The Composition of the Hebrew Bible: The Old Testament

TaNaKhTaNaKh  The TaNaKh is the Hebrew acronym which refers to the Jewish Bible.  The Jewish Bible consists of three parts:  Torah (sometimes called the Five Books of Moses)  Nevi’im (the books of the Prophets)  Ketuvim (or "Writings")

Evolution of the Torah 12 th -5 th c. bce  Torah: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy  Lay Source  J Source (Jahwist)  E Source (Elohist)  JE Source  P Source (Priestly)

Lay Source ca. 12 th -10th C. bce  Earliest datable material: Song of Deborah (Judges 5), Blessing of Jacob (Genesis 49), Song of Miriam (Exodus 15), Prophecies of Balaam (Numbers 22-24)  Some Mosaic material: refers to Moses in 3rd person, the Book of the Covenant including the Ten Commandments  Oral traditions -- "Some of these Old Testament texts preserve living conditions that may be traced back to the historical situation of the tenth century bc.…” confrontation of the nomadic patriarchal society with the agricultural matriarchal society

J Source ca. 950 bce  Core of Genesis, Exodus and Numbers. God is called Jahweh -- "full of joy, confidence and faith”  First version of early Israelite history, probably written during the age of the United Monarchy  Reflects Jerusalem cult -- institutionalized priesthood

E Source: ca. 9th C. bce  Collected oral or written version circulated in Northern Israel.  God is called Elohim.  Rejects central monarchy in Jerusalem and its special priestly caste.

Collation of JE: oldest material in Genesis, Exodus and Numbers

The Prehistoric Myths of Genesis: Etiological Stories stories of origins and causes existence and knowledge and ethics

The Creation and Fall from Paradise The Primacy of the Word: Creation by Command Cain and Abel Prohibition against murder The Flood: cleansing of evil

The Rainbow: symbol of the covenant between God and mankind

P Source 6th C. bce YFinal fixed form of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. YProbably written by group of priests during exile in Babylon, the P source adds: Y detailed description of wilderness tabernacle in Exodus Y all of Leviticus: worship and priesthood rules  fragments in Numbers.

Historical Legends: The Patriarchs and Matriarchs

Terah of Ur Abram/ Abraham Keturah Arabs Nahor MilcahHaran Lot Sarai/ Sarah Hagar Ishmael Bedouins IsaacRebekahLaban Esau/ Edom Jacob/ Israel LeahRachel Edomites Israelites

Covenant against human sacrifice Ishmael and Isaac Abraham and Isaac Esau and Jacob Jacob receives the birthright blessing Ishmael is sent into exile

Jacob’s Ladder: Jacob sees the vision of a ladder into heaven and wrestles with the angel. Jacob becomes Israel Dore, Jacob Wrestlling with the Angel

The Twelve Tribes of Israel

Jacob/IsraelLeah Rachel Zilpah Bilbah 1) Reuben 2) Simeon 3) Levi 4) Judah 9) Issachar 10)Zebulon 11)Dinah 5) Dan 6) Naphtali 7) Gad 8) Asher 12) Joseph13) Benjamin

Stories of Brothers in Genesis Cain and Abel Isaac and Ishmael Jacob and Esau Joseph and his Brothers

Abraham: Ur of the Chaldeans  Egypt  Canaan Canaan  Egypt  Canaan/Israel: The Israelites

EXODUS from Egypt LEVITICUS: the law

The Pentateuch The Torah Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy: old book found in temple in 622 bce -- caused religious revival and inspired writing of the history of Israel in Palestine: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I & II Samuel, I & II Kings. History finished c bce D Source and Religious Revival 7 th -6 th c. bce

Teleological Orientation  Teleology: being directed toward a definite end or having an ultimate purpose  Importance of historical consciousness – especially the history of the chosen people of God: the Hebrews and their ongoing relationship with God  Israel evolved from nation ruled by Judges to one ruled by Kings: Saul, David, Solomon  Prophets proclaimed God’s word and operated as voices of conscience to the kings

Lamentatio ns: poetic laments about the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 bce

Chronicler 4th c. bce  Worked from older sources about the history of Judah:  I & II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah  Completed for small Jewish community struggling to regroup after Babylonian exile

Song of Songs post-exilic collection of poems dating from the 9th c. bce and earlier Prophetic Books 4th C. bce 4 large scrolls Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the 12 lesser Prophets Collections of sermons gathered by the prophets' disciples Psalms devotional poetry and hymns composed 10th-5th c. bce, collated in 4th c. bce

Wisdom Literature 4 th c. bce YProverbs: YCollated 4 th c. bce YTraditional wisdom sayings YSharp, epigrammatic YWidespread throughout the region -- comparable to Egyptian "Wisdom of Amenemope" YJob: Y4th C. bce text of older stories YProse introduction and conclusion framing poetic dialogue YProse and poetry by different authors YEcclesiastes : c. 300 bce

THE CANON 1 st c. ce YMany books written from the 4th-1st c. bce leading to much discussion about the "canon." Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs long debated. YRabbinic Council of Jamnia 90 ad: Set the canonical text of the Hebrew Bible -- accepted as the Old Testament by Christian Churches.

Apocrypha Disputed books that remain part of the traditional literature, but not the canonical sacred text.

Before ca B.C.E. Beginnings ca B.C.E. Patriarchs ca B.C.E. Bondage in Egypt ca B.C.E. Exodus and Covenant Making ca B.C.E. Wanderings in the Wilderness ca B.C.E. Conquest / Settlement of Canaan ca B.C.E. Time of the Judges ca B.C.E. United Monarchy J/E Source /586 B.C.E. Divided Monarchy D, history Israel fell in 722 B.C.E. Judah fell in 587/586 B.C.E. Lamentations B.C.E. Exile in Babylon P Source B.C.E. Persian Period Chronicler, Prophets, Wisdom, Psalms B.C.E. Hellenistic Period Esther, Daniel B.C.E. Maccabean (Hasmonean) Period 63 B.C.E C.E. Roman Period Canon established

Sources:  Beltz, Walter. God and the Gods: Myths of the Bible Trans. Peter Heinegg. NY: Penguin,  Wright, G. Ernest and Reginald Fuller. The Book of the Acts of God: Contemporary Scholarship Interprets the Bible Rpt. NY: Doubleday/ Anchor, 1960.