Journal for the Study of the Old Testament recent issues

Preface

Day, J. — 2009-06-09

1. General

2009-06-09

2. Archaeology and Epigraphy

2009-06-09

3. History, Geography and Sociology

2009-06-09

4. Texts and Versions

2009-06-09

5. Exegesis and Modern Translations

2009-06-09

6. Literary Criticism and Introduction (Including History of Interpretation, Canon and Special Studies)

2009-06-09

7. Law, Religion and Theology

2009-06-09

8. The Life and Thought of the Surrounding Peoples

2009-06-09

9. Apocrypha and Postbiblical Studies

2009-06-09

10. Philology and Grammar

2009-06-09

Books Also Received or Received Too Late for Review in 2009

2009-06-09

Index of Authors

2009-06-09

Index of Reviewers

2009-06-09

Index of Series

2009-06-09

Index of Publishers

2009-06-09

Yahweh, the Canaanite God of Metallurgy?

Amzallag, N. — 2009-05-11

In antiquity, south-eastern Canaan was a very important centre for copper smelting. While it is likely that there existed a patron deity of metallurgy, the identity of the Canaanite god of smelting remains unknown. Although some biblical writings suggest a south Canaanite origin of Yahweh, no details are provided concerning his worship prior to him becoming the god of Israel. This study explores whether Yahweh was formerly the Canaanite god of metallurgy. The following observations corroborate this hypothesis: (1) Yahweh was worshiped by the Edomites, and especially by the Kenites, a small tribe regarded as the Canaanite smelters; (2) the Israelite cult of Yahweh was associated with copper and with a bronze serpent, a typical symbol of metallurgy; (3) the melting of copper is considered in Exodus 4 as the specific sign of Yahweh; (4) a parallel exists between Yahweh and the god of metallurgy worshiped in Egypt (Ptah), Mesopotamia (Ea/Enki) and Elam (Napir), all of them being a mysterious lonely deity; (5) fighting the (other) gods is common to Yahwism and to ancient metallurgical traditions. These data suggest that, before becoming publicly worshipped in Israel, Yahweh was formerly the god of the Canaanite guild of metallurgists.

Circumcision and Circumstance: Male Genital Mutilation in Ancient Israel and Ugarit

Wyatt, N. — 2009-05-11

Circumcision appears in Genesis 17 as an infant rite, and mark of the covenant; Genesis 34 and Exod. 4.24-26 are written against a background of an adult rite, associated with marriage and fertility. By means of an attempted literary history of the motif, this study attempts a historical reconstruction of the evolution of the ritual tradition, from common West Semitic marital rite de passage into specifically Jewish infant rite of social integration.

Ruth and the David--Bathsheba Story: Allusions and Contrasts

Berger, Y. — 2009-05-11

Numerous scholars maintain that the book of Ruth alludes to the Judah—Tamar narrative in order to provide a contrasting, wholesome portrait of the ancestry of David. This study argues that the book also alludes to the related narrative of David and Bathsheba, casting David's conduct in that episode as a departure from the favorable qualities of the bloodline modeled by Ruth and Boaz. The latter half of the book of Ruth contains three subtle features, each of which bears a unique resemblance to a feature of the Bathsheba tale; and in all three instances, it is proposed that the author of Ruth seeks to underscore a contrast between the characters in the two respective stories.

Isaiah 40.13, the Masoretes, Syntax and Literary Structure: A Rejoinder to Reinoud Oosting

De Hoop, R. — 2009-05-11

This study discusses Isa. 40.13, as interpreted in a recent article by Reinoud Oosting (JSOT 32 [2008]: 353-82). In his work, Oosting presented a new interpretation of the Isaiah text, arguing that the accentuation of the verse suggests that the Masoretes misinterpreted the text as a question and answer: `Who has directed the spirit? Yhwh!' It is demonstrated that Oosting's representation of the Masoretic accentuation and its meaning is based on a misunderstanding. Moreover it is argued that the classical interpretation of the Hebrew text, rendering the text—`Who has measured the spirit of Yhwh, and [who is] his counsellor, that has made him know?'—which is rejected by Oosting, is based on solid ground and should be preferred.

Jeremiah 44: What if `the Queen of Heaven' is YHWH?

Ellis, T. A. — 2009-05-11

Jeremiah 44 provides an image unusual within prophetic literature—the prophet's female adversaries are not portrayed in terms of sexuality. Jeremiah denounces a group of Judean women and men who revere `the Queen of Heaven'. His central accusation is that they have caused YHWH's anger, and thus the fall of the kingdom of Judah. Yet, this article maintains, there is sufficient textual evidence for readers to construct an alternate scenario that vindicates the Queen of Heaven's supporters in their counter-accusation that it was not their actions that angered YHWH but the actions of the Judean kings who opposed making offerings to the Queen of Heaven. In this case, what relations between the Queen of Heaven and YHWH might be portrayed?

