The PentateuchExodus–Deuteronomy Christopher T. Begg, Brian J. Meldrum, and William J. Urbrock 2136. [An Intersectional Perspective on Resistance to Oppression in Exodus 1–15 and Southern Africa] Ndikho Mtshiselwa, "Resistance of Oppression in Exod 1–15 and Southern Africa: An Intersectional Perspective," OTE 34 (2, 2021) 503-29. This article investigates the oppression of people as well as resistance to such oppression in Exodus 1–15 and Southern Africa from an intersectional perspective. Female Zimbabwean migrant people embody the intersectional struggles of working-class people (class), women (gender), and immigrants (internationality) in Southern Africa. A similar scenario might also have been the case in the world of biblical texts. My study first outlines the lived experience of Zimbabwean migrant women in South Africa in order to highlight the multi-layered and international character of and resistance to their oppression. Second, I probe the theme of resistance to oppression in the Exodus narrative, with a specific focus on women in this narrative. Third and lastly, I show how the intersectionality theory assists us in drawing a broader and more relevant depiction of the oppression of women in Exodus 1–15 and in Southern Africa and resisting such oppression. [Adapted from published abstract—C.T.B.] 2137. [Exod 7:8–11:10] P. Joseph Titus, "God, Plagues in Egypt (Exodus 7:8–11:10) and Covid-19: A Biblical Perspective," Word & Worship 54 (1, 2021) 7-17. In his essay, T. seeks to develop a biblical perspective on the current pandemic from a reading of the account of the Ten Plagues in Exod 7:8–11:10. The essay's first part [End Page 793] focuses on the Exodus plague account for itself, while the second part draws three theological implications from that account, after which its third part offers a comparison of the biblical plagues and COVID-19. T.'s reading of the biblical plague account highlights the following points: God will plague us, as he plagued Pharaoh, in order to restore justice and balance to the universe, to re-adjust our values, and to free those who cannot free themselves. In the face of COVID-19, humans are called to recognize their sins, to submit to God, and to implore his grace. The pandemic is an opportunity to refocus our lives on God, our neighbors, and the cosmos. [Adapted from editor's editorial, pp. 2-3—C.T.B.] 2138. [Miriam's Timbrels and Dances in Exodus 15 and Beyond] Craig A. Evans, "Celebrating Victory from the Sea of Reeds to the Eschatological Battle Field: Miriam's Timbrels and Dances in Exodus 15 and Beyond," BTB 51 (4, 2021) 206-14. In 4Q285 frg. 7, the eschatological Branch of David defeats the Kittim (the Roman army) and puts to death the king of the Kittim (the Roman emperor). After the victory the women of Israel beat timbrels and dance, even as Miriam and the Israelite women did after the destruction of the Egyptian army in the Sea of Reeds (Exodus 15). Here, I propose that Miriam's action reflects a custom—of which it was perhaps even the origin—that is also witnessed in the Song of Deborah (Judges 5) and in the Song of Judith (Judith 16). I further propose that the figure of Miriam looms large in Israel's sacred history—inside and outside the literature that became the Israelite canon—and that her initiative involving timbrel, song, and dance is expected to be observed one final time in the aftermath of the anticipated great eschatological battle, as attested by the above Scrolls text. [Adapted from published abstract—C.T.B.] 2139. [Modern Jewish and Christian Commentaries on Exod 15:20-21] Camilla Hélena von Heijne, "The Victory Song of Miriam: A Comparative Analysis of Selected Modern Jewish and Christian Commentaries to Exodus 15," The Reception of Exodus Motifs, 11-35 [see #2501]. V. H.'s essay compares contemporary Jewish and Christian commentaries on the Song of Miriam in Exod 15:20-21. The methodological approach used by her focuses on synchronic interpretations of the present form of the text. Thus, the comparative criteria are three main theological...

