Allegorical Interpretations of Biblical Narratives in Rabbinic Literature, Philo, and Origen: Some Case Studies

This chapter deals with rabbinic traditions, as well as some passages from the Dead Sea Scrolls, in which biblical narratives are given a nonliteral, symbolic interpretation of a sort rather rare in rabbinic literature, and more akin to what might be labeled allegorical interpretation. These rabbinic traditions are studied against the foil of Philo, Origen, and later patristic writers who use allegory and typology as hermeneutical techniques. Each section of the chapter deals with a separate biblical passage and its interpretation, and is meant to stand as an independent unit. Taken together these case studies are intended to suggest some broader observations concerning the dynamics of allegorization and concretization in post-biblical writings. The chapter deals with the interpretation of the well in the wilderness, and especially the Song of the Well in its biblical context. It also deals with water symbolism, this time of the water of Marah. Keywords:allegorical interpretation; biblical narratives; Marah; Origen; Philo; rabbinic literature; the well in the wilderness