Hebrew Bible Final

Feminist readings of 2 Isaiah

"Daughter Zion" appears in c. 40 as a herald of good news for Judah's other cities, establishes a gendered role for Zion and Israel God as a birthing mother in Isaiah 42 Sarah hearkened back to as a symbol of hope

Definition of a prophet, according to Abraham Heschel

"A person of agony whose life and soul are at stake in what they say and one who is able to perceive the silent sigh of human anguish" Passion is the most important characteristic

Janet Martin Soskice definition of metaphor

"A speech act in which one speaks of one thing or state of affairs in terms suggestive of something else"

Three main points on Job

1. He mad 2. Challenges that faithfulness brings rewards and that all actions have consequences (two key assumptions in Wisdom literature) 3. Complains about the serious, philosophical problems of theodicy

Problematic nature of marriage metaphor in Hosea (collins)

ASIDE FROM THE OBVIOUS MODERN OBJECTIONS, People could ascribe the actions of God as exemplary; that is, to be imitated in real life. Hosea is NOT saying this is what SHOULD be done, he's merely using cultural assumptions to explain God's action

High Priesthood before, during, and after exile

There is evidence that the high priesthood continued through the exile (with one exilic high priest, Jozadak), and that pre- and post-exilic Jerusalem served as a central point of contact for other worship sites, including the temple at Elephantine

Apocalyptic Eschatology

A religious perspective, an esoteric disclosure of the cosmic vision of YHWH's sovereignty, often not in this-world terms because of a pessimistic, post-exilic view of reality. Rewards will come in another world.

Prophecy in the biblical text

A representation of the time that the text was written, not necessarily the time in which the prophet spoke Language was poetry, often cryptic Prophets used the phrase "Thus says the Lord" Prophets engaged in ecstatic behavior

Qohelet Background information

"Qohelet" (hebrew) and "Ecclesiastes" (greek) both mean "speaker" or "preacher" Ecclesiastes 1:1 implies that Qohelet was Solomon Part of the Five Megillot in the Ketuvim section of TNK: Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Qohelet, and Esther Read during festival of booths Canonicity disputed, but according to Rabbinic traditions, the book could never "defile the hands" such as Ruth, Song of Songs, or Esther

Definition of Apocalyptic and Aasimov's interpretation

"To uncover, reveal" Aasimov: apocalyptic was a fitting "final category" of Jewish literature, as it serves to create a kind of final hope in light of the increased persecution under the Seleucids

The two terms important in Persian Royal Law

"data" - order "arta" - loyalty

2 Terms to describe adultery

"n'p": "To commit adultery" - used literally "znh": "To act like a prostitute" - used metaphorically - Using the second emphasizes/intensifies theaccusation by focusing on the woman's behavior as REPEATED or CHARACTERISTIC - an example of FIRST LEVEL METAPHORICAL USAGE (when applied to women); where SECOND LEVEL usage functions to characterize Israel's worship of other deities Gomer is NOT accused of being a prostitute, but rather an adulterous woman

Hesed (meaning and context of the use in our class)

"steadfast love," "relational fidelity," "faithfulness and loyalty" Context: Hosea emphasized that Israel's relationship should be characterized by Hesed along with Knowledge of God

Esther: Character and Book

-Both have generated strong and diverse opinions -Incredibly popular among Jews, but also very contested in some quarters. Canonical status contested up to the 3rd century. -Early Christians opposed its inclusion in the canon as well - was too nationalistic, was not referenced anywhere in NT writings

Dialogues in Job

(3-27) Job's friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) come see him but do nothing for 7 days and nights - they simply listen to Job, playing the role of the comforter Theodicy comes in in Job 21:7-25: "Why do the wicked live on, prosper and grow wealthy?"

Purim and Esther

-Esther was likely written by a master storyteller to ground Purim to an 'event' -Purim's 'true' origins evade us - Esther is therefore etiological. -Esther 3:7 - the casting of lots (the 'pur') is performed in Haman's presence so as to decide a time for the attack on Israelites

While Hosea and Amos were prophesying in the Northern Kingdom, who was prophesying in the Southern kingdom?

(First) Isaiah and Micah

Evidence for Esther as history

-Introduction is similar to other biblical historiographies -Ending refers to another source to substantiate events, "the Annals of the Kings of Media and Persia" -Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) had a winter palace at Susa and was reigning at the purported time of Esther -Our knowledge of Persia matches many of the cultural details in the book -There are extrabiblical legends of Ahasuerus' drinking parties ("wine feasts") -An extrabiblical text mentions a government administrator at Susa named "Marduka" (or Mordecai)

Plot of Esther, scene 2: Esther becomes queen

-Most beautiful maidens in all the empire brought to the king -Mordecai's lineage as a Benjaminite (becomes important later) established -Esther wins Hegai's favor without revealing that she is a Jew -Mordecai prevents assassination but is at this point unrewarded for it -Rabbinic gap-filling: Mordecai actively attempted to prevent Esther from marrying Xerxes, which was perceived as a terrible fate -Haman the Agagite is promoted to a high position, yet Mordecai refuses to bow to him, therefore Haman plots the destruction of Mordecai's people, the Jews.

Josiah and Pharaoh Necho III

-Neo-Assyrian and Egyptian alliance was formed to oppose Neo-Babylonians -Necho III traveled near Judah to aid in the Assyrian defense of Nineveh -Josiah opposes him, dies in 609

Arguments against Esther as history

-While Marduka/Mordecai as an administrator at Susa is attested elsewhere, it was a common name -The name of Ahasuerus' wife was Amestris, not Vashti -At the time Ahasuerus would've been looking for another wife after Amestris died, he would've been waging an unsuccessful military campaign against Greece -We have no evidence for attacks against Jewish communities in Persia - JUDGING A STORY'S HISTORICITY IN TERMS OF ITS DEGREE OF REALISM MISTAKES VERISIMILITUDE FOR HISTORICITY

Plot of Esther, Scene 1: Vashti Deposed

-begins with opulence and self-indulgence: great detail given here, many goblets used were stolen from Jerusalem, Renita Weems calls it a "Subtle criticism of the kings' self-indulgent taste and hedonistic appetite" -Ahasuerus goes into a rage when Vashti refuses to flaunt her beauty (or reveal herself?) so he consults his advisors and then issues an edict that banished Vashti and commands all men to wield all authority in their homes -Rabbinic teaching holds that Ahasuerus' edict actually saved the Jews from extinction; such an absurd decree, clearly issued while intoxicated, delegitimized his further decree to eradicate the Jews -Rabbinic gap-filling in scene: Vashti villainized as Belzhazzar's (Daniel's nemesis) daughter; Vashti refused to appear because God had already cursed her with leprosy

Ways in which readers fill narrative gaps

-looking to the text itself -looking to other texts, especially in the same genre -draw from our own knowledge about the sociocultural setting of the text itself -fill gaps based on OUR OWN WORLDVIEWS

Elijah - chapters, main points (collins)

1 Kgs 17 - Baal conflict comes to a head; Elijah performs two miracles to show that YHWH, not Baal, is the giver of life: multiplication of oil and meal, raising of child from the dead 1 Kgs 18 - "The god who answers with fire is the true god" (contest with Baal's prophets) 1 Kgs 19 - Deuteronomist corrective of the previous verse, emphasis on God as NOT just the manifestation of the elements, Elijah in the desert for 40 days/nights at Horeb where he hears that he should appoint Elisha as his successor 1 Kgs 21 - Ahab and Jezebel kill Naboth to take his vineyard. Elijah, like Nathan, calls them out on this, but unlike Nathan, curses them instead of giving them room to repent (curse fulfilled in Jehu's coup). Sets up standard of prophecy in future chapters - prophet as speaking truth to power, concern with social justice 2 Kgs 2 - Elijah's career ends. Mirrors Moses in parting the Jordan, mirrors Enoch by being "taken up" (doesn't die). Return expected before the coming of the Messiah

Micaiah Ben Imlah (collins)

1 Kgs 22 Set in a time of relative peace between Israel/Judah Narrative includes a textual example of "on-call" prophets While Micaiah was one of them, he went against the grain Condemned Ahab, predicted his death in battle - by the time Ahab knew he was right, it was too late Claims to have had a direct vision of God (which, given Ex 33:20, he should have died from)

Why is proverbs ascribed to Solomon?

1 Kgs 3:5 - Solomon requests of YHWH to give him a wise and discerning mind 1 Kgs 5:9 - God endowed Solomon with wisdom and discernment 1 Kgs 5:12 - Solomon composed 3,000 proverbs Long story short, biblical attestation

Compositional structure of Job

1, 2, and 41:71-7 - narrative 3-31 and 38:1-42:6 - poetry Speeches of Elihu (32-37) were likely a single unit, and with poem of Woman Wisdom (28) should be considered their own literary presence in their challenges to the narrative It is the most linguistically complex book in the HB. Filled with Aramaisms and loanwords, and nobody ever spoke in this way - therefore, it is likely post-exilic (but could be simply exilic)

What did the Chronicler write?