Literary Forms/Techniques & Methods of Study Christopher T. Begg, David A. Bosworth, Brian J. Meldrum, Frederick E. Greenspahn, and Richard A. Taylor 1873. [The Ironic Syllogism in the Hebrew Bible] Benjamin M. Austin, "The Ironic Syllogism: A Rhetorical Use of Unmarked Questions," JSOT 46 (1, 2021) 117-32. Rhetorical questions are an important feature of Israelite rhetoric as exemplified in the Hebrew Bible. My paper builds on scholarship regarding rhetorical questions and irony in reevaluating one form of unmarked questions. Previous scholarship called this an alarmed or surprised rhetorical question, one characterized by the speaker's heightened emotional state and linked by a vav to a previous thought with which it stands in opposition. My paper, by contrast, argues that the construction is better understood as a rhetorical strategy, whereby the speaker takes the opinion or suggested course of action of the interlocutor and restates it as the conclusion of a syllogism, attaching this to premises that make the conclusion absurd. I call this an ironic syllogism, given that the absurd conclusion is a pseudo-quote that is spoken ironically. The pseudo-quote could still, however, be considered an unmarked conducive question since it expects a negative reply from the addressee. [Adapted from published abstract—C.T.B.] 1874. [The Four Wives of David and the Four Women of Odysseus] Daniel Bodi, "The Four Wives of David and the Four Women of Odysseus," The Character of David, 263-82 [see #2520]. The Bible did not emerge in a cultural vacuum. Rather, it bears witness to the fruitful cultural encounters between the ancient Jewish and the surrounding non-Jewish cultures, most notably the Greek/Hellenistic ones. In his essay, B. offers a literary analysis which juxtaposes the female biblical characters of Michal, Abigail, Bathsheba, and Abishag with those of the Greek epic, the Odyssey: Calypso, Circe, Nausicaa, and Penelope. In the course of the essay, B. points out that the Hebrew Bible places women at significant moments in David's career—from his beginnings as a young humble warrior to his later life as a seasoned warlord and aging ruler in a way that is comparable to the role played by women in the career of Odysseus from his ten-year absence from his native Ithaca for the duration of the Trojan War through his additional decade-long return voyage home to his faithful wife Penelope. B. further argues that all these female figures (symbolically representing the four types of women a man can meet in his life), who play a crucial role in the lives of David and Odysseus, respectively, act as reflecting mirrors, bringing to the fore as they do different aspects of David and Odysseus's personalities, and allowing both characters to acquire a truer perception of themselves, including their limits and shortcomings. In addition, B. calls attention to the existence of other similarities between the narratives of Odysseus and David: both men are major cultural heroes who are the main characters in the stories associated with them. Both the Homeric epic and the biblical story of David offer fine observations concerning human nature. Both cultural heroes are depicted in the accounts concerning them as being in need of the help of women to advance their lives and careers. Finally, in both their cases, weakness or failure manifests itself due to these heroes' [End Page 704] impulsive, heroic temperament—another traditional theme of epic literature. [Adapted from volume's introduction, p. 12—C.T.B.] 1875. [Use of Yoruba Cultural Elements in D. T. Adamo's African Cultural Hermeneutics] Adekunle O. Dada, "Culture in Biblical Interpretation: The Use of Yoruba Cultural Elements in Adamo's African Cultural Hermeneutics," OTE 34 (2, 2021) 428-44. African Cultural Hermeneutics (ACH) is an approach to biblical interpretation that makes the African socio-historical context a subject of interpretation. My article shows how D. T. Adamo deploys Yoruba cultural elements in the development of this interpretative grid. I do this with a view to determining the extent to which Adamo has been successful in engaging the biblical text in a way that translates into a better understanding of the Bible in Africa. I adopt a descriptive...

Introduction and General Christopher T. Begg, David A. Bosworth, Fred W. Guyette, Robert N. Marineau, and Thomas Hieke Christopher T. Begg Catholic University of America David A. Bosworth Catholic University of America Fred W. Guyette Erskine College and Seminary Robert N. Marineau University of Chicago Thomas Hieke Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz 1708. David L. Baker, Getting to Grips with Biblical Hebrew: An Introductory Textbook (Carlisle, Cumbria: Langham Global Library, 2020). Pp. xviii + 220. $31.50. ISBN 9781839730610. This book is organized in 30 lessons. It begins with the Hebrew alphabet and helps students make progress from words to sentences. Lessons 10 and 14 examine the first few verses in Genesis, while lesson 17 is based on Exod 20:1-3. The new covenant in Jeremiah 31 forms the basis for lesson 24. In the last four lessons, the focus is on sentences in the book of Jonah. A "Mini Songbook" on pp. 210-18 features seven songs in Hebrew to help students enjoy the flow of the language. Among them are Shalom Khaverim, Lo Vekhayil (Zech 4:6), Hinne Mattov (Psalm 133), Barukh Habba (Psalm 118:26, 29) and Adonay Yishmorkha (Psalm 121:7-8).—F.W.G. [End Page 619] Google Scholar 1709. [Tell Chuēra Glyptic] Anne-Birte Binder, The Glyptic of Tell Chuēra. Seals and Sealings of the 3rd Millennium BC (VFMOS 2, IX; Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2020). Pp. 232 + 29 plates. €98. ISBN 978-3-447-11350-3. Tell Chuēra is a site located in northern Syria close to the border with Turkey; in the 2nd half of the 3rd millennium b.c. it was a local center of some significance in northwestern Mesopotamia before falling into virtual oblivion by the end of the millennium. In the two decades 1963–1983 the site was extensively excavated by the husband and wife team of Anton Moortgat and Ursula Moortgat-Correns, who recovered a large quantity of glyptic materials, i.e., seals and sealings from the site's various archaeological strata. In her monograph, B. seeks to build on the work of her two predecessors by classifying the designs featured on the seals found by them according to motifs (figurative versus non-figurative, etc.) and by dating the components of Tell Chuēra's glyptic repertoire via comparison with similar finds deriving from other 3rd millennium Syrian sites. Her volume unfolds in a series of eight sections/chapters entitled respectively: (1) Introduction; (2) Tell Chuēra; (3) Syrian Sites of the 3rd Millennium bc; (4) Motifs and Designs; (5) Functions of the Sealings; (6) Conclusions; (7) Bibliography; and (8) Catalogue of Designs. The volume is illustrated with numerous site plans that are interspersed throughout the text as well as with an extended plate section with photos and line drawings of selected seal impressions from the site.