Who is Israel?

An Anthropological Approach to Identity Construction Process of “Israel”in Deuteronomistic History

Abstract

A Central theme in anthropological theories, both classical and contemporary, is undoubtedly that of identities. Through the construction of boundaries between “us” and “the others”, social groups produce repertoires of belonging feelings and shared values, around which they socialize their members and distinguish themselves from “the others”. Such identifications develop in mutual implication with the particular contexts in which groups interact.
The name “Israel” appears in the so-called “Deuteronomistic History” (HDtr) with different and even opposite meanings. The article proposes an approach to some representative texts, in order to analyze the process of Israel’s identifications within this biblical corpus. Introducing anthropological theories and tools is highly productive to clarify, in dialogue with biblical exegesis, who Israel is.