Ezekiel's Message of Hope and Restoration: Redaction-Critical Study of Ezekiel 1–7

298 Pages·2021·0.995 MB·English

by  Yip, Hei Yin

HeiYinYip
Ezekiel’sMessageofHopeandRestoration
Beihefte zur Zeitschrift
für die alttestamentliche
Wissenschaft
Edited by
John Barton, Reinhard G. Kratz, Nathan MacDonald,
Sara Milstein and Markus Witte
Volume 532
Hei Yin Yip
Ezekiel’s Message
of Hope
and Restoration
Redaction-Critical Study of Ezekiel 1–7
ISBN978-3-11-071126-4
e-ISBN(PDF)978-3-11-071157-8
e-ISBN(EPUB)978-3-11-071167-7
ISSN0934-2575
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2020951840
BibliographicinformationpublishedbytheDeutscheNationalbibliothek
TheDeutscheNationalbibliothekliststhispublicationintheDeutscheNationalbibliografie;
detailedbibliographicdataareavailableontheInternetathttp://dnb.dnb.de.
©2021WalterdeGruyterGmbH,Berlin/Boston
Typesetting:MetaSystemsPublishing&PrintservicesGmbH,Wustermark
Printingandbinding:CPIbooksGmbH,Leck
www.degruyter.com
Contents
Acknowledgements ix
Abbreviations xi
1 Introduction 1
1.1 DefiningtheBasicTexts:Ezekiel’soracleconcerninghisinaugural
vision 2
1.2 TheAimofthisStudy 5
1.3 LiteratureReview 7
1.3.1 ARefinedStratifiedRedactionalModelinEzek1–7 7
1.3.2 “Holistic”ModelinEzek1–7 11
1.3.3 RedactionalModelofGradualLiteraryGrowthinEzek1–7 11
1.4 Methodology 19
1.4.1 MethodologicalIssuesinaDiachronicApproach 20
1.4.2 MethodologicalIssuesinInner-BiblicalInterpretation 26
1.5 Outline 37
2 Ezekiel’sCallNarrative(Ezek1:1–3:15) 39
2.1 TheDiachronicAnalysisofEzek1:1–3:15 39
2.1.1 TextualCriticism 44
2.1.2 RedactionCriticism 47
2.2 ExegesisofEzekiel1:1–28 51
2.2.1 TheRedactionalVisionAccountoftheGlory(1:4–28*)andtheMotif
ofHopeandRestoration 51
2.2.2 Redactionin1:1–3:Ezekiel’sPriestlyRole 53
2.2.3 Summary 56
2.3 TheOriginalCallNarrative(2:3–3:11*) 56
2.3.1 TheRecognitionofProphetandtheOpeningofEzekiel’s
Mouth 60
2.4 Conclusion 65
3 Ezekiel’sCalltobeaWatchman(Ezek3:16–21)andhisCall
toMuteness(Ezek3:22–27) 67
3.1 TheDiachronicAnalysisofEzek3:16–27 67
3.1.1 TextualCriticism 70
3.1.2 RedactionCriticism 71
vi Contents
3.2 Ezekiel’sCalltobeaWatchman 75
3.2.1 PurposefulTextualReusebetweenEzek3:16b–21
andEzek18,33 75
3.2.2 ExegesisofEzekiel3:17–19 76
3.2.3 ExegesisofEzekiel3:20–21 78
3.3 Ezekiel’sBindingandHisCalltobeMuteness 86
3.3.1 Ezek3:22–27andEzek37:1–14 86
3.4 Conclusion 97
4 Ezekiel’sSign-Acts 99
4.1 TheDiachronicAnalysisofEzek4:1–5:17 99
4.1.1 TextualCriticism 104
4.1.2 RedactionCriticism 108
4.2 TheSign-ActsinEzekiel4 115
4.2.1 Ezekiel4:4–8andtheReinstatementofEzekiel’sPriestly
Role 115
4.2.2 Ezekiel4:12–15andtheMitigationoftheDivine
Punishment 126
4.3 TheSign-ActsinEzekiel5 129
4.3.1 Ezek5:3andtheHopeofPreservation 130
4.3.2 TheVerbalProclamation(5:5–17) 133
4.4 Conclusion 139
5 TheOracleagainsttheMountainsofIsrael 141
5.1 TheDiachronicAnalysisofEzek6:1–14 142
5.1.1 TextualCriticism 144
5.1.2 RedactionCriticism 147
5.2 Ezekiel6andtheMotifofHopeandRestoration 150
5.2.1 Ezekiel6:4b–7aandtheAnticipationofHopeand
Restoration 151
5.2.2 Ezekiel6:8–10andtheOracleofSalvation 159
5.2.3 Ezekiel6:13aβ–14andtheDivinePresence 164
5.3 Conclusion 166
6 TheOracleconcerningtheEndoftheLandofIsrael 168
6.1 TheDiachronicAnalysisofEzek7:1–27 169
6.1.1 TextualCriticism 173
6.1.2 RedactionCriticism 176
6.2 ExegesisoftheRedactionalMaterialofEzekiel7 178
6.2.1 Ezek7:5b–7a*,12b–14,21–24andtheMotif
ofJudgement 178
Contents vii
6.2.2 Ezek7:5b–7a*,12b–14,21–24andtheMotifofHope 183
6.2.3 Ezekiel7:12–14,16andtheLawabouttheJubilee 185
6.2.4 Ezekiel7:12–14andtheBlossomingRodin7:10–11 189
6.3 Conclusion 193
7 TheReassertionoftheLegitimacyoftheZadokitePriesthood