—C.T.B. Google Scholar 1710. [Ritual Lamenting in Ancient Mesopotamia] Paul Delnero, How to Do Things with Tears: Ritual Lamenting in Ancient Mesopotamia (Studies in Ancient Near Eastern Records 26; Berlin/New York: de Gruyter, 2020). Pp. 688. $126.99. ISBN 978-1-5015-1946-8. D. builds on prior scholarly work on Mesopotamian laments by focusing on how the laments were performed and experienced emotionally and how these emotions formed part of the cultic function of the laments. These laments were performed to avoid catastrophes that might result from a deity being angered at noisy renovations of a temple. After a general introduction to ritual laments (chap. 1), D. surveys the main types of extant Mesopotamian laments and their geographic distribution. He argues that the texts reflect evidence of their use in oral performance, such as repetitiveness, phonological writing, and emotionality (chap. 3). He next examines the structure, themes, and sounds of the laments (chaps. 4–5) and concludes that a major purpose of the laments was to generate shared grief and sorrow over the imagined catastrophe and helplessness in the face of an angry deity who could, however, be placated by tears and supplication. About half the volume consists of appendices: an edition of Kirugus 1–5 (appendix 1), a catalogue of Old Babylonian sources for Sumerian laments organized by...

Historical Books Christopher T. Begg and Leslie J. Hoppe Christopher T. Begg Catholic University of America Leslie J. Hoppe OFM, Catholic Theological Union 1739. [Joshua 20–22] Erasmus Gaẞ, Asyl, Leviten und ein Altar. Eine literarhistorische Analyse von Joshua 20–22 (FAT 144; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2021). Pp. vii + 304. €134. ISBN 978-3-16-159830-2. The three chapters of G.'s (sub-)title constitute an appendix to the account of the partitioning of the newly occupied land in Joshua 13–19 (previously treated by G. in a monograph of 2019), each of which has its own content focus that is alluded to in G.'s three-word main title: the cities of refuge (Joshua 20), the Levitical cities (Joshua 21), and the altar of the Transjordanian tribes (Joshua 22). G.'s aim in the present volume is to reconstruct the formation-history of the three chapters in a way that takes into account all relevant evidence—text-critical, literary-critical, redaction-critical, and intra- and intertextual (as well as the long-running scholarly discussion of this evidence). Among his findings are the following: Joshua 22* is the conclusion of a P segment in Joshua 13–19* which itself rounds off the P account of Israel's time in the Transjordan as recounted in Numbers 26–36* and as such constituted the finale of a "Hexateuch." Joshua 21, for its part, was initially composed on the basis of two preexisting lists, independently of the materials that now precede and follow it. Joshua 20, by contrast, was composed in view of Joshua 21, with which it was eventually combined. At a still later point, this complex was incorporated into the P narrative in Joshua 13–19, 22 by a Deuteronomistic redactor who inserted the [End Page 634] resultant segment Joshua 13–22* into the earlier Deuteronomistic Book of Joshua, chaps. 1–12* and 23–24*, resulting in a Vorform of the Book of Joshua whose various components subsequently underwent a series of late P and Deuteronomistic supplementations that eventually gave rise to the extant (MT) Book of Joshua. Throughout, G. underscores the need, in text-historical reconstructions like this, to make use of all relevant evidence—something that previous scholars have often failed to do—as well as the ambiguity of so much of that evidence which may be accounted for in alternative ways (or may resist any satisfactory "solution"), a state of affairs that renders any proposed reconstruction—including of course his own—non-definitive and always open to revision. The volume's end matter comprises a series of appendixes in which G. reproduces the materials of Joshua 20–22 with the component strata distinguished by different typefaces, a bibliography, and various indexes.—C.T.B. Google Scholar 1740. [Late Hebrew in the Book of Judges] Alexander Müller, Historische Linguistik und Redaktionsgeschichte. Spätbiblisches Hebräisch im Richterbuch (AKM 121; Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2021). Pp. x + 181. Paper €48. ISBN 978-3-447-11654-7. The German-language commentators W. Groß (2011) and E. A. Knauf (2016) have identified elaborate multi-strata redactional levels within the current Book of Judges, each with its approximate datings; their proposals differ in many instances, with Groß tending to ascribe more material to the preexilic, Knauf to the (late) postexilic period. In this revision of his 2016 Bern University dissertation directed by A. Wagner and E. A. Knauf, M. seeks to evaluate the above authors' redaction-critical and dating proposals in light of the character of the Hebrew used in the various segments of the Book of Judges. To that end, M. works through the component passages of the book (leaving aside the "special case" of chap. 5, the "Song of Deborah"). In so doing, he focuses on select linguistic (orthographical, morphological, syntactical, and lexical) features of each segment in light of the long-running scholarly discussion concerning these as well as the stage of Hebrew the particular feature seems to represent, e.g., (preexilic) Northern Hebrew, Standard Hebrew (the Hebrew, inter alia, of the Pentateuch), and Late Biblical Hebrew (LBH, the language of writers of the late Second Temple Period that was itself impacted by the spoken vernacular...

