'A bow in the clouds' (Genesis 9.13): YHWH's qeset and the rainbow serpent as metaphors of life and destruction

Jeanette Mathews

'A bow in the clouds' (Genesis 9.13): YHWH's qeset and the rainbow serpent as metaphors of life and destruction

Research output: Book chapter/Published conference paper › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review

Abstract

In ancient mythologies a rainbow represented a weapon used by gods in battle. The bows would be hung in the sky as symbols of victory (Plaut, 2005). References to YHWH's bow in the Hebrew Bible retains elements of this mythology, but the bow is used metaphorically for both destructive power against Israel and/or her enemies and YHWH's intention for renewed creation and peace. The paramount symbol of indigenous spirituality, the rainbow serpent, similarly is a metaphor that combines both life and destructive power. In both cases there is an intimate connection to the natural world. This paper explores the potential power of this symbol for our time.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Ecological aspects of war
Subtitle of host publication	Engagements with Biblical texts
Editors	Anne Elvey, Keith Dyer, Deborah Guess
Place of Publication	London, UK
Publisher	Bloomsbury Professional
Chapter	2
Pages	9-23
Number of pages	15
Edition	1st
ISBN (Electronic)	9780567676405
ISBN (Print)	9780567676399
Publication status	Published - 2017

Fingerprint Dive into the research topics of ''A bow in the clouds' (Genesis 9.13): YHWH's qeset and the rainbow serpent as metaphors of life and destruction'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this

@inbook{fbc33adfb71f49e58d4b98c6647cffed,

title = "'A bow in the clouds' (Genesis 9.13): YHWH's qeset and the rainbow serpent as metaphors of life and destruction",

abstract = "In ancient mythologies a rainbow represented a weapon used by gods in battle. The bows would be hung in the sky as symbols of victory (Plaut, 2005). References to YHWH's bow in the Hebrew Bible retains elements of this mythology, but the bow is used metaphorically for both destructive power against Israel and/or her enemies and YHWH's intention for renewed creation and peace. The paramount symbol of indigenous spirituality, the rainbow serpent, similarly is a metaphor that combines both life and destructive power. In both cases there is an intimate connection to the natural world. This paper explores the potential power of this symbol for our time.",

author = "Jeanette Mathews",

note = "Includes bibliographical references. ",

year = "2017",

language = "English",

isbn = "9780567676399 ",

pages = "9--23",

editor = "Anne Elvey and Keith Dyer and Deborah Guess",

booktitle = "Ecological aspects of war",

publisher = "Bloomsbury Professional",

edition = "1st",

}

'A bow in the clouds' (Genesis 9.13) : YHWH's qeset and the rainbow serpent as metaphors of life and destruction. / Mathews, Jeanette.

Ecological aspects of war: Engagements with Biblical texts. ed. / Anne Elvey; Keith Dyer; Deborah Guess. 1st. ed. London, UK : Bloomsbury Professional, 2017. p. 9-23.

Research output: Book chapter/Published conference paper › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review

TY - CHAP

T1 - 'A bow in the clouds' (Genesis 9.13)

T2 - YHWH's qeset and the rainbow serpent as metaphors of life and destruction

AU - Mathews, Jeanette

N1 - Includes bibliographical references.

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - In ancient mythologies a rainbow represented a weapon used by gods in battle. The bows would be hung in the sky as symbols of victory (Plaut, 2005). References to YHWH's bow in the Hebrew Bible retains elements of this mythology, but the bow is used metaphorically for both destructive power against Israel and/or her enemies and YHWH's intention for renewed creation and peace. The paramount symbol of indigenous spirituality, the rainbow serpent, similarly is a metaphor that combines both life and destructive power. In both cases there is an intimate connection to the natural world. This paper explores the potential power of this symbol for our time.

AB - In ancient mythologies a rainbow represented a weapon used by gods in battle. The bows would be hung in the sky as symbols of victory (Plaut, 2005). References to YHWH's bow in the Hebrew Bible retains elements of this mythology, but the bow is used metaphorically for both destructive power against Israel and/or her enemies and YHWH's intention for renewed creation and peace. The paramount symbol of indigenous spirituality, the rainbow serpent, similarly is a metaphor that combines both life and destructive power. In both cases there is an intimate connection to the natural world. This paper explores the potential power of this symbol for our time.

M3 - Chapter (peer-reviewed)

SN - 9780567676399

SP - 9

EP - 23

BT - Ecological aspects of war

A2 - Elvey, Anne

A2 - Dyer, Keith

A2 - Guess, Deborah

PB - Bloomsbury Professional

CY - London, UK

ER -