Marvin A. Sweeney
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195133240
- eISBN:
- 9780199834693
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195133242.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
Scholarly discussion of the regnal account of King Hezekiah in 2 Kings 18–20 points to Josianic interests in the presentation of Hezekiah as a righteous monarch. A number of scholars also argue for a ...
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Scholarly discussion of the regnal account of King Hezekiah in 2 Kings 18–20 points to Josianic interests in the presentation of Hezekiah as a righteous monarch. A number of scholars also argue for a Hezekian edition of the DtrH, insofar as Hezekiah appears to bring an end to the use of “high places” for illegitimate worship in Israel. An examination of these chapters indicates support for the contention of an early Hezekian edition of the DtrH, but shows that the narratives have been reworked for use in both the Josianic and Exilic editions of the DtrH to present the righteous Hezekiah as a partially flawed character, who anticipates Josiah and ultimately the Babylonian exile.Less
Scholarly discussion of the regnal account of King Hezekiah in 2 Kings 18–20 points to Josianic interests in the presentation of Hezekiah as a righteous monarch. A number of scholars also argue for a Hezekian edition of the DtrH, insofar as Hezekiah appears to bring an end to the use of “high places” for illegitimate worship in Israel. An examination of these chapters indicates support for the contention of an early Hezekian edition of the DtrH, but shows that the narratives have been reworked for use in both the Josianic and Exilic editions of the DtrH to present the righteous Hezekiah as a partially flawed character, who anticipates Josiah and ultimately the Babylonian exile.
Marvin A. Sweeney
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195133240
- eISBN:
- 9780199834693
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195133242.003.0014
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
Although the superscription of Jeremiah maintains that the prophet began his career in the thirteenth year of Josiah's reign, the book contains little indication of Jeremiah's activity during this ...
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Although the superscription of Jeremiah maintains that the prophet began his career in the thirteenth year of Josiah's reign, the book contains little indication of Jeremiah's activity during this period. Nevertheless, various clues have led scholars to speculate that some of Jeremiah's Josian oracles may have been reworked in relation to later concerns. Redaction‐critical study of Jeremiah 2–6 and 30–31 indicate that these blocks of oracles originally called for the return of northern Israel to Judean, Davidic rule in keeping with Josiah's reform. The unexpected death of Josiah and the emergence of Babylonian power over Judah, however, prompted Jeremiah to reconsider his views and to rework his earlier oracles to address the Babylonian exile.Less
Although the superscription of Jeremiah maintains that the prophet began his career in the thirteenth year of Josiah's reign, the book contains little indication of Jeremiah's activity during this period. Nevertheless, various clues have led scholars to speculate that some of Jeremiah's Josian oracles may have been reworked in relation to later concerns. Redaction‐critical study of Jeremiah 2–6 and 30–31 indicate that these blocks of oracles originally called for the return of northern Israel to Judean, Davidic rule in keeping with Josiah's reform. The unexpected death of Josiah and the emergence of Babylonian power over Judah, however, prompted Jeremiah to reconsider his views and to rework his earlier oracles to address the Babylonian exile.
Achsah Guibbory
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199557165
- eISBN:
- 9780191595004
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199557165.003.0005
- Subject:
- Literature, 17th-century and Restoration Literature
Royalists thought they were the true Israel and turned to the Hebrew Bible and Israelite analogies to create an ‘Anglican’ identity during the 1640s and 1650s for those who remained loyal to both ...
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Royalists thought they were the true Israel and turned to the Hebrew Bible and Israelite analogies to create an ‘Anglican’ identity during the 1640s and 1650s for those who remained loyal to both monarchy and an English Church that had been dismantled by Parliament. Devotions and collections of psalms appeared, to be used by loyal subjects of Charles I, who was now identified with biblical David—an identity further elaborated by Eikon Basilike and Royalist pamphlets after the King's execution. But the narrative Royalists found most compelling was the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 bce and the subsequent Babylonian exile of the Jews. Psalms and Lamentations expressed Royalist grief about exile and destruction of their Temple. There was interest in Judaica and the Jewish Temple. The chapter discusses poetry by Cowley, Harvey, Herrick, Vaughan, and Crashaw but also publications by Thomas Fuller, John Lightfoot, Thomas Godwin, and John Gregory.Less
Royalists thought they were the true Israel and turned to the Hebrew Bible and Israelite analogies to create an ‘Anglican’ identity during the 1640s and 1650s for those who remained loyal to both monarchy and an English Church that had been dismantled by Parliament. Devotions and collections of psalms appeared, to be used by loyal subjects of Charles I, who was now identified with biblical David—an identity further elaborated by Eikon Basilike and Royalist pamphlets after the King's execution. But the narrative Royalists found most compelling was the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 bce and the subsequent Babylonian exile of the Jews. Psalms and Lamentations expressed Royalist grief about exile and destruction of their Temple. There was interest in Judaica and the Jewish Temple. The chapter discusses poetry by Cowley, Harvey, Herrick, Vaughan, and Crashaw but also publications by Thomas Fuller, John Lightfoot, Thomas Godwin, and John Gregory.