Intertestamental, Apocrypha, NT Use:Qumran Christopher T. Begg Christopher T. Begg Catholic University of America 721. [The Pharisaic Character of the DSS?] Bartoz Adamczewski, "Are the Dead Sea Scrolls Pharisaic?" Sacred Texts and Disparate Interpretations, 69-72 [see #779]. As A. points out in this essay, the scholarly discussion concerning the ideological-halakic profile of the DSS has generally revolved around the question of whether these texts were written by the Essenes. The possibility of a relationship between these texts and other Jewish groups is mostly dismissed nowadays. In A.'s opinion, attempts to identify the halakic profile of the Scrolls with the Sadducees have proved unconvincing. However, the claim of an ideological distance between these texts and the Pharisees is likewise based on weak arguments. In fact, the letters of the Pharisee Paul and the post-Pauline Gospels suggest important connections between the Scrolls and the Pharisee movement. Since the NT writings attest to Pharisaic conceptions much earlier than the witness of the rabbinic texts, those writings should be regarded as an important source for discussion of the question of the relationship of the Scrolls to the NT. [Adapted from editor's introduction—C.T.B.] Google Scholar 722. [Performativity in Rewritten Bible at Qumran] Jeff S. Anderson, "Assembled Israel: Performativity in Rewritten Bible at Qumran," Sacred Texts and Disparate Interpretations, 187-208 [see #779]. A. calls attention to several DSS texts where mentions of assembled Israel might be read as a cipher denoting the community's own identity as the new-covenant reconstruction of ancient Israel. The texts in question feature rich intertextuality with the language of communal assembly from the Hebrew Bible and also evidence parallels with Jewish and Christian literature from the Second Temple period (e.g., Jubilees, 2 Baruch, 4 Ezra, and the NT Gospels). In these texts, Moses (or a new Moses) summons "all Israel" or "the whole community," often to a specific geographical context, where the group encounters mediated or non-mediated divine speech. Such rewritten speeches serve to enhance performativity that creatively constructs an identity for a community that envisions itself as the fulfillment of the old Mosaic Covenant for a new age. [Adapted from editor's introduction—C.T.B.] Google Scholar 723. [The Hasmoneans in the DSS] Kenneth Atkinson, "The Changing Views of the Hasmoneans in the Dead Sea Scrolls: Examining Seventy Years of Research," Sacred Texts and Disparate Interpretations, 93-111 [see #779]. A.'s article assesses the long-running scholarly debate concerning the relationship between the DSS and the Hasmoneans. The first investigators mostly dated the community that produced, copied, and collected these texts and their find spot at Khirbet Qumran to the [End Page 240] Maccabean period. The publication of the entire Qumran corpus and recent re-assessments of the archaeology at Khirbet Qumran had led to a new understanding of the beginnings of the community that produced, copied, and collected these texts and their find spot at Khirbet Qumran. At present, scholars are increasingly inclined to date the formative period of the sect and the Khirbet Qumran site to the early first cent. b.c.e. Against this background, A. explores changing scholarly views over the last 70 years, highlighting in so doing how the first generation of Qumran scholars created a new discipline and how their research methods continue to dominate the study of the Scrolls. [Adapted from editor's introduction—C.T.B.] Google Scholar 724. [The Wicked Priest; the Righteous Teacher; and the Yaḥad] Vasile Babota, "The Wicked Priest, the Righteous Teacher, and the Yaḥad," Sacred Texts and Disparate Interpretations, 112-42 [see #779]. B. calls attention to the various interpretations scholars have proposed of the two sobriquets, "Teacher of Righteousness" and the "Wicked Priest," his opponent. Because 1QpHab and 4QPsa seem to suggest that the activities of the two figures intersected, B. examines the identity of the two opponents in relation to each other as far as the available sources allow for this. Given that behind the two mysterious personages their respective communities are widely supposed to stand, it seems possible to glean some information concerning the social processes operative within...

