Lisa Plantin

Doctoral Student in Biblical Studies, adjunct, pastor

E-Mail lisa.plantin@ehs.se

Doctoral Student in Biblical Studies, adjunct, pastor in Uniting Church in Sweden.

I study birth metaphors in the book of Job. These metaphors are important in both Job´s and God´s opening speeches. Job curses the day he was born and wishes that he would have stayed in the womb. Job longs for death and the womb becomes an image of the land of the dead. God describes how he as a midwife delivers the and swaddles the Sea. God´s speech also describes how water transforms into ice in a womb.

I use cognitive metaphor theory and blending theory in my analysis of the construction and function of the metaphors. In also study how the birth metaphors share motifs with Assyrian and Babylonian birth descriptions.

I investigate how the birth metaphors interact with metaphors concerning creation, precipitation, parenting, light and darkness. The book of Job is rich of metaphors which challenges conventional metaphors and theologies. The image of God as a midwife of the Sea challenges the combat motif in which God as a warrior must combat the Sea. God is also portrayed as the caretaker of the young wild animals. God´s care also concerns destructive parts of creation and the things that are beyond human control.