INTRODUCTION TO THE HEBREW BIBLE/OLD TESTAMENT

RELG 211 Syllabus

Professor Seth L. Sanders seth.sanders@trincoll.edu Office Hours: McCook 212, Friday 10:30-12:30 Did Moses write the Bible? If not, what is so special about it that people over 2,000 years later still try to follow it, and in such contradictory ways? This course will give you the tools to find out for yourself. While the Bible is a cornerstone of global (not just Western) culture, it is also more than a classic; people do not try to obey the revealed word of Shakespeare. The Hebrew Bibles determining force in Western culture is connected to its claim to contain commands by the ruler of the universe to the readers, who are his subjects. But historically, this book appears to be no book at all but a library of disparate texts put together by an imperial subject people. Our method will be close reading of selected biblical texts with these big questions in mind: where did the Bible come from, why does it speak in such different ways, and why does it matter? Informed with the insights of Bible criticism and compared with ancient Near Eastern sources, we will explore how this obscure ancient literature became a continuing voice of power. Meeting Times: Seabury Hall N217, Tuesday and Thursday 10:50am-12:05pm Textbooks Adele Berlin, ed. The Jewish Study Bible (Oxford U P, 2003) John J. Collins, Introduction to the Hebrew Bible (Augsburg Fortress, 2004) Richard Elliott Freedman, Who Wrote the Bible? (HarperSanFrancisco, 1997) How to do well in this class 1. I'm interested in what you have to say. Do the reading before every class and be prepared to be called on and say something meaningful about the reading. This means that when you prepare, you need to not just a) take notes but b) review your notes and bring your responses to class to help remember your ideas. 2. Study to master the details. Take the study guides, write down answers on note cards and quiz yourself. Give yourself a chance to concentrate: people usually study best in a quiet environment like a single desk at the library, without internet. 3. Bring the text to every class. You will be called on to read and analyze. Laptops are ok if they are not distracting in class. 4. Attend every class and turn in all work on time. You are allowed two unexcused absences. After that, every absence without a written note from a dean, doctor or coach reduces your grade by half a letter. You are responsible for finding out from classmates what you missed and

making up work. Technology failure is no excuse for lateness so back up your work: gmail your papers to yourself and use Dropbox, a flash drive, or similar techniques. 5. Get help. My goal is for everyone to earn an A, so I will hand out lists of all the topics that will appear on tests. Preparing these will let you take them with confidence. If you're wondering about an issue in the bible, I'm delighted to talk after class and at office hours. Grades: 5 Quizzes, based on study guides handed out in advance: 30% Responses (paragraph-length pieces, submitted by email and discussed in class): 25% -9 short pieces plus emailing me your exam passage choice. Class Participation (show that you have read and thought about the assignment): 15% Final Exam, based on study guide handed out last day of class: 30%

LECTURE TOPICS, READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Tuesday, Sept 6 1. Some Biblical Views of God Introduction to the classs questions. How big is God? Does he know everything? Different biblical visions and ways of thinking about the differences. Isaiah 66:1, 48:3-8; Isaiah 6; Genesis 2:4-3:8 Thursday, Sept 8 2. Reading the Bible Critically Where and when does it come from? The periods of Biblical history. How was it written? Ancient and medieval evidence. Reading: (do response 1, below, first) Collins, Introduction in Introduction to the Hebrew Bible Hobbes: Leviathan Chapter 33; focus on the paragraph beginning It is a question much disputed between the diverse sects of Christian religion (find text on google or click link) http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/h/hobbes/thomas/h68l/chapter33.html Response 1: Before beginning the reading for the second class, email me a paragraph describing three big questions you have about the Hebrew Bible. What do you hope to learn from the course? Why? Give examples of whats most interesting or perplexing. Deadline: submit by email by 9 a.m. on Thursday morning. Additional Requirement: You must keep a copy for yourself to use in the last assignment. Tuesday, Sept 13 3. Creation and the word of God: How Gods word makes the world in Genesis. Creation by speech or creation by violence: can God order the universe or does he have to fight it? Reading: Levenson, Introduction to Genesis in Jewish Study Bible (JSB) Psalms 74focus on lines 12-17, then compare them with the rest of the Psalm Psalm 104how does this creation account differ from that of 74:12-17? Genesis 1-2:3what does God do here that he does not do in the Psalms accounts? Response 2:

