The Greek Hat: 2 Maccabees 4:12 as a Euphemism for Reverse Circumcision
Biblical Hebrew is known for its creative avoidance of mentioning intimate body parts. Did such euphemisms continue in Greek-speaking Judaism? This article proposes that the "Greek hat" in 2 Maccabees 4:12 is not (or at least not only) a literal hat or a vague metaphor for Hellenism, as ha...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
|
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Sheffield Institute for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies
2024
|
| In: |
Journal for interdisciplinary biblical studies (JIBS)
Year: 2024, Volume: 5, Issue: 2, Pages: 1-20 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Judaism
/ Foreskin
/ Circumcision (Man)
/ Torah
/ Hellenism
/ Bible. Makkabäer 2. 4,9-12
|
| IxTheo Classification: | HB Old Testament HD Early Judaism |
| Further subjects: | B
Epispasm
B petasos B Judaism B Hellenism B Torah B 2 Maccabees B Circumcision |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | Biblical Hebrew is known for its creative avoidance of mentioning intimate body parts. Did such euphemisms continue in Greek-speaking Judaism? This article proposes that the "Greek hat" in 2 Maccabees 4:12 is not (or at least not only) a literal hat or a vague metaphor for Hellenism, as has been suggested through the centuries. Instead, it is a sly euphemism for a foreskin, and refers to the practice of epispasm, or the restructuring of a penis to reverse the look of circumcision. Such a reading fits well with the text’s anxiety around the gymnasium and its concern for Torah observance. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2633-0695 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal for interdisciplinary biblical studies (JIBS)
|
| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.17613/16n2-qj96 |