Essays on Biblical Method and Translation (review)

Abstract

Hebrew Studies 34 (1993) 136 Reviews theological ideologies are evident in the text. Yet he does not take as seriously the socio-political contexts and ideologies which other scholars find penneating the story of David's reign. Certainly, the narrative indicates that a theological change was necessary. The fonner tribal order, established by the tribal deity, could not be changed into a centralized sociopolitical reality without that deity's (perceived) approval. But this study fails to consider the degree to which religion under David was subordinated to political ambition and power. A simple answer does not do justice to the ambiguities and subtleties of the narrative. This reader suspects that the author has given controlling priority to a theological theory rather than to an interpretative process. Elizabeth Bellefontaine Mount St. Vincent University Halifax, Nova Scotia B3M 2)6 ESSAYS ON BIBLICAL METHOD AND TRANSLATION. By Edward L. Greenstein. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1989. Cloth. This book is about the theory and method of biblical criticism and translation. Indeed, although Greenstein does not put it this way, translation is a fonn of criticism. In the first essay, "The State of Biblical Studies, or, Biblical Studies in a State," he surveys the division of labor and opinions that exist between scholars who view the Bible diachronically, that is, in tenns of the various facets of historical criticism, and those who opt for synchronic, or literary, methods. Rather than lament this state of affairs, Greenstein celebrates "the rich, new possibilities that have opened up to us for the construction of meaning." He describes biblical scholarship's traditional historical-critical concerns to show that its results are as tenuous and debatable as any arising from newer literary, or synchronic, methods. Jewish biblical scholarship can take advantage of the situation to free itself from categories deriving from Christianity, such as the contrast between cultus and faith. The second essay, "The Torah as She Is Read," poses the question of method. After discussing the traditional scholarly mode of isolating and analyzing sources, Greenstein suggests that a "global reading," one that holds discrepancies and narrative shifts in tension, might provide valuable insights. Hebrew Studies 34 (1993) 137 Reviews Greenstein views the Exile as the historical context from which the Torah began to grow. In transporting the former slaves to the boundary of Canaan and ending at that point, the Torah invites the exilic community to see itself on the verge of liberation from Babylonian captivity. The Torah's liturgical and cuitic regulations offer captive Israel a way by which to resist absorption into the wider society. Israel may therefore defme itself and maintain its cultural and religious boundaries. The Torah thus holds out hope for the exiles and a challenge to remain distinct from the prevailing culture. In the third essay, "Theory and Argument in Biblical Criticism," Greenstein points out that all observation and analysis is finally based on a theory. An analyst always brings his or her own presuppositions and assumptions to the exploration of any object. He notes that the biblical scholar's conclusions are integrally related to whatever model or paradigm the scholar adopts. Meaningful discussion and disagreement over interpretation can continue only insofar as the participants share the same assumptions. A scholar who isolates sources cannot criticize a scholar whose assumptions foster a "global" reading unless the former argues on the basis of the latter's assumptions. In essence, Greenstein states, disputations about the composition of the Torah "boil down to conflicts of presuppositions , first principles, beliefs." The fourth essay presents brief reviews of four books; Adele Berlin's Poetics and Interpretation of Biblical Narrative; Arthur Gibson's Biblical Semantic Logic: A Preliminary Analysis; Frederick E. Greenspahn's Hapax Legomena In Biblical Hebrew; and W. Gunther Plant's The Torah: A Modern Commentary. These reviews illustrate the point that a scholar's basic assumptions and presuppositions are not always conscious and that they will always determine the shape and substance of one's work. The fifth essay, "Theories of Modem Bible Translation," begins the second part of Greenstein's book, which deals with theory and method in Bible translation. The first essay in this section focuses on various philosophical approaches to linguistics as background...