Reading Josephus’ “Prophetic” Inspiration in the Cave of Jotapata (J.W. 3.351–354) in a Roman Context

J E (Eelco) Glas

doi:10.1163/15700631-bja10034

Abstract

Abstract This article offers a literary analysis of the famous episode in Judean War 3.351–354, in which Josephus suddenly recalls his “nightly dreams.” It takes up the question of how Josephus characterizes himself in this episode in consideration of an elite audience located in Rome steeped in Greco-Roman learning. In explaining this episode, scholars have put special emphasis on parallels with discourses of Judean prophecy and biblical prophets, such as Jeremiah and Daniel. The hypothesis that Josephus consciously presents himself as a prophet has found widespread acceptance and grown to become almost undisputable since the 1970s. In addition to challenging the view that Josephus explicitly and deliberately presents himself as a biblical prophet, the present contribution develops an interpretation that considers the historiographical outlook of the whole War as a military-political composition imbued with classicizing features.

Highlights

Josephus’ autobiographical narrative in the Judean War[2] is arguably one of the most infamous examples of succès de scandale in antiquity.[3]
“it cannot be denied that in this episode Josephus portrays himself as a prophet.”[9]. Emphasizing the importance of Josephus’ dreams in the context of this narrative, she argues that Josephus uses religious notions of priesthood, prayer, and prophecy to respond to accusations of treachery raised by Judeans: “Had he written for a Greco-Roman audience, he might have done otherwise.”[10]
Concurring with Feldman and Mason, I argue that the best explanation of these two observations is that Josephus had no interest in spelling out his views about Judean prophecy in the War, and he certainly had no reason to characterize himself as a prophet

Summary

Introduction

Josephus’ autobiographical narrative in the Judean War[2] is arguably one of the most infamous examples of succès de scandale in antiquity.[3]. Rebecca Gray claims that Josephus established an interpretative schema of sin and punishment, which she identifies as one of the fundamental demonstrations of Josephus’ reasoning in the War; one that dates back to the Deuteronomistic historian and to the great classical prophets of the Hebrew Bible.[7] According to Gray, a close analysis of the passage reveals “a distinctively Jewish understanding of history and of the rise and fall of empires” that closely resembles Dan 2:31– 45.8 In a more recent contribution, Tessel Jonquière has attempted to uncover Josephus’ method of self-justification in the Jotapata narrative In her view, “it cannot be denied that in this episode Josephus portrays himself as a prophet.”[9] Emphasizing the importance of Josephus’ dreams in the context of this narrative, she argues that Josephus uses religious notions of priesthood, prayer, and prophecy to respond to accusations of treachery raised by Judeans: “Had he written for a Greco-Roman audience, he might have done otherwise.”[10]. Concurring with Feldman and Mason, I argue that the best explanation of these two observations is that Josephus had no interest in spelling out his views about Judean prophecy in the War (unlike in the Antiquities), and he certainly had no reason to characterize himself as a prophet

Objectives

Conclusion