Birth Annunciations in the Hebrew Bible and Ancient near East : A Literary Analysis of the Forms and Functions of the Heavenly Foretelling of the Destiny of a Special Child
This study examines the forms and functions of birth annunciation scenes in the Hebrew Bible (HB) and the ancient Near East (ANE). Each annunciation scene is analyzed in its final form to determine its form, functions, and date of composition. ANE and HB annunciations are compared to discover similarities and differences between their forms and functions. Diachronic issues of literary borrowing and genre development are also addressed.