The Greek Hat: 2 Maccabees 4:12 as a Euphemism for Reverse Circumcision
Biblical Hebrew is known for its creative avoidance of mentioning intimate body parts. Did such euphemisms continue in Greek-speaking Judaism? This article proposes that the “Greek hat” in 2 Maccabees 4:12 is not (or at least not only) a literal hat or a vague metaphor for Hellenism, as has been sug...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Sheffield
2024-04-01
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| Series: | Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://jibs.hcommons.org/2024/04/22/the-greek-hat2-maccabees-412-as-a-euphemism-for-reverse-circumcision/ |
| Summary: | Biblical Hebrew is known for its creative avoidance of mentioning intimate body parts. Did such euphemisms continue in Greek-speaking Judaism? This article proposes that the “Greek hat” in 2 Maccabees 4:12 is not (or at least not only) a literal hat or a vague metaphor for Hellenism, as has been suggested through the centuries. Instead, it is a sly euphemism for a foreskin, and refers to the practice of epispasm, or the restructuring of a penis to reverse the look of circumcision. Such a reading fits well with the text’s anxiety around the gymnasium and its concern for Torah observance. |
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| ISSN: | 2633-0695 |