1-2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah 1-2 Chr is considered one of the first extant accounts of rewritten scripture and is clearly indicative of the second temple period - recounts history from Adam to Cyrus Ezra-Neh is primarily concerned with Jerusalem's reconstruction

Structure of Ezekiel

1-24: Judgment and Doom oracles against Judah/Jerusalem 25-32: Oracles against foreign nations and rulers 33-48: Oracles of future restoration - many of these oracles are dated, and, with one exception, appear chronologically

Ezekiel's four vision reports

1. 1:1-3:15, "Glory of God" approaching over Babylonia in a storm cloud and light 2. 8:1-11:24, Transported by the spirit to the Temple, where he sees abominations and God's abandonment 3. 37:1-14, Valley of dry-bones, who are 're-membered' with sinews and flesh 4. 40-48: A "very high mountain" where he tours the future temple and sees God's glory enter in

Seven collections in the book of proverbs

1. 1:1-9:18 "Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel" 2. 10:1 - 22:16 "Proverbs of Solomon" 3. 22:17-24:22 "The words of the wise [men]" 4. 24:23-34 "These [words] also belong to the wise [men]" 5. 25:1-29:17 "Other proverbs of Solomon that the men of Hezekiah collected" 6. 30:1-14 "The words of Agur, son of Jakeh" 7. 31:1-9 "The words of King Lemuel, with which his mother instructed him" NOT ALL OF THESE ARE ASCRIBED TO SOLOMON

4 categories of message-centered criteria

1. Fulfillment or non-fulfillment - Frequently applied but also the most difficult as it can only be done retrospectively - only deals with narrowly predictive words 2. Promises of Weal or Woe - major prophets solely predicted doom, false prophets are said to have predicted weal (should we only listen to woe?) 3. Revelatory Form - Refers to the manner in which the word was received; some criticize ecstatic behavior, others criticize oneiromancy 4. Allegiance to YHWH or Ba'al

Four major themes in Ezekiel

1. Jerusalem and Judah's impending destruction is their thoroughly-deserved punishment for their long-lived sin against God 2. YHWH and no other deity controls history, ALL history 3. Nothing an deter the fulfillment of God's plan for Israel - which includes the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem 4. God's judgment is NOT the end. In the future, YHWH will transform Israel; Israel will become incapable of sinning

Kings of Captivity

1. Josiah 2. Josiah's son, Jehoiakim 3. Jehoiakim's son, Jehoiachin 4. Jehoiakim's brother, Jeohahaz 5. Jehoiakim's other brother, Zedekiah (installed by Babylon)

the Three Monologues in Job

1. Poem on the inaccessibility of Wisdom (c. 28) - wisdom is hidden from humans 2. the Oath of Innocence (c. 29-31) - Job's response and proclamation that he is innocent 3. Elihu Speeches (32-37) - a previously unknown person comes in and lectures Job on the fact that wisdom comes from God

Two broad categories of proverbs

1. Popular (adages), often more descriptive 2. Wisdom (sapiental), often more prescriptive

Rhetorical strategies employed in 2 Isaiah

1. The usage of Israel's past and YHWH's track record 2. Mocking idolaters and their idols 3. Emphasizes YHWH's role as creator 4. YHWH is behind the acts of Cyrus 5. Proclamation of a "Second Exodus" 6. Jerusalem's impending transformation 7. Israel has not just suffered its own sins, but borne the sins of others; therefore, YHWH will "allot Israel a portion with the great"

Common features in Apocalypses (10)

1. Urgent expectation of the end of earthly conditions in the immediate future 2. The end as a cosmic catastrophe that is all-encompassing 3. Periodization and Determinism (that is , numbers are significant and the plan cannot change) 4. Activity of angels and demons 5. New salvation, paradisal in character 6. Manifestation of the Kingdom of God 7. A mediator with royal functions 8. The catchword "glory" 9. Dualism 10. Final showdown between good and evil

2 Stages of Babylonian deportation (Biblical text)

2 Kgs 24:1-2 : Jehoiakim refuses to pay vassal taxes to Nebuchadnezzar 2 Kgs 24:14 : Forced deportation, Davidic king removed

Development as Apocalypse as a generic category

19th century: Gottried Lucke (and others) proposes the idea of grouping Christian end-times literature together: Revelation, 1 Enoch, 4 Ezra 20th century: Gerhard von Rad argues that apocalyptic grew out of Wisdom tradition, Klas Koch applies form criticism to it, and Paul Hanson eventually draws distinctions between different types of Apocalypse

Myth of the Empty Land in Isaiah

2 Isaiah speaks of Judah as though it uninhabited, but we know that this is not true. Rhetorical purpose: to reinforce the author's emphasis on returning to Judah - it is waiting, as a mother with open arms.

Hellenistic Period details

332-31 BCE Alexander the Great's Conquest of the Levant: 332 Alexander dies: 323 Rise of Augustus in Rome: 31

Instructions of Surappak

3rd mill. BCE Designed to teach piety and virtue Short lines transferred from a master to an apprentice or father to son

Dates of the Persian Period and important kings

539-332 Cyrus (559-530) Cambyses (530-522) - extended rule into Egypt Darius (522-486)

Battle of Carchemish

605 Carchemish was a rallying point at which to resist Babylon (confirmed by archaeology) Jeremiah 46: Egypt falls to Babylon at the will of YHWH

Ugaritic lunar interpretation

A documented case of casuistic laws relating to astronomical readings

Definition of a dead metaphor

A metaphor in which the actual metaphorical aspect as been lost through constant use Examples: hands on a clock, time is running out, falling in love, hold your horses, dial a phone

Definition of ostracon (pl. ostraca)

A piece of writing on broken pottery, one of the more common ways to find writing in archaeological sites pertaining to the ancient Near East

Amos' context and composition (collins)

A shepherd from Tekoa - in Judah, 10 miles S of Jerusalem. However, he prophecies in Bethel, the southernmost edge of the N kingdom. Book was edited in S Kingdom and therefore shows Judean perspective/Davidic loyalism Kings: Uzziah in Judah, Jeroboam in Israel (784-745). Dating is questionable: prophesied the destruction of the N kingdom, but the Assyrian threat was not present during Jeroboam's reign. Amos never mentions Assyria in his oracles, but does mention threat of exile (typical of Assyrian policy). Amos 6:2, which compares Israel with many other regions conquered by Assyria in the 730s, also calls dating into question - but these things could've been added later. Everything above comes from the introduction, but there is another biographical notice - Amos 7:10-14, an encounter between Amos and the priest Amaziah of Bethel. This encounter shows that Amos was not a member of a prophetic guild, but instead a "freelancer". Amos' style is in line with Elijah - confrontational and abrasive, with no intention of winning people over.

Apocalypse as a literary genre, defined

A significant amount of early Jewish and Christian literature from 3rd c. BCE to 2nd c. CE is apocalypse or contains apocalyptic features Apocalypse is a story where a 'seer' experiences a revelation of a future where current conventions of justice are obtained Almost all are published pseudonymously

Jerusalem in the Persian period

A small settlement (20-50 Dunams in size, where 1 dunam is roughly 11,000 square feet) primarily sustained by its function as a religious center for the Persian province of Yehud and the cult of YHWH, led by a priesthood. Confined t the Eastern Embankment, known today as the City of David

Types of parallelism in proverbs

A. Synonymous Parallelism of Cognitive Content - "a good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver and gold." Terms and meanings are not precisely synonymous, but thoughts are mirrored. B. Antithetic parallelism - "a wise child makes a glad father, but a foolish child is a mother's grief" - wise is opposite foolish, glad father is opposite mother's grief C. Ascending (or synthetic) parallelism - "the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day" - the second lline completes the thought of the first.

Differentiation between ANE Wisdom and Egyptian Wisdom

ANE: Strong link between action and consequence Egypt: Wisdom embodied solely in eloquent speech

Early prophets in the Hebrew Bible

Abram is called a prophet Miriam is called a prophetess Moses is called Israel's greatest prophet, hence "a prophet like Moses"

Demotic Chronicle

Account of Darius bringing various rulers together in order to compile laws of their individual nations for the purpose of individualized governance. No single laws were uniformly applied to different people groups across the Persian empire.

