| Summary: | The concept of divine rejection is a common and significant idea in the Hebrew Bible. Nevertheless, Old Testament scholarship has for the most part neglected to present a thorough treatment of biblical references to this concept. Generally, scholars have addressed it only in passing, and their conclusions have been less than comprehensive. This inattention may be due to contemporary sensibilities sometimes offended by seemingly unfavorable facets of God's nature. However, the Hebrew literature makes evident the willingness of the Israelite people to speak of and to challenge God's decisions of rejection. This dissertation introduces the topic with a survey of available research on the concept of divine rejection. This is followed by chapter one which includes a Semantic and etymological analysis of key Hebrew verbs that are used to denote "reject," namely, 'zb, m's, n'r (piel), nts, znh, rph (hiphil), n's, and g'l. Chapter one also contains a section that examines the motif as it functions in the Ancient Near Eastern Literature. Chapter two presents an analysis of the literary setting of the concept by paying attention to the forms or genres of literature in which it occurs. The contextual setting of the motif is determined by seeking answers to the causes or motives for divine rejection, the consequences of divine rejection, and the intended effect. The third chapter follows this general survey with an exegetical treatment of select passages. These include Psalm 22, Psalm 44, Lamentations 3, Jeremiah 14:19-15:4 and Isaiah 54:1-10. This research is intended to provide a deeper understanding of the motif in these pericopes. Chapter four traces the development of the idea of rejection and its significance in Hebrew thought.
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