“If You Are Not the King You Will Be Eventually …”: Eastern and Western Prophecies Concerning the Rise of Emperors

Idan Breier

doi:10.3390/rel11010004

Abstract

This article compares three literary-historical texts—two from the Jewish world and one from Mongolia—that record prophecies given to military commanders asserting that they will become the rulers of great empires and civilizations. In his The Jewish War, Josephus tells us that he prophesied that Vespasian would become emperor, an act that appears to have saved his life. A rabbinic tradition, related in several versions, similarly recounts that R. Johanan b. Zakkai prophesied that Vespasian would rise to power—he, too, thus being granted his freedom and the opportunity to rebuild his life and community in Yavneh. I compare Josephus and R. Johanan’s prophecies in the light of The Secret History of the Mongols. A chronicle describing the life of Temüjin, the founder of the Mongol Empire who gained fame as Genghis Khan (1162–1227), this tells how Temüjin, the young commander, was predicted to unite all the Mongol tribes and rule over a vast empire. The article analyzes the three prophecies, which occur in diverse genres, in the light of their historical background, hereby demonstrating the way in which written sources can serve anthropological phenomenological research and shed new light on ancient Jewish texts.

Highlights

This article compares three literary-historical texts—two from the Jewish world and one from Mongolia—that record prophecies given to military commanders asserting that they will become the rulers of great empires and civilizations
As time passed and it became clear that the prophecies had been fulfilled, Genghis Khan determined to reward Qorchi: At that time you, Qorči, said, “If the prophecy comes true and if it is fulfilled by Heaven according to your wishes, let me have thirty women.”
Josephus surrendered to the Romans after the siege of Yodfat, Rabban Johanan gave himself up during the

Summary

A Methodiacl Introduction

This article examines three prophecies of the rise to power of military commanders—two from the end of the Second Temple period and one from medieval Mongol history. In his view, studying several cultures across various locations and periods serves as a better way to understand society and its institutions In the spirit of this approach, some contemporary comparative scholars have followed up Bloch’s proposal and begun to study Japanese and European feudalism Cross-cultural comparison may rest on the premise that human nature changes very little (if at all) throughout history. This view can be discerned as early as Thucydides, being embraced in the. This brief survey demonstrates that the use of the comparative method and its examination of similarities and disparities across places and times can raise new questions, shedding light on the events discussed. Deeds on occasion not being well known in one culture and rather dubious, they can be validated by their presence in another, comparison of the two evincing a pattern of behavior in similar situations

Prophecies to Military Commenders in the Bible and Ancient Sources

First Case Study

Second Case Study

Third Case Study

26 Hisjust

Conclusions