David M. Carr
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- May 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780300204568
- eISBN:
- 9780300210248
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Yale University Press
- DOI:
- 10.12987/yale/9780300204568.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
This chapter describes the eventual destruction of Jerusalem/Zion, the ending of its supposedly eternal Davidic kingship, and the exile to Babylon of much of the surviving population of Jerusalem and ...
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This chapter describes the eventual destruction of Jerusalem/Zion, the ending of its supposedly eternal Davidic kingship, and the exile to Babylon of much of the surviving population of Jerusalem and Judah. It discusses some of the cries of Judeans in the wake of the destruction of Jerusalem. It also presents the views of major prophets, namely Ezekiel and his contemporary Jeremiah. It shows that the suffering servant, daughter of Zion, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah are examples of the processing of exilic trauma through depictions of individual figures to whom exiles could relate.Less
This chapter describes the eventual destruction of Jerusalem/Zion, the ending of its supposedly eternal Davidic kingship, and the exile to Babylon of much of the surviving population of Jerusalem and Judah. It discusses some of the cries of Judeans in the wake of the destruction of Jerusalem. It also presents the views of major prophets, namely Ezekiel and his contemporary Jeremiah. It shows that the suffering servant, daughter of Zion, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah are examples of the processing of exilic trauma through depictions of individual figures to whom exiles could relate.
Marvin A. Sweeney
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195133240
- eISBN:
- 9780199834693
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195133242.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
2 Kings 23:31–25:30 relates the history of Judah from the death of King Josiah in 609 b.c.e. through the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile in 587 b.c.e. until the release of King ...
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2 Kings 23:31–25:30 relates the history of Judah from the death of King Josiah in 609 b.c.e. through the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile in 587 b.c.e. until the release of King Jehoiachin of Judah from prison. Scholars have consistently pointed to a marked changed in the formulation of the regnal formulas of the Kings of Judah during this period, which indicates that these narratives were written as a supplement to the history of Israel and Judah that originally concluded with the reign of Josiah. An examination of the texts and arguments relevant to this discussion supports the view that 2 Kings 23:31–25:30 were written as a supplement to an earlier Josianic edition of the DtrH.Less
2 Kings 23:31–25:30 relates the history of Judah from the death of King Josiah in 609 b.c.e. through the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile in 587 b.c.e. until the release of King Jehoiachin of Judah from prison. Scholars have consistently pointed to a marked changed in the formulation of the regnal formulas of the Kings of Judah during this period, which indicates that these narratives were written as a supplement to the history of Israel and Judah that originally concluded with the reign of Josiah. An examination of the texts and arguments relevant to this discussion supports the view that 2 Kings 23:31–25:30 were written as a supplement to an earlier Josianic edition of the DtrH.
Marvin A. Sweeney
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195133240
- eISBN:
- 9780199834693
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195133242.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
Although much of the Hebrew Bible is shaped to address the historical and theological problems posed by the Babylonian exile of 587 b.c.e., scholars have consistently noted that the program of ...
