GORDON-CONWELL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY-JACKSONVILLE OT 637 Exegesis in Conquest Narratives Summer 2013 May 31-June 1; July 12-13; Aug 3 Thomas D. Petter (tpetter@gcts.edu) 978-646-4243 I. COURSE DESCRIPTION The primary objective of the course is to foster Hebrew language and exegetical skills necessary for the interpretation of the Old Testament. This will be achieved through translation and exegetical exercises in Hebrew narrative. Lectures will also introduce the theological motifs of conquest texts and provide the historical context in which these events took place. The course covers the following topics: Exegetical steps. How to interpret Hebrew narrative texts. Historical context. How conquest texts fit within the environment of the Late Bronze Age/Iron I and early Iron II periods. Theological context. How Yahweh s character is revealed in these texts and how this formative period in Israelite history relates to the rest of the Old Testament and the New Testament. Practical context. Developing skills to relate OT Hebrew narratives to practical ministry Additional notes: This syllabus may be subject to change upon notice Course documents (handouts, Powerpoints, etc.) will be available on CAMS. It is the student s responsibility to check CAMS for announcements, handouts, etc. INTERNET USAGE Students are asked to refrain from accessing the internet at any point during class sessions, unless otherwise instructed by the professor. Surfing the web, checking email, and other internet-based activities are distracting to other students and to the professor, and prevent the student from fully participating in the class session.
II. REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS E. R. Brotzman, Old Testament Textual Criticism (Baker, 1994). Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. R.S. Hess, Joshua (IVP, 1996) D.I. Block, Judges, Ruth (Broadman, 1999) S.N. Gundry, ed. Show Them No Mercy (Zondervan, 2003) T. J. Murphy, Pocket Dictionary for the Study of Biblical Hebrew, IVP, 2003. III. RECOMMENDED TEXTS D. K. Stuart, Old Testament Exegesis, 4 rd ed. (Westminster/John Knox, 2009). NIV Archaeological Study Bible (Zondervan, 2005) J. Niehaus, Ancient Near Eastern Themes in Biblical Theology (Kregel 2008) IV. HEBREW COMPETENCY EXAM All 600-Level students are required to take a Hebrew competency exam. This exam will be on the first day of class. No particular preparation is required, except to review your Hebrew (from first-year instruction and 600-level exegesis). It is necessary to pass this exam to continue in the course. V. COURSE REQUIREMENTS Mid-Term and Final Tests (50%): Part I: Translation and parsing (with exegetical comments) of a set text covered in class (no lexicon allowed). Part II: Identification and short essay questions based on the required readings (including the glossary) and materials covered in class. Hebrew Exegesis Paper (50% of course grade): This paper (approx. 30 pages) must be based on the Hebrew text. A choice of passages from the corpus of Joshua/Judges and specific guidelines will be made available in class. Students are expected to abide by the academic policies as found in the Student Handbook (re: plagiarism, late assignments, etc.). For style consult The SBL Handbook of Style. DUE DATE: September 13 (pdf format) Readings: In addition to specified readings (see schedule below), the expectation is that students will interact (not simply read) relevant sections of the assigned commentary. Glossary of Exegetical Terms: A list of terms relevant to exegetical study (to be learned for tests from Murphy)
Class Participation: Students need to come to class prepared to discuss (= read, parse, comment on exegetical steps) assigned texts. Note: Lack of preparation will affect course grade. Attendance to all three weekends is required to pass the course. Hebrew competency for the course: Hebrew competency must be demonstrated both in terms of the language and exegetical methodology in order to pass the course, regardless of grades on the two tests and exegesis paper. Thus, if a student fails to demonstrate Hebrew and/or exegesis competence in any aspect of the course, he/she will not be able to receive a passing final grade. VI. PREPARATION BEFORE FIRST CLASS (SEE COURSE SCHEDULE BELOW) Review First-Year Hebrew Read Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Joshua, Judges, 1, 2 Samuel in translation In addition, all the required readings for each weekend that are listed below must be completed before the weekend we meet. This is especially important for the Hebrew texts. VII. CLASS SCHEDULE First Weekend June 14-15 Hebrew Competency Exam: First thing in class on Friday night Introduction Overview of Hebrew Exegesis Steps of Exegesis: The Big Picture of Joshua and Judges Begin reading Gundry The Promised Land Gen 15 Steps of Exegesis: Textual Criticism Arad in Dict of the OT: Historical Books Continue Gundry First Fruit of Conquest Num 21 Steps of Exegesis: Translation OTC, pp. 17-24; 97-132
