Ehud Ben Zvi Research Articles

About Edom and Idumea in the Persian Period: Recent Research and Approaches from Archaeology, Hebrew Bible Studies and Ancient Near Eastern Studies ed. by Benedikt Hensel, Ehud Ben Zvi, and Diana V. Edelman (review)

About Edom and Idumea in the Persian Period: Recent Research and Approaches from Archaeology, Hebrew Bible Studies and Ancient Near Eastern Studies ed. by Benedikt Hensel, Ehud Ben Zvi, and Diana V. Edelman (review)

The Historical Books: 1 Chronicles–2 Maccabees

The Historical Books1 Chronicles–2 Maccabees Christopher T. Begg, Fred W. Guyette, Richard A. Taylor, and Thomas Hieke 556. [Levites of Memory in Chronicles; Historical Levites in Late-Persian Yehud] Ehud Ben Zvi, "Levites of Memory in Chronicles: and Some Considerations about Historical Levites in Late-Persian Yehud," Chronicles and the Priestly Literature, 281-304 [see #914]. In his contribution, B.Z. presents his view according to which the Levites in Chronicles are the "complementary other" of the priests as imagined by the Chronicler, rather than [End Page 189] as the latter's conflicting counterpart in reality. Reviewing the biblical and postbiblical sources about the Levites, he argues that the Levites as sanctuary singers and gatekeepers were never as influential a group as were the priests. B.Z. likewise interprets the Chronicler's depiction of the Levites as an instance of the "normalization" of social memory for purposes of social cohesion on the part of a small group of social literati in late Persianperiod Jerusalem. In other words, the Chronicler's depiction of the Levites reflects the literati's conception of how the Levites should have been viewed in the monarchic period on the basis of the literati's authoritative textual repertoire (including the Pentateuch and Ezekiel). [Adapted from editors' introduction, p. 8—C.T.B.] 557. [Atonement, Sacred Space, and Ritual Time in the Chronicler's Reading of the P Pentateuchal Narrative] Benjamin D. Giffone, "Atonement, Sacred Space and Ritual Time: The Chronicler as Reader of Priestly Pentateuchal Narrative," Chronicles and the Priestly Literature, 221-43 [see #914]. G.'s contribution reads and interprets accounts in Chronicles in light of texts of P and Ezekiel. Thus, e.g., he explains the motif of atonement and the extension of the festival in the Chronicler's account of Hezekiah's Passover (2 Chronicles 29) in relation to Leviticus 8–10 with its continuation in Leviticus 16 as well as Ezekiel 43–45. Similarly, G. interprets the narrative of Uzziah's incense offering in 2 Chr 26:16-23 against the background of Leviticus 10 and Numbers 16, and suggests a solution for the potential overlap between the Day of Atonement and Solomon's dedication of the temple (2 Chronicles 5–8) by reference to the appearance of the glory of Yhwh featured in Ezekiel 40 and 45. G. concludes that, as an early interpreter of Torah, the Chronicler seems to have charted a path that sought to include both the Deuteronomistic and the Priestly traditions (broadly understood) and both Levites and the Zadokite priests in their own specific and necessary cultic roles. [Adapted from editors' introduction, p. 7—C.T.B.] 558. [Chronicles; P; Scribes in the Postexilic Temple] Lester L. Grabbe, "Scribes in the Post Exilic Temple: A Social Perspective," Chronicles and the Priestly Literature, 201-20 [see #914]. G.'s essay approaches the overarching issue of the consonance and dissonance between the Chronicler's work and the Priestly materials of the HB from the perspective of priestly scribal culture. After reviewing scribal models from Egypt and Mesopotamia, G. narrows his focus to the priestly scribes in Yehud. Here, G. draws on a model from Homeric studies of transcribing oral traditions that he views as applicable to the formation of biblical texts. He concludes that P was produced during the Persian period by priestly scribes, whereas Chronicles was written in the early Greek period, a century or two later than P, by an individual or individuals close to the priesthood. With regard to the relationship between the two corpora, G. argues that the Chronicler(s) used a variety of sources in an inclusive fashion, not only the P document, but also a version of Samuel–Kings, oral forms of priestly and temporal traditions, and a utopian vision of a theocratic paradise. [Adapted from editors' introduction, p. 7—C.T.B.] 559. [The Righteousness of the Levites in Chronicles and Ezekiel] Christine Mitchell, "The righteousness of the Levites in Chronicles and Ezekiel," Chronicles and the Priestly Literature, 337-47 [see #914]. In her article, M. compares the notion of "righteousness" in Ezekiel 44 and 2 Chronicles 29 and suggests that these...

The Book of the Twelve: Composition, Reception, and Interpretation ed. by Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer and Jakob Wöhrle

