06_An_Cranz_586-598_coopia_586-598 10/12/15 10:35 Pagina 593 593 RITUAL ELEMENTS IN ZECHARIAH’S VISION OF THE WOMAN 593 tion. The first text (CT 23.15-22+) includes an incantation to Šamaš, the second text (CT 23.15-22+) includes the zipadû formula (which is fol- lowed by an incantation to Šamaš), and the third text (BAM 323) instructs the supplicant to swear in the name of Šamaš. Similarly, the last text (W 23287:91-98) specifies that the ritual is followed by an incantation ad- dressing either Šamaš or Marduk. In short, the pairing of ritual and in- cantations indicates that the participation of the gods played an important role for the ritual to be efficacious. IV. The Conceptual links between Zech 5,5-11 and Assyro-Babylonian Exorcisms We can now proceed to compare Zech 5,5-11 with the rituals in question. When reading Zechariah‘s vision in conjunction with the As- syro-Babylonian rituals, the biblical text corresponds to the exorcisms on three levels. First, the woman in the ephah can be seen to parallel Assyro- Babylonian figurines in so far as an abstract or intangible principle takes on a corporeal shape. Modern commentators often take the prophet’s choice of a woman as an indicator of his misogynistic predisposition 32. Yet, given that Zechariah 5 is dominated by feminine vocabulary, it is more likely that Zechariah’s woman stands for an abstract principle sim- ilar to the personification of wisdom in the Book of Proverbs 33. It is, therefore, possible that both the figurines and Zechariah’s woman are di- rect representations of undesired and abstract qualities or entities. Second, the object representing the undesirable entity is placed in a vessel of everyday usage. The ephah in Zechariah’s vision is a vessel employed for transportation or storage, and as a liquid or dry measurement 34. A similar 32 DELKURT, Sacharjas Nachtgesichte, 271-272; KÖRTING, “Sach 5,5-11”, 481-483. For the notion that the woman is a biblical femme fatale who per- sonifies all forms of female wickedness, see W. RUDOLPH, Haggai - Sacharja 1–8 - Sacharja 9–14 - Maleachi (KAT 13,4; Gütersloh 1976) 120; D. PE- TERSEN, Haggai and Zechariah 1–8. A Commentary (Philadelphia, PA 1984) 257-258. K. Elliger considers the woman as a symbol of temptation and sin- fulness in general as is presented in the form of Eve. K. ELLIGER, Das Buch der zwölf kleinen Propheten. Die Propheten Nahum, Habakuk, Zephania, Haggai, Sacharja, Maleachi (ATD 25.2; Göttingen 1951) 105. 33 H. GESE, Vom Sinai zum Zion. Beiträge zur biblischen Theologie (BevT 64; München 1974) 213; DELKURT, Sacharjas Nachtgesichte, 269-270, and also KÖRTING, “Sach 5,5-11”, 484. 34 M. POWELL, “Weights and Measures”, Anchor Bible Dictionary 6 (1992) 897-908, here 904.