Texts, Manuscripts, Versions, Canon Christopher T. Begg, Brian J. Meldrum, and Fred W. Guyette Christopher T. Begg Catholic University of America Brian J. Meldrum Catholic University of America Fred W. Guyette Erskine College and Seminary 107. [Hexaplaric Recension and Hexaplaric Readings in 1 Samuel] Anneli Aejmelaeus, "Hexaplaric Recension and Hexaplaric Readings in 1 Samuel," Hexaplaric and Lucianic Readings and Recensions, 13-36 [see #773]. In this article, A. not only discusses what Origen's textual interventions would have looked like, but also focuses on what she calls "the after-effect" of Origen's work, which, in her words, "opened the gates to a flood of approximations of the Greek text to the Hebrew." In particular, A. analyzes the earliest revisional activity of the so-called "Three," who aligned the OG to the then-current Hebrew text and whose work was used by Origen. She then focuses on Origen's statement concerning his text-critical work, and using examples, elaborates on what the process of "healing the text" meant for Origen, what precisely was meant by the terms "pluses" and "minuses" as used by him, and what sort of readings the three Jewish revisers offered to Origen. When describing the after-effects of Origen's work, she points to non-Hexaplaric witnesses in which readings can be found which are not based on the fifth column of the Hexapla, but which are, rather, the result of an ongoing post-Hexaplaric process of aligning the Greek with a Hebrew text, and which are not marked with Aristarchian signs—this leading on occasion to double and even triple readings. See also #108. [Adapted from published abstract—C.T.B.] Google Scholar 108. [The Lucianic Text of 1 Samuel] Anneli Aejmelaeus, "The Lucianic Text of 1 Samuel," Hexaplaric and Lucianic Readings and Recensions, 39-54 [see #773]. In this the second of her two articles in the above collection (for the first see #107), A. focuses on the difficult topic of the Lucianic text of 1 Samuel and seeks to contribute to the "new hot debate" on the nature of the Lucianic text, which is also known as the Antiochene text. Here she explains how, while in two large sections of Samuel–Kings the Lucianic text is the best witness to the OG text, it still takes a precise and thorough-going analysis to distill the OG from beneath this text. Given that the Lucianic text was itself the product of a conscious editorial process and given too that its text was secondarily influenced by Hexaplaric readings, it is of utmost importance to filter out these editorial changes and the Hexaplaric influences in order to arrive at the original OG readings which are preserved in the Lucianic text. With her contribution, A. (again) seeks to change the standard scholarly perspective on the Lucianic text, noting "… the Lucianic editors were not totally ignorant of kaige readings…. It is obvious that the Lucianic editors have several manuscripts at their disposal, among them good old manuscripts and ones with kaige-type readings." She further describes the process of finding "the good old basic text," which is often buried under Atticizing corrections or changes of word order or partial additions of Hexaplaric readings…. The only way to achieve this [i.e., the recovery of the original OG text] is by means of a full text-critical and translation-technical analysis. [Adapted from published abstract—C.T.B.] [End Page 36] Google Scholar 109. [The Ptolemaic Setting for the Translation of the Greek Pentateuch] James K. Aitken, "The Ptolemaic Setting for the Translation of the Greek Pentateuch," HeBAI 9 (4, 2020) 398-414. New finds from Egypt made over the past century have revealed the social and linguistic landscape of the Ptolemaic empire. Nevertheless, LXX scholarship has been slow to integrate the new data into its discussions of the origin and makeup of the Greek translation of the Pentateuch. We now have 3rd cent. b.c.e. evidence that under the Ptolemies, the social and economic advantages of learning Greek and participation in Greek culture led to Jews identifying themselves as "Greek." It is in this context that we can work back from...

