Reading Narratives of Pain in the Hebrew Bible:The Case of Elaine Scarry and the Golden Calf Episode (Exodus 32)

Forty’ years after the publication of Elaine Scarry’s groundbreaking work, The Body in Pain, this article evaluates whether Scarry’s interpretation of pain in the Hebrew Bible can still be upheld in light of more recent research in both pain and biblical studies. Focusing on the story’ of the golden calf in Exodus 32,1 conclude that, with a few necessary nuances, Scarry’s work provides an insightful framework for interpreting many Hebrew Bible texts.