First paragraph: What are the most important differences between the three versions of creation you just read, and what might those differences tell us about the Bible? Second paragraph: According to Hobbes, does it matter if God wrote the Bible? What are the implications for reading the Bible? Compare with Collins approach. Be precise, citing specific statements of Collins and Hobbes with page or paragraph number. Deadline: this and all future responses are due 9 a.m. by email the morning of class Thursday, Sept 15 4. The first family: Adam and Eve and the origins of sex, knowledge and responsibility. What kind of justice does God mete out here? How could we go about analyzing whether or not Gods actions are just? Reading: Genesis 2:3-5 Quiz 1: Creation accounts in the Bible Tuesday, Sept 20 5. The Voices of the Torah Reading: Friedman, Who Wrote the Bible? 15-69 Genesis 6-9: how many animals does Noah take on board? How long does the flood last? These differences suggest that there are two versions of the story. Response 3: Reread Genesis 1-2:3 along with the portions of the flood story (Gen 6-9) that Friedman assigns to the Priestly source. What do they have in common? Make a list of at least four features shared by the two stories, and two differences. Thursday, Sept 22 6. Decreation and the First End of the World: Flood stories in Israel and Babylon and the first apocalypse. Babel and Biblical anthropology. Reading: Collins 3 The Primeval History from George, Epic of Gilgamesh tablet XI (pdf) Reread Genesis 6-9; read Genesis 10-11 Tuesday, Sept 27 7. Abraham as Ancestor: Midrash (Rabbinic interpretation) considers him the first observant Jew, the Quran calls Islam the religion of Abraham and the New Testament sees him as the first man of faith. So what about Abrahams attempts to pass off his wife Sarah as his sister and sacrifice his own son? What ideals or problems does he embody? Reading: Collins 4 The Patriarchs Genesis 12-22 from Auerbach, Mimesis (on Blackboard--read after finishing Genesis 22) Assignment: Come prepared to discuss what can we learn about a cultures values by reading its writing, according to Auerbach. What is the role of style--is it merely to create an interesting reading experience? What else can it do? Quiz 2: Fundamental issues of source criticism; outline of Genesis Thursday, Sept 29 8. The Matriarchs: Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah: Men talk a lot in the Hebrew Bible;

women speak more rarely: what does their silence mean? What roles were open to women, what were their values--did they think their lives unfair? Why are so many matriarchal speeches about naming, and how does Hagar come to name God himself? Reading: Genesis 24-35, carefully, focusing on the differences between matriarchs stories. Then read Genesis 37-50 like a short novel, enjoying the drama. On the lives and thoughts of women in a modern nomadic, patriarchal society, read this exerpt from Abu-Lughod, Veiled Sentiments (Blackboard) Response 4: Pick one matriarchs story. What is most striking about it? Find three ways it stood out for you. Tuesday, Oct 4 9. Exodus and Liberation, Moses and Revelation Why does Deuteronomy call Moses the greatest prophet? Moses problem with public speaking and Moses as the ultimate public speaker, the mouthpiece of God. The historical connections between Israel and Egypt. The crossing of the Red Sea and Israelite national history. Readings: Collins 5 The Exodus from Egypt, 6 The Revelation at Sinai Exodus 1-24 From Walzer, Exodus and Revolution (Blackboard) Thursday, Oct 6 10. The Ten Commandments, the golden calf, and the destruction and rewriting of the Torah: Jewish tradition actually counts 613 commandments, and the Torah gives the ten commandments twice (and they are not exactly the same ten!). We will look at what the ten commandments commanded in an ancient context. Readings: read Deuteronomy 5 with Bernard Levinsons commentary in the Jewish Study Bible, reread Exodus 20:1-18; read Exodus 31-34 Response 5: Make a list of three significant differences between the Ten Commandments accounts in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. The list can include the way Moses retells the story in Deuteronomy 5 as well as different motivations for the commandments. TUESDAY OCT 11Trinity Days, no class Thursday, Oct 13 11. What is Prophecy? Prophecy was widespread in the ancient world. What, if anything, was special about Biblical prophecy? Readings: Isaiah 1, Isaiah 6, Revelation 4, two Ancient Near Eastern prophecies, from 18th-century Mari and 7th-century Assyria (on blackboard) Tuesday, Oct 18 12. Pagan Prophets and the weak link in revelation: Balaam and Gods death sentence on Moses Readings: Numbers 12-16, 20, 22-24 The Baalam Inscription from Deir Alla, The Zakkur Stela (Blackboard)