Reviewed by: The Book of the Twelve: Composition, Reception, and Interpretation ed. by Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer and Jakob Wöhrle Jason T. LeCureux lena-sofia tiemeyer and jakob wöhrle (eds.), The Book of the Twelve: Composition, Reception, and Interpretation (VTSup 184; Leiden: Brill, 2021). Pp. xx + 632. €132/$159. The purpose of this compilation is best summarized by the opening sentences of the preface, "In the last two decades, research on the Book of the Twelve (= BT) has shown that this corpus is not just a collection of Twelve prophetic books. It is rather a coherent work with a common history of formation and, based upon this, with an overall message and intention. The individual books of the Book of the Twelve are part of a larger whole in which they can be interpreted in a fruitful manner" (p. viii). To accomplish this goal, the book is organized in four main sections: General topics (four articles); Issues in Interpretation (twelve articles covering every book in the Book of the Twelve); Textual Transmission [End Page 528] and Reception History (eight articles); and Theology of the Book of the Twelve (six articles). Overall, this collection of essays offers a thorough reflection on the foundational issues involved in the scholarship of the Book of the Twelve. Its topics are focused but vary within sections, covering subjects from redactional and compositional issues, to thematic elements, and manuscript and textual transmission. The intention of the work is to act as a type of summary of the last twenty years of research on the Book of the Twelve, and in this it succeeds. Besides its various topics of discussion, the collection's strength lies in the breadth of the scholarship presented, from both Europe and North America. In fact, most of the scholars who have made significant contributions to the study of the Twelve over the last twenty years are represented here. Additionally, while the contributors are from across the globe, all the articles in this collection have been written in English. The first section ("General Topics") is the most important of the book, as the four articles there provide the overview of the redactional arguments for the formation and growth of the Book of the Twelve: Wöhrle, "The Book of the Four"; Tiemeyer, "The Haggai–Zechariah 1–8 Corpus"; James D. Nogalski, "The Completion of the Book of the Twelve"; and Tchavdar S. Hadjiev, "A Prophetic Anthology Rather than a Book of the Twelve." Wöhrle's article in particular, which opens the book, clearly lays out what has become a foundational argument for a unified Book of the Twelve, the so-called Book of the Four (Hosea, Amos, Micah, and the core of Zephaniah). Around this core were added Haggai/Zechariah 1–8, and the rest of the prophetic books, depending on various scholarly reconstructions, at various times. Both Tiemeyer's and Nogalski's subsequent articles further illustrate this argument. Special consideration, however, should be given to Hadjiev's article, the fourth in the section, which echoes the skeptical voice of Ehud Ben Zvi and other scholars who have argued that the Book of the Twelve is not an intentionally composed book, but rather something more akin to an "anthology" or collection of independent works. The article is thorough and convincing, offering a serious challenge to the main arguments (such as thematic connections and catchwords) around which this collection of essays is built, and the editors deserve credit for including it in the book. Hadjiev concludes, "The claim that the individual prophetic books cannot be properly understood on their own, and need always to be read in the light of the larger whole (i.e. the Twelve), must therefore be rejected. There is, of course, nothing to prevent a modern reader from interpreting the anthology as a unit and generating new meanings by placing the various prophetic scripts alongside each other in creative ways" (p. 103). Though Hadjiev's article represents a minority voice, this is a challenging piece that should be given more attention by future scholars of the Twelve. The next section deals with the individual prophets that compose the Twelve, and generally discusses redactional issues relating to the various...

Historical Books: 1 Chronicles–2 Maccabees

Historical Books1 Chronicles–2 Maccabees Christopher T. Begg Christopher T. Begg Catholic University of America 1349. [The Genealogy of Judah in 1 Chr 2:3–4:23] Tomasz Tułodziecki, "Genealogia pokolenia Judy w 1Krn 2,3–4,23 i jej wpływ na teologiczne presłanie 1–2Krn [The Genealogy of Judah in 1 Chr 2:3–4:23 and Its Influence on the Theological Message of 1 and 2 Chronicles]," ColT 89 (4, 2019) 117-38. Judah as a geographical area and an inhabited country has always had an exceptional and extraordinary character. The oldest historical source material points to Judah's status as an independent socio-political entity, with only a loose connection to Israel as a whole. … The reason for this uniqueness of Judah in the history of Israel should be traced back to a prior history involving the proximity and influence of Egypt, a factor that served to enhance Judah's independence and self-sufficiency. This self-sufficiency was tested particularly in connection with Judah's relative autonomy and self-rule in the period of Persian domination beginning in 538 b.c. This is the period in which the author of the Book of Chronicles wrote his work, the focus of which is the New Israel, i.e., the newly formed Judean entity under the authority of the Persian kings. Judah in 1 and 2 Chronicles is presented as the heir to all the key promises Yhwh made to Judah's ancestors. In Chronicles, David the king and his successors are the guardians of these promises of Yhwh. The Torah ascribes the initial forms of the cult and the holiness associated with Israel's liturgy to the figure of Moses. According to the Chronicler, however, David appears as the role model for holiness who, as such, can appropriately be called the second Moses. In the Chronicler's presentation, members of the Davidic dynasty are the only legitimate sovereigns who rule over the country and who sit upon the throne of Yhwh himself (see 1 Chr 17:4; 28:5; 29:23; 2 Chr 9:8; 13:8). As such, Judah is portrayed as a "home" for all the twelve tribes of Israel in which, despite their conflicts, friction, and political obstacles, are all heirs of Yhwh's promises in the fraternity that they share. This conception finds expression in the Chronicler's entire work, beginning with the detailed presentation of Judah's genealogy in 1 Chr 2:3–4:23 and continuing through to the final verses of 2 Chronicles. [Adapted from published abstract—C.T.B.] Google Scholar 1350. [The Names of Saul's Descendants in 1 Chr 8:33-34; 9:39-40] Marek I. Baraniak, "Historiografia biblijna w perspektywie hebrajskiej onomastyki. Przypadek imion potomków Saula w ksiȩgach Kronik (1Krn 8,33-34; 9,39-40) [Biblical Historiography as Reflected in Hebrew Onomastics. The Case of the Names of Saul's Descendants in 1 Chr 8:33-34; 9:39-40]," ColT 89 (4, 2019) 95-115. The names of Saul's descendants are cited differently in the Book of Chronicles (see 1 Chr 8:33-34; 9:39-40) as compared with the Book of Samuel (see 2 Sam 2–4; 19; 21). In particular, Chronicles speaks of Eshbaal rather than of Ishbosheth and Meribaal rather than Mephibosheth. My article discusses the differences between the names in the context of early Hebrew epigraphy. The Chronicler's mention of the names of Saul's descendants might be explained, not only in terms of his use of an earlier version of the Book of Samuel, but also on the basis of Judean oral tradition or royal archival documents that survived the Babylonian conquest. [Adapted from published abstract—C.T.B.] Google Scholar 1351. [1 Chronicles 10; Saul in Chronicles] Ehud Ben Zvi, "Reading Chronicles and Remembering Saul in the Late Persian/Early Hellenistic Period," Fortgeschriebenes Gotteswort, 369-80 [see #1707]. In contrast to that of the Book of Samuel, the Chronicler's presentation of King Saul is very brief, being essentially confined to a single chapter, i.e., 1 Chronicles 10 in [End Page...

