Rites and Rank

More about the book

Exploring the prevalence of binary oppositions in biblical discourse, this work examines how concepts like good and evil, clean and unclean, and rich and poor shape social and religious institutions in ancient Israel. Through critical exegesis and contemporary theory, Olyan analyzes biblical narratives and legal texts, revealing how these socially constructed dualities reinforce hierarchical relations, particularly within ritual contexts like the sanctuary. The book offers new insights into the cultural significance of these dyadic pairs throughout the Hebrew Bible.