Hebrew Life and Literature: Selected Essays of Bernhard Lang

293 Pages·2008·1.768 MB·English

by  Bernhard Lang

HEBREW LIFE AND LITERATURE
Bernhard Lang, known for his contributions over several decades to biblical
anthropology, offers in this volume a selection of essays on the life and literature
of the ancient Hebrews. The subjects range from the Hebrew God, the world-
view of the Bible, and the formation of the scriptural canon, to peasant poverty,
women’s work, the good life, and prophetic street theatre. The stories of Joseph,
Samson, and the expulsion from Paradise are analysed, and in a departure from
the Old Testament, the priestly origins of the Eucharist are considered. Insight into
the Hebrew mentality is facilitated by the arrangement of the essays, reflecting the
three strata of the ancient society: the peasants, with their common concerns of
fertility and happiness; warriors, their martial pursuits, and the divine Lord of War;
and the wise – prophets, priests, and sages.
SOCIETY FOR OLD TESTAMENT STUDY MONOGRAPHS
Series Editor
Margaret Barker
Series Editorial Board
Katharine J. Dell; Paul Joyce; Edward Ball; Eryl Davies
Series Advisory Board
Bertil Albrektson; Graeme Auld; John Barton; Joseph Blenkinsopp;
William Johnstone; John Rogerson
Ashgate is pleased to publish the revived Society for Old Testament Study (SOTS)
monograph series. The Society for Old Testament Study is a learned society based
in the British Isles, with an international membership, committed to the study of
the Old Testament. This series promotes Old Testament studies with the support
and guidance of the Society. The series includes research monographs by members
of the Society, both from established international scholars and from exciting new
authors.
Titles in the series include:
Jeremiah’s Kings
A Study of the Monarchy in Jeremiah
John Brian Job
Hebrew Bible and Ancient Versions
Selected Essays of Robert P. Gordon
Robert P. Gordon
The Old Testament: Canon, Literature and Theology
Collected Essays of John Barton
John Barton
Amos and the Cosmic Imagination
James R. Linville
Contradiction in the Book of Proverbs
The Deep Waters of Counsel
Peter T.H. Hatton
Hebrew Life and Literature
Selected Essays of Bernhard Lang
BERNHARD LANG
University of Paderborn, Germany
First published 2008 by Ashgate Publishing
Published 2016 by Routledge
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Copyright © Bernhard Lang 2008
Bernhard Lang has asserted his moral right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act,
1988, to be identified as the author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in
any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter
invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Notice:
Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are
used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Lang, Bernhard, 1946–
Hebrew life and literature : selected essays of Bernhard Lang. – (Society for Old Testament
Study)
1. Bible. O.T. – Criticism, interpretation, etc. 2. Jews – History
I. Title II. Society for Old Testament Study
221.9
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Lang, Bernhard, 1946–
Hebrew life and literature : selected essays of Bernhard Lang / Bernhard Lang.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-7546-6618-9 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Bible. O.T.—Criticism, interpretation,
etc. 2. Lord’s Supper—Biblical teaching. I. Title.
BS1171.3.L35 2008
221.6’7—dc22
2008023035
ISBN 9780754666189 (hbk)
For my Danish friends
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Contents
List of Figures and Tables ix
Preface xi
Acknowledgements xiii
PART 1 Introduction
1 Biblical Studies as a Vocation: Sketch of an Academic Self-Portrait 3
2 The Hebrew God: A Very Short Summary 13
PART 2 Wealth, Fertility, and the Good Life – The Third Function
3 God and the Good Life 31
4 Peasant Poverty: Rent Capitalism in the Days of Amos 47
5 Women’s Work, Household and Property in Three Mediterranean
Societies:A Comparative Essay on Proverbs 31:10–31 61
6 A Zoroastrian Prophecy of Resurrection: A New Reading of
Ezekiel 37 83
7 Joseph the Diviner: Careers of a Biblical Hero 93
8 The Forbidden Fruit: An Ancient Myth and Its Transformation in
Genesis 2–3 111
PART 3 War and Violence – The Second Function
9 The Three Sins of Samson the Warrior 129
10 Cosmic Battles: ‘Traditional’ and ‘Utopian’ Monotheism in
Biblical Times 143
PART 4 Rules, Wisdom, and Prophetic Acts – The First Function
11 Lady Wisdom: Poetry, Polytheism, and Psychology: A Pilgrim’s
Progress 165
12 Games Prophets Play: Street Theatre and Symbolic Acts in
Biblical Israel 185
13 The Number Ten and the Iniquity of the Fathers: A New
Interpretation of the Decalogue 197
14 A Hellenistic Literary Canon in the Hebrew Bible: The ‘Writings’ 217
15 The Riddle of the Lord’s Supper: A New Solution 237
Bibliography 253
Index of Biblical References 273
Index of Subjects 275
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List of Figures and Tables
Figures
1.1 Trees. John Ruskin. Source: The Works of John Ruskin. Edited by
E.T. Cook and Alexander Wedderburn. 39 vols. London: George Allen,
1903–1912; vol. 15 (The Elements of Drawing, 1857). 8
4.1 King Jehu of Israel kissing the dust before the Assyrian king;
Assyrian relief, 9th century BCE. Source: Helps to the Study of the
Bible. Edited by James Ridgway, London: Oxford University Press,
1893. 54
6.1 Zoroastrian funeral ground with human remains.
Source: Robert Wesley Habenstein and William M. Lamers,
Funeral Customs the World Over. Revised edition. Milwaukee:
Bulfin Printers, 1963, p. 183. 86
6.2 The resurrection of the dead. Wall-painting, synagogue of
Dura-Europos, Syria. Source: Clark Hopkins, The Discovery of Dura-
Europos. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1979, p. 170 (detail). 90
Tables
7.1 Plot structure of the Joseph story 94
12.1 The four types of prophetic acts 194
13.1 The Decalogue (Dodecalogue) Deuteronomy 5:6–21 201
14.1 Two ways of counting the books of the Hebrew Bible 219
14.2 The sacred canon of ancient Egyptian literature as reported by
Clement of Alexandria 221
14.3 The literary canon of the Alexandrian scholars, according to
Quintilian 223
14.4 Classification of the twelve books of the Writings of the Hebrew
Bible 225
14.5 Tentative reconstruction of the phases in the formation of the
Hebrew Bible 233
15.1 Three milieus and their Eucharistic ideas 250