This book examines the different interpretations of the understanding of illness, health and healing by the Biblical (Old Testament) Prophets in order to address the issues related to these concepts in our contemporary context.

The prophetic literatures of the pre-exilic, exilic and post-exilic times were corrective, subversive alternative to the pre-dominant idea that health and healing were something very physical. However, the prophetic understanding corrected the notion that health and healing is not just physical but it was also emotional, relational, spiritual, and ecological. Therefore, the prophetic literatures are not just important for the study in their own context but are also extremely relevant to our time and context where relationships are broken, ecological crisis is at high risk, injustice prevails, violence and fear grips the health of the individual and the community. All the three prophetic books: Hosea, Isaiah and Jeremiah are structured in such manner so as to underscore God's overarching healing love. Each book not only directly presents God as seeking health and healing, but also in its overall structure makes clear that the portrayal of anger and wrath is serving a rhetorical strategy meant to foster trust in the people a loving, patient, and healing God. This book is a treat for those who are willing to amplify their radius of understanding illness, health and healing from a `different' yet relevant perspective.

Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgment

Abbreviations

Introduction

1. Illness in the Old Testament : Its Definitions and Meanings

Introduction

    1.1 Illness and Its Cause

    1.2 The Social Situation of the Patient

Summary

2. Health in Old Testament with Special Reference to `Rapha, Arukah, Shalom and Marpe' : Its Meanings and Definitions

Introduction

    2.1 `Rapha' : Lexical and Etymological Discussions in the Old Testament

    2.2 `Arukah' : Its Meanings and Definitions

    2.3 `Shalom' : Its Meanings and Definitions

    2.4 `Marpe' : Its Meanings and Definitions

3. The Concept of Illness, Health and Healing in Ancient West Asia

Introduction

    3.1 Illness, Health and Healing in Egypt

    3.2 Illness, Health and Healing in Mesopotamia

Summary

4. Health and Healing in Select Passages of Pre-Exilic Prophetic Literature in the Books of Hosea and Isaiah

Introduction

    4.1 The Socio-Historical Background of the Pre-Exilic Prophets

    4.2 Health and Healing in Hosea

    4.3 Health and Healing in Isaiah

Summary

5. Illness, Health and Healing in Exilic Prophecy of Jeremiah and Deutero- Isaiah

Introduction

    5.1 The Socio-Historical Context of the Exilic Period

    5.2 Health and Healing in Jeremiah

    5.3 Health and Healing in Deutero-Isaiah

Summary

6. Health and Healing in the Post-Exilic Strata of the Book of Isaiah

Introduction

    6.1 Post-Exilic Prophecy

    6.2 Exegetical Study

Summary

7. Analysis of Health and Healing in the Light of the Prophetic Understanding of `Rapha, Arukah, Shalom and Marpe'

Introduction

    7.1 `Rapha, Arukah, Shalom and Marpe' and the Prophets

    7.2 `Rapha, Arukah, Shalom and Marpe' in the Pre-Exilic Times

    7.3 `Rapha, Arukah, Shalom and Marpe' in Exilic Times

    7.4 `Rapha, Arukah, Shalom and Marpe' in Post-Exilic Period

Conclusion

Bibliography

Dr. Atula Ao (Tsuedir) is from the Ao Baptist Church (ABAM) and a native of Mokokchung, Nagaland. She did her theological education under the Senate of Serampore College (University) and holds a Doctorate in Old Testament studies for her research on Prophetic Literatures.

Earlier she served as a theological educator in Nagaland, Karnataka (Bangarpet & Bangalore), and Visakhapatnam. Currently, she serves as an Associate Professor in the dept. of Old Testament studies at the Allahabad Bible Seminary (Serampore), Allahabad.

She has contributed immensely through her writings in many national and international journals and books. She is the author of `Hidden Identity of Women in Church and Society: A Re-reading of the Book of Esther' (CWI, 2016). She is married to Dr. Samuel George from Jammu & Kashmir, a Professor of Christian Theology.