Introduction to the Old Testament as Scripture

672 Pages·1979·30.04 MB·English

by  Brevard S. Childs

BREVARD SCHILDS
Introduction
to the
Old Testament
as Scripture
BREVARD S. CHILDS
INTRODUCTION TO THE
OLD TESTAMENT
AS SCRIPTURE
FORTRESS PRESS
PHILADELPHIA
First American Edition by Fortress Press 1979
COPYRIGHT © 1979 by Brevard S. Childs
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, elec-
tronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the
prior permission ofthe publisher.
Library of Congress Catalogingin Publication Data
Childs, Brevard S
Introduction to the Old Testament as Scripture.
Includes bibliographies.
1. Bible 0.T.—lntroductions. l. Title.
BSll40.2.C48 221.6 78-14665
ISBN 0-8006-0532-2
7400E79 Printed in the United States of America 1-S32
To Ann
whose profoundfaith
and exuberant love oflife
has brought constantjoy
and surprise
CONTENTS
Preface I5
Abbreviations 19
PART ONE
THE OLD TESTAMENT:
INTRODUCTION
I THE DISCIPLINE OF OLD TESTAMENT
INTRODUCTION ‘Z7
I The History of the Discipline 30
-i A Critique ofthe Historical Critical Introduction 39
Ii Old Testament Introduction and the Canon 4-l
I THl-I PROBLEM OF THE CANON 46
I Terminology 49
') The Traditional View of the Canon and its Demise 5l
:4 The Nineteenth-century Historical Consensus and its
Erosion 52
-t The Search for a New Consensus 54
S .-\ New Attempt at Understanding the Canon 57
ti The Relation between the Literary and
(Ianonical Histories 60
7 .-\ Sketch ofthe Development of the Hebrew Canon 62
ll Su|nm;tr_y and Implications 67
( \f\'()l\' .-\l\'l) CRITICISNI 69
I l'Ixt-qt-sis in a (Tanonical Context 72
-1 The (I;mmtic;1l Approach Contrasted with Others 74
‘I The l"‘iu;1l Form 0|‘ the Text and its Prehistory 75
-I
The (I;utu|tit‘;il Pr't>t‘t'ss and the Shaping of
St'.ri}>Iut't' 77
CONTENTS
5 Scripture and Tradition 80
6 Canon and Interpretation 82
IV TEXT AND CANON 84
I The Nature ol‘ the Problem 88
‘Z History of the Discipline 89
3 The Goals of Old Testament Textual Criticism 9‘)
4 Canon and Text 94
5 Goal and Method olia Canonical Approach to
Text Criticism 96
6 Masoretic Text and Canonical Text I00
7 The Pre-stabilization Period in Old Testament
Textual History lOl
8 The Text-critical Task I03
PART TWO
THE PENTATEUCH
V
lI\'TROI)UCTIO\‘ TO THE PENTATEUCH I09
I The History of _\-Ioclern Critical Research ll‘)
2 The Present State ofCritical Debate on the
Pentateuch ll9
3 The Canonical Shape of the Pentatcuch I27
VI GENESIS I36
I Historical Critical Problems I4-O
Q The Canonical Shape of Genesis I4-5
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications I57
VII EXODUS 61
I Historical Critical Problems 64
2 The Canonical Shape of Exodus 70
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications 76
VIII LEVITICUS 80
I Historical Critical Problems 82
‘Z The Canonical Shape of Leviticus 84
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications 87
IX NUMBERS Ell)
I Historical (lriticatl Pmliletns 92
CONTENTS 9
2 The Canonical Shape ofNumbers I94
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications I99
DEUTERONOl\/IY 202
I Historical Critical Problems 204
2 The Canonical Shape of Deuteronomy 2ll
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications 224
PART THREE
THE FORMER PROPHE'l‘S
XI I.\lTRODUCTIO.\’ TO THE FORMER
PROPHETS 229
I Introduction to the Historical Critical Problems 230
2 The Canonical Shape oithe Former Prophets 232
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications 236
|l_KBHUA
X 239
l Historical Critical Problems 241
2 The Canonical Shape ofjoshua 244
T-I Theological and Hermeneutical Implications 0=5->
-4;,-.
xtn _|t1not~;s
254
I Historical Critical Problems 256
2 The (Ianonical Shape ofjudges 258
3 'l'lu-ological and Hermeneutical Implications 26]
\I\' S.\.\lUEI. 263