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Although much of the Hebrew Bible is shaped to address the historical and theological problems posed by the Babylonian exile of 587 b.c.e., scholars have consistently noted that the program of religious reform and national restoration instituted by King Josiah of Judah (ruled 640–609 b.c.e.) appears to play a substantial role in the composition of the Hebrew Bible's legal, historical, and prophetic books. Nevertheless, scholars have been unable to provide a convincing case for this contention due to the difficulties in establishing appropriate redaction‐critical models for the composition of such generically distinct books. This study employs advances in redaction‐critical theory that call for a synchronic analysis of the present form of the biblical text as the basis for diachronic reconstruction of its compositional history. Although the archeological record indicates that Josiah did not succeed in carrying out his program, analysis of the relevant legal, historical, and prophetic books points to Josiah's efforts to provide an ideologically charged history, prophetic justification, and legal reforms that would support his efforts to reunite all Israel and Judah under his rule.Less
Although much of the Hebrew Bible is shaped to address the historical and theological problems posed by the Babylonian exile of 587 b.c.e., scholars have consistently noted that the program of religious reform and national restoration instituted by King Josiah of Judah (ruled 640–609 b.c.e.) appears to play a substantial role in the composition of the Hebrew Bible's legal, historical, and prophetic books. Nevertheless, scholars have been unable to provide a convincing case for this contention due to the difficulties in establishing appropriate redaction‐critical models for the composition of such generically distinct books. This study employs advances in redaction‐critical theory that call for a synchronic analysis of the present form of the biblical text as the basis for diachronic reconstruction of its compositional history. Although the archeological record indicates that Josiah did not succeed in carrying out his program, analysis of the relevant legal, historical, and prophetic books points to Josiah's efforts to provide an ideologically charged history, prophetic justification, and legal reforms that would support his efforts to reunite all Israel and Judah under his rule.
Andrew Mein
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199291397
- eISBN:
- 9780191700620
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199291397.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
Whereas much recent work on the ethics of the Hebrew Bible addresses the theological task of using the Bible as a moral resource for today, this book aims to set Ezekiel's ethics firmly in the social ...
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Whereas much recent work on the ethics of the Hebrew Bible addresses the theological task of using the Bible as a moral resource for today, this book aims to set Ezekiel's ethics firmly in the social and historical context of the Babylonian Exile. The two ‘moral worlds’ of Jerusalem and Babylonia provide the key. Ezekiel explains the disaster in terms familiar to his audience's past experience as members of Judah's political elite. He also provides ethical strategies for coping with the more limited possibilities of life in Babylonia, which include the ritualization of ethics, an increasing emphasis on the domestic and personal sphere of action, and a shift towards human passivity in the face of restoration. Thus, the prophet's moral concerns and priorities are substantially shaped by the social experience of deportation and resettlement. They also represent a creative response to the crisis, providing significant impetus for social cohesion and the maintenance of a distinctively Jewish community.Less
Whereas much recent work on the ethics of the Hebrew Bible addresses the theological task of using the Bible as a moral resource for today, this book aims to set Ezekiel's ethics firmly in the social and historical context of the Babylonian Exile. The two ‘moral worlds’ of Jerusalem and Babylonia provide the key. Ezekiel explains the disaster in terms familiar to his audience's past experience as members of Judah's political elite. He also provides ethical strategies for coping with the more limited possibilities of life in Babylonia, which include the ritualization of ethics, an increasing emphasis on the domestic and personal sphere of action, and a shift towards human passivity in the face of restoration. Thus, the prophet's moral concerns and priorities are substantially shaped by the social experience of deportation and resettlement. They also represent a creative response to the crisis, providing significant impetus for social cohesion and the maintenance of a distinctively Jewish community.
Marvin A. Sweeney
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195133240
- eISBN:
- 9780199834693
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195133242.003.0021
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
This chapter summarizes the primary conclusions of the book and points to the implications of this study. There is considerable evidence that the Deuteronomistic History was originally written in the ...
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This chapter summarizes the primary conclusions of the book and points to the implications of this study. There is considerable evidence that the Deuteronomistic History was originally written in the reign of King Hezekiah to support his attempt to reunite Israel and Judah under Davidic rule, that it was reworked and expanded during the reign of Josiah to support his program of religious reform and national restoration, and that it was reworked and expanded once again to account for the Babylonian exile. Prophetic literature was heavily influenced by Josiah's reform, viz., Zephaniah and Nahum were written to support the reform; Isaiah, Hosea, Amos, and Micah were edited to support the reform; Jeremiah originally supported the reform but reworked his oracles in the aftermath of Josiah's death; and Habakkuk addressed the problem of theodicy following Josiah's death. The image of the righteous Josiah continued to have an impact on Judean thinking and literature insofar as it informed portrayals of postexilic restoration of Israel/Judah under the rule of a righteous Davidic monarch.Less
This chapter summarizes the primary conclusions of the book and points to the implications of this study. There is considerable evidence that the Deuteronomistic History was originally written in the reign of King Hezekiah to support his attempt to reunite Israel and Judah under Davidic rule, that it was reworked and expanded during the reign of Josiah to support his program of religious reform and national restoration, and that it was reworked and expanded once again to account for the Babylonian exile. Prophetic literature was heavily influenced by Josiah's reform, viz., Zephaniah and Nahum were written to support the reform; Isaiah, Hosea, Amos, and Micah were edited to support the reform; Jeremiah originally supported the reform but reworked his oracles in the aftermath of Josiah's death; and Habakkuk addressed the problem of theodicy following Josiah's death. The image of the righteous Josiah continued to have an impact on Judean thinking and literature insofar as it informed portrayals of postexilic restoration of Israel/Judah under the rule of a righteous Davidic monarch.