Quiz 3: The Revelation at Sinai, Ten Commandments, Elements of Prophecy Thursday, Oct 20 13. Deuteronomys ancient break with tradition Did the king make the law in ancient Israel? Readings: Levinson, Introduction to Deuteronomy in JSB Deuteronomy 12-26, 31-34 Response 6: In a paragraph, note two significant differences from the laws in Deuteronomy and two significant connections with Ancient Near Eastern law codes. Use Levinson's introduction and the detailed notes in the margins of the JSB to do this. Assignment For class discussion (not to hand in), carefully read and consider the consequences of Deuteronomy 17. Is this how you expect a king to rule? Why does Deuteronomy conceive sovereignty this way? Tuesday, Oct 25 14. Joshua: The First Holy War: Joshua tells the story of a divine command to wipe out the inhabitants of Canaan. Judges tells the story of Israels living among those same inhabitants, and fighting with the Philistines, who David later joins. What does archaeology say about what happened, and why does Joshua tell the story it does? Readings: Joshua 1-13:8, 22-24; compare with Judges 1-2: Collins 9 Joshua Assignment For class discussion: what picture does Judges present of the conflict, and how is it different from that of Joshua? You must be able to cite chapter and verse. Does Joshua command genocide? Precisely what is the modern definition of genocide? Why is it worse than other kinds of murder? Thursday, Oct 27 15. Frontier justice and Samsons love life on the borders of Israel. This teetotaling Nazirite with an insatiable desire for foreign women moves back and forth between Israel and the Philistines. What does his story tell us about who the early Israelites were? Readings: Judges 4-16, 19-21 Collins 10 Judges Assignment For class discussion: was Delilah a Philistine? How do you know? What precisely are the differences between Israelites and Philistines according to this story (linguistic, physical, religious, or other)? Tuesday, Nov 1 16. Judges vs. Kings: Why the very idea of kings is a problem, according to the prophet Samuel. The Bibles alternative political theology. Readings: I Samuel Collins 11 First Samuel Response 7: In a paragraph: What is I Samuels attitude toward David? Towards Saul? Which character do you feel more sympathy for? What is there in the authors account that makes you feel this way?

Thursday, Nov 3 17. The Life, Loves and Politics of David The Bibles veneration of its greatest king, and its searing criticism of kingship, come to a head here. We will try to understand David as a figure of both history and imagination. Readings: 2 Samuel: Pay special attention to the theology of 2 Samuel 7 and the connections between I Samuel 12 and 2 Samuel 11-12. For class discussion: Read I Chronicles 21: Was David remembered as a different person here? Compare with the account in 2 Samuel 24; use the chart in Klein's online article, below. Collins 12 Second Samuel
Ralph W. Klein, David: Sinner and Saint in Samuel and Chronicles http://fontes.lstc.edu/~rklein/Documents/artwes.htm