Literary Forms/Techniques and Methods of Study

Literary Forms/Techniques and Methods of Study Christopher T. Begg, William J. Urbrock, Richard A. Taylor, John M. Halligan, Fred W. Guyette, and Thomas Hieke 116. [Social Memory and "Bourdieusian" Approaches/Concepts] Ehud Ben Zvi, "Potential Intersections between Research Frames Informed by Social-Memory and 'Bourdieusian' Approaches/Concepts: The Study of Socio-Historical Features of the Literati of the Early Second Temple Period," Social Memory, 631-54 [see #769]. The goal of this chapter is to explore potential intersections and dialogues between social memory and Bourdieusian frames/approaches, both in terms of what they may contribute [End Page 34] to the study of socio-historical characteristics of the literati of the late Persian/Early Hellenistic Period as well as in terms of the potential significance of some, even if partial, convergences between the two approaches. Thus, in what follows I will address issues such as "cultural capital," "memory capital," habitus, social mindscape, taste, grammars of preference, litertidicy (as a form of sosiodicy), power, Temple controls, and the possibility of effecting social change, along with the related matter of social reproduction, in so far as they facilitate our understanding of the above-mentioned literati. Toward the end of this contribution, I will address some methodological implications of convergences and intersections between social memory and Bourdieusian approaches for furthering studies of socio-historical characteristics of the literati of the early Second Temple period as a group. [Adapted from author's introduction, p. 631—C.T.B.] 117. [Formula for (Dis)Honorable Installation; Deut 26:19; 28:37] Isaac D. Blois, "Formulas for (Dis)Honorable Installation in Deuteronomy 26:19 and 28:37: The Honorific Implications of Israel's Covenant (Un)Faithfulness," CBQ 82 (2020) 381-406. This study analyzes the grammatically parallel "(dis)honorific formulas" found in Deut 26:19 and Deut 28:37 to show how they present the implications of covenant (dis)obedience for Israel in the public (i.e. honor/shame) sphere. The five main sections of the article are: (1) Metonymy and the Blessings and Curses of the Deuteronomic Covenant; (2) Deuteronomic Formulas for Degradation and for Exaltation; (3) The Importance of International Perception in Deuteronomy; (4) The Formula for Honorific Installation in Deuteronomy 26:19; and (5) The Formula for Dishonorable Installation in Deuteronomy 28:37. Two comprehensive tables list and analyze instances of the Formulas for Honorific Installation and similar passages (about a dozen examples) and Formulas for Dishonorable Installation and similar passages (about eighty examples) throughout the Hebrew Bible.—W.J.U. 118. [Biblical Narrative] Daniel Crouch, "Discovering the Heart of the Biblical Narrative: A Survey of Solutions to a Postliberalism Criticism," ResQ 62 (2020) 99-106. Methodological and epistemological concerns raised by postmodernism regarding the possibility of identifying a metanarrative for the Christian story have contributed to a plethora of approaches to biblical narrative. C. discusses these approaches under three rubrics: intratextual methods, metatextual methods, and extratextual methods. Intratextual methods use tools of literary criticism to analyze biblical narrative, focusing on discourse elements that disclose how the narrative is structured and story elements that show how settings and characters are presented. Literary criticism stresses the importance of distinguishing between "kernels" (i.e. the most important events of a story) and "satellites" (i.e. the incidental elements of a story). Repetition and type scenes also play an important role in literary criticism. Metatextual methods involve attempts to describe the cohesion of biblical narrative in various books and authors. Examples include efforts to find a central theme of Scripture and appeals to the concept of canon. Finally, extratextual methods look outside biblical narrative for a standard. Examples of such standards include the Rule of Faith, the ecumenical creeds of the church, and a communal hermeneutic. C. compares these various methods, evaluates their strengths and weaknesses, and suggests ways to move forward.—R.A.T. [End Page 35] 119. [Psalms; Speaker Ambiguity] Samuel Hildebrandt, "Whose Voice Is Heard? Speaker Ambiguity in the Psalms," CBQ 82 (2020) 197-213. Several poems in the Hebrew Psalter include voices that may be assigned to more than one speaker. Rather than arguing in favor of one particular speaker and silencing the others...

Micah: An International Theological Commentary

Micah: An International Theological Commentary

“Even God Cannot Change the Past”: Reflections on Seventeen Years of the European Seminar in Historical Methodology

“Even God Cannot Change the Past”: Reflections on Seventeen Years of the European Seminar in Historical Methodology

