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  • From: barre AT access1.com
  • To: "B-Hebrew" <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Cc:
  • Subject: An Outline
  • Date: 15 Oct 99 02:20:13 -0800


To b-Hebrew,

Here is an outline I have been working on. I would appreciate any comments.

Ancient Israel in Outline
 
I. The syncretistic character of the Old Testament traditions

A. Indoctrination mechanisms
1. New corporate name: Jacob to Israel
2. Pseudo-kinship (ancestral genealogy)
3. Fictional origins and itinerary for Abraham
4. Grundlage (G) for J and E: cultic recitation of sacred history (Josh
24:1-24; Judg 11:12-
28)
5. Mythological syncretism (Oracles of Balaam; Deut 32:7-9; Psalm 82;
Psalm 29; Psalm 89:1-14)
6. Theological syntheses of E and P (Ex 3:14; 6:3)
7. Linguistic-divine names as synonyms
8. Redaction of sources (JE->JEP) and the Psalter


II. El

A. General high god of pantheon from Mesopotamian tradition
B. El and Hadad in Aram; El and Baal in Canaan
C. The Oracles of Balaam (Aram-Israel)
1. El=Elyon and Shaddai
2 El in other archaic poems (Deut 32:7-9; Pss 29, 82, 89:1-14,
Blessing of Joseph)
D. El and Jacob sanctuary traditions
1. Penuel (El appears)
2. Bethel (Mesopotamian mythology)
3. Shechem (El temple and amphitheater with altar to El the god of
Israel)
E. Elohistic Psalter (Psalms 42-83*)
 

III. Bull El

A. Canaanite mythology
B. Jeroboam I
C. The story of the golden "calves"
 

IV. Baal

A. Canaanite/Phoenician mythology
B. Biblical data (Elijah-Jezebel)
 

V. Yahweh Sabaoth

A. Location: deserts of southern Levant
B. Arabic, warlike character
1. Martial title: Yahweh Sabaoth.
2. "Yahweh is a warrior; Yahweh is his Name"
3. Song of Deborah
4. Ark (BedouinàCanaanite)
5. Tent (Bedouin)
6. Edomite chieftains (Genesis 36)
7. Kenites (Cain and Abel, Kenite genealogy, Jael)
8. Jethro, the priest of Midian
C. Northern Yahwism
1. Deborah (Edomite)
2. Jael (Kenite)
3. The "Man of God"
4. Elijah
5. Miciah ben Imlah
6. Amos
7. Nazarites, Rechabites, sons of the prophet
8. Kintullet-'ajrud
 

VI. Yahweh

A. Hebrew Yahwists from the Negev
B. Abram
1. Hebrew Atra-hasis
2. Cursing of Canaan
C. David (Eternal dynasty)
D. Zadok. Melchizedek, Jerusalem and the Jebusite worship of the gods Zedek
and El
Elyon (Psalm 110)
E. Song of the Divine Warrior (Yahweh's rule from Jerusalem ritually
celebrated)
F. Solomonic International Imperialism (Egyptian influence)
1. Divine (not sacral) kingship (Psalms 2, 45)
2. Beginnings of royal wisdom tradition (Amenemopet collection (Egypt);
Prov 8 (Egypt);
Sayings of the Wise (Prov 24:23-34); Prov 10-22:16; Song of Songs;
final form of
Gen 2-3)
G. Jerusalem cult (Yahwistic Psalms)
H. Hezekian revival of royal wisdom (Prov 1-9*; 25-29)


VII. Ptah and the Levites

A. The ontological Name
1. Form: repetition of the verb "to be (come)" (cp. Egyptian formula
with thrice repeated
xeper)
2. Content: ontological religion: non-Semitic and found in Memphite
Theology
3. Translation of Ex 3:14: "I am becoming what I am Becoming."
B. Moses as Ptah-mose
1. Moses' truncated name
2. The Legend of Sargon
3. The ontological Name
C. Levitical tradition
1. Song of Miriam
2. Blessing of Moses: test of the Levites at Massah-Meribah
3. The Levitical Cult in the Ten Words
4. Micahyehu and the Levite
5. Rape of the Levite's concubine
6. Simeon and Levi and Shechem
7. The Levites of Shiloh
8. The Song of Hannah
9. Levitical cult law (Number-Leviticus)
10. Priesthood of Nob


VIII. El, god of Israel

A. The Elohist
B. Compositional circumstances: Davidic diarchy
C. Professional profile: chief scribe of Shechem
D. A national epic for the North
E. Religio-socio-political theory
1. Charismatic community
a. Political, military and religious leadership under prophetic
authority (Samuel)
b. Elisha as a political figure (instigates rebellion against Ben
Hadad; and Jehoiada)


IX. "Yihweh"

A. The Elohist's "Levitical" reinterpretation of the Tetragrammaton
B. Type scene series and revelation
C. Religious duty (fear Yihwah)
D. Elijah (Carmel; Horeb)
E. Hosea-Jeremiah


X. Levitical Exilic Theology

A. 2nd Isaiah
B. The Priestly Writer's "cultic" Epic of Israel
C. The LXX translation of Ex 3:14
D. The Johannine community


XI. Deuteronomism

A. Based on E. Southern redaction of northern tradition.
B. Scribal wisdom traditions mix with Elohistic Law
C. Hezekiah to Josiah
D. Rejects Davidic eternal dynasty-- promises contingent upon obedience
to Deuternomic Law
E. The Assyrian menace
F. State sponsored ideology aimed at unification through centralization of
worship in Jerusalem alone
G. Dtr1 (Josianic)
H. Dtr2 (Exilic)
I. Redaction of Jeremiah and Psalms and perhaps the Tetrateuch


XII. Ezra's Legal Commonwealth

A. Redaction of the Pentateuch
B. Esther
C. Daniel (b)
D. Chronicler
E. Hellenistic wisdom tradition (Qoheleth, Job, Ben Sira, Wisdom)
F. The Sanhedrin


XIII. Apocalypticism

A. Ezekiel
B. Zachariah
C. 3rd Isaiah
D. Enoch
E. Daniel (a)







L. M. Barre, Ph.D.

barre AT access1.com
www.angelfire.com/ca2/AncientIsrael






  • An Outline, barre, 10/15/1999

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