Continue Gundry Deuteronomic Imperative Josh 1 Steps of Exegesis: Grammar and Syntax OTC, pp. 25-86 Ch. Van der Merwe, et al (on CAMS): pages on the verbal system Continue Gundry Deadline to choose a passage for the paper is July 12 (first day of the second weekend) Finish Gundry Second Weekend July 12-13 Mid-Term Test (90 minutes): In class, first thing on Friday night Salvation Josh 2 (cf. Introduction and ch 1 in Hess) Steps of Exegesis: Lexical data OTC pp. 87-96 Judgment Josh 6 (cf. Hess); Josh 11:16-20 (cf. Hess). Steps of Exegesis: Structure The Conquest of Canaan, The Walls of Jericho, Jericho and the Date of the Conquest in ASB Accommodation Judg 2 (cf. Block) Steps of Exegesis: OT context OTC pp. 167-192 Additional readings on CAMS Third Weekend Aug 9-10 Shifting Identities Judg 4 (cf. Block) Steps of Exegesis: Cultural Environment Read Judg 5 in translation several times Read Block on Judges 5 Read Petter (on CAMS)
Competing land claims Judg 11 (cf. Block) Steps of Exegesis: NT context Conquest of Zion 2 Sam 5:6-9 Steps of Exegesis: Biblical-Theological Context Steps of Exegesis: Contextualization and Application Final Text (90 minutes): On Campus (date TBD) or via proctor Exegesis Paper due at 4pm Friday July 10 VIII. BIBLICAL HEBREW SELECT REFERENCE BIBLIOGRAPHY Dictionaries/Concordances Brown, F, S.R. Driver, and C.A. Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon, 1962. Holladay, W. A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1971. Koehler, L., W. Baumgartner, and J.J. Stamm. The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. Translated and edited by M.E.J. Richardson. 5 vols. Leiden: Brill, 1994-1999. Wigram, G.V. The Englishman s Hebrew and Chaldee Concordance of the Old Testament. Nashville: Broadman, 1980. Hebrew Grammar Blau, J. A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew. 2d ed.. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 1993. Garrett, D.A. A Modern Grammar for Classical Hebrew. Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 2002. Gesenius, F.W. Gesenius Hebrew Grammar. Edited by E. Kautzsch. Translated by A.E. Cowley. 2d ed. Oxford: Clarendon, 1910. Joüon, P. Grammaire de l'hébreu Biblique. Rome: Pontifical Biblical Institute, 1923.
, Muraoka, T. A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew. 2 vols. Rome: Pontifical Biblical Institute, 1996. Lambdin, T.O. Introduction to Biblical Hebrew. New York: Charles Scribner s Sons, 1971. Pratico, G.D. and M.V. Van Pelt. Basics of Biblical Hebrew. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001. Putnam, F.C. A Cumulative Index to the Grammar and Syntax of Biblical Hebrew. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 1996. Ross, A.P. Introducing Biblical Hebrew. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001. Sáenz-Badillos, A. A History of the Hebrew Language. Trans. J. Elwolde. Cambridge: Cambridge University, 1993. Seow, S.L. A Grammar for Biblical Hebrew. Revised Edition. Nashville: Abindgon, 1995. Van der Merwe, C.H.J., Naudé J.A., Kroeze, J.H. A Biblical Hebrew Reference Grammar. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1999. Waltke, B. O'Connor, M. An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 1990. Williams, R.J. Hebrew Syntax, an Outline. 2d ed. Toronto: University of Toronto, 1976. Hebrew Vocabulary Landes, G. A Student s Vocabulary of Biblical Hebrew: Listed according to Frequency and Cognate. 2d ed. SBLRBS 41. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2001. Mitchel, L. A Student s Vocabulary for Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984. Van Pelt, M. V. and G.D. Pratico. The Vocabulary Guide to Biblical Hebrew. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003. Hebrew Text Brotzman, E.R. Old Testament Textual Criticism. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994.
