Isaac Kalimi

The Language of Power in the Simile “Like a Caged Bird”

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Numerous works have been written on the third campaign of Sennacherib of Assyria to the west. This meticulous monograph, which is written in fluent language and accompanied by beautiful images, focuses on the siege of Jerusalem, where Hezekiah of Judah was described ‘“enclosed” like a caged bird.’ It sets this simile remarkably in its broad ancient Near Eastern literary venue—particularly royal lion hunt motifs and military campaign rhetoric—and sheds fresh light on the theme.”