Babylonian theodicy

Acrostic poem of 27 lines (first letter from each line spells out a message from a priest who likely wrote it) Conversation between a sufferer and a friend In the end, the sage recognizes the sufferers arguments, and blames the gods for the suffering

Epilogue of Qohelet

Added later, provides an orthodox ending to an otherwise unorthodox book - nowhere in Qohelet except for the epilogue is Wisdom advocated as any kind of answer to life's problems

End of the Kingdom of Israel (collins)

After Jehu's coup, 2 Kgs goes back to the Annalistic style present in the beginning of 1-2 Kgs Davidic line continues in Judah, with one exception - Athaliah, the wife of Jehoram and mother of Ahaziah (both killed by Jehu). Quickly replaced by Jehoash of the Davidic line. Menahem of N Kingdom (745-737) had to deal with the encroachment of Assyria; Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria began taking N territories 2 kings later (Pekah) Pekah assassinated by Hoshea, who initially paid tribute to Assyria, but conspired with Egypt to rebel - rebellion failed, and Samaria was placed in direct control of Assyria.

Ludlul Bel Nemeqi

Also known as the "Babylonian Job" (14th - 12th cent BC) this wisdom text is a poetic monologue that begins and ends with praise to Marduk despite the speakers experience of indescribable pain and loss. Therefore, better defined as propaganda than it is a wisdom text

Jeremiah on National policy

Always advocated for submission to Babylonian rule, putting him at odds with nationalists and scribes - one scribe, however, was his ally: Baruch Predicted the destruction of Jerusalem and the Davidic line, running opposite to other concurrent prophesy also represented in Jeremiah: HOWEVER, HE PREACHED THE POSSIBILITY OF MERCY THROUGH REPENTANCE. Therefore, he struck a balance between woe and seeking the welfare of the city

Wisdom of Amenope

An example of the many writings written by an elite ruler for his son/eventual successor Provides wisdom on living during non-prosperous times

Characteristics of biblical prophets

An intermediary between the human and divine realms They don't always tell the future; rather, they address the divine will for the present They are commissioned by the divine, but uplifted by their community Delivers a message to a third party, typically a king

Titles in Mesopotamian Wisdom

Apkalla - wise man, expert, sage, priest Emgu - Wise person Igigallu - Wise person, wisdom Mar Ummani - Crafstman, expert

Superscriptions in Psalms (definition and types)

Appear directly before the psalm and provide information Three types: 1. names ("of David") 2. Liturgical instruction ("for the director of music") 3. Single words ("prayer" or "praise")

Apocalypse Terminology and definitions

Armageddon: from the Hebrew "har Megiddo" (Mountain of Megiddo) Eschatology: From the Greek "eschaton" (end of times) Apocalypse: a literary genre Apocalypticism: A worldview common in apocalypse Apocalyptic: Adjective meaning "typical of apocalypses"

Why, according to Elie Wiesel, does Ezekiel insist on Jewish weakness?

Because Ezekiel knew the atrocities to come, and wanted to provide some kind of reason for them

Three main divisions in Isaiah (and the associated scholar)

Bernhard Duhm 1st Isaiah: 1-39, 8th century base text - concern with Neo-Assyrians 2nd Isaiah: 40-55, Exilic base text - concern with babylonian occupation and re-occupation of Israel 3rd Isaiah: 56-66, post-exilic base text - concern with Persians, rebuilding the temple

What is 'proverb perforance?'

Carole Fontaine: "a purposive, highly nuanced activity . . . the meaningful citation of a proverb in a social situation in order to affect or evaluate speech, attitudes, or actions"

Wisdom Literature in Ancient Israel - books and features

Books: Proverbs, Job, Qohelet(h), some Psalms, Ben Sira and Wisdom of Solomon Features (3): 1. Favorite literary form: Masal 2. Ideology of self-restraint and moderation 3. International character

Elijah vs. Elijah (comparisons and contrasts) (collins)

Both increased a widow's store of oil, both raised a child from the dead Elijah is more 'theological' - focus is on prophecy against Baal - while Elisha is more of a simple wonderworker Some scholars believe the Elisha material is from an earlier date despite Elisha being Elijah's predecessor

Ricoeur's points on why metaphors matter

Central to language and the process of meaning-making Interpreters 'rescue' metaphors by making meaning out of them Ricoeur's focus is in the RECEPTION of metaphors, whereas Mikhail Bakhtin's focus is on the CREATION of metaphor

Common features among all parts of Isaiah

Centralization of Temple, common images of and names for God

Prologue to Job

Chap 1-2 Adversary asks God to allow him to blight Job such that Job would curse God This adversary "ha-satan" was not the devil, but simply a member of some heavenly council Wife tells job to "blaspheme God and die"

Amos' Oracles Against the Nations (collins)

Chap 1-2 Obvious addition is the oracle against Judah - focus on "law of the Lord" is very Deuteronomic and contrasts with the others Oracles are formulaic and normally humanitarian in concern - and not only that, but with a concept of universal justice as he addresses crimes of one Gentile against another in his condemnation of Moab. Oracles against Israel are similarly humanitarian but bear some marks of Deuteronomic/covenantal influence.

Amos' Central Oracles (collins)

Chap 3-6 Begins with an assertion of Israel's election that subverts expectation - God states that because he has known Israel alone, he will punish them States that his oracles do not come from divine inspiration but from reasonable consequence of action, similar to Wisdom literature Two main themes: social injustice (examples of Samarian decadence used) and condemnation of the cult (specifically at Bethel and Gilgal). Rejects grain offerings and dismisses music, instead asks that "justice roll down like waters" - this criticism of the sacrificial cult is a prominent theme in 8th century prophets Central issue: what is important in religion?

Siege of Jerusalem in Isaiah

Chap 36-39, 701 BCE Sennacherib sieges Jerusalem, does not take it Hezekiah planned for the siege, creating the Siloam tunnel to move water into the city from outside Prophecy: Do nothing and you will survive (true!) Neo-Assyrians had besieged Lachish prior, this siege is very well-documented Hezekiah survives even though the siege lasts for three years Archaeological backing: Taylor Prism (691 BCE)

Amos' Visions (collins)

Chap 7-9 Series of 5 visions - in the first two cases, YHWH relents, but he does not relent forever Centrality found in Amos 8:1-2 in the form of wordplay: He sees a "basket of summer fruit" (qaytz) and is told that "the end" (qetz) is coming to Israel because of its injustice Final vision concerns the destruction of Bethel, where Amos indicates that YHWH is the god of all peoples (and the exoduses of multiple peoples)

Apocalypticism as worldview, defined

Contains a dissatisfaction with the present order of things expects God's intervention, sometimes via the arrival of a change-agent (e.g. Messiah) Dissatisfaction is often cross-cultural - it needn't only be the poor who are dissatisfied, the rich can be too

2 Sections in Daniel

Daniel 1-6: pre-Maccabean revolt, instructions for living under oppressive rule Daniel 7-12: post-Maccabean revolt, apocalyptic visions of the end-times. Animals from this section represent oppressive rulers from the past, "little horn" can be viewed as Antiochus IV Epiphanies

Lakoff and Johnson on metaphor

Conceptual systems depend on metaphors Example: thesis as construction. "I built my argument," "their argument fell apart," "his thesis was poorly constructed,"

Date, purpose, and editorial facts about Chronicles

Date: Postexilic, ~520 BCE Purpose: to connect and REPLACE material in Samuel-Kings, to establish the role of the post-exilic temple cult in the establishment of Jerusalem and eventual restoration of the Davidic line What the Chronicler edits: David's role as national leader (replaces with David as supporting the cult), the entire history of the N kingdom (Assyrian conquests become unimportant), generally nation-building narratives are replaced with faith-building narratives

Emphases in the Chronicler

Davidic Covenant and covenant of the temple cult Kings become concerned with liturgical order Cultic elements prioritized over militaristic elements We also see the correction of historical inconsistencies: 1 Sam 17 (David kills Goliath) vs 2 Sam 21 (Elhanan kills Goliath) corrected by 1 Chr 20:5 (Elhanan kills Goliath)

Four Pillars of Yahwistic Faith according to Daniel Block

Davidic Theology Zion Temple Theology Belief that Israel was YHWH's chosen people Belief that YHWH had granted the land in which they lived to their ancestors; they were inheritors

Definition and common events of City Lament, associated Biblical books, extrabiblical example

Def: A response from the viewpoint of the city or deity to a city's destruction Elements (3): 1. Destruction was the choice of deities 2. Once destruction was announced, it was irrevocable, and the deity left the city 3. Deity often 'weeps' over the destruction Books: Full expression in Ezekiel and Lamentations, some in Jeremiah too Extrabiblical example: Lamentation over the Destruction of Ur

Who was Qohelet?

Definitely not Solomon. We can also conclude that they were not royalty or of noble birth, as references to rulers are not self-referential. Other than that, we know nothing.