Marvin A. Sweeney
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195133240
- eISBN:
- 9780199834693
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195133242.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
The present form of 2 Kings 21 in the Deuteronomistic History clearly blames King Manasseh of Judah for the Babylonian exile, insofar as it states that YHWH decided to destroy Jerusalem and the ...
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The present form of 2 Kings 21 in the Deuteronomistic History clearly blames King Manasseh of Judah for the Babylonian exile, insofar as it states that YHWH decided to destroy Jerusalem and the Temple because of his great sins. Prior scholarship contends that this chapter has been redactionally reworked to point to the exile, but has been unable to provide a coherent redaction‐critical analysis of the chapter to support this claim. An analysis of YHWH statements concerning Manasseh points to an interest in settling Israel securely in the land if the people would observe Mosaic Torah. This indicates that the oracle may have originally functioned as Huldah's promise of security to Josiah, but that it has been reworked and placed in its present position to justify the Babylonian exile.Less
The present form of 2 Kings 21 in the Deuteronomistic History clearly blames King Manasseh of Judah for the Babylonian exile, insofar as it states that YHWH decided to destroy Jerusalem and the Temple because of his great sins. Prior scholarship contends that this chapter has been redactionally reworked to point to the exile, but has been unable to provide a coherent redaction‐critical analysis of the chapter to support this claim. An analysis of YHWH statements concerning Manasseh points to an interest in settling Israel securely in the land if the people would observe Mosaic Torah. This indicates that the oracle may have originally functioned as Huldah's promise of security to Josiah, but that it has been reworked and placed in its present position to justify the Babylonian exile.
David M. Carr
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- May 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780300204568
- eISBN:
- 9780300210248
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Yale University Press
- DOI:
- 10.12987/yale/9780300204568.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
This chapter discusses the biblical story of Moses. Moses was an ancient historical figure for the Israelite tribes, and he was the centre of some of the earliest writings of Israel. The Moses story ...
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This chapter discusses the biblical story of Moses. Moses was an ancient historical figure for the Israelite tribes, and he was the centre of some of the earliest writings of Israel. The Moses story revolves around collective trauma, whether in Babylon or in Egypt. Reshaped by exile and its survival, the biblical Moses story and the rest of the Pentateuch helped some Babylonian exiles avoid assimilation and survive into the next chapter of their story.Less
This chapter discusses the biblical story of Moses. Moses was an ancient historical figure for the Israelite tribes, and he was the centre of some of the earliest writings of Israel. The Moses story revolves around collective trauma, whether in Babylon or in Egypt. Reshaped by exile and its survival, the biblical Moses story and the rest of the Pentateuch helped some Babylonian exiles avoid assimilation and survive into the next chapter of their story.
David M. Carr
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- May 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780300204568
- eISBN:
- 9780300210248
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Yale University Press
- DOI:
- 10.12987/yale/9780300204568.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
This chapter discusses the return of Babylonian exiles to Jerusalem, focusing on Ezra and the returnee exiles. It reveals that although the future generations of Jews would greatly suffer, Judaism ...
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This chapter discusses the return of Babylonian exiles to Jerusalem, focusing on Ezra and the returnee exiles. It reveals that although the future generations of Jews would greatly suffer, Judaism has persisted while disruptions destroyed the other culture-based religions of the Near East.Less
This chapter discusses the return of Babylonian exiles to Jerusalem, focusing on Ezra and the returnee exiles. It reveals that although the future generations of Jews would greatly suffer, Judaism has persisted while disruptions destroyed the other culture-based religions of the Near East.
Mark Leuchter
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- June 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780190665098
- eISBN:
- 9780190665128
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190665098.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
The Jeremiah tradition extends the Deuteronomistic project, presenting scribes as the levitical bearers of Jeremiah’s prophetic teachings. This is rooted in Jeremiah’s own Levite heritage, alongside ...
