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Topic I
Let's first discuss the relationship between Biblical "criticism" and the consideration of the Bible "as literature".
Start with the Creation story. Make a close comparison between Genesis 1-2:4a and Genesis 2:4b-3:24. Two quite different documents have been combined to tell this tale. There appear to be two different ways of talking about God, for example.
Does the existence of two versions side by side here recur in other ways
in the rest of the reading?
Topic II
Judaism and Christianity are historical religions. The Hebrew God acts in history and is known by historical events. A familiarity with the following outline is essential to all of us as we read various Hebrew texts.
Explain what the letters J, E, D and P in the table's right hand column might mean. J is for Yahwist; E for Elohist; D for Deuteronomic; and P for Priestly. Try to explain it from the table alone.
Chronology of the Hebrew Bible
(all dates BCE, except as noted)
| Hebrew History Biblical text (JEDP progression) | ||
| 2000-1290 | patriarchs | |
| 1290 | succession of Ramses II, building projects in Nile Delta;
forced labor of various groups including "Apiru" (Habiru; Hebrews?) "New king over Egypt who did not know Joseph," Exodus 1.8. |
|
| 1250 | Exodus period | |
| 1225 | Hebrew tribes under Joshua destroy Canaanite cities
Period of Judges |
Yahwist story-tellers from late
Judges to early united kingdom (J) |
| United Kingdom (1020-930) | ||
| 1020 | SAUL unites Israelite tribes as first king | |
| 1009/8 | Death of Saul. DAVID chosen as king of Judah. | |
| 1002/1 | David anointed king of Israel; captures Jerusalem
making it his capital; prophet NATHAN (II Samuel 9-20) |
|
| 970-69 | death of DAVID; anointing of SOLOMON | |
| Ephraim/Israel/Samaria and Judah;
Divided Kingdoms (930-723) |
Elohist materials collecting
in Ephraim/Israel independently (E) |
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| 931/30 | REHOBOAM succeeds Solomon, but Northern tribes
secede and choose JEROBOAM as king of Israel |
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| 874/873 | AHAB begins rule in Israel to 851 (I Kings 17-II Kings 10) | |
| 865 | ELIJAH sparks revival of worship of Hebrew God in Israel
(against Jezebel and AHAB) |
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| 850 | ELISHA succeeds ELIJAH as prophet in Israel (Northern Kingdonm) | |
| 755 | AMOS banished from Bethel; HOSEA begins to prophesy | |
| 723/22 | Fall of Samaria to Assyria; end of northern kingdom | |
| Southern Kingdom Alone (723-586); Judah Alone | Elohist materials brought south
JE compiled by a redactor |
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| 740/39 | ISAIAH called to prophesy | |
| 640-609 | King JOSIAH of Judah | |
| 621 | reform associated with "recovery" of DEUTERONOMY | JE and D compiled = JED
DH (Deuteronomic Histories) |
| 628/7 | JEREMIAH called to Prophesy | |
| 603/602 | Jeremiah dictates to Baruch in Dec./Jan. | |
| 593 | EZEKIAL called to prophesy | |
| Exile and Persian Rule (586-334) | Priestly redaction of all = JEDP | |
| 588 | Nebuchadrezzar begins siege of Jerusalem on Jan. 15 | |
| 550 | Cyrus gains control of Persia; II and III ISAIAH (chapters 40-55) | |
| 538 | (after fall of Babylon in 539) Cyrus orders return of peoples | |
| 520-525 | rebuilding of the Temple at Jerusalem | |
| ca. 400 | Pentateuch becomes "canonical" | |
| Hellenistic and Roman Rule | ||
| 167 | Antiochus IV Epiphanos installs Temple to Zeus in Jerusalem (Hellenistic syncretism) | BOOK OF DANIEL written Daniel closes text of Hebrew Bible |
| 66-73 C.E. | Jewish Revolt and Roman destruction of the temple |