Kelley, P.H., Mynatt, D.S., Crawford, T.G. The Masorah of Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998. Scott, W.R. A Simplified Guide to BHS. N.Richland Hills, TX: Bibal, 1987. Tov, E. Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible. 2d ed. Minneapolis: Fortress 2001. Würthwein, E. The Text of the Old Testament. Rev. ed. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 1995. Hebrew Narrative Alter, R. The Art of Biblical Narrative. New York: Basicbooks, 1981. Fokkelman, J.A. Reading Biblical Narrative. An Introductory Guide. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 1999. Gunn, D., Fewell, D. Narrative in the Hebrew Bible. Oxford: Oxford University, 1993. Miller, C.L. The Representation of Speech in Biblical Hebrew Narrative: A Linguistic Approach. Atlanta: Scholars, 1996 Pratt, R.L. He Gave us Stories. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1990. Revell, E.J. The Designation of the Individual. Kampen: Kok/Pharos, 1996. Ska, J.-L. 'Our Fathers Have Told Us': Introduction to the Analysis of Hebrew Narrative. Rome: Pontifical Biblical Institute, 1990. van Wolde, E. ed. Narrative Syntax and the Hebrew Bible. Leiden: Brill, 1996. Zevit, Z. The Anterior Construction in Classical Hebrew. Atlanta: Scholars, 1998. IX. JOSHUA/JUDGES SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY Alt, A. Essays on Old Testament History and Religion. Garden City: Doubleday, 1968. Alter, R. The Art of Biblical Narrative. New York: Basic Books, 1981 ----. The Art of Biblical Poetry. New York: Basic Books, 1985. Berlin, A. The Dynamics of Biblical Parallelism. Bloomington: University of Indiana,
1985. Bimson, J.J. Redating the Exodus and Conquest. Sheffield: Sheffield, 1978. Childs, B.S. Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1992. Day, J. God's Conflict with the Sea. Cambridge: Cambridge University, 1985. Dever, W.G. Who were the Israelites and Where did they Come from? Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003. Dozeman, T.B. God At War: Power in the Exodus Tradition. Oxford: Oxford University, 1996. Dumbrell, W.J. Covenant and Creation. Nashville: Nelson, 1984. Driver, S.R. An Introduction to the Literature of the Old Testament. New York: Scribners, 1891. Fee, D.F., Stuart, D. How to Read the Bible for all its Worth. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003. Finkelstein, I. The Archaeology of the Israelite Settlement. Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society, 1988. ----, Naaman, N, eds. From Nomadism to Monarchy. Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society, 1994. Fokkelman, J.P. Reading Biblical Narrative. An Introductory Guide. Louisville: Westminster, John Knox, 1999. Harrison, R.K. Introduction to the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1969. Hoerth, A.J. Archaeology and the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1998. Hoffmeier, J.K. Israel in Egypt. The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Exodus Tradition. New York: Oxford, 1997. House, P. Old Testament Theology. Downers Grove: Intervarsity, 1998. Jobling, D. The Sense of Biblical Narrative: Three Structural Analyses in the Old Testament (JSOTSup 7). Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1978. Kaiser, W.C. A History of Israel from the Bronze Age through the Jewish Wars. Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 1998.
Kitchen, K.A. Ancient Orient and Old Testament. Chicago: Inter-varsity, 1966. Kline, M.G. Images of the Spirit. 1986. ---. Kingdom Prologue. 1993. ---. The Structure of Biblical Authority. 2 nd ed. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 1997. ----. Treaty of the Great King. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1963. Kloos, C. Yahweh's Combat with the Sea: A Canaanite Tradition in the Religion of Ancient Israel. Leiden: Brill, 1986. Levenson, J.D. Sinai and Zion. Minneapolis: Winston, 1985. McCarthy, D.J. Treaty and Covenant. 2 nd ed. Rome: Pontifical Biblical Institute, 1978. Millard, A.R., Wiseman, D.J. eds. Essays in the Patriarchal Narratives. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 1980. Miller, P.D. The Divine Warrior in Early Israel (Harvard Semitic Monographs 5): Cambridge, MA: Harvard, 1973. Moberly, R.W.L At the Mountain of God (JSOTSup 22) Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1983. ----. The Old Testament of the Old Testament. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1992. ----. "Theology of the Old Testament" in The Face of Old Testament Studies, D.W. Baker and B.T. Arnold, eds. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1999: 452-478. Motyer, J.A. The Revelation of the Divine Name. London: Tyndale, 1959. Niehaus, J.J. God at Sinai. Covenant and Theophany in the Bible and Ancient Near East (Studies in Old Testament Biblical Theology). Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995. Pritchard, J.B. Ancient Near Eastern Texts Related to the Old Testament. Princeton: Princeton University, 1969. Roberts, J.J.M. "The Hand of Yahweh." Vetus Testamentum (21) 1971:244-51. Ryken, L, Wilhoit, J.C., and Longman, T. eds. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. Downers Grove, Ill./Leicester, England: Intervarsity, 1998.
Sakenfeld, K.D. The Meaning of Hesed in the Hebrew Bible (Harvard Semitic Monographs 17). Missoula, MT: Scholars, 1978. Stager, L.E. Forging an Identity: The Emergence of Ancient Israel in The Oxford History of the Biblical World. M.D. Coogan, ed. Oxford and New York: Oxford University, 1998: 123-175 Vos, G. Biblical Theology. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1948. Wakeman, M.K. God's Battle with the Monster. Leiden: Brill, 1973. Walsh, J.T. Style and Structure in Biblical Hebrew Narrative. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2001. Walton, J.H. Ancient Israelite Literature in its Cultural Context. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1989.