The Writings: Psalms

The WritingsPsalms Christopher T. Begg 1333. [Servant of the Lord in the Psalter] Egbert Ballhorn, "Von David dem Knecht zum Volk der Gottesknechte im Psalter," Zur Theologie des Psalters, 287-315 [see #1618]. The title "servant of the Lord" is used in two different ways in the Psalter: On the one hand, it is a self-designation used by the pray-er in his relationship to God, while on the other it functions as a title ascribed to King David. That title is so impregnated with the figure of David that every individual pray-er who uses the designation of himself stands in the succession of David, with consequences not only for the pray-er's relationship to God but also for his status as God's chosen one. [Adapted from published abstract] 1334. [Psalms; Chronicles] Ehud Ben Zvi, "Psalms, Chronicles, and Matters of Social Memory in the Early Second Temple Period: Some Introductory Considerations," Psalmen und Chronik, 243-56 [see #1555]. B. Z. seeks to identify a "social memory system" unifying both Chronicles and the Psalter as well as these books' respective receptional circles. In so doing, he cautions, with regard to such comparisons, against taking the modern understanding of the two textual complexes as a basis. Chronicles, on the one hand, does indeed concern itself with psalms and pieces of song, but does not, however, present the "actual content of the songs," while, on the other hand, the Psalter features later resignifications, contemporaneous with Chronicles, [End Page 452] of Chronistic personages. Taking the Persian or early Hellenistic period as background, B. Z. sets out to selectively ascertain how old psalms were remembered and newly interpreted. Thus, the psalm titles refer to David as a "master musician." In Chronicles, on the basis of this already existent memory of David as a musician, the figure of David is further developed. Psalms and Chronicles both participate in a common "mnemonic system," wherein, by way of the Davidic figure, sacrificial cult and psalms are interwoven. The Levitical singers Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun represent another example of shared memory. They are mentioned in Psalms 39, 50, 62, 73–88, 89, and also appear in Chronicles. Likewise psalmic formulations such as the refrain "for his steadfast love endures forever" show themselves to have been especially suitable for memory formation. In Psalms 106, 107, 118, and 136 this formula occurs a total of 32 times, while in 1 Chr 16:34; 2 Chr 5:13; 7:3, 6; 20:21, it is used in the articulation of the praise of Yhwh. In addition, B. Z.'s contribution devotes particular attention to psalmic citations in 1 Chr 16:8-36 and 2 Chr 6:41-42. For ancient recipients the question of the origin of the above formula—did it originate in Chronicles or in the Psalter—was not an issue. Far more important than the certainly greater age of Pss 96:1-13; 105:1-15; 106:47-48; and 132:8-10 vis-à-vis the citations of these verses in Chronicles is the mutual illumination of both Chronicles and the Psalter via the reception process. Both complexes have had a part to play in the formation of Israel's memory. This becomes clear in that in the "narrative" of Chronicles the psalms initiated by David are at the same time reflective of the postexilic situation (see 1 Chr 16:15). A similar situation occurs in 2 Chr 6:41-42, where Ps 132:8-10 is paraphrased. In 2 Chronicles 6 these verses are the conclusion of Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the Temple and reflect changes to the source text of 1 Kings 8. In dealing as it does with its source material, 2 Chr 6:41-42 emphasizes that the foundations of the Temple cult go back to Yhwh alone. [Adapted from published abstract] 1335. [Psalms; Isaiah; Zion] Joseph Blenkinsopp, "Zion as Reality and Symbol in Psalms and Isaiah," Essays on the Book of Isaiah, 122-34 [see #1628]. B. opens this brief essay with the statement (p. 122): "Psalms and Isaiah . . . have a great deal in common. Their intertextual relations are...

Biblical Theology

Biblical Theology Christopher T. Begg 1475. [Yhwh; Volcanos] Nissim Amzallag, "Some Implications of the Volcanic Theophany of YHWH on [sic! for] His Primeval Identity," AntOr 12 (2014) 11-38. Yhwh's theophany and mode of action are frequently portrayed in the Hebrew Bible as a volcanic event. In this article, A. argues that this representation, which is of central importance in the story of the Sinai Covenant, is probably not anchored in any specific experience of a volcanic eruption by the Israelites in the past. In antiquity, volcanic activity was specifically associated with the gods who were patrons of metallurgy, given the similarity between lava flowing from a volcano and slag released from a furnace during the smelting process. Evidence of such a linkage can also be identified in the Bible itself. Accordingly, rather than being simply a literary device intended to evoke the overwhelming power of Yhwh, biblical references to volcanic activity may reflect the metallurgical roots of Israelite theology. This proposal is supported by biblical material associating Yhwh with metal production, and more particularly by (1) his primeval dominion in mining areas; (2) his worship by metalworkers; and (3) the representation of Yhwh's celestial environment as a giant furnace. On the basis of this evidence, A. concludes that the volcanic representation of Yhwh's theophany and mode of action reveals a surprising number of metallurgic religious traditions that have been preserved in ancient Israelite theology. [Adapted from published abstract] 1476. [Relation of the Testaments; Divine Violence in OT] José Luis Barriocanal Goméz, "Por qué tenemos que seguir leyendo el AT? La 'desviolentización' de Dios como propuesta hermenéutica," Burg 59 (2018) 15-38. B. derives the question of his title about why Christians continue to read the OT from the French exegete J.-L. Ska; the question itself alludes to the problem posed for Christians' doing this both by the seeming "superfluity" of the OT vis-à-vis the NT and the recurring divine violence in the former. B. devotes his article to addressing these two problems. Regarding the first problem, he highlights the complex, multifaceted dialectic between the two Testaments in which each needs the other for its full comprehension and appreciation. As for the second problem, B. argues that the OT's image of the violent God needs to be purified and "demythologized" in light of Christ's disclosure of a non-violent, merciful God, a disclosure that is itself adumbrated in God's own self-presentation in the "grace formula" of Exod 34:6-7. 1477. Ehud Ben Zvi, "Were YHWH's Clothes Worth Remembering and Thinking about among the Literati of Late Persian/Early Hellenistic Judah/Yehud? Observations and Considerations," Dress and Clothing, 161-82 [see #1553]. B. Z.'s concluding essay in the above volume explores the curious discursive omission of mention of Yhwh's clothing and its concomitant implications for the power of divine dress in the writings of the Judaean literati of the late Persian/early Hellenistic periods. [End Page 503] In this connection, he notes the existence of an underlying, but strong, tendency for these figures to "dis-prefer" depictions and imaginative exercises involving Yhwh's clothes, even in the absence of an alternative. He argues that a constellation of factors rendered Yhwh's clothes something not much (or even not at all) worth remembering or thinking about on the part of the literati in the above period(s). [Adapted from published abstract] 1478. Jeremiah W. Cataldo, "Biblical Strategies for Reinterpreting Crises with 'Outsiders,'" Imagined Worlds, 127-43 [see #1548]. In his essay, C. interacts with Benedict Anderson's theory on imagined communities and how prejudices shape them. For C., Anderson's theory, and the way in which it inadvertently exposes prejudice, provides an important optic through which to interpret the capacity of the Bible as a religious-cultural symbol relevant for renegotiating the dominant Western and Judeo-Christian dichotomized discourse on the identities of minorities, such as immigrants, refugees, and foreigners. Clarifying the depth of the symbolic value and role of the Bible permits one to reimagine "community" as a body constructed through relational discourse, rather than one...

