Playing with Leviathan: Interpretation and Reception of Monsters from the Biblical World

Since ancient times Leviathan and other monsters from the biblical world symbolize the life-threatening powers in nature and history. They represent the dark aspects of human nature and political entities and reveal the supernatural dimensions of evil. Ancient texts and pictures regarding these monsters reflect an environment of polytheism and religious pluralism. Remarkably, however, the biblical writings and post-biblical traditions use these venerated symbols in portraying God as being sovereign over the entire universe, a theme that is also prominent in the reception of these texts in subsequent contexts.
This volume explores this tension and elucidates the theological and cultural meaning of ‘Leviathan’ by studying its ancient Near Eastern background and its attestation in biblical texts, early and rabbinic Judaism, Christian theology, Early Modern art, and film.

Koert van Bekkum, Ph.D. (2010) Theological University, Kampen, is Assistant Professor of Old Testament at that university. He is author of From Conquest to Coexistence. Ideology and Antiquarian Intent in the Historiography of Israel’s Settlement in Canaan (Brill, 2011).



Jaap Dekker, Ph.D. (2004) Theological University, Apeldoorn, holds the Henk de Jong Chair as Professor of Biblical Studies and Identity at that university. He published Zion’s Rock-Solid Foundations. An Exegetical Study of the Zion Text in Isaiah 28:16 (Brill, 2007).



Henk van de Kamp, Ph.D. (1990) Theological University, Kampen, is minister of the Reformed Church (liberated) in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands.



Eric Peels, Ph.D. (1992) Theological University, Apeldoorn, is Professor of Old Testament at that university. He published The Vengeance of God. The Meaning of the Root NQM and the Function of the NQM-texts in the Context of Divine Revelation in the Old Testament (Brill, 1995).



Contributors are: Nicholas Ansell, Koert van Bekkum, Gijsbert van den Brink, Ad de Bruijne, Jaap Dekker, Kees Haak, Rob van Houwelingen, Henk van de Kamp, Dirk van Keulen, Marjo Korpel, Anique de Kruijf, Gert Kwakkel, Johannes de Moor, Michael Mulder, Eric Peels, Reinier Sonneveld, Theo van Spanje, and Ben van Werven.