Reading the Old Testament: Introduction to the Hebrew Bible

Front Cover......Page 1
Title Page......Page 6
Copyright......Page 7
CONTENTS......Page 10
PREFACE......Page 22
Introduction: Reading the Bible......Page 30
1 Reading the Bible......Page 31
1.2 Author......Page 32
1.4 Reader......Page 33
2.1 Teaching and Learning the Bible......Page 34
2.2 The Bible in the Modern World......Page 35
3.1 Hebrew Bible to Old Testament......Page 36
3.2 Spoken Word to Written Text......Page 37
3.3 Which Bible Should I Choose?......Page 38
4 The Biblical Story......Page 39
4.2 Ancestral Story......Page 40
4.5 Israelite Kingdoms......Page 41
4.7 Restoration of Judea......Page 42
PART ONE: Torah......Page 44
1 Introduction......Page 45
2 Composition Analysis......Page 47
3 Narrative Design......Page 57
4 Text and History......Page 59
Reading the Text Today......Page 229
1 Introduction......Page 63
2 Creation to the Flood (1–7)......Page 65
3 Re-creation to the Ancestors (8–11)......Page 92
4 Composition of Genesis 1–11......Page 100
Discussion Questions......Page 104
Reading the Text Today......Page 105
1 Introduction......Page 106
2 Abraham Cycle (11:27–25:11)......Page 110
3 Jacob Cycle (25:19–35:29)......Page 125
4 Joseph Cycle (37:1–50:26)......Page 133
5 Genesis as a Book......Page 137
Discussion Questions......Page 141
Reading the Text Today......Page 142
1 Introduction......Page 143
2 Exodus: Deliverance Traditions (1–18)......Page 146
3 Sinai: Covenant Traditions (19–40)......Page 158
4 Exodus as a Book......Page 174
Reading the Text Today......Page 176
1 Introduction......Page 177
2 Leviticus......Page 180
3 Numbers......Page 188
Discussion Questions......Page 194
Reading the Text Today......Page 195
1 Introduction......Page 196
2 The Torah of Moses......Page 198
3 Torah and Covenant......Page 205
4 Deuteronomy as a Book......Page 207
Reading the Text Today......Page 212
PART TWO: Prophets......Page 214
1 Introduction......Page 215
2 Former Prophets......Page 218
3 Latter Prophets......Page 223
4 The Prophets as a Whole......Page 227
1 Introduction......Page 231
2 Campaigns of Conquest (1–12)......Page 232
3 Tribal Territories (13–21)......Page 242
4 Covenant Considerations (22–24)......Page 246
5 Joshua as a Book......Page 248
Discussion Questions......Page 249
Reading the Text Today......Page 250
1 Introduction......Page 251
2 Deuteronomic Introduction......Page 252
3 Judge-Heroes......Page 258
4 Judges as a Book......Page 264
Key Concepts......Page 266
Reading the Text Today......Page 267
1 Introduction......Page 268
2 Samuel Cycle (1 Samuel 1–12)......Page 272
3 Saul Cycle (1 Samuel 13–31)......Page 278
4 David Cycle (2 Samuel 1–24)......Page 282
5 Samuel as a Book......Page 287
Reading the Text Today......Page 288
1 Introduction......Page 289
2 Solomon and the United Monarchy (1 Kings 1–11)......Page 294
3 The Divided Kingdoms......Page 299
Key Concepts......Page 309
Reading the Text Today......Page 310
10 Kings and Prophets 2: The Assyrian Crisis......Page 311
1 Introduction......Page 312
2 Israel (Northern Kingdom) In Crisis......Page 316
3 Judah (Southern Kingdom) In Crisis......Page 327
Reading the Text Today......Page 339
1 Introduction......Page 340
2 Ezekiel's Prophetic Warnings (Ezekiel 1–24)......Page 347
3 Jeremiah and Judah's Last Kings......Page 353
4 Books of the Twelve......Page 364
Discussion Questions......Page 366
Reading the Text Today......Page 367
12 Postmonarchy Prophets: Exile and Restoration......Page 368
1 Introduction......Page 369
2 Prophets of the Exile......Page 370
3 Prophets of the Restoration......Page 381
4 Latter Prophets Collections......Page 389
Reading the Text Today......Page 393
PART THREE: Writings......Page 394
1 Introduction......Page 395
2 Roots of Judaism......Page 397
3 The Writings as a Collection......Page 398
4 Apocrypha......Page 401
Reading the Text Today......Page 402
13 Psalms: Complaint and Thanksgiving......Page 403
1 Introduction......Page 404
2 Biblical Poetry......Page 406
3 Psalm Types......Page 410
4 Psalm themes......Page 420
5 The Psalter......Page 421
6 After the Psalter......Page 423
Discussion Questions......Page 424
Reading the Text Today......Page 425
1 Introduction......Page 426
2 Proverbs......Page 431
3 Job......Page 437
4 Apocryphal Wisdom......Page 444
Key Concepts......Page 445
Reading the Text Today......Page 446
15 Five Scrolls: Stories of the People......Page 447
1 Introduction......Page 448
2 Song of Songs......Page 449
3 Ruth......Page 452
4 Lamentations......Page 455
5 Ecclesiastes......Page 456
6 Esther......Page 460
7 The Five Scrolls as a Collection......Page 464
8 Apocryphal Additions......Page 466
Discussion Questions......Page 468
Reading the Text Today......Page 469
16 Daniel: From History to Apocalypse......Page 470
1 Introduction......Page 471
2 Heroic Tales (Daniel 1–6)......Page 475
3 Apocalypses (Daniel 7–12)......Page 477
4 Daniel as a Book......Page 482
5 Apocryphal Additions......Page 483
Key Concepts......Page 484
Reading the Text Today......Page 485
17 Chronicler's History: Retelling the Story......Page 486
1 Introduction......Page 487
2 First and Second Chronicles......Page 489
3 Ezra and Nehemiah......Page 492
4 Chronicler's History as a Collection......Page 496
5 Apocryphal History......Page 497
Discussion Questions......Page 500
Reading the Text Today......Page 501
Conclusion: After the Hebrew Bible......Page 502
1.1 Apocrypha......Page 503
1.2 Pseudepigrapha......Page 506
2 Canon......Page 507
2.1 A Hebrew Bible Appears......Page 508
2.2 Old Testaments Appear......Page 509
3 Dead Sea Scrolls......Page 510
3.2 Documents of Judaism......Page 511
4 New Testament......Page 513
5 Rabbinic Literature......Page 516
Discussion Questions......Page 517
Reading the Text Today......Page 518
Works Cited......Page 519
Glossary......Page 529
Index of Subjects......Page 555
Index of Biblical Texts......Page 562
Index of Authors and Creators......Page 565
Index of Figures......Page 566
Index of Tables......Page 567
Abbreviations......Page 569