The Cambridge Companion to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament ed. by Stephen B. Chapman and Marvin A. Sweeney

Reviewed by: The Cambridge Companion to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament ed. by Stephen B. Chapman and Marvin A. Sweeney Isaac M. Alderman stephen b. chapman and marvin a. sweeney, The Cambridge Companion to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament (Cambridge Companions to Religion; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2016). Pp. xvii + 525. $101.27. This collection of twenty-three essays is introduced as an attempt to express that the diversity of the field is a result of the diversity of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament itself. There is no neutral approach, because there are no neutral texts. The editors also hope to model the collaborative possibilities by engaging this diversity. The volume consists of five parts, addressing the matters of text, historical context, methods, collections and genres, and receptions. The first section ("Text and Canon") consists of two essays. In "Texts, Titles, and Translations," James C. VandkerKam addresses the extant textual evidence of the Hebrew Bible, such as the Hebrew and Greek versions, the Samaritan Pentateuch, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and ancient translations. He also covers the ways in which the biblical books were denoted, such as "the Law and the Prophets." Finally, he discusses matters of modern translations. Apart from a shared display of alliteration, Chapman's essay ("Collections, Canons, and Communities") treats the process and meaning of canonicity, including explanations of the different usages, history, and impact of various terms such as Old Testament, [End Page 743] Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh. He also addresses the examples of canon lists from various points in time. In part 2 ("Historical Background"), the first two entries directly address matters of context, looking at the ancient Near East and Israelite religion, while the third is more theoretical. Kenton L. Sparks ("The Ancient Near Eastern Context") provides an outline of the history of the Near East from the time preceding the Israelites until the Maccabean Revolt. Brent A. Strawn ("The History of Israelite Religion") gives an overview of some of the concerns and sources for the task of historical reconstruction. In the final entry, Marc Zvi Brettler ("The Hebrew Bible and History") explains tensions between history and historiography. He concludes that the Bible provides many narratives that depict a past, but that political or religious motivations behind them make problematic the use of the Bible as a primary source for constructing a history of Israel. The third part of the volume ("Methods and Approaches") also has only three entries. John J. Collins ("Historical-Critical Methods") examines the history of the approach and delineates its principles and discusses the criticisms of those principles. He concludes that the critics of the method are generally unconvincing. He praises the approach for freeing the text from fundamentalism and allowing collaboration among people of different faiths, or no faith at all. The second and third entries are broader in scope, looking at social-scientific (Victor H. Matthews, "Social Science Models") and literary (Adele Berlin, "Literary Approaches to the Hebrew Bible") approaches to the Bible. Berlin's contribution is especially interesting with regard to the divide among scholars whose literary approaches might be considered modern versus postmodern. Part 4 ("Subcollections and Genres") contains the following essays, constituting more than one-third of the volume: Thomas B. Dozeman, "The Pentateuch and Israelite Law"; Richard D. Nelson, "The Former Prophets and Historiography"; Marvin A. Sweeney, "The Latter Prophets and Prophecy"; William P. Brown, "The Psalms and Hebrew Poetry"; Samuel E. Balentine, "Wisdom"; Ehud Ben Zvi, "Late Historical Books and Rewritten History"; Lawrence M. Wills, "The Biblical Short Story"; Stephen L. Cook, "Apocalyptic Writings"; and Sharon Pace, "Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal Books." These articles are not dissimilar to the introductions found at the beginning of certain sections of the New Oxford Annotated Bible. These entries could be very useful as introductory readings in a survey class. Part 5 ("Reception and Use") contains the following six articles: Frederick E. Greenspahn, "The Hebrew Bible in Judaism"; R. W. L. Moberly, "The Old Testament in Christianity"; Walid A. Saleh, "The Hebrew Bible in Islam"; David Lyle Jeffrey, "The Hebrew Bible in Art and Literature"; Nancy J. Duff, "The Old Testament in Public: The Ten Commandments, Evolution, and Sabbath Closing Laws"; and John Goldingay, "The Theology of the...

Covenant in the Persian Period: From Genesis to Chronicles ed. by Richard J. Bautch and Gary N. Knoppers

