Reviewed by: Berge als Widersacher: Studien zu einem Bergmotiv in der jüdischen Apokalyptik by Peter Juhás Eric Wagner peter juhás, Berge als Widersacher: Studien zu einem Bergmotiv in der jüdischen Apokalyptik (Mundus Orientis 2; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2020). Pp. 190. $150. This edited Habilitationsschrift analyzes selected Jewish (proto-)apocalyptic literature (Zech 4:6aβ–7, 1 Enoch 52; 2 Baruch 36–37, 39–40; and 4 Ezra 13) to uncover what the author considers to be a clear, but rare, motif that figuratively portrays prominent, political, adversaries as mountain(s) to be conquered. [End Page 486] In chap. 1, Juhás defines what he means by apocalyptic literature, articulates the literary contexts of the passages he will analyze, introduces his mountain-as-adversary motif, and contextualizes the motif in its broader ancient Near Eastern literary context. For J., Jewish apocalyptic literature begins with the Book of Zechariah—a text he regards as protoapocalyptic. From these origins, a "standard" account of the nature and social milieu of Jewish apocalyptic literature unfolds, followed by an account of the unique sociohistorical contexts, transmission histories, and literary contexts of the texts J. analyzes in later chapters. When introducing the mountain motif, J. highlights its eschatological and protological elements, as well as its association with secret creation(s) in apocalyptic literature. The opening chapter concludes by discussing how other ancient Near Eastern literature exhibits the mountain-as-adversary motif. In chap. 2, J. analyzes the oracle in Zech 4:6aβ–7 by briefly establishing some of its key literary elements and then focusing on the meaning of its enigmatic phrase "who are you, O great mountain?" (4:7a). Syntactic, semantic, and historical observations help J. conclude that this phrase reflects what some returnees desired from Zerubbabel: a restored Davidic king who would transform the "great mountain" (har-haggādôl)—Darius I of Persia—into a plain. Juhás, in chap. 3, analyzes the mountains made of various metals in 1 Enoch 52. After briefly establishing the text and its theophanic character, J. situates chap. 52 in its Iranian (eschatological) context to reach the heart of his analysis—determining the meaning of each metal and thereby determining the nature of each mountain. Ultimately, each mountain represents a political power—a disempowered king(dom)—eliminated by the "chosen one" and subject to radical judgment. Instead of conveying a future eschatological reality as does Zech 4:6aβ–7, this mountain-as-adversary motif conveys a realized eschatology. Enemy kings who are mountains of various metals are fallen. In chap. 4, J. treats 2 Baruch's "Vision of the Forest and Vine" (chaps. 36–37) and its interpretation (chaps. 39–40). The mythic background of such botanically laden mountains is known from ancient Near Eastern literature (e.g., the Cedar Forest in the Epic of Gilgamesh and the garden in the Book of the Giants) and is also found throughout the OT. J. considers this imagery to be a customary means of portraying power, political arrogance, and a messianic element, which 2 Baruch employs to represent the Roman Empire/emperor in negative terms. Although J. attempts to connect the mountain motif of 2 Baruch with a lion-mountain motif in 4 Ezra, I struggled to see the adversarial dimension of the mountain motif of 2 Baruch and wondered if it might be classified differently. In chap. 5, J. analyzes the mountain imagery of 4 Ezra 13 to show that the mountainas-adversary motif in the initial vision (4 Ezra 13:1–13) does not continue in that vision's subsequent interpretation (4 Ezra 13:21–58). Instead, the latter portrays the mountain positively. The result: 4 Ezra 13 creatively combines several motifs to produce innovative tension in its use of the adversarial mountain motif. A final chapter summarizes the study. While specialized, this monograph exhibits various merits. The meaning and function of the mountain-as-adversary motif emerge as J. explores its presence across a broad, underexplored, and demanding corpus. Along with showing the motif's primordial roots in ancient Near Eastern mythic and epic literature (e.g., Azag in Lugal-e; mountains associated with Inanna; mountains associated with Humbaba in the Epic of...