Rejection by God: The History and Significance of the Rejection Motif in the Hebrew Bible by Monica J. Melanchthon (Studies in Biblical Literature, Vol. 22: Peter Lang) Chapter One, "The Semantic Field", investigates the General Semantic Field of the rejection motif of the Hebrew Bible which comes to expression primarily by verbal and nominal derivatives of the major Hebrew roots DKA ("reject," "forsake"), ("leave," "forsake," "loose"), ("leave," "forsake"), ("reject," "spurn"), ("loathe," "ab­hor"), ("abandon," "forsake"), yXI ("condemn," "spurn") and ("abhor," "spurn") which constitute the semantic field for "reject" vocabulary. This section will give a statistical overview of how often these verbs occur and where they occur. They will be looked at in two catego­ries, with reference to God and to the people, and an attempt will be made to discern any semantic distinction in the usages of these verbs in these two categories.

Since the aim of the study is to examine a particular aspect of the motif, namely, God's rejecting, all verses where the logical subject of the verb is God will be identified. Other items such as the object or subject of rejection will also be noted. Here, like in the previous section, an attempt will be made to discern semantic variations and distinctions between the verbs within this one category.

The meaning of the verbs will also be examined in the light of their usage in the Hebrew Bible and their cognates in other semitic and non­semitic languages and the relation between them. This will help determine if the meaning of the Hebrew words correspond in any way with the meaning of their cognates.

Though the purpose of this study is to trace the history and significance of the rejection motif in the Hebrew Bible, it is necessary to examine the idea as it functioned in the ancient Near Eastern literary texts. This section is aimed at being illustrative, rather than comprehensive. It is hoped that this will provide information upon which conclusions can be based concerning the origin and meaning of the rejection motif. This will also allow for a comparison so that possible borrowings, influences and similarities as well as differences may become apparent. Though this section will not be ex­haustive, it will be included in order to aid in determining the origin of the motif and delineate the richness and uniqueness of the motif, its significance in Hebrew thought over against its appearance in ancient Near Eastern texts.

Chapter Two, "God's Rejecting in the Hebrew Bible", will focus on the developments of the rejection motif as it is found in the different sections of the Hebrew Bible, and thereafter to ascertain the historical developments of the motif and its significance. Primarily, only the verses containing a direct discussion of rejection by God were selected. These verses were chosen mainly because they contained terms denoting rejection and will be analyzed in their surrounding contexts. This will be aided by defining the pericope boundaries of each verse and then viewing that pericope's mes­sage in light of the larger context. Such boundaries were found first by the author's own reading and the help found in commentaries listed in the bibli­ography. The investigation will call attention to the genre and the context in which the motif occurred.

The Chapter will be divided into three main sections

(a) The distribution of the verbs within the Hebrew Bible which will look at the distribution of the verbs as they occur in the different parts of the Hebrew Bible.

(b) The Literary Setting of the Motif which will analyze the literary and stylistic features of the verses in which the verbs are used. Special atten­tion will be paid to the form or genre of the pericope in which the motif appears and the stylistic patterns of the verse. It will consider whether the motif is used to offer solace and comfort or a threat to life.

(c) The Contextual Setting of the Motif which will be divided into three sub-divisions. In part one, attention will be given to the motive behind God's rejecting or not rejecting, and in part two the consequences suffered or experienced as a result of God's rejecting and not rejecting will be noted. A third sub-division will examine the intended effect of God's rejecting or the purpose behind God's rejecting.

Chapter Three, "A Treatment of Select Passages" will contain an ex­egetical treatment of select passages. These pericopes which will receive extensive consideration, especially in relation to the rejection motif, will serve as examples to test the conclusions derived from the more general survey in the previous chapter. The passages chosen are Ps 22 (Individual lament), Ps 44 (Communal lament), Lam 3 (Individual lament), Jer 14:19-15:4 (Com­munal lament with an oracle of Judgment), and Isa 54:1-10 (an oracle of Salvation).

Besides doing a thorough exegesis of the passages, the study will seek answers to questions with regard to the motive for Yahweh's rejecting, the consequences and the intent. Having done that, an attempt will be made to compare the findings in each passage, the similarities and differences in motivation, consequences and intent, the presence of related themes, the kinds of memories of Yahweh that are mentioned, and the role of the cov­enant, and how rejection is overcome.

Chapter Four, "The History and Significance of the Motif in the Hebrew Bible" will consist of two parts (a) The Origin and Development of the Motif, which is based on the findings of the previous chapter, especially the historical context, the genre of the passage, and the Sitz im Leben, the authorship and date wherever possible, conclusions will be drawn regarding where in the Hebrew Bible the motif originated, during which period, and who borrowed from whom. In other words, this chapter will deal with the traditio-historical develop­ment of the motif and its possible origin. Since dating some of the pas­sages, especially the psalms, is going to be extremely difficult, the con­clusions regarding the historical development of the motif will be largely based on the genre of the text. The Significance of the Motif in Hebrew Thought, will be an attempt to understand the relevance of the motif in Hebrew thought and the purposes which it served.

The last section will contain a summary of all the findings and since this study has many limitations which are mentioned below, some proposals for further study will be made.