Reviewed by: Covenant in the Persian Period: From Genesis to Chronicles ed. by Richard J. Bautch and Gary N. Knoppers Helen Cashell-Moran richard j. bautch and gary n. knoppers (eds.), Covenant in the Persian Period: From Genesis to Chronicles (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2015). Pp. viii + 452. $64.50. This volume, as indicated in the introduction, is a collection of twenty-two essays (coincidentally the same number as characters in the Hebrew alphabet) offered by a diverse group of scholars that "explore the tremendous range of covenantal perspectives that emerge during the Persian period, and it establishes the importance of each within its religious, social, and historical context" (p. 1). During these increasingly changing time periods, the motif of covenant () proved to be important for Jewish intellectual life; however, comparatively little research has been carried out on the motif of covenant in the postmonarchic period. It is this lacuna that this collection of essays seeks to fill. In other words, scholars interested in covenant had reached an impasse, but all were agreed that "a relative lack of interest in covenant during the Persian period" is apparent. Bautch and Knoppers refer to this former view as unfortunate (p. 3) and make clear that the aim of this present collection of essays is to rectify matters and demonstrate that the reverse is the case. This collection of essays is in five parts, and it is noted in the introduction that "typically, the writer of a given chapter is a specialist on the biblical book in question and brings his or her command of the text to the study of the covenant" (p. 4). Part 1 deals with the Pentateuch and includes Jacob Wöhrle, "Abraham amidst the Nations: The Priestly Concept of Covenant and the Persian Ideology"; Andreas Schüle, "The 'Eternal Covenant' in the Priestly Pentateuch and the Major Prophets"; Wolfgang Oswald, "Correlating the Covenants in Exodus 24 and Exodus 34"; Thomas Hieke, "The Covenant in Leviticus 26: A Concept of Admonition and Redemption." Part 2 treats the (Deuteronomistic) History books and comprises Reinhard Achenbach, "'The Unwritten Text of the Covenant': Torah in the Mouth of the Prophets"; Ehud Ben Zvi, "A Balancing Act: Settling and Unsettling Issues Concerning Past Divine Promises in Historiographical Texts Shaping Social Memory in the Late Persian Period"; Cynthia Edenburg, "From Covenant to Connubium: Persian Period Developments in the Perception of Covenant in the Deuteronomistic History." [End Page 156] Part 3 explores prophecy: Dalit Rom-Shiloni, "The Covenant in the Book of Jeremiah: On the Employment of Family and Political Metaphors"; Matthew Sjöberg, "Inner-Biblical Interpretation in the Redaction of Jeremiah 33:14-26"; J. Todd Hibbard, "Breaking an Eternal Covenant: Isaiah 24:5 and Persian-Period Discourse about the Covenant"; James Nogalski, "Presumptions of 'Covenant' in Joel"; John Kessler, "Curse, Covenant, and Temple in the Book of Haggai"; Richard J. Bautch, "Zechariah 11 and the Shepherd's Broken Covenant"; Elie Assis, "The Reproach of the Priests (Malachi 1:6-2:9) with Malachi's Conception of Covenant"; Christine Mitchell, "Achaemenid Persian Concepts Pertaining to the Covenant and Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi." Wisdom literature is the subject of part 4: W. H. Bellinger Jr., "The Psalms, Covenant, and the Persian Period"; Carol J. Dempsey, "Poems, Prayers, and Promises: The Psalms and Israel's Three Covenants"; Jamie A. Grant, "'When the Friendship of God Was upon My Tent': Covenant as Essential Background to Lament in the Wisdom Literature"; Thomas M. Bolin, "Qoheleth and the Covenant: Some Preliminary Observations." Finally, part 5 looks at Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah and includes Douglas J. E. Nykolaishen, "Ezra 10:3: Solemn Oath? Renewed Covenant? New Covenant?"; Mark J. Boda, "Reenvisioning the Relationship: Covenant in Chronicles"; Louis C. Jonker, "'The Ark of the Covenant of the Lord': The Place of Covenant in the Chronicler's Theology." Space does not permit this review to engage with the full range of insights and erudition in this collection of essays; therefore two essays, picked at random, are addressed in some detail below. Hieke analyzes the topic of covenant in the third book of the Torah, Leviticus. He notes that, with the exception of Lev 2:13 and 24:8, the Hebrew term ("covenant...

History & Geography

History & Geography Christopher T. Begg, John M. Halligan, and Victor H. Matthews 1058. Rainer Albertz, "The Exilic Period as an Urgent Case for a Historical Reconstruction Without the Biblical Text: The Neo-Babylonian Royal Inscriptions as a 'Primary Source,'" 'Even God Cannot Change the Past,' 93-110 [see #1582]. After discussing the difficulty of a historical reconstruction of the exilic period, A. focuses on the Babylonian royal inscriptions, the "foundation myth" of the Neo-Babylonian Empire in particular, which affirms that Assyria was overthrown as punishment for Sennacherib's destruction of the Esagila temple in Babylon and the removal of the cult statue of Marduk. Regarding the Babylonian Basalt Stela concerning Nabonidus's reign, A. concludes with the methodological evaluation that the theological aim of this inscription does not make the events described therein unhistorical. Furthermore, the myth in question is not just an interpretation of history—it also served to shape history.—V.H.M. 1059. [2 Kings 25, etc.] Sonja Ammann, "Oszillationen eines Traumas. Biblische Erzählungen der Eroberung Jerusalems," TZ 74 (2018) 319-37. The Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem in the early 6th cent. b.c.e. occupies a central place in the remembered past of ancient Israel. Building on the concept of "cultural trauma," A.'s article examines the various biblical narratives concerning the conquest found in 2 Kings 25; 2 Chronicles 36; Jeremiah 37–40 and Jeremiah 52, with particular attention to the question of how these texts function to establish the Babylonian conquest in ancient Israel's cultural memory. A. adduces examples drawn from 2 Kgs 25:4-7//Jer 39:3-7 and 2 Chronicles 36 in support of her thesis that (1) in the course of time, a simplified conquest narrative emerged from the above versions of the event, one that focused increasingly on the individual protagonists and their typification; and (2) this process of focusing and typification can be observed at both the micro-level of textual history and the macro-level of literary history. [Adapted from published abstract—C.T.B.] 1060. Bob Becking, "Why Start with the Text? The Fall of Samaria Revisited," 'Even God Cannot Change the Past,' 3-19 [see #1582]. B. argues that biblical texts should be construed as interpretations of what might have happened: the text does not equal the event. Thus, e.g., for the Assyrian conquest of Samaria, it should be kept in mind that neither the biblical accounts nor the Assyrian inscriptions can be equated with the event itself. Both inform the reader about the view of their authors concerning a past happening. Texts are historical sources in the same way that artifacts are. But a historian has to deconstruct a given source in search of trustworthy particles contained in the account. Furthermore, the narrator of the text is in a power position, and historians should be aware that the information on the past is filtered through a specific point of view.—V.H.M. 1061. Jonathan Ben-Dov, "Nebuchadnezzar: Seeing Twice Double in Babylonia and the Levant," HeBAI 7 (2018) 3-16. This article works on both the temporal and spatial axes. In spatial terms, it seeks to show that Nebuchadnezzar created a slightly different image for himself in the Levant from the one propagated in Babylonia itself, with the latter being reflected in the royal monuments and the former in biblical prophetic literature. On the temporal axis, B.-D. [End Page 347] notes that Nebuchadnezzar's image enjoyed renewed attention in the Hellenistic period, both in Babylonia and in the Levant. His article traces these twice-double reflections of Nebuchadnezzar, especially as represented on a pair of monuments from Brisa that B.-D. uses to explain certain details of Daniel 4 and the Qumranic Book of the Giants. See also ##1070, 1096, 1097, 1110, 1127. [Adapted from published abstract—C.T.B.] 1062. Ehud Ben Zvi, "Clio Today and Ancient Israelite History: Some Thoughts and Observations at the Closing Session of the European Seminar for Historical Methodology," 'Even God Cannot Change the Past,' 20-49 [see #1582]. In a wide-ranging critique of the work of the above...