I llistoricetl (I|'itit*2tl Problems 266
‘.3 Tltc ('.anonical Shape oI‘San1uel 271
'i Tltt-olo_qit‘;tl nntl l'Ic|'mcnctttit‘2tl Implications 278
\\' l\'l\(i.'\' 281
I IIislu|‘it';tl (It'itit*;tl l’toI)lctn5 285
'.’ Tlic (I;ttumit':1I Slittpc oI' lxittos 287
"I Tlic l'|oliIt-in nl'(Ilt|"o|tology itt the Books of
lxittgs 294
-I IIt‘llllt'llt'llIl('.lI ltttplttttltottsol(-;tno1t|t'nl
.‘~ill.||ii|tu 3(Ill
CONTENTS
PART FOUR
THE LATTER PROPHETS
XVI INTRODUCTION TO THE LATTER
PROPHETS
XVII ISAIAH
I The Historical Approach to the Book ofIsaiah
2 The Canonical Shape ofthe Book of Isaiah
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications
JEREMIAH
XVIII
l Historical Critical Problems
2 The Canonical Shape ofjeremiah
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications
XIX EZEKIEL
I Historical Critical Problems
2 The Canonical Shape ofEzekiel
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications
THE BOOK OF THE TWELVE
XX HOSEA
I Historical Critical Problems
2 The Canonical Shape ofHosea
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications
JOEL
XXI
I Historical Critical Problems
2 The Canonical Shape of_]oeI
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications
XXII AMOS
I Historical Critical Problems
2 The Canonical Shape ofAmos
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications
XXIII OBADIAH
I Historical Critical Problems
2 The Canonical Shape ofObadiah
3 'l'heoIoigit';iI aiitl Heriiiciiciilical Implications
CONTENTS
JONAH
XXIV
I Historical Critical Problems
2 The Canonical Shape ofjonah
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications
XXV MICAH
I Historical Critical Problems
2 The Canonical Shape ofMicah
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications
XXVI NAHUM
I Historical Critical Problems
2 The Canonical Shape of Nahum
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications
XX\'II HABAKKUK
I Historical Critical Problems
2 The Canonical Shape of Habakkuk
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications
\X\'lll ZEPHANIAH
I Historical Critical Problems
2 The Canonical Shape of Zephaniah
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications
XXIX HAGGAI
I Historical Critical Problems
2 The Canonical Shape ofHaggai
‘I 'l'lieological and Hermeneutical Implications
XXX /.I'l(IHARlAH
I Historical Ci'itiCal Problems
2 The (laiioiiical Shape of Zechariah
‘I 'l'Iit-ological and Hermeneutical Implications
XXXI Y\I.'\I..-\(Il-II
I llistorieal (Iritical Problems
1.’ The (laiioiiical Shape of Malachi
‘I 'l'lit-oloqical and Hci-meiieutical Implications
I2 CONTENTS
PART FIVE
THE WRITINGS
XXXII INTRODUCTION TO THE WRITINGS 50I
XXXIII THE PSALMS 504
I The Impact of the Critical Approach on the
Psalter 508
2 The Canonical Shape of the Psalter 5I I
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications 522
JOB
XXXIV 526
I The Present Impasse in the Study ofjob 528
2 The Canonical Shape ofthe Book ofjob 533
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications 543
XXXV PROVERBS 545
I Historical Critical Problems 547
2 The Canonical Shape ofProverbs 551
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications 557
XXXVI RUTH 560
I Historical Critical Problems 561
2 The Canonical Shape ofthe Book of Ruth 564
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications 567
XXXVII SONG OF SONGS 569
I Historical Critical Problems 57l
2 The Canonical Shape of the Song ofSongs 573
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications 578
XXXVIII ECCLESIASTES 580
I Historical Critical Problems 58I
2 The Canonical Shape of Ecclesiastes 583
3 Theological and Hermeneutical Implications 588
XXXIX LAMENTATIONS 590
I Historical Critical Problems 59]
2 The Canonical Shape of Lamentations 593
3 Theological ziiitl Hcrniciicutical Implications 596