Qohelet and Job, overview

Describe the gap between theology and real life Qohelet: Candid interpretation of the suffering brought from practicing wisdom (i.e., it is not a be-all-end-all) Job: Was angry.

Prologue to proverbs

Describes that the scroll's primary purpose is to equip young people - especially young males - with the qualities they will need to lead successful lives. It is presented as a lifelong task.

Jehu's Coup (collins)

Dethroned Jehoram, son of Ahab and Jezebel, and took the throne of the Northern Kingdom Main concern is fulfillment of prophecy and hatred of Jezebel Very gruesome: Ahab's 70 sons beheaded, Jezebel thrown from a window and eaten by dogs. Deuteronomic disapproval: Jehu still "walked in the sin of Jeroboam" by maintaining worship sites outside of Jerusalem Historicity questioned by the Tel Dan inscription, written by the Syrian king (probably Hazael), that states that he was responsible for the deaths of many Israelite/Judean kings 100 years later, Hosea will condemn the house of Jehu for his acts

2 types of intermediaries in the ancient Near East

Diviners: normally upper class, highly educated professionals, would read signs either actively seeking or passively experiencing. More likely to be "on retainer" Prophets: lower class, often illiterate, but still professionals. Spoke with their deity in many ways, normally came about as a response to specific social situations. Advice often unsolicited.

Prophecy in the Ancient Near East (collins)

Documentation from Mari archives: -Prophets could be male or female -Frequent titles: apilu/apiltu "answerer", muhhu/muhhutu "ecstatic" -Frequently dealt with kings, assuring success or warning of danger; a few instances concern the doing of justice Documentation from Assyrian archives (7th c. BCE) -titles: muhhu/muhhutu, raggimu/raggimtu "proclaimer" -Provide assurance in times of crisis, crushing rebellions or telling the king to "fear not" -Unlike Mari, these prophets are less subject to verification, and negative prophecy was not accepted -Preserved in tablets, presumably for re-use (similar to Biblical prophecy)

Who wrote the proverbs?

Drawn from all sorts of influences, but ultimately edited and compiled by sages/scribes/redactors. Prov 10-29 is a mostly homogenous work. Popular Proverbs preserved elsewhere in the HB do not appear in the Book of proverbs or elsewhere in TNK's wisdom corpus, AND outside that corpus, proverb speakers do not quote parallelistic, sapiential sayings.

Historical context

For this we need to look within the text. None of the main characters are mentioned as Israelite, and was therefore likely a response to the exile, but Ezekiel also mentions a righteous Job

Context of Ezekiel

EXILE

Elephantine Island and the Jerusalem cult

Elephantine Island was a military site for Egypt to defend itself against southern invaders, and there was a Jewish presence there (paid military service). Bodleian Aramaic Inscription (475) - an ostracon that shows the celebration of Passover pre-475 - also supported by the Passover Papyrus (417) THERE WAS A TEMPLE HERE. It was destroyed, and a letter was written to Jerusalem to request the rebuilding of it.

Esther's clever appeal to the king and Mordecai's reward

Esther does not immediately present her petition, but instead invites Haman and Ahasuerus to a multiple-day wine feast. She does nothing in the first day but flatter Haman and the king (even when directly asked about her petition), so Haman is altogether unprepared when she brings it up on day 2 In the meantime, Ahasuerus reads the royal annals and discovers that Mordecai is still unrewarded for his stopping the assassination attempts. So he asks Haman the next day how he should reward the person who desires to honor the king - Haman, in thinking that Ahasuerus is talking about him, answers with dressing up said person, putting them on a horse, and parading them through the city. Irony occurs when Haman, the next day, parades Mordecai through the streets. Rabbinic gap-filling: While Haman was parading Mordecai through the streets, Haman's daughter dumped her chamber pot on the procession because it was honoring a man her father taught her to hate. The contents of the pot fell on Haman, and when he looked up, his daughter realized what she had done, and threw herself off the roof, killing herself. (wtf)

Why is Purim a two-day festival, according to Esther?

Esther extended the massacre of non-Jewish people to a second day after the death of Haman and his plot was reversed.

Mordecai and Esther's exchange after Haman's plot is revealed

Esther refuses Mordecai's initial plea for help on behalf of the Jews, stating that she has not been summoned to see the king for over 30 days. Mordecai's response is a rhetorical masterwork - he argues that she will not be any more safe than the rest of the Jews, and that it is perhaps possible that she came "to the kingdom for a time such as this". Esther accepts the challenge and orders Mordecai to order all the Jews to participate with her in a three-day fast. Rabbinic gap-filling: Mordecai protests, saying, "but one of these days is Passover (when fasting is not permitted", to which Esther responds, "if there is no Israel, why should there be a Passover?"

How many books are in Psalms?

Five. 1-41 42-72 73-89 90-106 107-150

Why does Mordecai refuse to bow to Haman?

Genesis 42:6 suggests that Jews bowed to kings and other rulers, so Mordecai's identity as a Jew would not have been sufficient reason. Haman was an Agagite, and Mordecai was a Benjaminite. Saul, also a Benjaminite, was commanded by YHWH to wage war on Agag. However, it was in this instance that Saul spared the ban (1 Sam 15:7-9), which in turn caused Saul's undoing.

Aramean Wisdom Literature

Found at Elephantine Story of Ahiqar, who does not have a son, but adopts his nephew and imparts wisdom unto him Many lines start with "oh my son!" Theme of living within one's means

Ugaritic Wisdom Literature

From modern Ras Shamra, many short texts Written mostly in Akkadian, but occasionally include Hittite or Hurrian translations or texts Two themes: righteous sufferer and the wisdom of El Ugaritic sages are NOT widely attested, we see that they draw from Mesopotamian wisdom traditions

Ezekiel's themes in depth: theme 2, YHWH controls history

Further devastation lies ahead Ezekiel rejects divine Apathy or the supremacy of the Babylonian Gods God's actions are not taken on a whim Ezekiel believes YHWWH is just, and that the punishment fits the crime. Israel is at fault for every evil that besets them

Perception of Baal in ancient Israel (collins)

God of fertility, bringer of rain, provider of wine, grain, and oil. Prophets (e.g. Elijah and Hosea) often countered these beliefs by stating that YHWH was instead the sole provider.

God's expectation of Ezekiel

God tells Ezekiel early on that he is responsible for his own life and the lives of all Israel, depending on how effectively he disperses his information

Ezekiel's themes in depth: Theme 1, Just Judgment

God was punishing Israel according to its ways. - 4 times, the exiles say that "the way of YHWH is not just" Can Israel base its appeal to God based on its Salvation History? - NO. They worshipped idols and doubted God for 2 generations in the wilderness - Ezekiel's portrayal of Israel in the wilderness provides his audience with no basis for hope. Plight is justified. What of Jerusalem's special place? - NAH. Chapters 8-11 (second vision report) Ezekiel himself witnesses four abominations within the temple itself Social abominations: God's outrage is even more stoked by the injustices Israelites commit against one another

Ezekiel's themes in depth: them 4, In the Future, Israel will be transformed

God will remove the heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh Ezekiel 40-48 (vision 4), YHWH brings Ezekiel to a "very high mountain" where he is given a guided tour and BLUEPRINT of the temple complex and associated cultic rituals and practices. - purpose: to portray future order and control - It will provide perfect order, control, and security. Faithful living will be the only way. This aspect was rejected historically AND today because it ignores the messiness of reality

Ezekiel among Critics throughout history

H. Ewald (1841) - final form is owed to the prophet himself R Smend (1880) - book is a completely logical development, one cannot remove a single part G. A. Cooke (1936) - no longer possible to see the book as the product of one author or era Walther Zimerli (1969) - Attributed the whole book to Ezekiel and his school, dated the whole book to Exilic period Moshe Greenberg (1983) - Does not ignore marks of edit/redaction, but argues for a "coherent world of vision," i.e. continuity within the book

Conditions in Babylonia during the exilic period

HB itself provides little evidence Many exiles were settled at Tel Abib/Aviv in the city of Nippur, near the Chebar canal (which linked to the Euphrates) We should not assume hegemony of circumstances - craftspeople likely put to work on various projects - warriors likely conscripted - some people were able to use their craft to sustain themselves and avoid enslavement

Haman's plan in Esther

Haman convinces Ahasuerus to issue an edict against the Jews on the grounds that they obey their own laws and disobey the laws of the Empire. Lots (pur) are cast, and favorable lots land on the thirteenth of Adar, almost a year away. Still, the edict is partly issued in advance, granting non-Jews legal permission to kill Jews and destroy their land. Rabbinic gap-filling: this was done either because Haman feared Ahasuerus would change his mind or because Haman wanted the Jews to live in deepened fear, knowing that their destruction was impending. Mordecai goes into the street in sackcloth and ashes in protest, but is not allowed into the palace because of his appearance, so he sends a messenger to Esther to ask her to entreat the king on behalf of the Jews.