Leadership, Social Memory and Judean Discourse in the Fifth–Second Centuries BCE, edited by Diana V. Edelman and Ehud Ben Zvi. Worlds of the Ancient Near East and Mediterranean. : Equinox, 2016. ix + 296 pp. Paperback. $29.95.

<i>Leadership, Social Memory and Judean Discourse in the Fifth–Second Centuries BCE</i>, edited by Diana V. Edelman and Ehud Ben Zvi. Worlds of the Ancient Near East and Mediterranean. : Equinox, 2016. ix + 296 pp. Paperback. $29.95.

Diana V. Edelman and Ehud Ben Zvi (eds), Leadership, Social Memory and Judean Discourse in the Fifth-Second Centuries BCE

D<scp>iana</scp> V. E<scp>delman and</scp> E<scp>hud</scp> B<scp>en</scp> Z<scp>vi</scp> (eds), <i>Leadership, Social Memory and Judean Discourse in the Fifth-Second Centuries BCE</i>

Book Review: Leadership’s Varied Guises ‘Remembered’: Diana V. Edelman and Ehud Ben Zvi (eds), Leadership, Social Memory and Judean Discourse in the Fifth-Second Centuries bce

Book Review: Leadership’s Varied Guises ‘Remembered’: Diana V. Edelman and Ehud Ben Zvi (eds), <i>Leadership, Social Memory and Judean Discourse in the Fifth-Second Centuries <scp>bce</scp></i>

Historical Books: 1 Chronicles–2 Maccabees

Historical Books1 Chronicles–2 Maccabees Christopher T. Begg and Walter A. Vogels WF 1850. [1 Chronicles 15–16] Bernard Gosse, “Le récit de la translation de l’arche d’alliance par David dans les Chroniques: Refondation cultuelle de la royauté au profit des Asphaites,” ETR 92 (2017) 721–33. The narrative of David’s transfer of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem in 1 Chronicles 15–16 provides a window onto the organization of the Israelite cult after the exile, with the prominent place of the musical activities of the Levitical Asaphites and Ezrahites in that cult being presented in the narrative as having been instituted by David. Extending his earlier study of conflicts among liturgical music-makers in the postexilic period, G. here shows that the above passage is designed to legitimate the postexilic organization of the cult and the Levites’ role therein by recourse to (purported) decisions made by David on these matters. [Adapted from published abstract—C.T.B.] [End Page 645] 1851. [Ezra literature] Philippe Abadie and Pierre de Martin de Viviès, “Les quatre livres d’Esdras,” CaE 180 (2017). In most Bibles only one book is attributed to Ezra. The Hebrew Bible counts Ezra (1 Ezra) together with Nehemiah (2 Ezra) as one book. Other books, not accepted by the rabbis, appear under his name: 3 Ezra (deuterocanonical in the Orthodox Church); 4 Ezra (accepted by Russian Orthodoxy), 5 Ezra and 6 Ezra (apocrypha for all Jewish and Christian groups). This Cahier is a historical and literary presentation of the books accepted by all or at least by some Christian churches. A. studies first the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. The work’s rhetorical structure shows that they constitute one literary unit with three major units: the return from exile (Ezra 1–6), the mission of priest-scribe Ezra (Ezra 7–10), and the struggles of the governor (Nehemiah 1–13). D.V. then presents the first Ezra book of 9 chapters, that appears in the LXX. It basically repeats Ezra with some sections taken from 2 Chronicles and a few verses that are peculiar to it. The book opens with the reign of king Josiah (3 Ezra 1:1–31//2 Chr 35:1–25) and continues with the last kings of Judah; the decrees of Cyrus; the return from exile; the reconstruction of the Temple; and the history of Ezra. Next, d.V. presents 4 Ezra, a book with two clearly distinct parts; the central portion (chaps. 3–14) is a Jewish text, also called the Apocalypse of Ezra (7 visions or revelations). Added to this are a prologue (chaps. 1–2) and an epilogue (chaps. 15–16), of Christian origin. Together, they constitute 4 Ezra as this appears in the Vulgate. 5 Ezra is the Christian prologue to the Apocalypse, while 6 Ezra is the Christian epilogue.—W.V. 1852. [Ezra–Nehemiah] Ntozakhe Cezula, “A Comment on Ehud Ben Zvi’s ‘Total Exile, Empty Land, and the General Intellectual Discourse in Yehud,’” OTE 30 (2017) 592–608. In the book (Gorgias Press, 2010) cited by C. in the above title, Ben Zvi argues that the Judeans of the late-Persian period could not interpret the “empty land myth” otherwise than in an inclusive manner, an approach that, according to him, is reflected in Ezra–Nehemiah and also surfaces in the Pentateuch, the Deuteronomistic History, and prophetic literature in Ben Zvi’s social memory analysis of these materials. The logic of Ben Zvi’s argument appears so pervasive, according to C., that one is compelled to revisit one’s stance on the issue of exclusivity in Ezra–Nehemiah. After some engagement with that complex, N. develops a case that, in the books in question, the viewpoint is in fact an exclusivistic one and that in them the “empty land myth” is treated in an exclusive manner as well. Of great concern in this connection is, C. points out, the fact that Ben Zvi’s argument comes at a time when African Christians are engaged in a quest for a biblical paradigm for a theology of reconstruction that is currently being...

