Kingship, Sacral

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions | 1997 | 672 words | Copyright

Kingship, Sacral. In Judaism, the beliefs associated with the ruler chosen and supported by God. The king was God's chosen, his anointed one (messiah), the man sanctified by God's spirit. The relationship between God and the king was perceived as that of father and son (see Psalm 89. 27), but at the same time there was no suggestion that the king was anything but mortal. With the destruction of the Northern Kingdom in 721 BCE and the Southern Kingdom in 587 BCE, kingship came to an end, and hopes vested in God's anointed one were transferred to a future Messiah. The positions, rights, and limitations of the king are elaborated in the Mishnah (Sanh. 2. 2–5).

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JOHN BOWKER. "Kingship, Sacral." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN BOWKER. "Kingship, Sacral." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-KingshipSacral.html

JOHN BOWKER. "Kingship, Sacral." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-KingshipSacral.html

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