The Construction of Irony in Gideon's Leadership: A Narrative-Rhetorical Analysis of the Anti-Monarchic and Proto-Monarchic Tension in Judges 8:22-35
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33856/kerusso.v11i1.581Keywords:
The Irony of Leadership; Narrative Rhetoric; Proto-Monarchy; Anti-Monarchy; Judges 8:22-35Abstract
Judges 8:22-35 presents a paradox between Gideon's rejection of monarchy and his leadership practices, which actually led to symbolic and dynastic consolidation. Previous studies tend to read this passage in moral-theological terms or highlight certain literary devices in isolation, without explaining the rhetorical mechanisms that integrate theocratic declarations, the symbolism of the ephod, and genealogical configurations into a coherent structure. This article aims to formulate the ironic construction of Gideon's leadership through Muilenburg's rhetorical criticism approach to the final form of the Masoretic text. The analysis focuses on the lexical cohesion of the root word ma-shal, the compositional organization of the epilogue unit, and the relationship between speech and action in the narrative progression. The results of the study show that irony is constructed through a structured shift from YHWH's claim to sovereignty to the institutionalization of ambiguous authority, which is ultimately dismantled through a post-mortem evaluation. These findings confirm that the text does not offer a simple anti-monarchical or proto-monarchical position, but rather presents a critical reflection on the ambivalence of charismatic leadership in the context of Israel's pre-monarchical transition.
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