Subproject B03

Metaphors of the Self: On the Connection between Self-Constitution and Religion in the Hebrew Bible

This project focuses body-related metaphors from the Hebrew Bible, particularly from Psalms, Job, Jeremiah and Lamentations. Employing these metaphors, these texts contribute to the emergence of an inner self related to individuality, personhood, self-reflection, morality, etc. The project addresses the correlation of the emergence of an “inner-self” and “religion”. It hypothesizes that through the increasing constitution of an "inside", imagined as not permeable but self-contained, processes of individualization and, in connection with this, the axial emergence of religious individuality are intensified.

Publications

• Artemov, Nikita. 2024. “Like a Fortress under Siege. Metaphors of the Self and War Imagery in Job’s Fifth Speech (Job 16-17).” In Job’s Speeches. Zwischen Selbstreflexion, Klage und Streit, edited by Anja Marschall, 51–67. Leipzig: Evangelische Verlagsanstalt.
• Artemov, Nikita. Forthcoming. “Inequality between Gods and Mortals: Conceptualizations of the Divine-Human Relationship in Ludlul Bēl Nēmeqi and in the Book of Job.” In Inequality in the Ancient Near East (CCRAI 69), edited by W.J. Waal, J.G. Dercksen, and C. Waerzeggers. Leiden.
• Artemov, Nikita, and Vicky Ziegler. Forthcoming. “Praiseworthy Speech with the Heart: Heart Imagery in al Qušayrī's Naḥw al-Qulūb and in the Hebrew Bible. A Conceptual and Cognitive Analysis.” Journal of the German Oriental Society 176.
• Artemov, Nikita. 2025a. “‘Guard Your Heart with All Vigilance, for from It Are the Outgoings of Life’ (Prov 4:23). Heart Metaphors and Concepts of the ‘Inner Self’ in the Hebrew Bible.” In A Multitude of Hearts: Conceptualizations of ‘heart’ across Religious Traditions, edited by Nikita Artemov and Marion Eggert. Metaphor Papers 29. https://doi.org/10.46586/mp.438.522.
• Artemov, Nikita. 2025b. “‘Walk in the Ways of Your Heart’ (Eccl 11:9). On the Intersection of Way and Heart Metaphors in the Hebrew Bible.” In Conceptualizing CONDUCT OF LIFE through WAY Metaphors, edited by Kianoosh Rezania, Neda Mohtashami, and Roman Seidel. Metaphor Papers 19. https://doi.org/10.46586/mp.430.
• Artemov, Nikita. 2025c. “‘You Shall Set These My Words upon Your Heart’ (Deuteronomy 11:18). Sealing and Writing as Metaphors for Interiorizing Religious Messages in Biblical Hebrew and Their Ancient Near Eastern Background.” Sealing, Molding, Imprinting, and Inscribing as Religious Metaphors, edited by Nikita Artemov, Linda Simonis, and Jan-Ulrich Sobisch. Metaphor Papers 22. https://doi.org/10.46586/mp.422.493.
• Artemov, Nikita, Elsa Kueppers, Sebastian Reimann, Lina Rodenhausen, and Alexandra Wiemann. 2024. Taking MIPVU Further Around the World-And Through the Ages: MIPVU for Religion-Related Texts: Challenges and Benefits. Metaphor Papers 9. https://doi.org/10.46586/mp.299.
• Frevel, Christian. 2023. “… Schön gestaltet wie Säulen am Bau eines Palastes? Gynaikomorphe Architekturelemente in der Kleinkunst der Südlichen Levante und die Deutung von Ps 144,12.” In “Trinkt von dem Wein, den ich mischte!” “Drink of the Wine Which I Have Mingled!,” edited by Stefan Münger, Nancy Rahn, and Patrick Wyssmann, 124–52. Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis 303. Leuven.
• Frevel, Christian. 2024. “Rezension von Søren Lorenzen, Spoken into Being. Self and Name(s) in the Hebrew Bible,” Forschungen zum Alten Testament 2. Reihe (FAT II), Tübingen: Mohr-Siebeck 2022, ZAW 136(4), 642–644.
• Frevel, Christian. 2025. “Metaphors We Look at. Some Reflections on Images and Texts with a Case Study on Bull Iconography.” In Symbolism of the Biblical World @50, edited by Brent Strawn, Joel LeMon, and Ryan Bonfiglio. Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis. Leuven.
• Frevel, Christian. Forthcoming. “Gefährliche Begegnungen? Überlegungen zu den Waffen der Götter und zu einer singulären Bronze vom Tell Abu al-Kharaz.” In Kultische Küsse, edited by Jan Dietrich, Judit Filitz, and Laura Gönnermann. Vetus Testamentum et Orbis Antiquus. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.

