Old Testament

Contrast and Meaning in the 'Aqhat Story

by Shirly Natan-Yulzary

Forthcoming: VT 62 (2012)
KEYWORDS: Ugaritic Epic; West-Semitic; Narrative Poetry; ʾAqhat; Wisdom; Old Testament; Structuralism; Formalism; Semiotic Square; Actantial Model; Contrast; Dana’il, Pughat, ʿAnat; Ugaritic; epic; Semantic field

Creating contrast between different elements in the narrative is one of the Ugaritic poet’s main poetic devices. This... more Creating contrast between different elements in the narrative is one of the Ugaritic poet’s main poetic devices. This literary tool is employed to encourage the audience to elicit and produce narrative meaning. In ʾAqhat it is a prominent technique, abundant in the lexical make up and stylistic texture of the narrative, in its content, as well as in the narrative structure.
The examples analyzed in the article represent only a sampling of the Ugaritic poet's elaborate and complex range of literary creativity. They illustrate the prominence of this device and demonstrate that its use is akin to that familiar from biblical narrative. Thus, this essay also indirectly supports the thesis the literary precursors and background of biblical narrative poetics are reflected in the Ugaritic epics, and that these two corpora are representative of the same literary tradition, not only regard to thematics and language, but also in respect to their poetics.

"Un triptyque au coeur du livre de Michée (Mi 4-5)"

by Matthieu Richelle

Vetus Testamentum 62 (2012) 232-247

Many contradictory proposals have been made with regard to the literary structure of Micah 4-5. This study shows that... more Many contradictory proposals have been made with regard to the literary structure of Micah 4-5. This study shows that three coherent units (4:1-7; 4:8-14; 5:1-14) can be distinguished and that they form a triptych, each panel of which uses the same major themes.

Hagar: A Portrait of a Victim of Domestic Violence and Rape by Michele Stopera Freyhauf

by Feminism and Religion

Originally posted on the Feminism and Religion Project

This week Twitter has been a flurry with information for victims of  domestic violence and rape.  This... more This week Twitter has been a flurry with information for victims of  domestic violence and rape.  This ranges from the U.S. redefinition of rape to include men to Nigeria’s first anti-rape toll free hotline for women.  There is even a male movement to stand against rape.  This problem is an ongoing issue, one that shows no sign of diminishing or going away.  According to Amnesty International, one in three women worldwide have been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused and their abuser is normally someone they know.  As I contemplate this very difficult issue, I am reminded of the Biblical Hagar in Genesis 16. The story of Hagar and Sarai is abundant

Men Can Stop Rape (http://www.mencanstoprape.org/)

in ethical situations that draw in the reader and presents complex issues that can be very troublesome.  If you take the text hermeneutically, through an ideological examination in its English translation, we have an Egyptian woman, who is also referred to as slave or concubine, forced to engage into sex with her owner’s husband for producing an heir.  Here the abuser is a woman with a docile and obedient husband portrayed by Abram.  What can we  glean from such a story for today’s battered women?  Hope or horrific defeat?

More than Meets the Ear: The Contexts of Biblical Conversation

by Corinne Blackmer

"Sixteen Strong Identifications of Biblical Persons (Plus Nine Other Identifications) in Authentic Northwest Semitic Inscriptions from before 539 B.C.E." [forthcoming]

by Lawrence Mykytiuk

This revised, updated conference paper presents the strongest results of the author’s dissertation, Identifying Biblical Persons in Northwest Semitic Inscriptions of 1200-539 B.C.E. (Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2004). It was presented at the SBL International Meeting, Vienna, 2007, then revised and updated in accordance with the same author's article in the journal _Maarav_ (labeled 2009, that actually appeared in 2010). Later it was updated using a 2011 essay by Eran Arie in _Fire Signals of Lachish_. The present paper has been peer-reviewed and accepted for publication in Meir Lubetski, ed., New Inscriptions and Seals Relating to the Biblical World (Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, forthcoming).

In Northwest Semitic inscriptions which are known to be authentic, using sound protocols, one can identify with... more In Northwest Semitic inscriptions which are known to be authentic, using sound protocols, one can identify with certainty at least ten persons from before the Persian era who are mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. Another six such persons can be identified with virtual certainty for a total of sixteen strong identifications (IDs). Five other authentic inscriptions offer an additional seven IDs which, while not quite certain, are at least reasonable IDs and can be used as hypotheses. A plaster wall inscription offers two other IDs which are of uncertain historical value. Inscriptions in other languages and of later time periods increase the number of IDs of persons in the Hebrew Bible.

"Des yeux pour voir, des oreilles pour entendre. Comparaison entre un motif biblique et une formule mésopotamienne"

by Matthieu Richelle

ZAW 124 (2012) 103-6

This note compares the motif of blindness and deafness in the biblical texts (especially Isaiah) with a formula that... more This note compares the motif of blindness and deafness in the biblical texts (especially Isaiah) with a formula that appears in Assyrian prayers and Babylonian oracles.