Introduction and General Christopher T. Begg, Fred W. Guyette, Andrew D. Gross, Thomas Hieke, Brent A. Strawn, and Robert N. Marineau Christopher T. Begg Catholic University of America Fred W. Guyette Erskine College and Seminary Andrew D. Gross Catholic University of America Thomas Hieke Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz Brent A. Strawn Duke Divinity School, Duke University Robert N. Marineau University of Chicago 813. [Medicine in Ancient Assur] Troels Pan Arboll, Medicine in Ancient Assur: A Microhistorical Study of the Neo-Assyrian Healer Kiṣir-Aššur (Ancient Magic and Divination 18; Leiden/Boston: Brill, 2021). Pp. xv + 416. $132. ISBN 078-90-04-43606-7. In this monograph, A. offers a microhistorical study of a single exorcist of the Neo-Assyrian period named Kiṣir-Aššur who practiced medical and magical healing in the ancient city of Assur (modern northern Iraq) in the 7th cent. b.c.e. The book provides the first detailed analysis of a healer's education and practice in ancient Mesopotamia based on at least 73 texts that can be assigned to specific stages of its subject's career. Drawing on a microhistorical framework, A.'s study aims at significantly improving our understanding of the functional aspects of ancient Mesopotamian texts in their specialist environment. In addition, the work situates Kiṣir-Aššur as one of the earliest healers in world history for [End Page 277] whom we have a wealth of details pertaining to his career that originated during his lifetime. [Adapted from published abstract] The volume consists of a total of ten chapters: (1) Introduction; (2) Framework and Background; (3) Kiṣir-Aššur's Magico-Medical Education as šamallû ṣeḫru; (4) Training in Anatomy and Physiology as šamallû ṣeḫru; (5) Further Apprenticeshp: šamallû to mašmaššu ṣeḫru; (6) Kiṣir-Aššur's mašmaššu-phase; (7) Additional Texts That May Belong to the mašmaššu-phase; (8) Kiṣir-Aššur's mašmaš bīt Aššur-phase; (9) Situating Kiṣir-Aššur's Knowledge Production; and (10) Synthesis and Conclusion. A.'s discussion is illustrated by a series of line-drawings of the cuneiform texts treated by him. The volume's end-matter consists of two appendixes (Catalogue of Texts and Edition of RA 15 pl. 76), a bibliography and various indexes.—C.T.B. Google Scholar 814. [The Christian Scriptures] Andrew E. Arterbury, W. H. Bellinger Jr., and Derek S. Dodson, Engaging the Christian Scriptures: An Introduction to the Bible (2nd ed.; Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2021). Pp. xiv + 316. $32.99. ISBN 9781540962256. A., B., and D. have designed their volume to be a one-semester textbook for undergraduate students undertaking their first reading of the biblical text in an academic setting. The Christian Scriptures are approached by them from historical, literary, and theological perspectives. Their book is divided into eight chapters. Three chapters focus on the NT and three on the OT: the Pentateuch, the Former and Latter Prophets, and the Writings (Wisdom Literature). Text boxes, illustrations, maps, and suggestions for further reading are included. For this new edition of the volume, an 18-page glossary has been added; the text has been revised throughout; and it is supplemented by web-based pedagogical resources.—F.W.G. Google Scholar 815. [Language Contact; Colonial Administration; Construction of Identity in Ancient Israel] Samuel L. Boyd, Language Contact, Colonial Administration, and the Construction of Identity in Ancient Israel: Constructing the Context for Contact (HSM 66; Leiden/Boston: Brill, 2021). Pp. xix + 493. $336. ISBN 978-90-04-44875-9. In this monograph, B. addresses a long-standing critical issue in biblical scholarship: how does the production of the Bible relate to its larger historical, linguistic, and cultural settings in the ANE? Using theoretical advances in the study of language contact, B. examines in detail the socio-linguistic landscape during the Assyrian, Babylonian, and Achaemenid periods. On this basis, he then places the language and literature of Ezekiel and Isaiah within this socio-linguistic landscape. B.'s monograph represents the first booklength application of language contact theory to the...

Other Writings/Traditions Christopher T. Begg, William J. Urbrock, Brian J. Meldrum, Richard A. Taylor, and Thomas Hieke Christopher T. Begg Catholic University of America William J. Urbrock University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Brian J. Meldrum Catholic University of America Richard A. Taylor Dallas Theological Seminary Thomas Hieke Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz 739. [Angels in the Mäṣḥafä Qәddase and Its Andәmta] Tedros Abraha, "The Place of the Angels in the Mäṣḥafä Qәddase (The Book of Hallowing) and in Its Andәmta," Angelic Beings, 151-74 [see #810]. A.'s contribution focuses on angelology in the Ethiopic work of his title, with particular attention to the roles and locations within the heavenly hierarchy according to that document. The 81 canonical books of the OT and NT in the Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Churches and their mainly allegorical interpretation known as andәmta are key to the interpretation of the angelology of the above document as well as those found in the canonical 1 Enoch, Jubilees, and the Apocalypse of Ezra. Outside of its biblical sources, other important sources for the document in question are the Hexaemeron, Mäṣḥafä Aksimaros, and De Coelesti Hierarchia (Περὶ τῆς οὐρανίας Ἱεραρχίας)by Pseudo-Dionysius the Aeropagite (5th cent. a.d.). Drawing on these and still other later sources, the Mäṣḥafä Qәddase offers details regarding the creation of angels, their numbers, their organization, and their role as part of the innermost circle of the Holy Trinity. In this document, angels are linked to the founding of churches, which are built wherever drops of blood of the crucified Christ fell or were sprinkled by an angel. Despite the massive presence of angels in all aspects of religious and secular life among Ethiopians and Eritreans, it is striking that in the Geʿez work Mäṣḥafä Qәddase taken as a whole angels do not play as prominent a role as one might expect. [Adapted from published abstract—C.T.B.] Google Scholar 740. [The Torah's