The Books of Chronicles: A Classified Bibliography (review)

Abstract

Hebrew Studies 34 (1993) 153 Reviews P. Swiggers ("Nominal Sentence Negation in Biblical Hebrew: The Grammatical Status of l'M," pp. 173-179) concludes rightly that the word "cannot be considered a mere particle or adverb" but rather "a (strongly fossilized) nominal element, functioning as the head of a negative predication ." Nearly the same, I would add, applies to 1il1 'still' and ii~~ "where." The classification of parts of speech, such as adverbs and particles, should never be regarded as something absolute, but merely a convenient device for labeling our inventory, to help us keep track of phenomena that are partly similar and partly divergent. A few papers would be stronger if the incidental errors had been weeded out before publication. One gross example (p. 32) is the treatment of 'l'.P. ~?~~ "my eyes asked for" (Bccl 2:10) as irregular, the verb being masculine plural with a feminine dual subject. But an elementary lesson in grammar makes this quite normal; for Hebrew has no dual verb forms, and only rare vestiges of a feminine "they" form (distinct from the masculine) in the perfect tense. Dozens, if not hundreds, of parallels could be cited throughout the Bible of a feminine plural (or dual) subject with a perfect verb ending in ~ -. The author's point was amply illustrated by valid instances; such blunders are an annoying distraction, though excusable even in a scholar because the language is full of real complications and anomalies. While syntax may be reckoned a dry, schematic subject, our authors all evince, more or less, a deep love for the language upon whose peculiarities they have lavished their keenest powers of observation and analysis. Saul Levin State University ofNew York Binghamton, NY /3902-6000 THE BOOKS OF CHRONICLES: A CLASSIFIED BIBLIOGRAPHY. By I. Kalimi. Simor Bible Bibliographies. pp. xvi + 230. Jerusalem: Simor, 1990. Cloth. In an era when bibliographies often become obsolete as soon as they hit the press, the value of a book devoted exclusively to bibliographies is bound to raise some doubt. Happily, this volume demonstrates how printed Hebrew Studies 34 (1993) 154 Reviews bibliographies even in our electronic age (and perhaps especially now) can establish a solid foundation that will continue to be useful for a long time and will also provide a basis for future work on the growing body of literature on Chronicles. Kalimi's volume launches a new Israeli series of bibliographies on biblical texts. It seeks to fill a lacuna in biblical scholarship, where Chronicles has long been neglected and only recently begun to receive the attention it deserves. The book brings together systematically, and with some detail, the full spectrum of studies on Chronicles from the early nineteenth century to the present (but includes some earlier material as well). Contributing to the book's usefulness is the fact that it is organized chronologically and thematically. It thereby illustrates the history of research and guides the reader to the latest layers of the discussion on particular points or texts. The alphabetical index of authors (in both Hebrew and English) serves as cross reference. The book is essentially bilingual (Hebrew and English) in headings, titles, and editorial comments. Entries appear in their original languages. Part I contains entries on "The Book of Chronicles by Subjects" (pp. 33113 ), and Part II on "The Book of Chronicles by Chapters and Verses" (pp. 117-207). The overall organization and the specific entries reflect the author's thorough awareness of issues in Chronicles' discussion and the content of the secondary literature cited. Part I, for example, includes eleven different categories, reflecting the major facets of the field, with attention to the newer discourses: (1) General Studies; (2) Textual Aspects; (3) Linguistic Aspects; (4) Literary Aspects; (5) Prophets and Prophecy; (6) Historical Writing-Chronicles as a Historical Source; (7) Ideology and Theology; (8) The Date of Chronicles; (9) The Purpose of the Book of Chronicles; (10) The Persian Period as Background for Chronicles; and even (11) Miscellaneous. Included are helpful subsections on key issues. Under "Literary Aspects," for example, are bibliographies for "Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah," "Chronicles and the Pentateuch," "Exegesis and Midrash," "Motifs and Literary Forms," to mention but a few. Under "Ideology and Theology...