Echoes of the Book of Exodus in Ezekiel

Idestrom, R. G.S. — 2009-05-11

This article examines the thematic connections made between the book of Exodus and the book of Ezekiel. Both books emphasize the theme of knowing God through his divine acts. Other themes and motifs from Exodus found in Ezekiel, including the call narrative, divine encounters, captivity, signs, plagues, judgment, redemption, tabernacle/temple, are considered. Several parallels between Moses and Ezekiel are noted, raising the question of whether Ezekiel was understood as a second Moses figure; both were Levites who became prophets and leaders of God's people in a time of crisis. Finally, some of the implications of these connections for interpreting the book of Ezekiel are explored.

The Forgetfulness of Julia Kristeva: Psychoanalysis, Marxism and the Taboo of the Mother

Boer, R. — 2009-02-12

Julia Kristeva is known both for her reinterpretations of psychoanalysis and her regular engagements with the Bible. What is less known is her earlier interaction with Marxist analysis, even though at times she draws upon Marx when she is in a corner. In this article the focus is on one of Kristeva's better biblical readings—the taboos in Leviticus, which ultimately rely on the taboo of the mother—where it can be seen that her dominant psychoanalytical reading can get her only so far. In order to go further we need the forgotten Marxist Kristeva. After finding this Marx in a number of her texts, this study suggests a way in which Kristeva's reading of Leviticus might be filled out with some social and economic analysis.

`My Father is King': Chiefly Politics and the Rise and Fall of Abimelech

Heffelfinger, K. M. — 2009-02-12

This study argues that the `complex secondary chieftainship' model recently articulated by Robert D. Miller offers explanatory power for understanding several inconsistencies in the Abimelech narrative of Judges 8 and 9. The `complex secondary chieftainship' model is briefly sketched and applied to four logical gaps in Abimelech's story. These gaps are (1) the contradiction between Gideon's refusal of hereditary kingship and the assumption by all of the characters that one of Gideon's sons would rule after him, (2) the appeal Abimelech makes to the best interests of the lords of Shechem, (3) the story's treatment of the raiding done by the lords of Shechem as a personal offense against Abimelech, and (4) the reason for Abimelech's unmotivated attack on Thebez.

Your People, My People: An Exploration of Ethnicity in Ruth

Glover, N. — 2009-02-12

This article reviews competing theories of ethnic identity to suggest different points in the book of Ruth at which Ruth the Moabite may become an Israelite. Close reading of the text favours the suggestion that Ruth enters the Israelite ethnie upon her acceptance by the Bethlehem community in ch. 4. This accords with a Constructivist vision of ethnic identity, where biological descent is not always necessary for ethnic belonging. Though the ethnic vision of Ruth is often supposed to contrast with that in Ezra—Nehemiah, the nuances of ethnological theory suggest a greater congruence between these two texts. The conclusion identifies some advantages and dangers of employing anthropological theory in biblical studies.

`You're Fired': An Application of Speech Act Theory to 2 Samuel 15.23--16.14

Mann, S. T. — 2009-02-12

While the role of speech act theory in studying how words do things in real life continues to yield insight into the study of language, the theory can also contribute to an understanding of the performative nature of words in regard to biblical narrative. In this article speech act theory is applied to the narrative of 2 Sam. 15.23—16.14 in two ways. First, the speech acts of the characters are analyzed as real speech acts using the categories presented by John Searle to see how they function within the story. Second, the reality that these speech acts are in fact parasitic is taken into account, and all speech acts including those of the narrator are examined for the way they create a literary world that consists of perlocutionary acts intended to affect a presumed audience.

The Hezekiah--Sennacherib Narrative as Polyphonic Text

Evans, P. S. — 2009-02-12

2 Kings 18—19 is commonly viewed as an incoherent narrative composed of multiple sources, necessitating a diachronic approach. However, this hypothesis is only a heuristic model suggesting we read the pericope in this way. This article instead takes a Bakhtinian approach, viewing 2 Kings 18—19 as a polyphonic composition which accounts for both the disjunctions within the narrative and its unity. Viewed as a dialogue of genres (history-like narrative, direct speech and prophetic oracle) in implicit dialogue, this narrative is `dialogic' as different voices intersect in this pericope, revealing a plurality of viewpoints. A Bakhtinian approach not only allows a fresh exegesis of the narrative but also has implications regarding the composition of the narrative, allowing the Deuteronomist more creativity than is often the case.

