Identity in the Hebrew Bible, Self-Definition and the Other

Identity in the Hebrew Bible, Self-Definition and the Other, Volume 1, is a scholarly examination of how ancient Israelite literature addresses the concepts of self and the Other. This religion text analyzes the socio-historical frames and universal concerns regarding strangers within biblical narratives. Susan Niditch utilizes her expertise in ethics, folklore, and gender studies to explore how biblical composers used traditional language and recurring characterizations to distinguish internal group identities from external ones.

The author investigates specific examples of otherness, ranging from the experiences of mothers like Hagar and Ruth to the presence of giants such as Goliath. The analysis extends to gendered identity and the distinctions made in Ezra-Nehemiah between the true Israel and those viewed as outsiders. This volume provides a detailed academic look at the mechanisms of self-definition and the portrayal of the stranger in ancient religious texts.