Jahwekrieg und Heilsgeschichte

The motives of the Yahweh war in the Old Testament are rooted in the war theology of the Ancient Near East, according to which God and king collaborate in a battle in order to defend order in the world against the powers of chaos. In the war narratives of the Old Testament, beginning with Exodus 14*, kingship was replaced by Israel as God's people. During the Persian period, the idea of Yahweh was incorporated subsequently into the war texts from the kingship era. This presupposes the kingship catastrophes between 722 and 586 BCE and reflects the enduring military powerlessness of the Jewish community.