AFRIKAANS: Die begeerte om oor hierdie onderwerp te skryf, het uit my leefwêreld ontstaan. Dit was gedurende 1994¬-2001, die eerste jare van die na-apartheidsera. Die meeste inwoners het die veranderinge demokraties aanvaar en andere het die verandering op politieke en sosiale gebied as te dramaties ervaar. Onder dié wat bedreig voel, bestaan die moontlikheid van 'n gewelddadige heilige oorlog wat uit die Ou Testament geregverdig word. Die probleemstelling is: • dat menslike geweld in 'n heilige oorlog vanuit die Ou Testament geregverdig kan word omdat daar nie rekening gehou word met die heilige-oorlog-tradisiegeskiedenis van die Ou Testament nie. Die hipotese is: • dat daar 'n ontwikkeling in Israel se denke oor 'n heilige oorlog in die Ou Testament plaasgevind het, • dat 'n studie oor die groei in Israel se denke oor 'n heilige oorlog in die Ou Testament by die eindpunt in 2 Kronieke 20:1-30 sal uitkom wat 'n heilige oorlog as 'n kultiese handeling beskou, • dat hierdie kulminasiepunt van die heilige-oorlog-tradisie in die Ou Testament uitIoop op 'n heilige oorlog sander gewelddadige menslike deelname. Die doelstellings is: • om volgens Gerhard von Rad die groei in Israel se denke oor 'n heilige oorlog aan te toon, • om die eindpunt van die heilige-oorlog-tradisie in 2 Kronieke 20:1-30 in diepte te ontleed, • om aan toon dat Israel se voortdurende afskaling van geweld konsekwensies vir ons inhou. Hoofstuk 1 is die inleidende hoofstuk waarin bogenoemde probleemstelling, hipotese en doelstellings geformuleer is. In hoofstuk 2 is daar volgens Von Rad aangetoon hoedat Israel se denke oor die heilige oorlog 'n ontwikkeling gehad het. Hy bespreek die nadenke oor 'n heilige oorlog in die geskiedenis van ou Israel, na-Salomoniese novelle, profete, Deuteronomium en die Kronis. Hierdie nadenke het 'n eindpunt bereik in 2 Kronieke 20:1-30. 'n Dieptestudie in hoofstuk 3 van 2 Kronieke 20:1-30 het aangetoon dat die Ou Testament tot die gevolgtrekking kom dat 'n heilige oorlog nie uit gewelddadige menslike deelname behoort te bestaan nie, maar uit gebed, vas, aanbidding, lofprysinge, raadpleging van en geloofsvertroue in Jahwe. In die jaar 200 I wil hierdie verhandeling vir die wat bedreig voel hierdie perspektief van 2 Kronieke 20:1-¬30 oor 'n heilige oorlog gee. Die bede is dat hierdie studie die Kronis se beskouing oor 'n heilige oorlog sal herleef en dat dit 'n bydrae tot vrede sal lewer. ENGLISH: The desire to write about this subject arose from the world in which I live. It was during 1994-2001, the first years of the post-apartheid era. Most citizens accepted the changes democratically, others experienced the changes in the political and social spheres as too dramatic. Amongst those who feel threatened , the possibility exists that a violent holy war may be justified out of the Old Testament. The problem statement is: • that human violence in a holy war may be justified from the Old Testament because the history of the holy-war-tradition of the Old Testament was not taken into account. The hypothesis is: • that, in the Old Testament, an evolution took place in Israel's thoughts on a holy war; • that a study of the growth in Israel's thoughts on a holy war in the Old Testament would eventually culminate in 2 Chronicles 20: 1-30, which regards a holy war as a cultic action; • that this culmination point of the holy war tradition in the Old Testament will lead to a holy war without violent human participation. The objectives are • to demonstrate the growth in Israel's thoughts on a holy war according to Gerhard von Rad; • to analyse in depth, the culmination point of the holy-war-tradition in 2 Chronicles 20: 1-30; • to demonstrate that Israel's continual de-escalating of violence holds consequences for us; Chapter 1 is the introductory chapter in which the above problem statement, hypothesis, and objectives were formulated. In Chapter 2, the development of lsrael's thoughts on the holy war, according to Von Rad, is illustrated. He discusses the reflections on a holy war in the history of old Israel, in the post-Solomonic novel, prophets, Deuteronomy and the Chronicler. Such reflection culminated in 2 Chronicles 20:1-30. An in-depth study in Chapter 3 of 2 Chronicles 20:1-30 showed that the Old Testament came to the conclusion that a holy war ought not comprise violent human participation, but rather: prayer, fasting, worship, praising, consultation of Yahweh and trust in Yahweh. In 2001, this thesis should provide the perspective of 2 Chronicles 20: 1-30 on a holy war to those who feel threatened. It is our prayer that this study will revive the Chronicler's views on a holy war and that it will contribute to peace. / Dissertation (MA (Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Old Testament Studies / unrestricted

Thesis (MA.)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the image of Yahweh as warrior in a selection of Biblical-Hebrew psalms against the background of similar images in the broader Ancient Near East. In the psalms this image is closely linked with the emotions and experience of the psalmist. In the situation of conflict he calls on Yahweh to intervene and to destroy the enemy. It is in such circumstances that this image of Yahweh gives the necessary comfort. In order to investigate the image of Yahweh as warrior in the psalms, this study uses the Comparative Method. This method is based on the assumption that cultures and societies share certain ideas and characteristics. The specific approach within the Comparative Method is called the typological comparative approach. This approach focuses on the comparison of phenomena in cultures that are historically and geographically far removed from each other. This comparison