The Hebrew Bible alludes to sacrifices throughout and also mentions human sacrifice. This dissert... more The Hebrew Bible alludes to sacrifices throughout and also mentions human sacrifice. This dissertation engages the issue of human sacrifice from a perspective of the book of Leviticus. The crucial question is whether human sacrifice was practiced by Ancient Israelites within the YHWH cult. The discussion starts with the firstborn offering commanded in Exodus and then moves to Leviticus 1-7 which is a blueprint for the ritual offerings within the YHWH cult. The question is why the commanded firstborn offerings are left out of Leviticus 1-7. The study proposes that the firstborn offerings’ association with child sacrifice might have the reason for why it was left out. The dissertation then moves from P to H material in Leviticus and it is noted that Leviticus 18 and 20 ascribe human sacrifice to the Molech cult. A discussion on who or what Molech was, is presented before exegesis is done of the two texts referring to Molech. It seems clear that human sacrifice is projected onto the Molech cult. Finally the return of the firstborn offering in Leviticus 27 along with explicit reference to human sacrifice is discussed. The dissertation shows that the importance of chapter 27 has often been neglected by Old Testament scholars. In conclusion the study shows that there is a fairly obvious tension between texts admonished or denying the practice of human sacrifice and texts allowing it.
The Hebrew Bible alludes to sacrifices throughout and also mentions human sacrifice. This dissert... more The Hebrew Bible alludes to sacrifices throughout and also mentions human sacrifice. This dissertation engages the issue of human sacrifice from a perspective of the book of Leviticus. The crucial question is whether human sacrifice was practiced by Ancient Israelites within the YHWH cult. The discussion starts with the firstborn offering commanded in Exodus and then moves to Leviticus 1-7 which is a blueprint for the ritual offerings within the YHWH cult. The question is why the commanded firstborn offerings are left out of Leviticus 1-7. The study proposes that the firstborn offerings’ association with child sacrifice might have the reason for why it was left out. The dissertation then moves from P to H material in Leviticus and it is noted that Leviticus 18 and 20 ascribe human sacrifice to the Molech cult. A discussion on who or what Molech was, is presented before exegesis is done of the two texts referring to Molech. It seems clear that human sacrifice is projected onto the Molech cult. Finally the return of the firstborn offering in Leviticus 27 along with explicit reference to human sacrifice is discussed. The dissertation shows that the importance of chapter 27 has often been neglected by Old Testament scholars. In conclusion the study shows that there is a fairly obvious tension between texts admonished or denying the practice of human sacrifice and texts allowing it.
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Papers by Arend Hattingh
practiced by Ancient Israelites within the YHWH cult. The discussion starts with the firstborn offering commanded in Exodus and then moves to Leviticus 1-7 which is a
blueprint for the ritual offerings within the YHWH cult. The question is why the commanded firstborn offerings are left out of Leviticus 1-7. The study proposes that the firstborn offerings’ association with child sacrifice might have the reason for why
it was left out. The dissertation then moves from P to H material in Leviticus and it is noted that Leviticus 18 and 20 ascribe human sacrifice to the Molech cult. A discussion on who or what Molech was, is presented before exegesis is done of the two texts referring to Molech. It seems clear that human sacrifice is projected onto the Molech cult. Finally the return of the firstborn offering in Leviticus 27 along with explicit reference to human sacrifice is discussed. The dissertation shows that the importance of chapter 27 has often been neglected by Old Testament scholars. In conclusion the study shows that there is a fairly obvious tension between texts
admonished or denying the practice of human sacrifice and texts allowing it.
practiced by Ancient Israelites within the YHWH cult. The discussion starts with the firstborn offering commanded in Exodus and then moves to Leviticus 1-7 which is a
blueprint for the ritual offerings within the YHWH cult. The question is why the commanded firstborn offerings are left out of Leviticus 1-7. The study proposes that the firstborn offerings’ association with child sacrifice might have the reason for why
it was left out. The dissertation then moves from P to H material in Leviticus and it is noted that Leviticus 18 and 20 ascribe human sacrifice to the Molech cult. A discussion on who or what Molech was, is presented before exegesis is done of the two texts referring to Molech. It seems clear that human sacrifice is projected onto the Molech cult. Finally the return of the firstborn offering in Leviticus 27 along with explicit reference to human sacrifice is discussed. The dissertation shows that the importance of chapter 27 has often been neglected by Old Testament scholars. In conclusion the study shows that there is a fairly obvious tension between texts
admonished or denying the practice of human sacrifice and texts allowing it.