Prophetic Eschatology

Happens within the conventions of reality and according to the doctrine of retribution. Rewards will be realized here and now.

Sennacherib's Invasion (collins)

Hezekiah had made plans for the invasion, including the construction of the Siloam tunnel, which brought water from the Gihon spring into the city - before armies arrived near Jerusalem, many other Judean cities had fallen. Found in 2 Kgs 18-19, Isaiah 36-37 Hezekiah gave tribute at first, but then resisted. Biblical account states that emissaries came to Jerusalem to taunt the king - a likely Deuteronomistic composition that sheds light on how wars were viewed as contests between gods. (also notable because the speech was in Aramaic, the now common language of the ancient Near East) Hezekiah consults Isaiah, a rare occurrence of a canonical prophet's mention in the historical books Biblical account: an angle of the Lord strikes down 185,000 Assyrians in their camp. Connections later made from this to temple ideology. Historically, it is surprising that Sennacherib did not take Jerusalem, but it was likely due to any number of pressing factors elsewhere in the Assyrian empire.

Fall of the Kingdom of Judah (collins)

Hezekiah succeeded by Manasseh, regarded as a wicked king. 2 Kgs 21:10-15 state that Manasseh's wickedness is why YHWH decided to destroy Jerusalem Manasseh succeeded by Josiah, whose reforms represent the climax of the DH. Josiah killed at Megiddo in a meeting with the Pharaoh who is on his way to meet with the Assyrians - according to 2 Kgs, Josiah was killed to be spared from seeing what YHWH was about to do to Jerusalem. Destruction comes by way of Babylon, during the reign of Zedekiah, son of Josiah (who became king after Jehoiachin, his own nephew, was taken prisoner after surrendering to Babylon). DH ascribes the destruction of Jerusalem to "the sins of Manasseh" (2 Kgs 24:3) DH then ends on a positive note: Jehoiachin released from exile, life goes on, Jewish exiles return to Jerusalem.

Job's issue with theodicy

Historically based: In light of the 722 destruction of Samaria and the 586 destruction of Jerusalem, how was YHWH in control at all? Orthodox answer, of course, was that God used the surrounding nations to punish Israel. But this was unacceptable to the author of Job.

Scott's Metaphor terminology

Homiletics - Preaching theory Hermeneutics - Interpretation theory Paul Ricoeur - Continental Philosopher Phenomenology - How being is experienced Ontology - the nature of being

Critique of Royal politics in Hosea (collins)

Hosea does not dwell long on social injustice. He instead critiques the royal drama that occurred up to his time - assassinations, coups, changes of position of rebellion/submission to Assyria, etc. Main critique is that Israel looked to political solutions instead of to YHWH. Suggests Israel/Jacob was wayward from the beginning, "in the womb he tried to supplant his brother, in his manhood he strove with God" Scathing critique of Israel's seeking help from Egypt and attempts to appease Syria - he doesn't present alternatives, but suggests that a focus on YHWH would've solved it

Hosea on Priesthood, Prophecy, and Cult (collins)

Hosea sees himself as part of a prophetic tradition stretching back to Moses, but critiques the bloodshed at Jezreel (which Elisha instigated) He sees prophets as the true guardians of the heritage of Moses Criticizes divination by rods and male dominance in practices of prostitution, especially as part of or surrounding cultic activity

Hosea vs. Amos (collins)

Hosea's primary concern is idolatry, Amos' is social justice Baal is frequently mentioned in Hosea, but not at all in Amos Hosea goes back and forth between oracles of judgment and salvation, Amos is all judgment and darkness

Book of the Twelve

Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

Hosea's view of God (collins)

Human traits: someone who can be overcome with emotion and affection On the other hand, God is "God and no mortal", Hosea attributes positive aspects of humanity to God and avoids negative ones

Classification of Psalms

Hymns Psalms of YHWH's enthronement Psalms of Individual complaint Psalms of communal complaint Psalms of Thanksgiving Royal Psalms Wisdom Psalms

Myth of the Empty Land as it relates to the Chroniclers' context

If we take the myth of the empty land as true, then the Chronicler was writing in a newly established, completely Jewish Jerusalem. This is untrue. Barstad, Finkelstein, Silberman, and Lipschits are all proponents of a theory that says Judah was not empty during exile - people were likely exiled, but not many as we're led to believe - New, loyal Babylonian populations were likely brought in to the Levant to replace existing populations

Four Chronological periods of 8th-century Isaiah

Klaus Koch: Social-critical period (2-5) Syro-Ephraimite War (7-9) Anti-Assyrian uprising under Ashdod (10-23) Anti-Assyrian uprising after the death of Sargon II (28-32)

Key parts to understanding Adultery metaphors

In ancient Israelite society, a married woman's sexual/reproductive rights were not hers to control (from a legal standpoint) Ancient Israel was PATRILINEAL: Inheritance was passed to father to eldest son Carol Newsom: "if the woman is the essential thread joining the pieces of patriarchy's social fabric, she also indicates the seams where the fabric is subject to tears" ANCIENT ISRAEL WAS AN HONOR/SHAME SOCIETY

Elisha - chapters, main points (collins)

In general, not as much concern with social justice or religious purification as Elijah 2 Kgs 9-10: Jehu's coup, high point of Elisha's career. Authority conferred to him not through anointing of oil, but rather the placing of Elijah's mantle

Mesopotamian Wisdom Literature

Instructions of Surappak Babylonian Theodicy Ludlul Bel Nemeqi

Hellenism in Judea

Involved a good bit of syncretism, as Greek cities were built or modeled everywhere the Greeks conquered 3rd Century: Ptolemaic Empire, Greek control of Levant based in Alexandria (Egypt) 2nd Century: Seleucid Empire, Greek control of Levant based in Antioch (Syria) 200 BCE: Antiochus III conquers Jerusalem 175 BCE: Antiochus IV Epiphanies takes control - Disputes among Jews regarding syncretism reached a boiling point, resulting in Antiochus IV Epiphanies banning Judaism outright - Result of ban on Judaism was the Maccabean Revolt, led by Matthias and his 5 sons, all priests 165-40 BCE: Hasmonean Rule (the Maccabean rule) in Judah

Major Prophets and their location

Isaiah (Judean) - bears marks of pre-exilic, exilic, and post-exilic narrative Jeremiah (Judean) - exilic, Neo-Babylonian, based in Jerusalem Ezekiel (Judean) - exilic, Neo-Babylonian, in Babylon

The past as a two-sided coin in 2 Isaiah

Israel should REMEMBER the past as it offers proof of YHWH's determination and capability to act, but should FORGET the past because of the new thing YHWH is doing

Ezekiel's themes in depth: theme 3, Nothing and No-one can alter God's plan

Israel's response to exile is to abandon YHWH (ezek 20) - God replies, "I will reign over you" YHWH is determined to purge rebellion and regain purity

Audience of 2 Isaiah

Israelites during Cyrus' reign - this reign convinced the prophet that Judah's judgment was over Isaiah 40:1-2 is explicit in its hope, doesn't give voice to the grief of Israel

Scholarly disagreements on the sources of Amos' thought (collins)

Issue comes from whether the covenantal flavor of Amos' oracles against Judah were original or later revision Albright school believes them original, which means that the covenant was known pre-monarchy Wellhausen school believes them later revision, which denies the existence of a set law code pre-monarchy. Collins argues that "the preaching of Amos can be understood as shaping the development of a covenantal tradition more easily than as harking back to a tradition that had been forgotten" (i.e., the German view)

Origins of proverbs

It eludes us, they're as old as ancient Sumer. Proverbs were among ancient Israel's "strategy of dealing with situations." There are also many proverbs that we likely don't know, being cited in contexts that did not arise in the Bible - most significantly, proverbs that were undoubtedly created by women instead of those about women.

Crenshaw's "Criteria focusing on the man"

Prophetic office: did the office of the prophet have anything to do with its legitimacy? Immoral conduct: Were prophets of the cultus susceptible to bribes, or would they deliver positive oracles to the wealthy to gain favor? Conviction of having been sent (self-explanatory, also non-verifiable in any way)

Marriage metaphor in Hosea (collins)

It is likely true that Hosea indeed marriage a "wife of whoredom" as prophets often acted through symbolic action. Children of Hosea and Gomer bear prophet's message by symbolic names: Jezreel (the name of the palace where Jehu slaughtered many), lo'ruchamah (not pitied/not loved), lo'ammi (not my people) Gives the general impression that Hosea's message completely controls his life; his and his family's welfare are not considered. Chapter 2 begins with a legal indictment (Hebrew: ribh) that mirrors divorce proceedings In ancient Israel, only husband could initiate divorce and adultery was viewed as one-sided with harsh punishment Adultery of Israel - worshipping Baal, especially in the northern Kingdom Hosea commanded to love Gomer as God loves Israel

Why was Hosea's collection of oracles contextually unique in the Hebrew Bible?