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The Jeremiah tradition extends the Deuteronomistic project, presenting scribes as the levitical bearers of Jeremiah’s prophetic teachings. This is rooted in Jeremiah’s own Levite heritage, alongside strong indications that he was enculturated in Deuteronomistic scribalism. What is implicit in Deuteronomy is made explicit in Jeremiah vis-à-vis the scribal transmission process and the relationship between Levite scribes and revelation: Jeremiah 36 and 51:59–64a are especially significant in fleshing out the intimate and even genetic relationship between the potency of YHWH’s divine word and the pen of (Levite) scribes. The texts they created—especially the precursor to the MT Jeremiah tradition—emerge as surrogate sanctuaries wherein identity is anchored in literary form. To transmit and teach these texts was to maintain and redefine who was, or who could be, part of Israel in exile.Less
The Jeremiah tradition extends the Deuteronomistic project, presenting scribes as the levitical bearers of Jeremiah’s prophetic teachings. This is rooted in Jeremiah’s own Levite heritage, alongside strong indications that he was enculturated in Deuteronomistic scribalism. What is implicit in Deuteronomy is made explicit in Jeremiah vis-à-vis the scribal transmission process and the relationship between Levite scribes and revelation: Jeremiah 36 and 51:59–64a are especially significant in fleshing out the intimate and even genetic relationship between the potency of YHWH’s divine word and the pen of (Levite) scribes. The texts they created—especially the precursor to the MT Jeremiah tradition—emerge as surrogate sanctuaries wherein identity is anchored in literary form. To transmit and teach these texts was to maintain and redefine who was, or who could be, part of Israel in exile.
Philip Y. Yoo
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- April 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780198791423
- eISBN:
- 9780191833892
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198791423.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
This chapter, the conclusion, explores how—through the constituent parts and redactional activity detected underneath Ezra 7–10 and Nehemiah 8–10—the Ezra Memoir is well placed as a literary product ...
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This chapter, the conclusion, explores how—through the constituent parts and redactional activity detected underneath Ezra 7–10 and Nehemiah 8–10—the Ezra Memoir is well placed as a literary product of Second Temple Judaism. Through its construction of Ezra’s activities and the returnees from the Babylonian exile, it is argued that the Ezra Memoir is a type of super-narrative that ascribes authority to the antiquated past and utilizes its received traditions. In doing so, the Ezra Memoir reads, interprets, and fuses originally competing accounts of the Israelite wilderness. Through its deference to the Mosaic past and the trauma of the exile, the Ezra Memoir offers its own idealized vision of ritual and worship and presents the returnees from Babylon as the sole inheritors of the Israelite cult.Less
This chapter, the conclusion, explores how—through the constituent parts and redactional activity detected underneath Ezra 7–10 and Nehemiah 8–10—the Ezra Memoir is well placed as a literary product of Second Temple Judaism. Through its construction of Ezra’s activities and the returnees from the Babylonian exile, it is argued that the Ezra Memoir is a type of super-narrative that ascribes authority to the antiquated past and utilizes its received traditions. In doing so, the Ezra Memoir reads, interprets, and fuses originally competing accounts of the Israelite wilderness. Through its deference to the Mosaic past and the trauma of the exile, the Ezra Memoir offers its own idealized vision of ritual and worship and presents the returnees from Babylon as the sole inheritors of the Israelite cult.
Keith Bodner
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- August 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780198743002
- eISBN:
- 9780191802904
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198743002.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
The last act of Jeremiah’s eventful career takes place in the wake of Babylonian destruction, as he is part of a contingent left behind in the land of Judah after the invasion. Jer 40–44 is not among ...
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The last act of Jeremiah’s eventful career takes place in the wake of Babylonian destruction, as he is part of a contingent left behind in the land of Judah after the invasion. Jer 40–44 is not among the most popular sections of the Hebrew Bible, but a remarkable story is contained in these chapters. Despite the trauma of Jerusalem’s collapse, the community who remain have every reason for cautious optimism about their future: they are provided with reasonable leadership, the Babylonians seem unexpectedly benevolent, and the prophet Jeremiah resides in their midst. But any sanguinity disintegrates in the midst of factionalism, unsubstantiated rumors of covert foreign involvement, and then, more darkly, murder, carnage, and a hostage crisis that results in an armed clash among the remnant. So, in these chapters there is an internal war after the external invasion, prompting the reader to ask how matters go so terribly awry. In this book the narrative of Jer 40–44 is subject to a literary reading that analyzes a powerfully composed story that features a host of stylistic devices and deftly sketched characters.Less
The last act of Jeremiah’s eventful career takes place in the wake of Babylonian destruction, as he is part of a contingent left behind in the land of Judah after the invasion. Jer 40–44 is not among the most popular sections of the Hebrew Bible, but a remarkable story is contained in these chapters. Despite the trauma of Jerusalem’s collapse, the community who remain have every reason for cautious optimism about their future: they are provided with reasonable leadership, the Babylonians seem unexpectedly benevolent, and the prophet Jeremiah resides in their midst. But any sanguinity disintegrates in the midst of factionalism, unsubstantiated rumors of covert foreign involvement, and then, more darkly, murder, carnage, and a hostage crisis that results in an armed clash among the remnant. So, in these chapters there is an internal war after the external invasion, prompting the reader to ask how matters go so terribly awry. In this book the narrative of Jer 40–44 is subject to a literary reading that analyzes a powerfully composed story that features a host of stylistic devices and deftly sketched characters.