Dietary Laws in the Letter of Aristeas] Anna Angelini, "The Reception and Idealization of the Torah in the Letter of Aristeas: The Case of the Dietary Laws," HeBAI 9 (4, 2020) 435-47. In the Letter of Aristeas (LA), the dietary laws are presented as a paradigm for the entire Torah. However, the summary of the dietary laws given by the author in ¶¶128-171 does not, for the most part, literally quote the biblical texts in question, but rather reflects a considerable degree of interpretation regarding these laws. This paper examines the relationship between biblical traditions and Greek cultural referents in the Letter's presentation [End Page 246] of the dietary and sacrificial laws against the background of other Second Temple period texts which feature a reception of these laws, e.g., Philo, Josephus, and the Qumran materials. I argue that while the presentation of the dietary laws in the Letter attests to the considerable authority this section of the Torah had for the author from a symbolic point of view, it nonetheless offer little evidence for the practice and content of a dietary halacha. See ##679, 695. [Adapted from published abstract—C.T.B.] Google Scholar 741. [Philo's Exegesis of the Dream of Jacob (Gen 28:10-22) in Somn. 1,1-188] Anne Boiché, "La place de l'Écriture dans l'exégèse du rêve de Jacob (Somn. 1,1-188)," Religion et rationalité, 9-27 [see #796]. B.'s study on the place of Scripture in the exegesis of Philo highlights the methodical fashion in which Philo develops his thought, not only taking the text of Scripture as his starting point, but also, and especially, proceeding in company with it. The dialogue between the scriptural text and Philo's interpretation of this unfolds by way of Philo's close work with scriptural citations, which sometimes are abbreviated or even implicit, as required by the nature of the Philonic commentary, but also via a process of reciprocal clarification on the basis of classical culture, this leading to an exegesis that is Philo's own, but always closely linked to the text of Scripture. [Translated and adapted...

The WritingsPsalms Thomas Hieke, Fred W. Guyette, Christopher T. Begg, and William J. Urbrock Thomas Hieke Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz Fred W. Guyette Erskine College and Seminary Christopher T. Begg Catholic University of America William J. Urbrock University of Wisconsin Oshkosh 2247. [David in the Psalms and 1–2 Samuel] Egbert Ballhorn, "Der doppelte David: Amt und Macht eines Vorbilds," BK 75 (2020) 198-204. First, B. briefly sketches the picture of King David that emerges from reading the Books of Samuel. However, the image which the Psalms present of David differs significantly from that of the OT historical books; the Psalms broaden the picture. Especially the biographical references to David in the headings of certain Psalms trigger this impression: These references connect David's biography and prayer. In the Psalms, one gets the impression of David as a man on the run, a refugee at the lowest point of his career. This picture of a poor, weak David who deeply trusts in God is an invitation for identification. Kingship in the perspective of the Psalter does not rely on power but on trust in God (see Deut 17:14-20 in combination with Psalm 1). Thus, in its treatment of David, the Psalter emerges as a spiritual text on the one hand, while on the other it has political implications as well.—T.H. Google Scholar 2248. [Lament Psalms] Fiona C. Black, "Public Suffering? Affect and the Lament Psalms as Forms of Private-Political Depression," Reading with Feeling: Affect Theory and the Bible, 71-94 [see #2520]. B. poses a fruitful question: What if we could incorporate the psalms of lament into a history of personal and social depression? How might their unique representation of pain and suffering figure in our understanding of depression's cultural legacy? Drawing on Ann Cvetkovich's works, An Archive of Feelings (2003), and Depression: A Public Feeling (2012), B.'s essay explores the idea of depression not only as an interior, individual affliction—as we might typically think of it—but as a complex, affective picture that reveals a publicly produced register of feelings in response to various social and economic forces. Powerful lions are roaring at us, ready to attack (Psalm 22). Ravenous wolves have surrounded the city, looking for prey (Psalm 59). The imagery in these psalms works on both levels—the personal and the political—in a powerful way.—F.W.G. Google Scholar 2249. [Wellness, Illness, and the Psalms] C. L. Crouch, "Wellness, Illness and the Psalms: Biblical and Theological Conversations," HBT 42 (2020) 139-40. As guest editor of this special issue of HBT, C. provides the following opening statement concerning the topic which is its focus: … The four essays in this special issue originated in a conference hosted by the Centre for Bible, Ethics and Theology and held at the University of Nottingham in November 2018. As with other projects of the Centre, the conference sought to facilitate a constructive dialogue and collaborative work between theologians and biblical scholars. In [End Page 830] this instance, two Hebrew Bible/OT scholars and two Christian systematic theologians met to examine contemporary concepts of wellness and illness, using the Book of Psalms as a common conversation partner and foundational text. [p 139, adapted] In the continuation of his introduction, C. offers remarks on each of the four essays that follow; for abstracts of these, see ##2264, 2267, 2274, 2275.—C.T.B. Google Scholar 2250. [The Interpretation of the Psalms in the Oratorio Le Roi David of Arthur Honegger and René Morax] Jean Duhaime and Sylvain Caron, "L'interprétation des psaumes dans l'oratorio Le Roi David d'Arthur Honegger et René Morax," Theoforum 49 (2019) 259-96. The poetic sections of the oratorio Le Roi David by Arthur Honegger and René Morax include "psalms" and "canticles" inspired by the Psalter. In this study, biblical scholar D. and musicologist C. begin by recalling the context in which the oratorio was created (1921–1924), and then proceed to describe the content and structure of the libretto, and present the psalmic fragments it contains. They then analyze Morax's work...