General

General Christopher T. Begg, Andrew W. Dyck, Walter A. Vogels WF, and Jeremy Corley 1593. Yonathan Adler, “The Hellenistic Origins of Jewish Ritual Immersion,” JJS 69 (2018) 1–29. A.’s study explores the origins of Jewish ritual immersion—inquiring when immersion first emerged as a rite of purification and what the reasons may have been for this development specifically at the time in question. Textual and archaeological evidence suggests, he finds, that the practice emerged at some point during—or slightly prior to—the first half of the 1st cent. b.c.e. A. further suggests that the practice grew out of contemporary bathing practices, the Hellenistic “hip-bath” in particular. Via a process of ritualization, full-body immersion emerged as a method of purificatory washing clearly differentiated from profane bathing. By way of a subsequent process of “hyperritualization,” some Jews ventured to make a further distinction between purificatory ablutions and profane bathing by restricting use of “drawn water” for purification and by assigning a state of impurity to anyone who bathed in such water. The developments traced by A. thus provide an enlightening example of one of the many ways in which Jewish religious practices evolved and adapted in response to Hellenistic cultural innovations. [Adapted from published abstract—C.T.B.] 1594. Ehud Ben Zvi, “Memory and Political Thought in the Late Persian/Early Hellenistic Yehud/Judah: Some Observations,” Leadership, Social Memory and Judean Discourse, 9–26 [see #2020]. In what follows I will focus on social memories of the Judean past that served as a kind of playground in which different political structures and forms of government could be explored and their strengths and weaknesses shown and remembered. At the same time, the “attribution” of some royal roles to Israel—but not others, e.g., that of a military leader—and especially to the Yehudite literati in a “world” that was still not utopian needs to be kept in mind. That world was part and parcel of an encompassing social mindscape that could not but influence and constrain, in some ways, the shaping of social memories, because these memories played a significant role in shaping the literati’s grammar or mnemonic preferences and dis-preferences (p. 15, adapted). The historically contingent circumstances of Yehud, a small province within a large satrapy, within a still larger empire, the social mindscape of the literati, their ideological world and their social roles all contributed to the shaping of their political thought, just as they contributed to the literati’s understanding that neither the Great King nor a vassal king is actually necessary for the stability, happiness, and well-being of the Yehudite community (see, e.g., the sentiment expressed in Psalm 1). Their memories about the past served as a kind of language in which they could express their (implied?) thoughts about political issues (p. 25, adapted).—C.T.B. 1595. Kåre Berge, “Mystified Authority: Legitimating Leadership through ‘Lost Books,’ ” Leadership, Social Memory and Judean Discourse, 41–54 [see #2020]. My argument here is pragmatic: one aspect of the functionality of the biblical texts is as a legitimating device for leadership in postexilic Yehud. My point of departure for reading [End Page 561] the texts discussed here is that they are all presented as sites of memory: they are discussing the past. This is explicit in Deuteronomy and in the Prophets as well, e.g.: “These are the words that came to the prophet in the days of . . .” etc. My concern is to understand the hermeneutics of authority in these texts about the past for the reading audience of the biblical texts as they were known in postexilic times. And for this purpose, I have focused on those three or four texts [2 Kings 22–23; Deuteronomy 31; Ezekiel 2–3; and Jeremiah 36] about the physicality of lost books and their representations by the present biblical books. Returning now to the “today” formula in Deuteronomy, the biblical text is a site of memory, remembering the first and now lost imprints of God’s commandments and Moses’ explications of these and remembering as well that Moses challenged the exodus generation to submit to...

Review of Edelman, Diana V., and Ehud Ben Zvi (eds.), Leadership, Social Memory and Judean Discourse in the Fifth-Second Centuries BCE (Worlds of the Ancient Near East and Mediterranean; Sheffield: Equinox, 2016).

Review of Edelman, Diana V., and Ehud Ben Zvi (eds.), Leadership, Social Memory and Judean Discourse in the Fifth-Second Centuries BCE (Worlds of the Ancient Near East and Mediterranean; Sheffield: Equinox, 2016).

Book review: Marvin Lloyd Miller, Ehud Ben Zvi, and Gary N. Knoppers. The Economy of Ancient Judah in Its Historical Context

Book review: Marvin Lloyd Miller, Ehud Ben Zvi, and Gary N. Knoppers. <i>The Economy of Ancient Judah in Its Historical Context</i>

‘We Really Should Stop Translating נִיר in Kings as “Light” Or “Lamp”’: A Response’

This essay responds to Deuk-il Shin’s recently published ‘The Translation of the Hebrew Term NĪR: “David’s Yoke”?’ I contend that Shin’s argument does not do enough to counteract Douglas Stuart’s call to stop translating נִיר in Kings as ‘light’ or ‘lamp’. Among other things, Shin does not consider important contributions to the discussion, which therefore renders his argumentation deficient. All things considered, Ehud Ben Zvi’s suggestion of territorial dominion is most appropriate.