It is the only book attributed to a Northern Israelite in the Hebrew Bible

What proverbs is and is not

It is: Secular. Everyday advice. Is not: Relevant to Israel's temple life Subject to any kind of deliberate study in rabbinic academies

Three types of criteria for discerning true and false prophecy (and the author)

James Crenshaw: A. Message-Centered Criteria B. Criteria focusing Upon the Man C. The Chronological Criterion

Bicolon definition

Two, relatively brief clauses. The first clause ends with a brief pause, and the second line ends with a full pause. Tricolons also occur in the book of Proverbs.

Jeremiah's vs Ezekiel's situations

Jeremiah was IN Jerusalem for the siege, was offered the choice by Babylonian officer to stay in Judah or move to Babylon (he stayed) Jeremiah stayed in Judah until Ishmael (son of Nethaniah) killed Gedaliah, a Babylonian vassal, then Ishamel forced he and Baruch to flee to Egypt Ezekiel was already in exile in Babylon when Judah collapsed - was a member of the elites that Nebuchadnezzar had deported in 597 It is likely that the deportees of 597 lived in ruins (at Tel Aviv/Abib) that they spent their time rebuilding

Final Verses of the Hebrew Bible

Jewish Canon - 2 Chr 36:22-23, Cyrus is the anointed one who brought the Jews out of Exile - ARRIVAL OF A NEW ERA Protestant/Rom. Cath. Canon - Malachi - Written 450-500 BCE - Tells of how God will return in a refiner's fire and the coming of Elijah - General discontent with the priesthood - MAKING THE WAY FOR JESUS (even though that's very much not Malachi's context)

The genre of court tale from the Diaspora

Joseph in Egypt Daniel in Babylon Esther in Persia 3 Macabees in Ptolemaic court "court tale" was a recurring genre of story in Jewish antiquity.

Jeremiah's historical context

Josiah's reign, his son Jehoiakim's reign, and his brother Zedekiah's reign (Judah) Historical events: 621: Josiah's reform 609: Death of Josiah 605: Battle of Carchemish 598/7: Siege and fall of Jerusalem RISE OF BABYLON

Perspectives of Davidic theology

Judah did not deify its kings, but Davidic theology asserted that the relationship between YHWH and the Davidic kings was unique Had implications for all the people of Judah, not just the royal family Political consequence: the people were expected to give support and loyalty to their king; rebelling against the king was rebelling against God

Hezekiah (according to 2 Kgs) (collins)

King during Assyrian crisis, universally approved by Deuteronomist, conducted reform similar to Josiah Reign began in 3rd year of Hoshea Archaeology shows that Jerusalem was expanded during Hezekiah's reign, likely due to N kingdom refugees

4 Periods in 1st Isaiah (and the associated scholar)

Klaus Koch 1. Social Critical Period (2-5) - Condemns estate-holders and other unjust living-situations (social justice is typical concern of 8th century prophets) 2. Syro-Ephraimite War (7-9) - 736-732 BCE - Rezin of Damascus (Aram) and Pekah of Samaria (Israel) wished to lead a charge against Neo-Assyria, Ahaz of Judah refused - Prophecy: basically just wait until an "Immanuel" (God is with us) is born along with "Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz" (he makes haste to the plunder) and "Shear-Jashub" (remnant restored), and they will know the difference between right and wrong - when this comes to pass, the threat will be gone. Children are being used to explain how much time will past. 3. Anti-Assyrian uprising under Ashdod (10-23) - Campaigns of Sargon II - Shalmeneser V and Sargon II (brothers) conquer Palestine and exile its population, Sargon II continues south - 10:1-12:6: Promises for the future - 13:1-23:18: Proclamations about other nations - Lament over Sidon 4. Anti-Assyrian uprising after death of Sargon II (28-32) - hoy oracles: oracles of woe - each chapter begins with a hoy oracle -- 28: allegory of the farmer -- 29: assault against ariel -- 30: YHWH dissatisfied with attempts to contact Egypt for help -- 32: Arrival of a savior that will free Judah from an oppressor

Tale of the Eloquent Peasant

Knunanup, a peasant, is robbed and appeals to a magistrate in the form of nine eloquent speeches The magistrate secretly sends food to his family as he speaks while feigning ignorance Embedded concept of theodicy, but the problem is human, not divine - there would be no justice for the peasant if he happened to not be an eloquent speaker

Rhetoric employed in 2 Isaiah

Large-scale parallelism Chiasm Wordplay Rhyme Alliteration

Composition of Qohelet

Later/post-exilic. How do we know? Orthography (use of lettering/alphabet), Aramaisms (aramaic words adopted in Hebrew), and Persian loanwords

Biblical Penalties for adultery

Lev 20:10 and Deut 22:22 demand the deaths of the adulteress and the man with whom she cheated

Main takeaways from Elephantine

Life on the ground is not life as presented in the Hebrew Bible Unedited, unredacted documents are incredibly more valuable for determining what 'real life' was actually like Women had greater autonomy than what the Bible would portray

Strengths of Zion Ideology

Lifted Judah's heart and mind to contemplation of what is exalted/immutable/transcendent Emphasized YHWH's power and sovereignty Summoned Judeans to an awareness of god's power and holiness Proclaimed that Jerusalem would endure forever, ruled by a Davidic king

Ezekiel's inaugural vision and commission

Longest of all the prophetic books Commissioned in 593 BCE, the 5th year of Jehoiachin's rule Did not cease to be a priest when he began to function as a prophet

Proverbs about women in the ANE and the book of proverbs

They're all misogynistic bullshit. Even worse, it is most likely that there were coarser sayings that never reached print.

Highlights of Zion and its Temple Theology (and associated Psalm)

Main point: the solomonic temple was IN JERUSALEM - It was THE cultic site - significance only INCREASED over time - 300 years after the temple was completed, Josiah initiated reform aimed at closing down every other site So essential that the people threatened to kill Jeremiah when he challenged their beliefs that the temple guaranteed protection PSALM 48

Hebrew noun for proverb

Masal - VERY difficult to define. Consonants convey three basic meanings: To stand, to rule, and to represent or be like. Even if we only focus on HB's wisdom corpus, defining Masal is incredibly difficult. Scholars have sought for a distinctive quality, characteristic, function, or audience effect common to all "Mesalim". W. McKane - "model, exemplar, paradigm" Timothy Polk - "all Mesalim engage their audiences in reflection and self-judgment that can lead to changes in behavior" Michael Fox - two distinct meanings. 1. Trope 2. "A saying that has currency among the people" (only this one qualifies a Masal as a saying)

Prophecy in Israel (collins)

Max Weber: "A purely individual bearer of charisma, who by virtue of his mission proclaims a religious doctrine or divine commandment" - 'purely individual' is misleading, many prophets belonged to guilds or groups Named prophets are exceptional in their departure from these guilds or groups (Amos) and sometimes actively critiqued them (Jeremiah). This is where Weber's definition comes from. Still, no prophet could function independently of society. Prophetic messages cannot be appreciated without historical context. There is inevitable tension between the original context of the prophets and the situations in which they are interpreted (i.e., their final canonical form) - collins tries to focus on both.

4 Sources that mention "Israel" in the ANE

Merneptah Stele Mesha Stele Tel Dan Stele Kurkh Monolith

Psalms and metaphor

Metaphors in Psalms deeply influenced how Israelites saw the world; they defined Israelite meaning-making (e.g. God as king)

Who were the three women we discussed from Elephantine?

Mibtahiah, a wealthy elite Tamet, a slave Jehoishma, Tamet's daughter

Prophets in the DH

Moses was still Israel's greatest prophet Following Moses' death, Joshua takes over, and the periods of Judges begins Following Samuel, the last judge, the DH names Elijah a prophet - both Samuel and Elijah are called "prophets like Moses"

Chiastic structure

Most common types in HB are ABBA and ABCBA

Rabbinic appraisal of Esther's actions

Most do not object to her reticence, in fact, many praise her perceptiveness.

Behistun Inscription

Mutlilingual description of Darius inscribed into a cliffside, serves as an important representation of how Persian kings perceived their own rule. "Data" and "arta" appear here, for Darius, those who followed his "data" and were "arta" were duly rewarded. But these terms serve as political ideology, not legislative rule.

