OT 627 Exegesis of Exodus Summer 2017 Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary - Jacksonville Dr. Christine Palmer cpalmer@gordonconwell.edu Overview This course helps develop the language and exegetical skills necessary for the interpretation of the Old Testament through reading select passages of Hebrew narrative. It aims to move students into an intermediate level of Hebrew grammar and to develop a greater understanding of narrative syntax. Students will apply the exegetical method to select passages from the book of Exodus in preparation for effectively preaching and teaching out of the Old Testament. Objectives 1. Strengthen exegetical skills and competence in biblical Hebrew. 2. Grow in appreciation of the historical, literary, and theological dimensions of Hebrew narrative. 3. Become equipped to faithfully preach and teach from the Old Testament. Class Sessions Fridays 6:30-9:30 Saturdays 8:30 4:30 July 7-8 Revelation of the Divine Name Vanquishing the Gods of Egypt Institution of the Passover July 21-22 Victory at the Sea The Treaty of the Great King Life as Covenant People August 18-19 Yahweh s Tabernacle Dwelling The Golden Calf Idolatry Covenant Restoration Course Textbooks 1. Douglas Stuart. Old Testament Exegesis, 4th ed. Westminster Press, 2009. ISBN 978-0664233440 2. Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (Not Reader s edition). ISBN 978-1598561630 If you prefer, you may photocopy the passages for class use. We will grow in our familiarity with the Hebrew text by consulting the critical apparatus and referencing the Masoretic notes to develop an appreciation for its careful transmission. 3. Commentary on Exodus. Choice between: Victor P. Hamilton, Exodus: An Exegetical Commentary, Baker Academic, 2011. ISBN 978-0801031830 A commentary based on the Hebrew text including the author s original translation with grammatical notes, verse-by-verse exposition, and many helpful charts. Exegesis of Exodus 1
Philip Graham Ryken, Exodus: Saved for God's Glory, Crossway, 2016. ISBN 978-1433548727 A winsomely written expository commentary including a wealth of illustrations for sermon preparation and teaching. Class Schedule July 7-8 Read Exodus 1-12 in English translation. Read Satterthwaite, Theological Implications of Narrative Techniques in NICOTTE and Greidanus, Preaching Hebrew Narratives, 197-213. Exodus 1:1-22; 3:1-22; and 12:1-13 & 29-42. Read your commentary on chapters 1, 3, and 12. July 21-22 Read Exodus 13-24 in English translation. Read Fokkelman, The Collaboration of Prose and Poetry and Greidanus, Preaching Hebrew Narratives, 213-227. Exodus 14:1-31; 19:4-8; 24:1-18. Read your commentary on chapters 14, 19, and 24. August 18-19 Read Exodus 25-40 in English translation. Read Alter, Between Narration and Dialogue and The Techniques of Repetition. Exodus 31:18; 32:1-35; 33:1-5 & 12-23; 34:27-35; 40:34-38. Read your commentary on chapters 32-34. Requirements and Grading 1. Class Participation (10%) Attendance and active class participation are required for all class sessions. As per seminary policy, a letter grade penalty will be assessed for an absence of more than 3 hours. 2. Readings (10%) Select articles will be posted on Sakai. You will be asked to submit a reading report at the end of the course stating the percentage of readings completed-- Bible, commentaries, and articles. 3. Translations (30%) Your original translation of the assigned passages must be submitted on Sakai by 5:00pm the Friday we meet for class. You will be graded on completion and demonstration of a growing understanding of concepts covered in class. Late work will incur a grade penalty. In class, you will be asked to translate directly from the Hebrew text with the aid of notes and translation helps prepared in advance. You will also be asked to parse select verbs, though you need not include parsing in the translation you submit. * Please note that you will be asked to translate from the BHS and not your Bible software. 4. Exegesis Paper (50%) The paper should reflect the exegetical method you have learned in OT 511 and practiced in OT 627. Exegesis of Exodus 2
Exegesis Paper You will write a Hebrew exegesis paper on Exodus 34:1-10. Papers must be 20 pages in length, 1.5 spaced, 12 pt font, and 1 margins. Include footnotes (not endnotes) and use proper SBL citation. Make sure to proofread your paper before submitting it. µ Exegesis Paper Due: September 19, 2017 1. Translation. Provide your own annotated translation of the passage. Although you should consult several standard Bible translations in the process, your exegesis paper must ultimately reflect your own translation of the Hebrew text. Include in the annotation reasons for your lexical choices, text critical issues, unusual forms, and meaningful grammatical constructions. Aim for an optimal equivalence translation, preserving some of the flavor of the original language yet making good English sense. 2. Historical and Cultural Context. What is the historical moment out of which this narrative arises and to which it speaks? Consult a reference on ancient Israelite history. Discuss questions of dating, authorship, and audience. How does the cultural context illuminate the passage? Does the passage have a geographical setting? Consult a Bible atlas where appropriate. 