Having stated the task and object of this study, it remains to be pointed out that this endeavor has several limitations which are due primarily to an extensive textual basis. The theme under exploration is too broad in scope to be treated comprehensively in this study. The motif is not only ex­pressed through appropriate vocabulary but also through other metaphors such as divorce, etc., and themes such as God's forgetting, hiding etc., that also belong to the broader framework of the rejection motif. If the significance of the theme is to be given adequate treatment, this broader framework of both language and metaphors will have to be given due consideration. But limitations of time and space and the need to provide for better control of the material have made it necessary for the identifi­cation of boundaries to indicate what will be included and what will not be included in this study. This is also the reason why it was necessary to limit the study only to God's rejecting and not include in this investigation those instances where the people are doing the rejecting (e.g., Num 11:14; I Sam 10:19; 2 Chr 24:20; Job 42:6; Jer 2:19; Hos 4:10; etc.), and see the outcome of the interfacing of these two aspects of the motif. The Masoretic text has been the only guide for establishing the presence of the terminol­ogy for rejection.

By following the method outlined above, this study seeks to show that the rejection motif is not unique to the Hebrew Bible but is prevalent in ancient Near Eastern literature as well. It originated out of the situation of war and its effects on the city and its inhabitants. Hence, physical illness, civil disorder and war were considered to be results of the deity's abandon­ment of the people and the city. The motif appears mainly in the form of statements in the early Sumerian literature and as petitions and pleas in the Babylonian and other Near Eastern literature, especially in the laments of the second millennium BCE. It seems likely that the motif was used to understand experiences of suffering, war and destruction.

The Hebrew people who shared a similar belief gave expression to the motif of divine abandonment with the use of eight Hebrew verbs that correspond quite closely with their cognates in other languages. It will be seen that some of these verbs are used more often than others, and that some are used only in relation to the covenant, while the verb MT is found mostly in the laments. It will also be seen that the motif appears in several contexts and genres of literature, but is most characteristically found in laments and in oracles of judgment and salvation. The motif is expressed in the form of questions, statements-affirmative and negative, in requests and petitions, but with little adherence to a recognizable pattern in terms of sentence construction.

It will be seen that the motif occurs most predominantly in the psalms and the prophetic literature, but is also found in other bodies of literature within the Hebrew Bible. The motif is found mainly in the psalms of lament, and in the prophetic books of Jeremiah and Deutero-Isaiah.

It will be evident that there is a definite association between disobedi­ence and divine rejection, especially in the prophetic literature and several of the psalms. But this is not the case in some other psalms where the cause of divine rejection is not so apparent, where rejection could possibly be understood as a test of faith. But even in those circumstances when the cause of rejection is not known, the people still turn to Yahweh for help and relief from the plight confronting them.

Rejection by Yahweh results in more than just an estranged relationship between Yahweh and the people. Rejection is tangibly experienced in var­ied ways, in physical illness, military defeat and its ensuing effects. Enemies are seen to play a very important role in the experience of rejection. Con­versely, general well being, peace and plenty meant a reversal of the rejected status.

The covenant plays a significant role in Yahweh's decision to reject. The covenant which is basic to the relation between Yahweh and the people, provided the framework within which Yahweh acted. Disobedience to the covenant stipulations resulted in divine rejection. But it will be noticed that in some cases Yahweh is reminded by the people of Yahweh's obligations to the covenant. It was the covenant relationship which justified Yahweh's rejection of the people in order that they might mend their ways, and it was also the basis upon which the people could express their anger, doubt, pro­test, reproach against Yahweh when rejection was not conceived as just. Divine rejection does not seem to result in the withdrawal of the covenantal or elected status of the people, but rather a temporary break in the relation­ship. But the break, though temporary was so real that the people inter­preted this as being rejected. The rejected status was reversed when the people repented or when Yahweh because of Yahweh's `70t1 relents and rescues the people.

Divine rejection was used as a means by which justice was carried out, or in other cases it was enforced to test the individual's or community's loyalty to Yahweh. Predictions of divine rejection were made to warn the people.

It will be seen that the motif originated in the lament genre of the an­cient Near East, which influenced the Hebrew laments in the Psalter. The motif characteristic to the lament tradition was adapted by the prophets and used within the context of judgment. It is also obvious that the people through­out their history knew the motif and it was very much a part of their under­standing of the God with whom they were in covenant. But it was the crisis of the exile which sharpened their awareness of the motif and the possibility of being rejected.

The motif was evoked to express doubt, protest and reproach against Yahweh, and by doing so the speaker was able to attain the necessary strength to deal with the suffering, to provoke Yahweh to intervene and correct the situation. Giving voice to the experience of rejection had a ca­thartic effect on the speaker/s, and helped keep skepticism at bay. Hence the experience of rejection itself was not a problem because the people understood it to be Yahweh's response to their disobedience or disloyalty to the covenant stipulations. There was a problem when the punishment was conceived to far outweigh the disobedience or if it was considered to be too severe. Being covenanted partners with Yahweh gave them the courage to question Yahweh, protest and express reproach. This possibility to dialogue with Yahweh is one very significant aspect of the motif. Another matter of significance is that the motif reveals an aspect of Yahweh's personality as the God who rejects, because of Yahweh's steadfast love.

A comparison of this theme of divine rejection with other related themes such as the anger of God,'6 or the hiding of the face of God" would reveal many commonalities in their functioning. Hence, the conclusions of this study may seem very familiar. Secondly, as the survey of research shows, some of these conclusions have been made in passing, but have not been substan­tially proven heretofore. Nevertheless, the theme of divine rejection has been worth pursuing for the insights that it offers in understanding the rela­tionship that Israel shared with Yahweh. It has also brought to the fore an aspect of Yahweh's nature that might seem negative but essential to the understanding of Yahweh's personality.

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