Early/Mid-Eighth Century Stories of the Benjaminite Legendary Military Hero

Abstract

This article aims to trace the original story and its editorial addition within the Ehud tale (Judg 3,12-30) in light of the redactional approach of the text and to reassess their historical background. Following the analysis of the story’s composition, I investigate geopolitical data and historical issues from the tenth to the seventh century BCE. In addition, I observe direct and indirect data from biblical and extra-biblical sources and critically review recent scholarly opinions on the date of the story. Based on the results, I argue that the primary story of Judg 3,13b.15aβγ.15b-26 and its addition in 3,13a.27-29 could reflect the transition between the late ninth to the early eighth century and the mid eighth century, the days of Joash and Jeroboam II, respectively.