Did Job Suffer for Nothing? The Ethics of Piety, Presumption and the Reception of Disaster in the Prologue of Job

Ngwa, K. — 2009-02-12

This study argues that the statement about Job suffering for nothing (2.3; cf. 9.17) is not peripheral to the story of Job. When Job begins to suffer, the Satan's theoretical question `Does Job fear God for nothing?' (1.9) is reframed by Yahweh's evaluative statement: `You incited me against him to swallow him for nothing' (2.3). Job's suffering is not random; rather, it is well thought out, executed, and evaluated. In response, Job raises the issue about the reception of suffering/disaster (2.10). The Prologue explores the reality of suffering/disaster through the tripartite lens of the causal theory of suffering, the reality of suffering, and the `reception' theory of suffering. Because systematic and systemic suffering strikes at the moral, existential, and social core of humanity and divinity, it often becomes the most powerful critique of its own causal, existential, and reception theories, regardless of whether such theories are of divine or human origin.

The Midianite-Kenite Hypothesis Revisited and the Origins of Judah

Blenkinsopp, J. — 2008-11-13

The Kenite, or Midianite-Kenite, hypothesis about the origins of the cult of Yahweh first came into prominence in the late nineteenth century. It rests on four bases: an interpretation of the biblical texts dealing with the Midianite connections of Moses, allusions in ancient poetic compositions to the original residence of Yahweh, Egyptian topographical texts from the fourteenth to the twelfth century, and Cain as the eponymous ancestor of the Kenites. This article discusses the implications of the hypothesis for the ethnic origins of Judah.

Deuteronomy 16.18--18.22: Meeting the Challenge of Towns and Nations

O'Brien, M. — 2008-11-13

Historical-critical analysis sees Deut. 16.18—18.22 as a move by deuteronomistic reformers to effect a distribution of power in Israel and/or to curb the power of the monarchy. A recent detailed synchronic analysis argues that the pericope formulates a political `constitution' designed to enshrine Israel's status as a liberated people. This study argues that the passage aims to maintain Israel's unswerving commitment to the Torah in the challenging new situation of living in towns in the land and in proximity to surrounding nations. It does so by turning potential threats to the Deuteronomic ideal into things that will enhance Israel's status as YHWH's special possession, a people set apart.

Yahweh versus Baal: A Narrative-Critical Reading of the Gideon/Abimelech Narrative

Endris, V. — 2008-11-13

The story of Gideon and his son Abimelech lies at the center of the book of Judges. This article offers a reading of this narrative that lends a clearer understanding of the book as a whole. Gideon and Abimelech are seen as human representatives of Yahweh and Baal. In this way, the narrative is seen as a fight between the two gods for Israel's fidelity. Yahweh defeats Baal, yet the Israelites still reject Yahweh and turn to the defeated god. After this, Yahweh's activity with the Israelites is less frequent and more ambiguous. The text suggests that Israel's problems with fidelity will be solved once a human representative of Yahweh sits on the throne of Israel.

Naboth's Vineyard and the Foundation of Jezreel

Na'aman, N. — 2008-11-13

This article examines the possible historical background of the story of Naboth's vineyard. It opens with a methodological introduction to the problem of the historicity of prophetic stories, which is followed by a short analysis of the story's date, its literary structure and plot. The results of the excavations at Tel Jezreel are compared with the biblical description and archaeological evidence of the foundation of Samaria. In light of the archaeological and textual analysis and some extra-biblical sources, it is suggested that the story takes place in Jezreel and refers to the time when Ahab was planning to build a new royal centre in the place and negotiated with the local inhabitants about purchasing their lands. The article compares the different descriptions of Naboth's murder in 1 Kings 21 and 2 Kgs 9.25-26, and makes clear distinction between the original historical episode and the literary and ideological details that were added by the author in order to fill the gaps and elaborate the plot.

Being as Breath, Vapor as Joy: Using Martin Heidegger to Re-read the Book of Ecclesiastes

Shuster, M. — 2008-11-13

This article is a philosophical re-examination of Ecclesiastes using the work of Martin Heidegger, particularly his early work in Being and Time. Heidegger's focus on death, temporality, and history provides a powerful and compelling framework for understanding these same themes in Ecclesiastes. In elaborating these philosophical motifs and correspondences, this article proposes that should be understood as an analog to Heidegger's concept of Geschichtlichkeit (historicity). If is understood as such, then most of the traditionally puzzling terms in Ecclesiastes (e.g. , , ) can be made sense of using the aforementioned philosophical framework. This framework additionally shows that Ecclesiastes (like Being and Time) cannot be understood as a proto-existentialist text.

Jonah's Transformation and Transformation of Jonah from the Bakhtinian Perspective of Authoring and Re-authoring

Sung Uk Lim, — 2008-11-13

This article explores the transformation of both the character of Jonah and the text of Jonah, especially in ch. 2, from the Bakhtinian perspective of (re-)authoring. Bakhtin's concept of authoring shows that the disobedient Jonah is transformed into an obedient prophet in ch. 2 in his understanding of God and himself. Simultaneously, Bakhtin's notion of re-authoring reveals that the book of Jonah has been transformed in the history of Bible translation as seen in the Masoretic Text, Septuagint, and Vulgate.