Showing papers in "Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft in 1980"

Was Nehemiah the Cupbearer a Eunuch

Abstract: Die Feststellung A. Alts ZAW 55 (1937), 265-268, über das Vorliegen zweier Schlüsse des Hiobbuches im Epilog (42 7-1?) führt zur Unterscheidung zweier selbständiger Fassungen A und B in der Rahmenerzählung des Buches (Prolog [Kap. 1-1-2] und Epilog). A liegt im wesentlichen in Kap. l und 42 11-1? vor, während B in Kap. 2 und 427-10 greifbar ist. Diese Quellen A und B verraten eine gemeinsame Vorlage. Die Parallelität von C = I Chr?2o—29 vor allem zu A, aber auch zu B kann durch einige direkte Kongruenzen und — auffälliger — durch die aufschlußreichen Hinweise, die C für die Begründungszusammenhänge in der gemeinsamen Vorlage von A und B hergibt, belegt werden. Dadurch gewinnt das Bild von der Ursprungsform der außerisraelitischen Hioblegende einige recht deutliche Züge. Entsprechend dem vorliegenden Textmaterial kann es allerdings in bezug auf eine Reihe interessierender Fragen nicht darauf ankommen, zu erklären, sondern nur darauf, mögliche Erklärungswege aufzuzeigen.

‘Azazel The Prince of the Steepe: A Comparative Study

Abstract: L'A. s'efforce d'expliquer le vocable Azazel du point de vue de la philologie, sans exclure les textes d'ordre mythologique et rituel impliques. Apres avoir discute les deux theories regnantes selon lesquelles, respectivement, Azazel signifie "precipice" ou est le nom d'un demon, et se fondant sur le Livre d'Henoch I, sur l'akkadien et l'ougaritique, l'A. soutient que AZZL provient de AZZL par metathese volontaire du aleph et du zayin et signifie "un dieu farouche". Le vocable est une epithete qui caracterise le dieu cananeen Mot et peut designer le domaine de Mot, le monde infernal.

Resurrection in the Theology of Old Testament Apocalyptic

Abstract: The phenomenon of resurrection l whether national and/or physical appears in various segments of the literature of the Hebrew Bible. According to the scholary communis opinio the physical resurrection of the dead appears without dispute in OT apocalyptic. This raises the issue of the nature and function of resurrection in the theology of OT apocalyptic. This essay seeks (1) to describe the nature of the resurrection phenomenon in the so-called Isaiah Apocalypse (Isa2619) and in the book of Daniel (Dan 121-4) and (2) to delineate the function of resurrection in the theology of OT apocalyptic.

The Identification of Quotations in Biblical Literature

Abstract: Quotations are frequent in literature of all times and genres. Usually they are unmistakably marked and their function is clear. In ancient literature, however, they often lack explicit identifying marks, so that the reader must recognize them by other means. Identifying certain words äs a quotation may have considerable significance for the understanding of a passage; it may at times even reverse our understanding of the author's intention. I would like to approach the problem of the nature and identification of quotations by means of a critique of two pioneering siJLidies of this question, both by R. Gordis: Quotations in Wisdom Literature, JQR30 (1939/40), 123-147 (= QWL). Quotations äs a Literary Usage in Biblical, Oriental and Rabbinic Literature, HUCA22 (1949), 157-219 (= QOL).

The Chiastic Structure of the Song of Songs

Abstract: Among the introductory subjects treated in bis exhaustive study of the Song of Songs, M. Pope has reviewed the literature on the structure of this work. Two conclusions emerged from that review. First, there is no agreement upon the number of discrete units or individual songs into which the Song of Songs should be divided. The numbers proposed in the past have varied between 7 and 44 . Second, although a minority of commentators have seen a structural unity of the Song, most observers have considered it to be a more loosely organized collection or anthology of songs. The best effort put forth thus far to elucidate a structural unity to this work is the study of it by J.C. Exum. In evaluating J.C. Exum's work, however, R.E. Murphy concluded, »I am not convinced by the results but she has made the sharpest case for the recognition of a truly structured work.« M. Pope concluded his review of this subject in a similar vein. »The present writer agress with Haupt in appreciation of the charming confusion in the Canticles and has not been convinced by any of the efforts to demonstrate or restore order or logical sequence and progression«. In contrast to this majority view, I concur with those scholars who have held that the Song of Songs is unified structurally. Moreover, I would suggest that unified structure follows a chiastic pattern. J.C. Exum has already discussed chiasm äs a characteristic of smaller units of the Song. The thesis of the analysis of the Song presented below is that this work äs a whole also follows that pattern. In order to demonstrate its chiastic nature the Song has been broken down into six lenghty units which are paired in the pattern of A:B:C::C:B: A. For its ancient composer a more continuous flow of thought undoubtedly was involved than dividing this work up into such sections, but they serve äs convenient markers for us to utilize in studying its structure. Each of these larger units has been subdivided into approximately six smaller units.

The Idea of Rest in the Old Testament and the Search for the Basic Character of Sabbath

Abstract: The El epithet »shaddai« has often been associated with the Akkadian sadü (mountaiin) äs evidence that this god had already been known by IsraeFs patriarchs before they entere.-d the land of Canaan. This paper argues, however, that both etymologically and mythologicallly the origins of this epithet belong to the area of Egyptian and Canaanite cultural dominationi, and that Israel identified Yahweh with El Shaddai after the entrance of the patriarchs into Camaan. Thus, »shaddai« is identified with the Hebrew sadce and Ugaritic sadu (field), or »El of the Fields.«

Prophecy and Dissonance. A Theoretical Approach to the Prophetic Tradition

Abstract: The ideal picture of a prophet is one of whom it may be said: »Yaweh was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground«. (Cf.I Sam 3 19). But in the Old Testament there were few such prophets, except perhaps in the ideological constructions of the deuteronomic historians. It is far more common to find in the prophetic tradition, i.e., Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and the Book of the twelve, prophets whose predictions did not always materialise. Old Testament prophecy is characterised, at one level, by failure. But if its failure is apparent to the modern reader it is not clear that the prophets themselves or their followers were aware of such failure. The theoretical approach of this paper is an attempt to sift through the data of the prophetic tradition in order to uncover, if at all possible, any elements there might be of such an apperception in the texts. The theory of cognitive dissonance was formulated in the field of social psychology in the 1950s. Its leading proponent was L. Festinger and its influence in social psychology has been enormous. Cognitive dissonance theory is essentially about psychological inconsistency between cognitions associated with attitudes and behaviour. When two cognitions are inconsistent or contradictory a person experiences tension or discomfort which constitutes a sense of dissonance. Dissonance theory maintains that when behaviour is inconsistent with an attitude or belief a person will be motivated to change either the attitude or the behaviour. Often dissonance may occur when a person's self-concept is threatened by behaviour that is inconsistent with such a self-concept. Thus conflict between self-perception and behavioural patterns can readily lead to the experience of dissonance. Much of the theory has been concerned with analysing vorious responses to such experiences and showing how dissonance can be reduced or resolved. For there is a strong drive to reduce or eliminate such unpleasant conflicts. The individual may alter personal beliefs, attitudes or behaviour, or may even add new cognitions which modify the cause of dissonance or explain the previous inconsistency. So the experience of dissonance is a strong motivating force for changing patterns of belief or behaviour.

The Sea of Reeds as Sheol

Abstract: Israel's Exodus from Egypt through the yam süp or »Sea of Reeds« Stands recorded in the so-called »Song of the Sea« in Ex 15. The events described in this song and the previous chapter have been variously interpreted, ranging from the strictly historical and topographical to the mythological. Recently, F. M. Cross, Jr. l has proposed that the events described in Ex 15 are both historical, äs actual happenings during the Egyptian 19th dynasty, and mythological, äs protrayed through Canaanite-inspired religious poetry. His approach is basic to the following study. The major difference here, however, is that the mythological background of Ex 15 is treated not äs basically Canaanite but äs Egyptian. In fact, the biblical yam süp (»sea of reeds«) could be understood äs the equivalent of both the geographical Shi-Hor (»Lake of Horus«) and the theological Sheol or the »Lake of El«. Thus, äs I have attempted to demonstrate elsewhere in regard to Israel's »primeval history« in Gen, her Exodus tradition appears also to have been described by mythological themes at home in the Egyptian delta and the city-states of Palestine since the 2nd millenium B.C.

A Few Observations on the Polarisation Between Yahweh and Baal in I Kings 17–19

Abstract: Kritik an David finden darf. Er wird aus Kreisen stammen, die in keinem grundsätzlichen Konflikt mit dem König standen, vielleicht noch am ehesten aus dem Hof und seinem Umkreis. Beide Witze entsprechen nun nicht nur, wie zu zeigen versucht wurde, auf der sprachlichen, sondern auch auf der sachlichen Ebene erstaunlich genau dem was von vielen Seiten über das typische Funktionieren von Witzen beobachtet worden ist. So lösen und entbinden sie Gebundenes, insbesondere latente Kritik am Unzulänglichen Davids (A.Jolles). Sie bringen sicher eine »Ersparung an Hemmungsund Unterdrückungsaufwand«, die mit Lustgefühlen verbunden ist (S.Freud). Sie entspringen dem Zusammenprall verschiedener Normbereiche, durch den die frühkönigliche Zeit geprägt ist, und rühren an Tabus, wie die Unantastbarkeit des Herrschers (H.Bausinger). Aber auch für ihre politische Bewertung wird gelten, was S. Landmann über den Witz sagt: er »ist die Waffe des Mannes, der weder mit dem Schwert noch geistig im direkten Angriff vorgehen kann oder will, es ist die Waffe des Geschlagenen, der an die Möglichkeit eines Sieges überhaupt nicht denkt«. Aus den Kreisen, die den politischen Widerstand gegen David und das Königtum trugen, werden sie kaum stammen. Gerade so aber belegen sie uns, wie man auch dort in Israel, wo man nicht im direkten Kampf gegen die Monarchie stand, das »Unzulängliche« Davids kannte und im Witz erfaßte.

»Treading« in the Book of Ruth

Abstract: A single observation sometimes proves crucial in the Illumination of an entire literary work. This is the case, I submit, in a correct understanding of the book of Ruth. Such recent work äs the commentaries of H. W. Hertzberg, W.Rudolph, and E. F. Campbell has emphasized the pronounced sexual symbolism in Ruth 3, the scene in which Ruth visits Boaz, at midnight, at his threshing-floor, after he has eaten and drunk and is merry, lies down beside him and uncovers his feet. The repetition in this chapter of the words »to lie down«, »to know«, and »to come (toward), to go into« is intended to reinforce their double meaning and direct attention to the sexual domain. In particular, the uncovering of the man's feet or legs is also an allusion to his genital region. »Feet« in Hebrew is frequently employed in this way, the context determining whether the non-literal sense also, or only, applies. I claim to have demonstrated in a recent publication that Ruth's gesture in lying down and uncovering Boaz's feet is to the end that he will put her on äs his new footwear. She is to be his sandal, an object which in most cultures is used suggestively of the female genitals, and becomes symbolic of a woman . The formal ceremony involving the sandal at the public gate (Ruth4?-io) only becomes intelligible once Ruth's »san-

Jes 49 1-6: ein Gottesknechtslied?

Abstract: A summary is given of the latest research on the identification of Baal of IKings 17-19'. It is pointcd out that only those attnbutes of Baal which are continuous from the Second Mühennium B.C. into the First Millennium can be used to Interpret the main theme of I Kings 17-19, viz. the contest between Baal and Yahweh. 1t is stated that the visit of Elijah to the widow of Sarephath in Phoenicia is described to emphasize the power of Yahweh over Baal. Baail is regarded äs dead and thus incapable of helping the widow and orphan in their plight, an idieal for gods and kings from the earliest times in the Ancient Near East. Yahweh, however, g.ave food to the widow and restore the life of her son which illustrates Baal's impotency and Yahweh's power.

David’s Judicial Exoneration

Abstract: Within the socalled »Narrative of David's Rise« (»Geschichte vom Aufstieg Davids«) there are two pericopes which teil of David adjudicating criminal disputes, namely II Sam 11-16 and II Sam 4s-i2. These are the only two instances of David functioning äs a criminal judge/prosecutor until the famous confrontation with Nathan (II Sam 12), which occurs after David had Consolidated his reign. It is the purpose of this study to investigate both the judicial structure of these two accounts, and to determine the function which they serve within the larger narrative block of »David's Rise«.

Die Motive der Heiligen Bäume und der Schlange in Gen 2–3

Abstract: with ins >terror< and with and min >panic< together. From sorrow it moves to min >thanksgiving<, to min together with nn >joy< 1 , to nn with nyw >salvation< or >victory<, and on to D^pntlfä >those who rnake merry<, to mär >song<, culminating perhaps in n^O Vipi Vifn pro ^ip | Vip nnötf >the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride<. Even if Vip indicates the absence or near-absence of sound, a mood of spiritualization and solemnity may be created, äs in PS 194 »There is no speech nor are there words; their voice (oVip) is not heard«, or in I Sam 11? »...only her lips moved, and her voice (nVip) was not heard«, and, of course, in I Kings 19 12, nfeöT Vip »a still small voice«. Perhaps the most eloquent Statement testifying to language consciousness in the OT is that of Prov 182i-»Death and life are in the power of the tongue«.

El Shaddai or El of the Fields

Abstract: L'epithete de Shaddai appliquee au theonyme El a ete rapprochee du vocable akkadien Sadu, "montagne" et l'on en a tire argument pour demontrer que les patriarches d'Israel connaissaient ce dieu avant meme que de penetrer en Canaan. L'A. s'efforce de demontrer que, tant sur le plan de l'etymologie que sur celui du mythe, l'epithete refere a l'aire culturelle de l'Egypte et de Canaan: Shaddai doit etre identifie a l'hebreu sadae et a l'ugaritique sadu, "champ". El Shaddai signifie "El des Champs". Yahweh lui a ete identifie apres l'entree des Israelites en Canaan.

Zwei alttestamentliche Witze

Abstract: steellung, daß die Schlange auch das weisheitliche Tier ist, überträgt J die Syrmbolik ins Allgemeine. Die nur Jahwe zustehende Weisheit, Erkenntnis, tottale Autonomie wird vom Menschen erstrebt, bleibt aber unerreichbar, obwohl der Mensch glaubt, schon in ihrem Besitz zu sein. Der Mensch wird vuelmehr auf sein mühseliges, irdisches Dasein verwiesen, in dem sein Urrvertrauen zu Jahwe nun empfindlich gestört ist.

Language Consciousness in the OT

Abstract: This paper deals with linguistic observations and Information communicated by the Hebrew text itself. It draws attention to those remarks, arranges them under headings, and comments on them. RSV is used for translations, unless otherwise indicated. The groupings are: (1) phonetics, (2) semantic change, (3) words for language, especially the own language, (4) bilingualism and translations, (5) attitude toward foreign languages, (6) speech deficiency, (7) etymologies of proper nouns, (8) renamings, (9) puns, (10) euphemisms and other substitutions, (11) style and rhetoric. Remarks in the areas quoted are quantitatively äs well äs qualitatively very unequal. Statements concerning such essentials in our view äs syntax, morphology and phonology are entirely missing. 1. The only case dealing with phonetics is the sibbolaet incident in Judg 12o, with the Gileadites pronouncing s (written tf) in contrast to the Ephraimites' s (written 0): »They said to him, then say sibbolaet and he said sibbolaet for he could not pronounce it right.« Many questions remain unanswered. For instance, was the contrast between tf and D exactly the same äs between s and s? Could the 0 perhaps be an attempt to render a »i/?«-like sound, especially if rbyo was not the ear of corn but the flood of the river, äs in PS 693 and 16 *? Did only the Ephraimites pronounce it differently from the Gileadites, or was their pronunciation representative of what later became the Northern Kingdom? Did their northwestern accent refer to every letter tf or especially to the word rt?3V (and other exceptional words) ? This one piece of phonetic Information contained in the text illustrates how little we really know about the biblical pronunciation of Hebrew; not only of tribal or regional differences, but altogether about the exact pronunciation of consonants and vowels, about the development that must have taken place in the millenium between the oldest and the youngest text, and the other millenium between the fixing of the canon and the Tiberian vocalization.

Eine Parallele zur Rahmenerzählung des Buches Hiob in I Chr 7 20-29?

Abstract: A.Alt hat in einer bemerkenswerten Studie »Zur Vorgeschichte des Buches Hiob« in ZAW 55 (1937), 265-268, die Annahme begründet, daß der Epilog des Buches Hiob (42 7-1?) zwei verschiedene Schlüsse der Erzählung enthält, die ziemlich »unausgeglichen nebeneinander stehen«. Hier soll zunächst der Ansatz A. Alts so abgewandelt und fortentwickelt werden, daß die Scheidung in zwei verschiedene und selbständige Quellen für den Epilog wie auch für den Prolog begründet wird. Diese zwei Hiob-Quellen A und B werden sodann verglichen, wobei sich ergibt, daß A einer beiden gemeinsamen Vorlage wesentlich nähersteht als B. Sodann wird die Stelle I Chr 720-29 (C) als Parallele zu A diskutiert. Während außerbiblische Parallelen zur Hiob-Erzählung wohlbekannt sind, finde ich die Frage nach innerbiblischen Parallelen nirgendwo aufgeworfen. Es ist zu vermuten, daß wenigstens die Berührung von IChr722f. mit Hi2u irgendwo konstatiert ist (ohne daß ich einen Beleg kenne). Die innere Beziehung von A und C darf als hinreichend wahrscheinlich angesehen werden. Aus dem Vergleich von A, B und C wird schließlich eine Grundfassung G des Hiobbuches rekonstruiert. Bei der Annahme einer nicht vorweg bekannten Parallelität treten natürlich tiefliegende methodologische Probleme auf. Ich hoffe, daß die unten gegebene kurze Behandlung dieser Fragen als ausreichend für die hier beabsichtigten Zwecke angesehen werden kann. Manchmal beherrscht eine Art von >Eindruck< über den Text die Entscheidung für oder gegen eine Deutung. Obwohl solche >Eindrücke< subjektiv gelegentlich ganz zwingend wirken, habe ich doch (wegen der völlig Ungewissen Intersubjektivierbarkeit) versucht, sie wo immer möglich -

The Amos-Numbers Midrash (CD 7 13b-8 1a) and Messianic Expectation

Abstract: Le midrash d'Amos-Nombres dans le Document de Damas (=CD)7:13b-8:1a. Etude exegetique et redactionnelle. Deux opinions messianiques distinctes sont presentes dans CD. Dans les premieres recensions (A, B) il y a l'attente d'un Messie unique (peut-etre est-ce la une tendance minoritaire). Cette attente est remplacee de facon deliberee dans la recension tardive CD19:10-11| a leur place le midrash d'Amos-Nombres a ete insere, pour renforcer l'esperance en deux Messies, amenant ainsi CD a rejoindre l'opinion majoritaire a Qumran.

Die Reihe der Inzestverbote Lev 18 7-18. Entstehung und Gestaltungsstufen

Abstract: Lev 18 ?-1 gehört zu den kaum noch umstrittenen Zeugnissen altte.'Stamentlich tradierten israelitischen Rechts. Seit es K. Elliger gelang, als «den ältesten Kern dieses Abschnitts eine »Zehnerreihe« gleichgestalteeter Prohibitive (der Form &rwät ... /o' fgällde) zu bestimmen, »die das Zusammenleben der männlichen und weiblichen Mitglieder innerhalb der Großfamilie, des sog. Vaterhauses«, schützen will, folgt die Forschung dieser seiner Deutung praktisch ohne Vorbehalt. Aber der Konsens verdeckt eine Reihe von Problemen, die bei dieser Sicht der Dinge ungellöst bleiben oder zumindest weiterer Klärung bedürfen. Wir deuten sie vorerst nur an: 1. Innerhalb des rekonstruierten Grundbestands gleichförmig kurzer Prohibitive (*v.7-12.14-10) fehlt eine einheitlich durchgeführte sachliche 1 Zur Abgrenzung s.S. 64.67f. Sie gehört, was v. 17-18 betrifft, zu den wenigen strittigen Fragen. 2 K. Elliger, Leviticus, HAT I 4, 1966, 239; vgl. grundlegend dazu ders., Das Gesetz Leviticus 18 (ZAW 67, 1955, 1-25), in: Kleine Schriften zum Alten Testament, 1966, 232-259. 3 Vgl. H. Graf Reventlow, Das Heiligkeitsgesetz formgeschichtlich untersucht, 1961, 52ff.; M. Noth, Das dritte Buch Mose. Leviticus, ATD 6, 1962, 115-117; R. Kilian, Literarkritische und formgeschichtliche Untersuchung des Heiligkeitsgesetzes, 1963, 21ff.; Chr. Feucht, Untersuchungen zum Heiligkeitsgesetz, 1964, 31-34 und pas$im; E.Gerstenberger, Wesen und Herkunft des »Apodiktischen Rechts«, 1965, 59 f. 112.114 u.ö.; G. Fohrer, Das sogenannte apodiktisch formulierte Recht und der Dekalog (KuDll, 1965, 49-74), in: Studien zur alttestamentlichen Theologie und Geschichte (1949-1966), 1969, 120-148, bes. 124-126; W.Richter, Recht und Ethos. Versuch einer Ortung des weisheitlichen Mahnspruches, 1966, 136ff.140.144 u.ö.; J. R. Porter, The Extended Family in the Old Testament, 1967, 6ff.; H.Schulz, Das Todesrecht im Alten Testament. Studien zur Rechtsform der Mot-Jumat-Sätze, 1969, 46ff. 130ff.; W. Thiel, Erwägungen zum Alter des Heiligkeitsgesetzes, ZAW 81 (1969), 40-73, 49-51; W.Kornfeld, Das Buch Liviticus, 1972, 117ff.; H.J.Boecker, Recht und Gesetz im Alten Testament und im Alten Orient, 1976, 176 f. Skeptisch bis ablehnend (nicht was die Grundlinien der Analyse, wohl aber was Wesen und Herkunft der Reihe betrifft) freilich V.Wagner, Rechtssätze in gebundener Sprache und Rechtssatzreihen im israelitischen Recht, 1972, 40ff., bes. 44-46. Dazu i.e. unten! Die genannten gattungsgeschichtlichen Arbeiten dokumentieren zugleich die bes. Bedeutung der Reihe im Zusammenhang der Diskussion ums »apodiktisch formulierte Recht<. Vgl. A.Alt selbst: Die Ursprünge des israelitischen Rechts (1934), in: Kleine Schriften zur Geschichte des Volkes Israel, I 1959, 278-332, 314 f. 4 K. Elliger, Gesetz, 238f.; Leviticus, 231f.234.238f. Zehn Glieder werden erreicht durch Ergänzung eines vor v. 10 ausgefallenen Verbots über die Tochter.