"A Theology of the Law: The Form and Function of Torah in the Pentateuch"

by William R. Osborne

Reformed Perspectives Magazine, 14/4 2012

"Faith and Order: Psalm 73 as Political Theory.”

by Lee Cheek

"Faith and Order: Psalm 73 as Political Theory.”  In the Journal of the Georgia Philological Association,... more "Faith and Order: Psalm 73 as Political Theory.”  In the Journal of the Georgia Philological Association, Volume 2 (2008).

SOME ASPECTS AND EFFECTIVE HISTORY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT FEMININE PRESENCE

by Korinna Zamfir

Clean Tuesday Sermon 2011

by Aaron Friar

This is a senior sermon I gave at the Chapel of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.

The sermon begins with a reflection on the appalling Old Testament deeds and our presumed place in the New Testament.... more The sermon begins with a reflection on the appalling Old Testament deeds and our presumed place in the New Testament. Are we really as bad as the Old Testament figures St. Andrew of Crete rubs our faces in during the first week of Lent in the Orthodox Church? Yes we are, and that’s why we have to stop hiding sin or blaming it on other people.

A Biblical-Theological Study of the Relationship Between the Theme of Rest and the Sabbath

by Casey Hough

This essay explores the theme of rest in relationship to the Sabbath throughout redemptive history. This essay explores the theme of rest in relationship to the Sabbath throughout redemptive history.

Does Humor Have a Place in Religion? by Barbara Ardinger

by Feminism and Religion

Originally published on the Feminism and Religion Project.

Is there anything funny about the divine? Any joke-telling gods? From the days of Abraham until today, the gods and... more Is there anything funny about the divine? Any joke-telling gods? From the days of Abraham until today, the gods and their preachers are a very earnest lot intent on saving us from our sins and building congregations.

Like it or not, we neopagans are still children of the society we’re endeavoring to change. Some of us seem to want to switch patriarchy to matriarchy, but that’s just swapping Big Daddy for Big Momma. It’s still a hierarchical arrangement with the deity at the top of the mountain. Immediately below the “arch” are angels, men, eagles, lions, and other superior beasts. At the bottom of the mountain are women, mud, and matter. (In case you don’t recognize it, this is the 18th-century Great Chain of Being.)

Any humor in spiritual and religious writing? The Hebrew Bible (which Christians refer to as the Old Testament) is a collection of laws, canonically approved versions of history, prophetical preachings, and poetry. The Christian Bible (aka New Testament) give us different approved versions of history, plus further preaching, plus myth and mysticism. The writings of the medieval Fathers of the Church are famously grim and misogynistic. The Qur’an offers ethical guidance and moral preaching. In the Far East, the Tao is also profound, as are the preachings of the Buddha. The writings of Confucius present instructions for maintaining the correct social order (another version of that Great Chain). The great stories of Hinduism are filled with wonder, adventures, and philosophy. But they’re not very funny.

These are the standard texts of the standard-brand religions, and though I’ve greatly oversimplified them—no offense intended to anyone—I think it’s safe to say that while we can have conversations filled with humor, gentle or ironic, with followers of these religions, we are unlikely to discern anything funny in the holy books. From the beginning, spiritual writing has been unrelentingly and highly serious.

One of the blessings of the Goddess religion—spiritual feminism or feminist spiritualism—is playfulness. I know many neopagans who are extraordinarily creative. I’ve been to some truly inventive rituals. I have read hilarious jokes and postings in the social media.

Exploring Politics and Priesthood Associated with Deuteronomic Historian's Foundational Covenants

by Michele Stopera Freyhauf

This paper was written in fulfillment of my Master of Arts Degree at John Carroll University.

This paper explores the foundational covenants of the Deuteronomic Historian and how they were re-interpreted to... more This paper explores the foundational covenants of the Deuteronomic Historian and how they were re-interpreted to promote a political agenda by the ruling priestly group - Levites, Zadokites, and the Aaronites.

The Slavonic Translation of the Minor Prophets with Commentary – Rare Words and Lexical Markers.

by Yavor Miltenov

In: ΤΟΞΟΤΗΣ. Studies for Stefano Parenti. [Αναλεκτα Κρυπτοφερρης, 9]. Grottaferrata, 2010, 289–300.

