Birth metaphors in the Book of Job : a blending theory analysis

This dissertation o!ers a detailed analysis of birth metaphors in Job 1, 3, 10, 38, and 39 by using blending theory, supplemented by conceptual metaphor theory. It explores both metaphors that describe birth and those that use birth as a metaphor for other concepts, such as creation and death. It also concerns related concepts such as fetal formation, womb, and stillbirth. The metaphors are studied in their cultural and literary contexts, as well as how they are grounded in embodied experiences of birth. Blending theory explains various cognitive processes and can analyze both conventional metaphors and new, complex ones. It explains the debated expression of death as a return to the womb in Job 1:21, based on a cognitive process where something is understood through negated features of its antonym. A detailed mapping of the metaphors in Job 3 reveals, contrary to the dominant interpretation, that Job does not wish to curse all of creation but only the day he was born. Furthermore, it shows that the womb is blended with the grave and Sheol, but without projecting any positive associations of the womb to the realm of death. This study examines how conventional metaphors are replaced by new ones and demonstrates how the birth metaphors in Job 38-39 challenge the traditional combat motif, where God is seen as combating the sea and wild chaotic forces. The portrayal of God as a midwife includes an act of breaking the limit to the sea, which contradicts the combat motif. Rather than dominating creation, God is depicted as a midwife and a parent who is close to it, providing all wild creatures with food and freedom. Overall, the study underscores the central position of birth metaphors in these key chapters of Job. A close analysis of the metaphors contributes to the interpretation of the biblical text, from the understanding of specific Hebrew words to how innovative metaphors challenge both the beliefs of their time and current interpretations.