History

[stoutfellow]

The recent foofaraw about the phrase "King of Israel" summons up a vague memory, of Prime Minister Menachem Begin being referred to by that title - hyperbolically, I assume, by fringe elements of his faction. This would have been, um, somewhere between 1978 and 1990. Does anyone else remember this?

Comments

[ndrosen]

I remember reading something about that, explaining, if I recall correctly, that “____, King of Israel” was a traditional way of expressing high praise for someone, but did not mean literally hailing him as king.

[stoutfellow]

Thanks.