A Horrific Bible Story - and Why I Read It by Dirk von der Horst

by Feminism and Religion

Originally published on the Feminism and Religion Project

There are smart, and there are polemical, ways to think about religiously-motivated violence. As someone who spent his... more There are smart, and there are polemical, ways to think about religiously-motivated violence. As someone who spent his seminary years thinking about Christian anti-Semitism, I was taken aback by the simplistic account of religious violence offered by Sam Harris some years back:

“Religion is the one area of our discourse in which people are systematically protected from the demand to give good evidence and valid arguments in defense of their strongly held beliefs. And yet these beliefs regularly determine what they live for, what they will die for and—all too often—what they will kill for. Consequently, we are living in a world in which millions of grown men and women can rationalize the violent sacrifice of their own children by recourse to fairy tales” (The Case Against Faith). In response, I’d like to explore some reasons I continue to engage with violent biblical stories, taking Judges 11:29-40, the story of Jephthah, who sacrifices his daughter in fulfillment of a vow, as an example.

No one has an innocent history

Call for Papers: Journal for the Evangelical Study of the Old Testament

by William R. Osborne

www.jesot.org

Journal for the Evangelical Study of the Old Testament (JESOT) is a peer-reviewed journal devoted to the academic and... more Journal for the Evangelical Study of the Old Testament (JESOT) is a peer-reviewed journal devoted to the academic and evangelical study of the Old Testament. The journal seeks to fill a need in academia by providing a venue for high-level scholarship on the Old Testament from an evangelical standpoint. The editorial boards consists of OT scholars like T. Desmond Alexander, Matthieu Richelle, Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Kenneth A. Mathews, and Cristian Rata. The journal is not affiliated with any particular academic institution, and with an international editorial board, online format, and multi-language submissions, JESOT cultivates and promotes Old Testament scholarship in the evangelical global community. The journal differs from many evangelical journals in that it seeks to publish current academic research in the areas of ancient Near Eastern backgrounds, Dead Sea Scrolls, Rabbinics, Linguistics, Research Methodology, Literary Analysis, Exegesis, Text Criticism, and Theology as they pertain only to the Old Testament. Submissions should be sent to editor@jesot.org. The journal will be freely available to the scholarly community and will be published bi-annually online. Hard copies will be produced by request. JESOT also includes up-to-date book reviews on various academic studies of the Old Testament..

Elio Jucci, "Between Beginning and End. Glares of Light in the Jewish Tradition", in Elena Agazzi; Enrico Giannetto; Franco Giudice eds., Representing Light across Arts and Sciences: Theories and Practices (Interfacing Science, Literature, and the Humanities / ACUME 2 Vol. 2), V&R unipress, Goettingen 2010, 17-40

by Elio Jucci

Elio Jucci, "Between Beginning and End. Glares of Light in the Jewish Tradition", in Elena Agazzi; Enrico Giannetto; Franco Giudice eds., Representing Light across Arts and Sciences: Theories and Practices (Interfacing Science, Literature, and the Humanities / ACUME 2 Vol. 2), V&R unipress, Goettingen 2010, 17-40

L'articolo esamina alcuni delle manifestazioni più importanti della simbologia della luce nell'Antico Testamento nel... more L'articolo esamina alcuni delle manifestazioni più importanti della simbologia della luce nell'Antico Testamento nel Nuovo Testamento e nei Manoscrtti di Qumran, con alcuni accenni agli sviluppi nel giudaismo rabbinico e nel Nuovo Testamento. Accanto alle riflessioni metodologiche si tenta una contestualizzazione storica degli sviluppi della simbologia della luce evidenziati nell'are presa in considerazione.

The Cultic Status of the Levites in the Temple Scroll: Between History and Hermeneutics

by Jeffrey Stackert

In Levites and Priests in History and Tradition. Edited by Mark A. Leuchter and Jeremy M. Hutton. SBLAIL 9. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2011.

The Slavonic Translation of the Minor Prophets with Commentary – a Textological Approach.

by Yavor Miltenov

Scripta & e-Scripta, 7, 2009, 135–179.

I'm uploading a copy of my own here, it's not a scan from the journal.

Prophet or Steward? Two Models of Cultural Transformation

by Thomas Whitehouse

A slightly modified version of this paper was published in the Summer 2010 issue of "Fidelity: Biblical Faith in Family, Church, and Culture," P. Andrew Sandlin, Editor (Mount Hermon: Center for Cultural Leadership, 2010). The journal is available at http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/ethics-in-unethical-times/11482488#reviewSection

An Exposition of the meeting between the prophet Elijah and Ahab's steward Obadiah (1 Kings 18:1-19) as an... more An Exposition of the meeting between the prophet Elijah and Ahab's steward Obadiah (1 Kings 18:1-19) as an illustration of the strengths, weaknesses, and interaction dynamics of two different types of calling.

The "prophet" works for change outside the system.  He is visionary, confrontational, sees the big picture, takes great steps of faith. His temptations are impatience,and seeing the steward as weak in faith, compromising with the world.

The "steward" works for change within the system. He is an organizer, a peacemaker, sees the importance of detail, has faith for the outworking of a step-by-step plan. His temptation is to distrust the "instability" of the "prophet."