DISSERTAZIONI DI DOTTORATO
2024-2025
KARUKAPPALLIL JOSEPH Biju
From Rejected Weeds to Scattered Seeds: The Literary and Theological Functions of the Motif of Divine Displacement of Israel and Judah in Genesis to Kings.
Mod.: Prof. R.P. MARKL Dominik, S.J.The dissertation explores how the Hebrew Bible, particularly from Genesis to Kings, portrays the forced migrations of Israel and Judah as acts of divine agency. This study investigates the literary expressions, narrative roles, and theological purposes of this motif, focusing on key texts in Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Kings. It reveals how these texts use agricultural metaphors to transform the historical reality of exile into a theological narrative that balances judgment with the promise of restoration.
The research is guided by three central questions:
- What literary expressions describe forced migration as God’s action?
- How do these expressions function within the composition of Genesis to Kings?
- What theological purpose does this motif serve?
The analysis begins in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, where the motif emerges through vivid agricultural metaphors such as “scatter” (זרה , פוץ ), “uproot” (נתשׁ ), and “throw” (שׁלך ). In Leviticus 26:33, God warns of scattering the people among the nations, yet this is followed by a promise to remember the covenant. Similarly, Deuteronomy 4:27 and 28–30 depict displacement as a consequence of disobedience, but also include assurances of God’s mercy and the possibility of return. These metaphors suggest that God’s actions, though punitive, are not solely destructive—they lay the groundwork for future renewal.
In Kings, the motif appears in both prophetic warnings and historical narratives. For example, in 1 Kings 9:7, God threatens to cut off Israel and cast out the Temple, while 1 Kings 14:15 prophesies that God will uproot and scatter the people beyond the Euphrates. The fall of the northern kingdom in 2 Kings 17 is explicitly described as God “removing them from His presence,” using verbs like “throw” (שׁלך ) and “remove” (סור ). This consistent imagery underscores divine agency in the exile, framing it as purposeful divine judgment for purification rather than random misfortune.
The dissertation’s third part focuses on the literary and theological linkage between Deuteronomy and Kings. Shared phrases, such as “throwing from His presence” (Deuteronomy 29:27; 2 Kings 17:20), create a narrative arc that ties the warnings in Deuteronomy to their fulfilment in Kings. Theologically, this motif reinterprets exile as a process of divine discipline rather than utter rejection. By likening the displaced people to “scattered seeds” rather than “rejected weeds,” the text offers a hopeful vision: though uprooted and scattered, the people retain the potential for regrowth and restoration, as echoed in promises like Deuteronomy 30:3.
This motif reshapes the exile narrative from despair to possibility. It provided the original audience with hope amid crisis and continues to offer timeless insight into resilience based on divine faithfulness. By highlighting how literary devices like agricultural metaphors shape theological meaning, this dissertation demonstrates how the Hebrew Bible transforms historical tragedy of forced migration into a story of renewal and enduring promise.