarities, though, mainly serve to highlight the many contrasts between the narratives and the difference in character between the protagonists.
Content Parallels
Both stories revolve around a barren woman who is promised a child who then grows up to be a leader of the nation. There are many more specific parallels, which are summarized in the following table:
Mrs. Manoach and Channah |
|
Shimshon and Shemuel |
|
Male Figures |
|
Literary Allusions
There are a handful of linguistic parallels as well:
בשורת הולדת שמשון (שופטים יג) | בשורת הולדת שמואל (ספר שמואל א' א-ב) |
(יג:ב) וַיְהִי אִישׁ אֶחָד מִצָּרְעָה מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת הַדָּנִי וּשְׁמוֹ מָנוֹחַ | (א:א) וַיְהִי אִישׁ אֶחָד מִן הָרָמָתַיִם צוֹפִים מֵהַר אֶפְרָיִם וּשְׁמוֹ אֶלְקָנָה |
(יג:ה) וּמוֹרָה לֹא יַעֲלֶה עַל רֹאשׁוֹ כִּי נְזִיר אֱלֹהִים יִהְיֶה הַנַּעַר מִן הַבָּטֶן | (א:יא) וּנְתַתִּיו לַה' כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּיו וּמוֹרָה לֹא יַעֲלֶה עַל רֹאשׁוֹ |
(יג:כד) וַיִּגְדַּל הַנַּעַר וַיְבָרְכֵהוּ ה' | (ב:כא) וַיִּגְדַּל הַנַּעַר שְׁמוּאֵל עִם ה' |
Analysis
- Degree of similarity – All of the above phrases have a very high level of linguistic similarity.
- Distinctive phrases – Both of the phrases "וּמוֹרָה לֹא יַעֲלֶה עַל רֹאשׁוֹ"2 and "וַיִּגְדַּל הַנַּעַר"3 appear only in these two stories. The exact opening "וַיְהִי אִישׁ אֶחָד מִ... וּשְׁמוֹ" is also unique to these narratives but similar phrasing introduces the stories of the Idol of Michah, Shaul, Esther and Iyyov as well.4
- Content Parallels – Though other stories of barren woman share components with each of these events,5 most of the specific parallels mentioned above are not included in those stories.
Contrasts
Despite the many similarities, there are several important points of contrast between the narratives. These are summarized in the chart below:
Mrs. Manoach and Channah |
|
Shimshon and Shemuel |
|
Implications
The comparison of the two stories and the differences between them suggest that