Abstract
Two poetic passages in 1 Maccabees depict historical circumstances via the use of apparel. 14:9 portrays the young men as wearing “glories and garments of war” as a marker of the peace and prosperity characterizing Simon's reign. These contrast with the “shame” that shrouds the people following Antiochus Epiphanes' desecration of the temple in 1:28. This paper explores the biblical background of the dress imagery, suggesting that the Maccabean author transformed the “robe of righteousness” in Isa 61:10 into “garments of war” on the basis of a gezerah shava with Isa 59:17. The biblical metaphor of “being clothed with shame” in 1 Macc 1:28, on the other hand, refers to the “putting on of mourning dress”-a practice also alluded to in v. 26.
| Original language | American English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 670-681 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Vetus Testamentum |
| Volume | 69 |
| Issue number | 4-5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1 Jan 2019 |
Keywords
- 1 Maccabees
- Clothing imagery
- Exegetical techniques
- Mourning practices
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Religious studies
- History
- Language and Linguistics
- Literature and Literary Theory
- Linguistics and Language