Spoken into Being

Self and Name(s) in the Hebrew Bible

by Soren Lorenzen

Book cover: Spoken into Being

Extent: 340 pages

Publisher: Mohr Siebeck

Subjects: Biblical Studies, Jewish Studies

Series: Forschungen zum Alten Testament 2.Reihe

Series volume number: 137

Language: English

Paperback (Published)

(September 2022)

ISBN: 9783161614644

9.09 x 6.06 inches

Price: $118.00

In stock

Soren Lorenzen examines the entanglement of persons, names, and the self in the Hebrew Bible. The results of the investigation add to current discussions on personal identity taking place within Hebrew Bible studies.


How are names related to the self in the Hebrew Bible? Are names simply ornamental, or are they tied to the essence of the embodied bearer? To answer these questions, Soren Lorenzen traces various functions of proper names and explores how the lexeme “name” is conceptualized as an object to be perceived by the senses. With Paul Ricoeur as a dialogical partner, the author brings a new perspective on how the self is formed in the intentional relation between persons and name(s).

  • By (author) Soren Lorenzen