THE concept of the Day of Yahweh has long been recognized as a central theme in prophetic thought about the future. There has been widespread disagreement, however, about the precise nature or character of the Day of Yahweh. At the center of the controversy has been the question of the most appropriate point of departure for understanding the tradition. From what vantage point can this sacral tradition in Israel's history come into clearest perspective? In recent years most studies have centered on the question of the origin of the tradition. These studies suggest that the prophetic texts which speak of a Day of Yahweh will come into focus when the origin of the tradition is properly understood. Thus, Sigmund Mowinckel maintains that the Day of Yahweh is to be understood primarily from within the history of Israel's cult. Within the world of myth and ritual, the Day of Yahweh was originally the event of the enthronement of Yahweh, the time when Yahweh comes to guarantee victory over enemies, the time when Yahweh brings deliverance from distress and the realization of peace, good fortune, and favorable conditions. The cultic Day of Yahweh is the time when these realities are reaffirmed for successive generations of people.' Quite in contrast, Gerhard von Rad contends that the Day of Yahweh should be understood not from within the cultic context but rather from the perspective of the historical traditions of holy war. The Day of Yahweh, declares von Rad, is a pure event of war, an event involving the appearance of Yahweh to annihilate his enemies.2 For Mowinckel, the Day of Yahweh comes into perspective through the study of Israel's early cult; for von Rad, the perspective is to be found in the study of the traditions of holy war.3