Bethel, Dark Woods, and Taboo: 1 Kings 13 as a Cautionary Tale

Abstract

Abstract 1 Kings 13 in its present form features key traits of the cautionary tale. Through a comparison with Little Red Riding Hood, it is argued that many of the enigmatic features of 1 Kings 13 dissolve when read as a cautionary tale. On the surface, this tale functions as a didactic tale that warns against the naïve trust of a stranger on the road. On a deeper level, it inevitably colors Bethel as a dangerous and unruly place that doomed the protagonist to a tragic death.