Jehu Dynasty (collins)

N kingdom, mid 9th to mid 8th century Main enemy/concern: Aram/Syria, King Hazael (who likely inscribed the Tel Dan Stele) Jehu also depicted on the Black Obelisk of Shalmeneser III (Assyria) as kissing his feet and paying tribute Fortunes increase with Jeroboam II (time of Amos prophecy) After Jeroboam II, rapid turnover of rulers - 6 in 20 years, 4 of which were assassinated Final ruler - Zechariah, assassinated by Shallum

Were prophets "lonely people of faith crying out in the wilderness"?

NOPE - Peripheral prophets had support of poor and marginalized - Central prophets had royal/elite support

Hezekiah's prophet performance in Is 36:1-37:4

Narrative: Sennacherib is arching against Judah, sends his commander-in-chief to shout demoralizing words. Hezekiah hears them, covers himself in sackcloth and goes to the temple. Then sends emissaries to Isaiah to make an intercessory prayer on his behalf, saying, "Babes are positioned for birth, but there is no strength to deliver," a popular saying that had attestations elsewhere in ANE literature. Meaning: He and other leaders are powerless to deliver Israel. His hope is that Isaiah and YHWH will take pity on them.

Main context for Isaiah

Neo-Assyrian Crises Neo-Assyrians were the first to emerge after the "Dark Age" (12th-10th C.) in which no major power ruled after the fall of the Egyptian Kingdom in the Levant Black Obelisk of Shalmeneser III: An example of Assyrian taxation on other nations Kurkh Monolith: Stele of Shalmeneser's victory over N Israel at the battle of Qarqar in 853 BCE

Persian expansion vs. expansion models of others

Neo-Assyrian: Complete destruction of smaller towns to intimidate larger cities, mass deportation (when vassals didn't pay), Assyrianization Neo-Babylonian: Deportation of upper classes only, kept class groups together and sent them to the heart of the empire; created some of the first multicultural communities Persian: Often adopted the religions of regions in order to curry their favor and strengthen communities instead of weaken them - Cyrus wanted to be known as a liberator

Was Jerusalem an administrative center during the Persian period?

No it was not. It was primarily a religious center, whereas the administrative center was a few kilometers southeast of Jerusalem, at Ramat Rahel. - Simonson drew special attention to the fact that Ramat Rahel was dated to this time period by way of somehow dating the pollen in the walls of the pool - Ramat Rahel was also not located near a water source, and only a royal establishment would have resources to create a site so secluded

Assyrian capture of Israel in 700s (collins)

No text from Shalmeneser V (against whom Hoshea rebelled) but there is text from Sargon II, his successor Biblical account in agreement with archaeology Biblical account, however, was written retrospectively by the Deuteronomist, who explained everything theologically (mostly pinning blame on Jeroboam) Israelites deported according to Sargon II, other people sent in from surrounding nations according to Biblical narrative (2 Kgs 17) - these new Samarians were condemned by the Deuteronomist due to their inadequate worship of YHWH, an ideology that would problematize N/S kingdom relations for generations to come

Types of Omens in the ancient Near East

Oblativa: Signs sought passively - Astronomy, oneiromancy (dream interpretation) Impetrita: Signs sought actively - Incense offerings, liver, and other offerings - Extispicy: reading entrails - Psephomancy: Drawing stones from a garment

Suffering Servant in 2 Isaiah

Occurs 20 times in 40-55 13 occurrences refer to Israel Bernhard Duhm: The servant is an individual, not Israel

Reversal of Expectation in Esther

Occurs mostly to Haman. He prescribes a kingly reward to the person who 'desires to honor the king' (thinking its him), that reward goes to his enemy. He sets up a gallows thinking that it is Mordecai who will be hanged upon it, Haman himself is hanged. The same day, Haman's estate is conferred to Esther, and the ring given to Haman earlier in the book is given to Mordecai What would've been the fate of the Jews becomes the fate of those who oppressed them: the Jews kill thousands of people across the empire, including Haman's ten sons. Esther even extends the massacre to a second day, earning her contempt from modern scholars, but rabbis defend her, saying that a second day was necessary so that the allies of the killed would not have an opportunity to exact revenge.

2 Types of intermediation in the ancient Near East

Omens: relayed through signs Prophecies: divine words

8th century context of Isaiah

Omride Dynasty (886-798) - during this time, Israel became a true power Split Kingdom N Kingdom: Capital Samaria, fell to Neo-Assyrians in 722/1 (Hosea/Amos) S Kingdom: Capital, Jerusalem, fell to Neo-Babylonians in 587 BCE (Isaiah, Micah, Zephaniah, Nahum)

Three divisions of the book of Amos (collins)

Oracles against nations (1:3-2:16) Short Oracles (3-6) Vision Reports (and confrontation of Amaziah) (7-9)

The problem with prophetic narratives in the Hebrew Bible

Only demonstrates a single strand of prophecy in Israel (that of the "winners") How do we then distinguish between true and false prophecy? - There are examples of attempts to make this distinction in the HB, but none of them were universally successful

Non-8th Century material in First Isaiah (collins)

Oracles against Babylon (13-14) - are clearly from a time when Babylon became the dominant power, likely Exile "Isaiah apocalypse" (24-27) usually dated with postexilic prophetic material 34-35 are similar to second Isaiah in tone and theme General rule: passages introduced with "on that day" are normally thought to be editorial additions.

Two types of apocalypse:

Otherworldly journeys and historical overviews - Both are interested in the relationship of history and the inner workings of the universe

Parallelism in 2 Isaiah

Parallelism: the development of an idea by its repetition Used not just in lines of poetry, but in actors, scenes, passages, etc. Isaiah 41

Jeremiah as prophet

Parallels to Moses - protested his call, words spoken were of God, not of Jeremiah Ties to Hosea - Sees Israel in the wilderness in a positive light and uses bride imagery, turns it around and uses Divorce imagery when Israel is tempted by Baal Indicts political injustice, similar to Amos and Micah Stresses obedience to YHWH Represented as a persecuted prophet - is a good example of how prophets were tried for falsehood, he himself calls other prophets false as well Prophecy was not just verbal - utilized symbolic images, often violent and graphic in nature; his marriage is symbolic as well (similar to Hosea)

Were popular sayings or polished wisdom proverbs more common in Ancient Israel?

Popular sayings, especially due to the fact that these were the ones that were less likely to be printed. Therefore, not all of TNK's wisdom literature should be regarded as normative.

Cyrus in the Bible

Portrayed as an agent of positive change, even a tool of YHWH 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 - "YHWH roused the spirit of Cyrus", also found in Ezra 1:1-4 Ezra 5:13-15 - Cyrus orders the rebuilding of the temple Isaiah 45: Cyrus as God's anointed

Jeremiah and Chronology

Precise timeline cannot be reconstructed Book does not structure itself in a way easily readable today NOT chronologically organized

Psalms and conventionality

Psalms often mirrored other poetic literature for the purpose of making them more formational and practical. Robert Adler: For a text that is going to be frequently used and recited, you don't want a lot of "fancy footwork"

Socioeconomic realities in Qohelet

Qohelet assumes his audience is obsessed with money -At this point, the Persian Empire instituted a complex tax system that involved precious metals for the first time - Royal grants and investments were available, and Qohelet uses this language "natan" - Give "salit" - to have right "nasa" - to take up

What allowed for Israel's cultic development in post-exilic Jerusalem?

RELIGIOUS AND LEGAL AUTONOMY, provided by the Persian government

Fox's attributes of the wise

Receptivity to wisdom Mastery of verbal skills Emotional composure

1-2-3 theory of composition

Refers to the 'chronological' nature of the construction of the book of Isaiah 1 - 8th century Isaiah composed (1-39) 2 - Anonymous exilic prophet (40-55) 3 - Later anonymous prophet (56-66)

Egyptian Wisdom Texts and characteristics

Represented by a long line of instruction texts Wisdom often represented by ma'at feather, ma'at as a female deity was present at creation Texts: wisdom of amenope and Tale of the Eloquent Peasant

What is 2 Isaiah trying to convince the Israelite audience to do?

Respond faithfully to YHWH's new initiative by leaving Babylonia and returning home This was difficult because much of his audience had been born in exile; they were used to it

Name for Persian divisions of land and their rulers

Satrapies, ruled by Satraps

Metaphor and positivism

Scientific positivism is functionally disproved by the postmodernist assertion that truth-claims can be found in metaphor

Scholarly opinions on Esther

Sidnie White: her conduct is a "masterpiece of feminine skill" Lewis Paton: "wins her victories not by skill or character, but by beauty" Alice Laffey: She concentrates on pleasing those in power, that is, men Darr's conclusion to the above: the meaning of a text depends heavily on the reader.