Presentations

• Frevel, Christian: The Heart as Metaphor of the Self in the Hebrew Bible. Breaking New Ground in the Study of Religion. Workshop with the Center for Religious Studies (CERES), Ruhr University Bochum, 16.05.–18.05.2022, Krakow, Poland. 
• Frevel, Christian: Heart and Self. Some Afterthoughts on the Building Blocks of a Theory of Individualization in the Hebrew Bible. 24th Congress of the International Organization for the Study of the Old Testament (IOSOT), 8.08.–12.8.2022, Zurich, Switzerland.
• Artemov, Nikita: Metaphors of the Self and the Construction of Transcendence in Job's Speeches of the Second Cycle. Inwards, outwards, upwards: Self-Reflection, Dispute, and Lament in Job's Speeches, 27.01.–29.01.2023, Leipzig, Germany. 
• Frevel, Christian: Metonymies in Iconography: Some Reflections on Methodological Intent. EABS Annual Conference, 10.07.–13.07.2023, Syracuse, Italy. 
• Artemov, Nikita: Inequality Between Gods and Mortals: Conceptualizations of the Human-divine Relationship in Mesopotamian Wisdom Dialogues and in the Book of Job. 68th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale, 17.07.–20.07.2023, Leiden, Netherlands. 
• Frevel, Christian: Metonymies and Metaphors in Southern Levantine Temple Models and Temple Architecture. Temple and Cult in the Iron Age: Resuming the Discussion Considering the Ongoing Discoveries at Tel Moẓa, 18.09.–22.09.2023, Jerusalem, Israel. 
• Frevel, Christian: Ibex - Bull - Lion. Levantine Iconographic Universals or Specific Meanings. 2023 SBL Annual Meeting, 18.11.–21.11.2023, San Antonio, Texas, USA. 
• Artemov, Nikita: Sinnverwandlungen statt Sinneswandel? ‚Interiorisierung‘ von Religion als kathartisches Metaphernspiel in Psalm 51. International Early-Career-Workshop Aktuelle Forschungen in den Bibelwissenschaften, 19.02.–21.02.2024, Graz, Austria. 
• Artemov, Nikita (together with Zozan Tarhan): The Ideologically Laden Metaphor of Loyalty and Devotion in Neo-Assyrian and Old Testament Context. 69th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale,  8.07.–12.07.2024, Helsinki, Finland.  
• Artemov, Nikita: Hardened, Sealed, and Speaking Hearts. Metaphors of Heart in Biblical Hebrew and Classical Arabic. 2024 SBL International Meeting, 28.07.–01.08.2024, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 
• Artemov, Nikita: The Images of Nature and the Concept of Soul in Psalm 42. 21st annual conference of the European Association for the Study of Religions, 19.08.–23.08.2024, Gothenburg, Sweden. 
• Frevel, Christian: The Weapons of the Gods as Metaphors of Power – Some Iconographic Considerations. European Association for Biblical Studies (EABS) / SBL International Meeting, 23.06.–27.06.2025, Uppsala, Sweden. 
• Artemov, Nikita: The Policy of Heart. Everyday Activities as Metaphors for Mental Processes in Old Babylonian Letters. 70th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale, 07.07.–11.07.2025, Prague, Czech Republic. 
• Frevel, Christian: Körperwelten – Zum Paradigma des Körpers in der Alttestamentlichen Anthropologie. 25th Congress of the International Organization for the Study of the Old Testament (IOSOT), 11.08.–15.08.2025, Berlin, Germany. 
• Artemov, Nikita (together with Vicky Ziegler): The ‘Cup’ as a Metaphor in the Hebrew Bible and the Qurʾān: An Intertextual Analysis. 35. Deutscher Orientalistentag, 08.09.–12.09.2025, Erlangen, Germany.