3. Literary Context. Locate your passage within the larger structure of the book. Why is it placed here and how does it contribute to the progression and development of the larger narrative? 4. Semantic Analysis. Are certain words or ideas repeated, and what is the significance of this? Check words of historical and theological import in theological dictionaries (not just BDB and HALOT) and establish a semantic range. When doing a word study, give particular attention to how that word is used in the book or narrative cycle in which your passage appears. 5. Verse-by-Verse Commentary. Provide the Hebrew text followed by commentary. Comment on how the crafting of the narrative conveys its meaning and theology. How does the syntax and narrative style (chiasmus, repetition, lexical choice, use of dialogue, selectivity of detail, narrative time, etc.) serve as the vehicle to communicate the main message of the passage? 6. Biblical Theological Context. Discuss the theological message of your passage. What unique contribution does it make to biblical theology? In other words, what would be lost if this portion of Scripture were not in the Bible at all? Discuss inter-textuality: Does your passage allude to other portions of Scripture? Is your passage quoted or alluded to in any other biblical texts? How has this passage been adapted by other biblical authors? Does it in any way anticipate, or is it directly quoted in, the New Testament? 7. Secondary Literature. When you have worked through your passage and studied it in depth, consult commentaries and scholarly articles. Critically interact with other scholars and their ideas in your discussion. Based on your study of the text, what is your judgment of their interpretation? Conceive of this as a dialogue with the interpretive community. Exegesis of Exodus 3
8. Application. Once you have determined the meaning of the text in its original setting, consider how this passage embodies and communicates a revelation of the Lord. How are we personally confronted and encountered by the Scripture? How does this passage speak to the life of the community of faith today? 9. Bibliography. Cite major commentaries, dictionaries, monographs, and scholarly sources you have consulted on your passage. You must have a minimum of 10 sources. Use SBL Handbook of Style: https://www.sbl-site.org/educational/researchtools.aspx Additional Resources Hebrew Text, Grammar, and Method Beckman, John. Williams Hebrew Syntax, 3 rd ed. University of Toronto Press, 2007. Brotzman, Ellis. Old Testament Text Criticism: A Practical Introduction. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1994. Chisholm, Robert B., Jr. From Exegesis to Exposition: A Practical Guide to Using Biblical Hebrew. Baker Academic, 1999. Clines, David. The Dictionary of Classical Hebrew. 8 vols. Sheffield Academic Press, 1993-2011. Koehler, Ludwig, Baumgartner, et al., eds. The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (HALOT). Leiden: Brill, 2001. Scott, William R. A Simplified Guide to the BHS. D. & F. Scott Publishing, 2007. Tov, Emanuel. Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 2011. VanGemeren, Willem, ed. New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis. 5 vols. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997. Waltke Bruce and Michael O'Connor. An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 1990. Wright, Christopher J.H. How to Preach and Teach the Old Testament for All Its Worth. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2016. Würthwein, Ernst, and Alexander Achilles Fisher. The Text of the Old Testament: An Introduction to the Biblia Hebraica. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2014. Bible Backgrounds Coogan, Michael, ed. The Oxford History of the Biblical World. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999. Hoffmeier, James K. Ancient Israel in Sinai: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Wilderness Tradition. Oxford University Press, 2005.. Israel in Egypt: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Exodus Tradition. Oxford University Press, 1996. Kaiser, Walter and Duane Garrett, eds. Archaeological Study Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006. Exegesis of Exodus 4
King, Philip and Lawrence Stager. Life in Biblical Israel. Library of Ancient Israel. Westminster John Knox Press, 2002. Kitchen, Kenneth A. On the Reliability of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003. Merrill, Eugene. Kingdom of Priests: A History of Old Testament Israel. 2 nd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2008. Sarna, Nahum M. Exploring Exodus: The Origins of Biblical Israel. New York: Schocken Books, 1996. Schlegel, William. Satellite Bible Atlas: Historical Geography of the Bible. Israel: William Schlegel, 2013. Walton, John, ed. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: Old Testament. 5 vols. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009. Exegesis of Exodus 5