Philip Y. Yoo
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- April 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780198791423
- eISBN:
- 9780191833892
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198791423.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
This chapter argues that, for modern scholarship, Ezra’s mission marks a crucial point in the process of the formation of the Pentateuch and—in relation to the larger picture—the origins of Judaism. ...
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This chapter argues that, for modern scholarship, Ezra’s mission marks a crucial point in the process of the formation of the Pentateuch and—in relation to the larger picture—the origins of Judaism. Ezra’s activities in Babylonia and Jerusalem are recorded in the Ezra Memoir, generally acknowledged as all or portions of Ezra 7–10 and Nehemiah 8–10. Its report of Ezra proclaiming ‘the Torah of Moses’ in front of a gathered assembly has been viewed as the historical context for the publication of the Pentateuch. This study suggests that the Ezra Memoir reads, interprets, and reshapes the Pentateuchal accounts of the Israelite wilderness in order to elevate the returnees from the Babylonian exile as the true inheritors of the cult of Israel’s deity.Less
This chapter argues that, for modern scholarship, Ezra’s mission marks a crucial point in the process of the formation of the Pentateuch and—in relation to the larger picture—the origins of Judaism. Ezra’s activities in Babylonia and Jerusalem are recorded in the Ezra Memoir, generally acknowledged as all or portions of Ezra 7–10 and Nehemiah 8–10. Its report of Ezra proclaiming ‘the Torah of Moses’ in front of a gathered assembly has been viewed as the historical context for the publication of the Pentateuch. This study suggests that the Ezra Memoir reads, interprets, and reshapes the Pentateuchal accounts of the Israelite wilderness in order to elevate the returnees from the Babylonian exile as the true inheritors of the cult of Israel’s deity.
Mark Leuchter
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- March 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199659340
- eISBN:
- 9780191806612
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199659340.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies
This chapter examines the scholarly model of a Deuteronomistic History and the modality of thought identified as ‘Deuteronomistic’ to assess the various claims on Samuel's memory. It first considers ...
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This chapter examines the scholarly model of a Deuteronomistic History and the modality of thought identified as ‘Deuteronomistic’ to assess the various claims on Samuel's memory. It first considers the definition of Deuteronomism as a concept, the meaning of the term ‘Deuteronomistic’, who the Deuteronomists were, and how the literature associated with this group developed. It then explores how the Deuteronomists constructed both a legal collection, Deuteronomy, and a theoretical narrative model of Israel's landed experience, the Deuteronomistic History, in order to establish a vision of society where sacral leadership and old covenantal ideals formed the basis for evaluating righteousness, theological fidelity, and social responsibility. It also discusses the emergence of the ultimate (or penultimate) form of these works during the period of the Babylonian Exile, along with the occurrence of a substantial amount of narrative and legal composition during the last few decades of the Judahite monarchy.Less
This chapter examines the scholarly model of a Deuteronomistic History and the modality of thought identified as ‘Deuteronomistic’ to assess the various claims on Samuel's memory. It first considers the definition of Deuteronomism as a concept, the meaning of the term ‘Deuteronomistic’, who the Deuteronomists were, and how the literature associated with this group developed. It then explores how the Deuteronomists constructed both a legal collection, Deuteronomy, and a theoretical narrative model of Israel's landed experience, the Deuteronomistic History, in order to establish a vision of society where sacral leadership and old covenantal ideals formed the basis for evaluating righteousness, theological fidelity, and social responsibility. It also discusses the emergence of the ultimate (or penultimate) form of these works during the period of the Babylonian Exile, along with the occurrence of a substantial amount of narrative and legal composition during the last few decades of the Judahite monarchy.