intheEarlyPersianPeriod 195
7.1 Overview 195
7.2 HistoricalContext:TheDisputesovertheTempleHierarchy
intheLate-ExilicandEarlyPost-ExilicPeriod 196
7.3 Zech3:AKeytoUnderstandingtheReestablishment
oftheZadokitePriesthood 200
7.4 TheRedactionalmaterialofEzekiel3–5andZechariah3 202
7.4.1 Ezek3:16b–21andZech3 205
7.4.2 Ezek3:22–27andZech3 206
7.4.3 Ezek4:4–8andZech3 208
7.4.4 Ezek4:12–15andZech3 210
7.4.5 Ezek5:3–4andZech3 212
7.4.6 Ezek5:13andZech3 213
7.5 TheRedactionalMaterialofEzek3–5andtheConcept
ofPriesthoodinEzek40–48 214
7.6 Conclusion 217
8 TheRelationbetweentheSecondaryMaterialinEzekiel6–7
andtheLawoftheTemple 219
8.1 RedactioninEzekiel40–48inModernScholarship 219
8.2 TextualDependencebetweenEzekiel6–7
andEzekiel43–46 223
8.2.1 DirectionofDependencebetweenEzekiel6–7
andEzekiel43–46 224
8.2.2 PurposefulTextualReusebetweenEzekiel6–7
andEzekiel43–46 226
8.3 TheSecondaryExpansionsinEzekiel6–7andtheLaw
oftheTemple 228
8.3.1 TheRelationbetweenEzekiel6and43:6–27 229
8.3.2 TheRelationbetweenEzekiel7and44:6–46:18 233
8.4 ThePurposeofInterpolationofSecondaryExpansions
ofEzek6–7 239
8.5 Conclusion 243
viii Contents
9 Conclusion 245
9.1 SummaryofStudy 245
9.2 SuggestionsforFurtherStudies 250
AppendixA:TheRelativeChronologyofEzek3:22–27and37:1–14 253
Bibliography 259
IndexofScriptureReferences 269
IndexofAuthors 281
Acknowledgements
This book is a revised version of my doctoral thesis, which was completed at
theUniversityofAberdeen,Scotland,in2019/20.Withoutthesupportofmany
people,Iwouldneverhaveaccomplishedthisbook.Iamdeeplygratefultomy
supervisor, Dr. Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer (now Professor in Old Testament Exegesis
at Örebro School of Theology, Sweden), for her guidance during my studies in
Aberdeen, and for her ongoing friendship. Her wisdom and critical comments
havestrengthenedtheargumentinmythesisateveryturn.Herdiligence,kind-
ness,enthusiasm,approachablemannerandtremendouspatiencemakeheran
excellentsupervisor.SincerethanksarealsoduetoDr.AnjaKlein(Edinburgh)
and Dr. Andrew Mein (Durham, now at St. Andrews), examiners of the thesis,
fortheircareinreadingandhelpfulcommentsonit.Iwouldalsoliketothank
Prof.Ka-LeungWongatChinaGraduateSchoolofTheology(HongKong),who
first introduced me to the book of Ezekiel, and constantly encouraged me and
prayedforme.
Myappreciationalsogoestoallofmypreviousteachersandprofessorsthat
I have had along the way. Although I am unable to mention all of you here, I
owe a great deal to those of you under whom I studied at the University of
AberdeenandChinaGraduateSchoolofTheology,whichlaidthefoundationof
my research into the Bible. I am thankful for the support that I have received
from my students and my colleagues at China Graduate School of Theology,
where I currently teach. My heartfelt thanks to friends at C. & M.A. Mei Foo
Church (especially Mimi and Ringo Lau) for continual financial and spiritual
support.AlsomanythankstotheeditorsofBZAWforacceptingthismanuscript
for publication and to the staff of the Walter de Gruyter for their professional
collaboration.Anymistakesthatremaininthebookaremine.
A debt of wholehearted gratitude is due to my family. My son, Isaac, has
contributedsignificantlybyallowingmetostudyjoyfullyallthistime.Mygenu-
ine appreciation, however, is for Man-Sim, my wife, without whom the entire
endeavourwouldhavebeenlongsincelost.
Finally, my greatest gratitude is to the LORD, who has blessed and helped
methroughallofthosepeople.ToHIMthisbookisdedicated.
HongKong,October2020 HeiYinYip
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110711578-201