is based on the assumption that certain cultural characteristics are universally shared. In this investigation the following psalms are analysed: 3, 21, 46, 68, 76, 83, 140, 144. The selection was made on the basis of the different literary genres within the psalms. As a background to this investigation a summary of warrior terminology and ideas in the rest of the Ancient Near East is presented. Afterwards the warrior image in the selected psalms is investigated. The investigation proceeded as follows: Chapter 1 is devoted to the research history with regard to the image of Yahweh as warrior in the Hebrew Bible; in Chapter 2 the metaphor as literary device is discussed; and in Chapter 3 the focus is on the institution of war in the Ancient Near East and the role of warriors in this regard. From Chapters 4 to 11 the warrior metaphors in the selected psalms are analysed. With each of the analysed psalms the following method is used: (1) a translation and text-critical notes; (2) a discussion of the literary genre; (3) an analysis of the poetic elements; and (4) an analysis of the warrior images. The psalmist's enemies are also Yahweh's enemies. In the psalms where he is portrayed as warrior, three characters always come to the fore, namely Yahweh, the psalmist and the enemy. While the enemy is portrayed in terms of typical hostile images, the relationship between Yahweh and the psalmist is defensive, and offensive between Yahweh and the enemy. In this study it is , also shown that when Yahweh intervenes, he saves and restores the honour of the psalmist. Yahweh is also praised for his acts of salvation in the past. This forms the basis for the psalmist call to Yahweh to intervene in his situation. He defeats the enemy by making use of different weapons. The psalmist's enemies are also Yahweh's enemies. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die voorstelling van Jahwe as kryger in 'n seleksie Bybels-Hebreeuse psalms teen die agtergrond van soortgelyke voorstellings in die breër Ou Nabye Oosterse konteks. In die psalms hang hierdie voorstelling ten nouste saam met die emosies en ervarings van die digter. Die vyand stig gedurig stryd aan en soek die digter se ondergang. In sy situasie van stryd en aanvegting roep hy tot Jahwe om in te gryp en die vyand te verslaan. Dit is dan juis hierdie voorstelling van Jahwe wat in dié omstandighede 'n groot gerusstelling is. In hierdie studie word daar van die Vergelykende Metode gebruik gemaak. Hierdie metode is gebaseer op die aanname dat kulture en gemeenskappe sekere opvattings en idees met mekaar deel. Die spesifieke benadering wat binne die Vergelykende Metode gebruik word, word die Tipologies-Vergelykende benadering genoem. In hierdie benadering handel dit oor die vergelyking van verskynsels in kulture wat histories en geografies van mekaar verwyderd is. Hierdie benadering opereer met die aanname dat sekere kulturele opvattings universeel gedeel word. Die volgende psalms word in die ondersoek ontleed: 3, 21,46,68, 76, 83, 140, 144. Die seleksie is gedoen op grond van die belangrikste literêre genres in die psalms. As agtergrond tot die ondersoek, word 'n kort oorsig gebied van krygerterminologie en opvattings in die res van die Ou Nabye Ooste. Daarna is die krygerbeeld in die geselekteerde psalms ondersoek. Die ondersoek het soos volg verloop: in Hoofstuk 1 is daar aandag gegee aan die navorsingsgeskiedenis met betrekking tot die voorstelling van Jahwe as kryger in die Hebreeuse Bybel, in Hoofstuk 2 is die literêre verskynsel van die metafoor behandel en in Hoofstuk 3 is daar gefokus op die Ou Nabye Oosterse instelling van oorlog en die plek van krygers in die verband. Vanaf Hoofstuk 4-11 is die krygermetafore in die geselekteerde psalms geanaliseer. By elk van die geanaliseerde psalms word die volgende metode gevolg: (1) 'n vertaling en tekskritiese aantekeninge; (2) 'n bespreking van die literêre genre; (3) 'n analise van die styl-elemente; en (4) 'n analise van die krygermetafore. In die psalms waar Jahwe as kryger voorgestel word, tree daar altyd drie hoofkarakters na vore, naamlik die digter, die vyand en Jahwe. Die vyand word geteken in terme van tipiese "vyandsbeelde", terwyl Jahwe defensief teenoor die bidder optree en offensief teenoor die teëstanders. In hierdie studie word ook aangedui dat wanneer Jahwe ingryp, bewerk Hy redding en herstel Hy ook die digter se eer. Jahwe word geloof vir sy reddingsdade in die verlede. Dit vorm die basis vir die digter se hulpgeroep tot Jahwe om in te gryp in sy situasie. Hy verslaan die vyand deur van verskillende wapens gebruik te maak. Die digter se vyande word ook as Jahwe se vyand gesien.

Due to the nature of war, persons are killed with various types of weapons. Throughout the history of humanity, weapons were used in this regard and these weapons left injuries on the victims that are distinguishable. The type of force conveyed by the ancient weapons effected injuries that enable modern-day bioarchaeologists to extrapolate which weapons caused which injuries. The Assyrians depicted their wars and battles on reliefs. An analysis of these depictions, with an extrapolation of the lesions expected in skeletal remains, could contribute to better understanding of the strategies of war in ancient times. This dissertation will discuss how the evaluation of human remains in comparison to Assyrian reliefs may contribute to the chronological knowledge of war and warfare in the Iron Age Ancient Near East – especially at Lachish. A discourse of the approaches available to researchers regarding access to data in the forensic bioarchaeological field will be presented. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / M.A. (Biblical Archaeology)