Presenting at the Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting

Author: Joshua Jacobs | Major: Classical Studies | Semester: Fall 2022

This semester, I conducted new research on the Semitic root p-q-d, while simultaneously presenting my previous work on the ancient Israelite cult of dead kin to scholars in the field. Specifically, I read a paper at the Society of Biblical Literature’s Annual Meeting in November, and I worked to submit a manuscript to a top journal in my field, Vetus Testamentum. Much of my time this semester was spent applying to graduate programs for Assyriology, both at the masters and doctoral level; I hope to hear back over the next couple of months.

In broad strokes, my research can be characterized as an investigation into the ancient Israelite cult of dead kin. I have decided that the word ‘cult’ for historians is misunderstood nearly as much as the word ‘theory’ is for scientists. For moderners, a cult is often conceived of as a shady and dangerous religious group often surrounding a charismatic figure. For the historian of the ancient world, the word ‘cult’ simply denotes any form or religious activity. So, the cult of dead kin is a phrase which describes how ancient Israelites interacted with their deceased relatives, and it does appear that these interactions can be characterized as religious, though of course it was not described that way at the time.

This semester, I began research on the Semitic root p-q-d. A quick primer on Semitic languages is in order here (by the way, when I say Semitic languages, think about Arabic or Hebrew, although there are many others in this family). The basis of all Semitic words is a tri-radical ‘root,’ which is a sequence of three letters (for alphabetic systems), which have a basic meaning. From this root, you are able to add all sorts of prefixes, suffixes, vowel patterns, etc. which can affect the meaning of the word. For example, the Hebrew word shamar means something like ‘s/he/it protected’ while the word yishmor means ‘s/he/it will protect.’ Both words include the common sh-m-r, but by adding a prefix and changing the vowel pattern, you can come up with new, but related, meanings. With that out of the way, I can discuss why in the world I would want to research the specific root, p-q-d, which has something to do with provision, care, oversight, etc. In short, it seems that in the ancient Near East, including ancient Israel or Judah, this word was closely associated with the cult of dead kin. For example, in Mesopotamia, the Akkadian word pāqidu (caretaker) denotes the person in charge of caring for a deceased relative. In the story of the newly deceased Queen Jezebel in 2 Kings, the usurper Jehu order his men “Paqdu (Take care of) that woman!” I chose this topic because it seems that research into the root p-q-d in the Hebrew Bible has not been done before, besides this Jezebel story. There are other instances where this root is used in the biblical text, and I wanted to delve deeper into them. I was overseen by my mentor for my previous research, Dr. Spencer Allen. A major hurdle during my ongoing research is the fact that I am still learning Akkadian, one of the major languages containing Mesopotamian evidence for my research. This language was written in a (primarily) syllabic cuneiform script, with hundreds upon hundreds of signs to learn besides the grammar and syntax of the language itself. Moreover, much scholarship is written in German, thus some sources have simply been inaccessible to me thus far. I hope to remedy these situations in graduate school.

While I have not yet completed this stage of my research, I was able to accomplish some exciting things with my earlier thesis chapters this semester. First, I was able to hold a seminar on the ancient Israelite cult of dead kin for OLLI, an adult education program associated with the University of Arkansas. This seminar was two hours long, an incredible teaching experience, and I will teach another next semester on the origins of the alphabet. I was also able to present my research at the Society of Biblical Literature’s Annual Meeting in November. This meeting is the premier gathering of biblical scholars from all over the world, and my acceptance to present there is something I am very proud of. Moreover, I will present a paper next March at the Southwest Commission on Religious Studies in Dallas. Thus, this semester has been very exciting with regard to getting my research out there. Lastly, I have been working on editing an article to be published in a major journal in my field, although I have much work to do still. Over this next semester, I will finish and polish my thesis. I will also be waiting with bated breath to hear back from various graduate schools; I hope ultimately to pursue doctoral work in Biblical Studies or Assyriology (the study of Mesopotamia).