Week of Monday, Nov 7: MEET WITH ME THIS WEEK TO DISCUSS YOUR PAPER Tuesday, Nov 8 18. The Rise and Fall of the Israelite Empire Solomon is the one who fulfills Gods commandment to build a temple, thus making regular worship possible. He also makes Israel more like its enemies: an imperial kingdom. Is kingship worth it? Readings: I Kings 1-13; II Kings 18-25 Friedman, 101-149 Assignment For class discussion, apply Friedmans analysis of Solomons politics and Deuteronomys critique. Whats the matter with Solomons kingdom, and how does it lead to the split between Israel in the north and Judah in the south? Quiz 4 Samuel and Kings Thursday, Nov 10 19. Sacred Erotica: The Song of Solomon and Israelite Popular Culture Rabbi Akiva is said to have commented that all of history is not worth the day on which God revealed the Song of Solomon to Israel. Is it a bawdy love song, a pagan Sacred Marriage hymn, or the revelation of Gods relationship with Israel? Readings: Song of Songs Collins, Song of Songs (480-484) Response 8: Carefully read one scene from Song of Songs: what are the most striking images and verbal expressions, and how are they different from other scenes in the Song? What does it say about love and relations between men and women, and how is it different from the relationships weve seen in the matriarchs stories and in Kings? Choice of Passage to Examine for Final Exam Essay by Email by 9 a.m. (counts for response grade)

Tuesday, Nov 15 20. Isaiah, or: Israel against the empire: The Assyrian empire was the greatest political entity of the Iron Age, intimidating its vassals through what would be described as terrorism today. How did Assyrian propaganda shape Biblical history? What is the relationship between divine revelation and cultural resistance? Readings: Isaiah 1-14 Collins: Isaiah (307-321) For Class Discussion: Prepare a close reading of one of Isaiahs prophecies. We will discuss each reading in class. Thursday, Nov 17: No class. Professor Sanders will be out of town at the American Schools of Oriental Research/Society of Biblical Literature Meeting Tuesday, Nov 29 21. Destruction, Mourning and Redemption: From Lamentation to the Messiah: The Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 587-6 became the archetype of historical catastrophe for the Jewish people. In Lamentations, we will examine how the greatest Biblical poem about suffering turns loss into a source of memory and hope. Readings: Lamentations from Second Isaiah: Isaiah 45-48, 63-66 Collins, The Additions to the Book of Isaiah Assignment For class discussion: Isaiah 45 describes the Persian king Cyrus as Gods anointed (Hebrew Mashiach, Messiah). In what political context could a prophet say this? What does this tell us about when Isaiah 45 was written? Quiz 5: Prophets Thursday, Dec 1 22 Ecclesiastes, Proverbs and Wisdom Literature Readings: Proverbs 8, 10, 25, 26 and all of Ecclesiastes James Kugel, from Great Poems of the Bible The One-Line Poem/Solomons Riddles (159-180) and For Everyone, A Season (307-323) (pdf) Assignment For class discussion: Pick a proverb to expound. Compare Ecclesiastes use of Proverbs to that in the book of Proverbs--how does he use them? Is it the way they were intended to be used? Which way is better? Thursday, Dec 3 23 Did the Prophets See God? Moses talked directly to God, while Daniel only saw him in dreams. Ezekiel today would be considered insane. We will examine how the prophets talk about religious experience and how we can understand what they saw. Readings: Ezekiel 1-6, Daniel 7 Marvin Sweeney Introduction to Ezekiel in JSB William James, Religion and Neurology in The Varieties of Religious Experience http://www.psywww.com/psyrelig/james/james2.htm Response 9 How is Ezekiels initiatory vision different from that of Isaiah in Isaiah 6? According to James, is there any reasonable way to tell that it is not a hallucination? According to James,

does that matter--why or why not? Write one paragraph and submit in the body of an email by 9am the day of class. Tuesday, Dec 8 25. Job, or, is God just? Readings: Job 1-10, 28, 38-42 Collins Job (505-517) Assignment: For class discussion: What is the main problem of Job? Would having the wisdom described in Job 28 help this problem? Final Exam: Thursday, Dec 15 3pm in our classroom. The last question will require you to cite and analyze, using Collins and the JSB notes, at least one passage relevant to one of the three questions you started the class with. this: Have you answered them? Would you put them differently now, or have different questions?