Herem describes a formal act of placing persons, objects, or settlements outside normal human control through complete dedication or destruction. In the Torah and related texts, herem marks something as no longer available for reuse, negotiation, or recovery. This status can involve destruction, confiscation, or permanent removal and is framed as obedience to divine command rather than personal choice. Herem functions as a boundary-setting mechanism that defines what must be surrendered entirely and what may remain within communal life.
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References
- Smith, Mark S., The Origins of Biblical Monotheism: Israel's Polytheistic Background and the Ugaritic Texts
- Auld, A. Graeme, I & II Samuel: A Commentary
- Edenburg, Cynthia, "Paradigm, Illustrative Narrative, or Midrash: The Case of Josh 7-8 and Deuteronomic/istic Law" in Berner, Christoph (ed.) The Reception of Biblical War Legislation in Narrative Contexts: Proceedings of the EABS Research Group "Law and Narrative"
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