Why Did They Write This Way?: Reflections on References to Written Documents in the Hebrew Bible and Ancient Literature

177 Pages·2008·4.044 MB·English

by  Katherine M. Stott

LIBRARY OF HEBREW BIBLE/
OLD TESTAMENT STUDIES
492
Formerly Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series
Editors
Claudia V. Camp, Texas Christian University
Andrew Mein, Westcott House, Cambridge
Founding Editors
David J. A. Clines, Philip R. Davies and David M. Gunn
Editorial Board
Richard J. Coggins, Alan Cooper, John Goldingay, Robert P. Gordon,
Norman K. Gottwald, Gina Hens-Piazza, John Jarick, Andrew D. H. Mayes,
Carol Meyers, Patrick D. Miller, Yvonne Sherwood
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WHY DID THEY WRITE THIS WAY?
Reflections on References to Written Documents
in the Hebrew Bible and Ancient Literature
Katherine M. Stott
Copyright © 2008 by Katherine M. Stott
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher, T & T Clark
International.
T & T Clark International, 80 Maiden Lane, New York, NY 10038
T & T Clark International, The Tower Building, 11 York Road, London SE1 7NX
T & T Clark International is a Continuum imprint.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Stott, Katherine M.
Why did they write this way? : reflections on references to written documents in the
Hebrew Bible and ancient literature / Katherine M. Stott.
p. cm. -- (The library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament studies ; #492)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-567-02722-1 (hardcover : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-567-02722-8 (hardcover : alk. paper)
1. Bible. O.T.--Criticism, interpretation, etc. I. Title. II. Series.
BS1171.3.S76 2008
221.6'6--dc22
2007034750
06 07 08 09 10 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
To Fredrik and my family
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CONTENTS
Acknowledgments xi
Abbreviations xiii
Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION 1
1. Books in the Hebrew Bible 2
2. Scholarly Interpretations of Biblical References
to Written Documents 4
3. Alternative Suggestions 6
4. Comparative Approach 10
5. Outline of Chapters 15
Part I
SURVEY OF CLASSICAL AND HEBREW BIBLESOURCES
Chapter 2
SOURCE CITATIONS AND USE OF SOURCES
INCLASSICAL LITERATURE:ASURVEY 19
1. Herodotus 19
2. Thucydides 28
3. Later Historiography 30
a. Contemporary/Near-Contemporary History 31
(1) Inquiry of Eyewitnesses 31
(2) Predecessors 32
b. Non-Contemporary/Early History 39
4. Historians Who Wrote About the World
Outside Greece and Rome 42
5. Beyond Historiography 47
6. Conclusion 50

Chapter 3
SOURCE CITATIONS IN THE HEBREW BIBLE 52
1. Kings 52
2. Chronicles 60
3. Ezra 67
4. Esther 72
viii Why Did They Write This Way?
Part II
STORIES ABOUT BOOKS:
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
Chapter 4
THE STORY OF THE BOOK OF THE LAW 77
1. Traditional View 77
2. Alternative Perspectives 80
3. Comparative Approach 86
a. Category 1: Discovered Books as Rhetorical Devices 87
(1) The Phoenician History of Philo of Byblos 87
(2) Dictys of Crete 92
(3) Further Examples 94
b. Category 2: Discovered Books that Support
Ideological Agendas 98
(1) Pausanias 98
(2) Plutarch 99
(3) Livy 99
4. The Book of the Law and Classical Parallels 103
a. Book is Authored by an Important Figure
of Antiquity 104
b. Book is Deposited in a Temple 104
c. Book is “Lost” or “Forgotten” for a Period of Time 105
d. Book is Discovered (in a Temple) 106
e. Book is Discovered by a Priest 107
f. Book is Presented to a King 107
g. Book Requires Interpretation 108
h. Book Provides the Basis for “Reform” 108
5. Conclusion 108
Chapter 5
THE STORY OF THE BOOK OF THE LAW:
ACOMPARATIVE ANALYSIS 109
1. Category 1 109
2. Category 2 110
3. A Critique of Speyer’s Reading 112
4. Re-Reading the Classical Stories 115
a. Pausanius 115
b. Livy 117
5. The Story of the Book of the Law 121
Contents ix
Chapter 6
OTHER LOST AND FOUND “BOOKS”
IN THE HEBREW BIBLE 123
1. Jeremiah 123
2. The Tablets of the Law 127
3. Ezra 128
4. 2 Maccabees 2:13–15 133
5. Conclusion 136
Part III
CONCLUSIONS
Chapter 7
CONCLUSION 139
Bibliography 142
Index of References 155
Index of Authors 160