The Pentateuch:Genesis Brian J. Meldrum, Christopher T. Begg, Fred W. Guyette, John M. Halligan, Mathias Winckler, Paul R. Redditt, Richard A. Taylor, and Thomas Hieke Brian J. Meldrum Catholic University of America Christopher T. Begg Catholic University of America Fred W. Guyette Erskine College and Seminary John M. Halligan St. John Fisher College Mathias Winckler Universität Siegen Paul R. Redditt Georgetown College Richard A. Taylor Dallas Theological Seminary Thomas Hieke Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz 1255. [The Integration of the Holy Places of the Province of Samaria in the Narrative of the Hexateuch] Reinhard Achenbach, "Die Integration der heiligen Orte der Provinz Samaria in das Narrativ des Hexateuch," Yahwistic Diversity and the Hebrew Bible, 47-78 [see #1702]. A.'s essay provides a "big-picture" outline of the genesis and pragmatic dimensions of the hexateuchal composition of Genesis–Joshua, with particular attention to the question of the law of centralization, the original version of which is, according to A., to be found in Deut 6:4-5; 12:14*, 15-18, 21, 26 against the historical background of the fifth cent. b.c.e. when a sanctuary on Mt. Gerizim coexisted with the one in Jerusalem. In his essay, A. offers a detailed reconstruction of the idea of cultic centralization and the integration of Mt. Gerizim into the framework of Deuteronomy and the Deuteronomistic narrative, via case studies of, e.g., Deut 11:26-32; 12:2-7; 27:1-13, 14-25; Exod 20:24-25; Josh 8:30-35 and their respective textual variants. In light of his observations concerning these texts, A. proposes a detailed picture of how the status of the Gerizim sanctuary was repeatedly renegotiated at different periods. [Adapted from published abstract—C.T.B.] Google Scholar 1256. [Pentateuch] David C. Deuel, "Read This Torah (Deuteronomy 31:11): The Importance and Function of Israel's Primary Scripture in Early Spiritual Growth," Write That They May Read, 294-310 [see #1695]. In the beginning, Yhwh spoke; the people listened. At Sinai, Yhwh used all four basic language skills: speaking, writing, reading, and listening, to deliver his Torah. Yhwh spoke to Moses, who recounted the former's words to Israel; Moses then wrote down the words and read them to the people, who swore to listen to Yhwh (Exodus 20–24). Deuteronomy presents Torah-reading as a detailed teaching process initiated with the command, "Read this Torah" (Deut 31:11). Yhwh's command, "Gather the people," introduces a sequence of instructional activities: gather, read, hear, learn, fear, worship, obey, and teach. This pattern appears partially and implicitly in Exodus, the Torah Psalms, Josiah's reform, and wisdom. Ezra models the above pattern in his personal study, practice, and teaching (Ezra 7:10), and illustrates it when he reads the Torah publicly (Neh 8:1-8). Jesus draws upon the pattern when he asks, "Have you not heard?" when he says, "It is written," and when he sends out the apostles on their mission, "teaching them to observe all that I commanded you" (Matt 28:18-20). [Adapted from published abstract—F.W.G.] Google Scholar 1257. [The Composition of the Torah; the Temple] Raik Heckl, "The Temple within the Book and Its Function: Considerations on the Cultic Concept of the Composition of the Torah," Yahwistic Diversity and the Hebrew Bible, 135-48 [see #1702]. In this essay, H. focuses on the Pentateuch's conceptualization of cultic matters and the temple itself. In his view, Neh 10:33-34 presupposes the restoration of rites of reconciliation [End Page 462] such as that described in Leviticus 16 at the Second Temple. However, the Bible also indicates that the cultic devices that served to convey the gift of reconciliation in the First Temple were not restored in the Second. In making his case, H. argues against those views which assert that the beginnings of the process of transformation of cultic concepts can already be found in the Pentateuch's account of the sanctuary and its cult before the reconstruction of the Second Temple. For H., the Pentateuch was not intended to replace the existing cult, nor did its creation give rise to...