Organization/Sources of Jeremiah (and the associated scholar)

Sigmund Mowinckel, student of Gunkel Three types of material: 1. Poetic Oracles (1-25), likely contain 'primary' source material 2. Stories about Jeremiah (26-52 (end)), name historical events/people/places 3. Speeches/Sermonic Material (throughout), contains clearest DH material

Jehoishma: Sources, Information

Source 1: Bequest of Apartment - Anani giving the apartment to Tamet and Jehoishma and their descendents Source 2: Marriage contract - Anani (a different one) asking for Zaccur's sister-in-law (that is, Jehoishma) in marriage - Jehoishma's father had died by this point, so responsibility for her marriage went to the oldest living male relative - Jehoishma's dowry is a massive 78 shekels - RECLAMATION CLAUSE: prohibits Zaccur from taking back anything from Jehoishma that he gave her for the wedding

Mibtahiah - Sources, information

Source 1: Bequests of Property - Inheritance of land given to Mibtahiah - Includes a RECLAMATION CLAUSE, which protected those of low status from having their land taken away from them - Told to do what she pleases with the land Source 2: Marriage Contract - Her husband: Eshor son of Djeho - In the case of her or her husband's death, the remaining one inherits all that belonged to the one who died - NO inheritance given to children outside the marriage - Another source shows that an Egyptian takes her to court, and for the settlement she must swear an oath to an Egyptian god, which she does

Tamet: Sources, Information

Source 1: Marriage Contract - Husband-to-be, Ananiah, and her owner, Meshullam, were both soldiers - Dowry is worth 7 shekels of silver, as opposed to Mibtahiah's 65 - Unless Tamet is expelled by Ananiah, Meshullam CANNOT attempt to reclaim her child as a slave Source 2: Sale of House - Tamet and Ananiah's house is sold to their son-in-law, ensuring the house stays in the family, and that Tamet will recieve an apartment in it after Ananiah's death - Also contains a clause stating that Tamet and Jehoishma are now free

Key parts to understanding harlotry metaphors

Starting point must be analyzing what we know about prostitution in ancient Israel Rivka Harris: Israelite and non-Israelite women became prostitutes as a result of poverty, war, and male violence Biblical and extraBiblical evidence points to the legality of prostitution with ambiguous attitudes Social status of prostitutes may have differed from their poor/enslaved counterparts - they were "dangerous" and "bound to inspire fear" (A. Kuhrt) Mesopotamian Moral Instruction warns against marrying prostitutes because of their lack of submissiveness

Paul Hanson's contribution to understanding of Apocalypse

Suggested that Apocalypse comes not from the Wisdom tradition, but from the prophetic tradition, prophetic and apocalyptic eschatology are two ends of the same spectrum

Peter Seitel's model for analyzing proverb performances

THREE SITUATIONS 1. Interaction: x=~y, a proverb speaker quotes a saying to an audience of 1 or more "=~" indicates a relationship that can include prior relationships, respective ages, social statuses, gender identity, prior utterances, blah blah blah, EVERY POSSIBLE CONTEXT OR HISTORY 2. Proverb situation A:B, presentation of one topic and one comment A (topic) - beneath straw B (comment) - water flows 3. Context situation C:D, the symbols here are related and some kind of analogous relationship is established C (topic) - beneath the potential peace treaty proposed by Eshunna D (comment) - there is an ulterior motive Proverb speakers invite audience to apply proverb to context

Neo-Assyrian warfare tactics

Targets of Neo-Assyrian warfare could expect one of two results: brutal taxation as a vassal or complete destruction Used psychological warfare

Cyrus Cylinder

Tells of Marduk's choosing of Cyrus Written in Akkadian, the local language, instead of Aramaic, the lingua franca of the Persian period Was left in Babylon after Cyrus conquered it as a sign of his good-will

What is wisdom?

The accumulation of knowledge, cultivation of mental faculties and inner dispositions.

Background of the Book of Daniel

The only apocalypse in the Hebrew Bible Written in the Hellenistic Period (c. 167 BCE) but uses Babylonian imagery -criticism of present events using a shared history and terminology

2 Isaiah and Hope

The prophet likely knew of the patterns of pathos and rage of Lamentations and Job - went beyond to speak of hope in a new plan View of Israel's past agrees with Jeremiah and Ezekiel - that is, that past judgment was just and proportionate "Comfort, comfort, my people says your God" (40:1-2) - responds to Jeremiah 31:5's "A cry is heard in Ramah" - responds to Lamentations 1:2, 16 ,17's claim that the "foe has prevailed" HOPE IS A RADICAL POLITICAL ANNOUNCEMENT: 40:9-10 - Asserts a newness that is so old, Israel has forgotten it - Revitalizes Israel's faith by telling Israel its own history - What is a radical political announcement today? (Black liberation and Black theology, general liberation theology, etc.)

Are Harlots professional prostitutes?

They are not - these metaphors have been historically misinterpreted.

The literary context of proverbs (two options)

They either appear in lists or are used in social situations. These two contexts are not given equal weight in scholarship (though its clear that Darr thinks they should)

Similarities between Jeremiah and Ezekiel

They tore down their fellow Judean's theology and rebuilt it Operated within exilic contexts Found theology of Israel as wholly inadequate, especially the interplay of these three ideas: 1. God's eternal covenant with Davidic descendants 2. Solomon's temple in Jerusalem as a suitable site for God 3. The presumption that YHWH's abiding, protective presence guaranteed Judah's survival

Why were Judean prophetic traditions most often written instead of spoken?

To preserve anonymity

The Role of the Prophet, according to Walter Brueggeman

To energize To speak of the future as it impinges on the present The offering of symbols to mine the memory of the people and recognize how language is used and can be used TO bring to public expression the very hopes and yearnings that have been long denied HOPE: the refusal to accept the reading of a reality which is the major opinion. Hope is subversive.

Speeches from the whirlwind in Job

Too much to detail here, but suffice it to say that God uses multiple voices to put Job in his place. Voice 1. "Gird up your loins like a man, I shall question you, and you shall declare to me. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?" 2. "Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth? Declare, if you know this." 3. "Shall a faultfinder content with God Almighty? Will you put me in the wrong?"

Crenshaw's Chronological Criterion

Traditionally, this criterion says that prophecy could only occur from Moses until Ezra

Authorship of 2 Isaiah

Unknown. A few suggestions: Cultic representatives (Ulrich Berges) - group responsible for temple most likely to write it Female authorship (Lena Sofia Tiemeyer) - Cites motherhood/sexual imagery Anonymous prophet - Ibn Ezra, 12th C.: first to suggest non-Isaian authorship - Bernhard Duhm, 1892: Isaiah 56-66 was later than 40-55, which was later than 1-39 (hence, 1-2-3 theory of composition)

Themes in Qohelet

VANITY - also "utter futility" (JPS) and "A Shallow Breath!" (Rabbi Jonathan Sacks) NOTHING IS RELIABLE - "a pursuit of the wind," juxtaposition of wisdom and folly WHAT GOOD IS MERRIMENT? - "No real value under the sun," "the wise man dies just like the fool" EVERYTHING IS IN THE HAND OF GOD - "a season for everything" (etc) (Eccl 3:1-8) DUUUUUUST IN THE WIND (3:19-21) PURSUIT OF PRESENCE AND MEANING - "eat, drink, and be merry - but keep working" HOW TO COPE WITH UNCERTAINTY - take pleasure and enjoy things

Biographical information on Ezekiel

Was a priest (in training?) when deported Was married, but we don't know more than that Was an intellectual elite, evidenced by the advanced vocabulary and political expertise - most important of the evidence here is his creative revisions of religious tradition Very, very strange man

Jeremiah's biographical information

Was something of a native to Jerusalem, born in Anathot, 3 miles south Very likely post-Josiah despite the Biblical account as his view of the monarchy is incredibly negative

Parallelism in Hebrew poetry

Where the second verse expands on the meaning of the first in one of three main categories: 1. Synonymous (expansion by way of repetition) 2. Antithetic (expansion by way of contrast) 3. Synthetic (expansion by way of combination with another concept)

Hosea structure and context (collins)

Younger contemporary of Amos Two sections: Hosea's marriage to a promiscuous woman/metaphor for relationship of YHWH and Israel (1-3), commentary on political/religious life in Israel before it falls (4-14)

Ancient example of proverb performance

a letter sent from the king of Mari's daughter to her father, Zimri-Lin, in order to convince him to not enter into a peace treaty with Eshunna proverb: "beneath straw water flows" In context, this proverb enhances what her ordinary speech (even when backed by a prophetess of Dagan, which it was) would otherwise be able to say.

1 Enoch

an example of otherworldly Apocalyptic journey Translated from Aramaic to Greek to Ge'ez (the only copy we have is in Ge'ez)

Was Wisdom literature popular in pre-exilic Israel?

sure wasn't BUT there is a pre-exilic Wisdom tradition, it just wasn't widely known