본문 바로가기
  • Home

Biblical Alternative Research on Mobbing and Conflict Resolution based on Psalm 109 and Genesis Chapter 16

  • Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies
  • Abbr : KJOTS
  • 2020, 26(4), pp.219-251
  • DOI : 10.24333/jkots.2020.26.4.219
  • Publisher : Korean Society of Old Testament Studies
  • Research Area : Humanities > Christian Theology
  • Received : October 14, 2020
  • Accepted : October 30, 2020

Lee Il Rye 1

1서울신학대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This study reads Psalm 109 together with Genesis 16 through methodology of intertextuality and aims for a biblical alternative to resolve group harassment and conflicts. In Genesis 16, Sarah and Abraham form a group and abuse Hagar. In order to protect herself from the ‘group harassment’, Hara runs away. In Psalm 109, the poet faces collective cursing and accuses, discloses and supplicates the verbal violence of the group to God. The escape of Hagar is compared to the poet’s supplication. Here, the form of group harassment of Sarah and Abraham can be specified as verbal violence. The theological work, to read the story of Hagar along with the poem of supplication of a private person, sheds light on the trauma of the victim who has suffered group harassment once again. At the same time, the active resistance of a person not to remain silent about group harassment is an important fact. The messenger of Yahweh who met Hagar in the desert commands her to "go back to your mistress and submit to her". Hagar's ‘flee’ is modified to ‘go back’. This event summons an important theological motif in Psalm 109 through intertextuality. In Psalm 109, Yahweh stands on the right side of the poet and works for him which summons the poet’s desire for social acceptance. The poet wants 'the enemies to perceive and know it'. He stresses on the importance of the intervention of a third person in ‘group harassment’ between the perpetrators and victims. As such, the demand of God for Hagar to ‘go back’ means that God directly intervenes in Hagar's social reacceptance in connection with the ‘group harassment’ incident.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

This paper was written with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea.