Chaos Uncreated: A Reassessment of the Theme of "Chaos" in the Hebrew Bible

526 Pages·2005·14.14 MB·English

by  Rebecca S. Watson

Rebecca S. Watson
Chaos Uncreated
Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die
alttestamentliche Wissenschaft
Herausgegeben von
John Barton · Reinhard G. Kratz
Choon-Leong Seow · Markus Witte
Band 341
w
DE
G
Walter de Gruyter · Berlin · New York
Rebecca S. Watson
Chaos Uncreated
A Reassessment of the Theme of "Chaos"
in the Hebrew Bible
w
DE
G
Walter de Gruyter · Berlin · New York
@ Printed on acid-free paper which falls within
the guidelines of the ANSI to ensure permanence and durability.
ISBN-13: 978-3-11-017993-4
1SBN-10: 3-11-017993-8
Library of Congress Caialoging-in-Publication Data
Watson, Rebecca Sally, 1971-
Chaos uncreated : a reassessment of the theme of "chaos" in
the I lebrew Bible / Rebecca S. Watson.
p. cm. — (Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche
Wissenschaft ; Bd. 341)
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN-13: 978-3-11-017993-4 (cloth : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 3-11-017993-8 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Bible. Ο. Τ. Psalms — Criticism, interpretation, etc. 2. The-
omachy in the Bible. 3. Dragons in the Bible. 4. Water in the
Bible. I. Tide. II. Series: Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die altte-
stamendiche Wissenschaft ; 341.
BS410.Z5 vol. 341
[BS1430.6.T447]
221.6 s — dc22
[221.61
2005028121
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© Copyright 2005 by Walter de Gruytcr GmbH & Co. KG, D-10785 Berlin
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Printed in Germany
Cover Design: Christopher Schneider, Berlin
For my Parents,
In gratitude and affection

Table of Contents
Abbreviations xi
Preface xvii
I. Introduction 1
II. The Theme of "Chaos" in the Psalter: The State of the Question 12
1. "Chaos" 13
2. Creation 19
3. Combat 25
4. Comparative Method 26
5. Summary 29
6. Mowinckel's "Cultic" Approach 31
III. Archaic Hebrew Poetry: Psalms 29, 68 and 114 38
1. The Date of Psalms 29, 68 and 114 38
i. The Date of Psalm 29 40
ii. The Date of Psalm 68 43
iii. The Date of Psalm 114 47
2. The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalms 29, 68 and 114 48
i. The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalm 29 48
The Meaning of the Phrase ΕΡ3Ί o'Q 59
ii. The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalm 68 64
iii. The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalm 114 71
3. Summary 73
IV. Individual Laments, Royal Laments and Related Thanksgiving Psalms:
Psalms 18, 32, 42-3, 69, 88, 124, and 144 74
1. Psalm 18: Yahweh's Deliverance of the Suppliant from
the Waters of Sheol and from his Enemies 75
i. The Date of Psalm 18 75
ii. The Significance of the "Waters" Imagery of Psalm 18 78
2. Psalm 144: The Waters as Symbolic of the
Psalmist's Enemies; Yahweh as Deliverer 83
3. Psalm 124: The Waters as Symbolic of Sheol and of
the Psalmist's Enemies; Yahweh as Deliverer 85
viii Table of Contents
4. Psalm 69: The Waters as Symbolic of Sheol;
Yahweh as Deliverer 88
5. Psalm 42-3 and 88: The Waters as Symbolic of Sheol:
Yahweh as the Agent of Woe 93
i. Psalm 42-3 94
ii. Psalm 88 100
iii. The Significance of the "Waters" Imagery
of Psalms 42-3 and 88 105
6. Psalm 32: Freedom from the Waters attained through Prayer .... 107
7. A Note on Dating 109
8. Summary 112
V. Songs Relating to the Protection of Zion: Psalms 24, 93, 46 and 65 114
1. The Date of Psalms 24, 93, 46 and 65 117
i. The Date of Psalm 24 118
ii. The Date of Psalm 93 122
iii. The Date of Psalm 46 124
iv. The Date of Psalm 65 126
2. The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalms 24, 93, 46 and 65 128
i. The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalm 24 128
ii. The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalm 93 130
iii. The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalm 46 135
iv. The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalm 65 138
3. Summary 140
VI. National Laments: Psalms 77, 74, 89 (with 87) and 44 142
1. Psalm 77 143
i. The Date of Psalm 77 143
ii. The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalm 77 147
2 Psalm 74 152
i. The Date of Psalm 74 152
ii. The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalm 74 156
3. Psalm 89 169
i. The Date of Psalm 89 169
ii. The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalm 89 173
The Date of Psalm 87 174
The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalm 89 (resumed) 180
4. Psalm 44 189
i. The Date of Psalm 44 189
ii. The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalm 44 190
5. Summary 193
VII. Songs of Universal Praise: Psalms 96, 98, 148 and 135 195
1. Psalms 96 and 98 195
i. The Date of Psalms 96 and 98 195
ii. The Relationship of Psalms 96 and 98 in Deutero-Isaiah 199
iii. The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalms 96 and 98 202
Table of Contents ix
2. Psalm 148 208
3. Psalm 135 212
4. Summary 213
VIII. The Creation of "Chaos" in the Psalter?
Psalms 24, 95, 146, 148, 136, 33 and 104 214
1. Psalm 24 216
2. Psalm 95 216
3. Psalm 146 219
4. Psalm 148 222
5. Psalm 136 223
i. The Date of Psalm 136 223
ii. The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalm 136 225
6. Psalm 33 226
i. The Date of Psalm 33 226
ii. The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalm 33 227
7. Psalm 104 230
i. The Date of Psalm 104 230
ii. The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalm 104 233
8. Summary 242
IX. The Crossing of ηιθ"Ε\ Psalms 78, 106 and 136 243
1. The Date of Psalms 78, 106 and 136 245
2. The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalms 78, 106 and 136 251
i. The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalm 78 251
ii. The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalm 106 253
iii. The Theme of "Chaos" in Psalm 136 255
3. Summary 258
X. The Theme of "Chaos" in the Psalter: Summary of Results 259
XI. The Theme of "Chaos" in the Wider Old Testament 265
1. The Dating of the "Chaos" References of Job and
Isaiah 27, 30, 51 272
2. The Theme of "Chaos" in Job and Isaiah 27, 30, 51 273
i. Passages including an Allusion to the Waters:
Job 38:8-11,9:8, 7:12 274
Job 38:8-11 274
Job 9:8 278
Job 7:12 281
Summary 289
ii. Passages Relating to Rahab: Isa. 30:7, 51:9-11, Job 26, 9:13 289
Isaiah 30:7c 289
Isaiah 51:9-11 291
Job 26 301
Job 9:13 313
Summary 318