1 HOMO SACER AND DIVINE VIOLENCE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT: SUBJECTING THE UNSACRIFICEABLE TO PUNISHMENT * ELY ORREGO TORRES Universidad Diego Portales, Chile. ABSTRACT This essay discusses Walter Benjamin's concept of divine violence and its relationship to Giorgio Agamben's idea of the homo sacer. This analysis is based on the existing relationship between the divine (law), the theological (sacrifices in the tabernacle) and the political (Moses as a figure of divine authority) found within the social sphere of Judaism that pertains to the Levites and priests, whom are considered homo sacer. This discussion focuses on various instances of divine punishment in the Old Testament and their implications for the figure of the homo sacer. It also takes into the account the symbolism represented by the spilling of blood as a way of expiating humanity; this occurs by way of divine violence and its relationship with biopolitics, understood as a relationship between zoé (mere life or biological life) and bios (way of life or their humanity). Key words: Homo Sacer, Divine Violence, Bare Life, Giorgio Agamben, Jewish History, Biopolitics. I. INTRODUCTION If we must provide a starting point for the political-legal history of Israel, it can be found in the book of Leviticus, in which laws are set forth that pertain to the Jewish people. This book is essential for understanding both the Jewish way of life, as well as their social organization. Those who were responsible for enforcing the law and carrying out divine orders, such as sacrifices and administration of the temple, were the Levites and the priests. * A spanish version was published on Revista Pléyade 2 (2008): 22-32. I wish to thank Alejandro Orrego and Miguel Vatter for their help to write this article.