LATE PERSIAN JUDAISM AND ITS CONCEPTION OF AN INTEGRAL ISRAEL. ACCORDING TO CHRONICLES: ‘SOME OBSERVATIONS ON FORM AND FUNCTION (OF THE GENEALOGY OF JUDAH IN 1 CHRONICLES 2.34.23" as Willi ‘and Chronicles" Posi the History of Ideas Quite a number of archeological, historico-cultural and ideological observations and evaluations have shown that Judaism in the early post-eilic time, that is, atthe beginning of the Persian period, stood in practically unbroken continuity with the situation shortly before and during the exile.’ This cor had primarily been maintained by the cultural life in the villages and cities of the Judaean countryside. In the early Persian epoch the main question was that of preserving and ‘maintaining former characteristics under the new circumstances of the ‘Achacmenid empire, Only gradually did attempts arise in Judah 10 redefine its own identity. This happened together with the process of more powerful Samaria, Since the Neo- territory of the former kingdom of Judah was * This essay is a somewhat extended and reworked version of a paper pre sented at the AAR/SBL annual mooting at Kansas City, MO, Novernbor Judentums in persischer Zeit (marascript | Forschungea sum Alien Testament (FAT, WILLI An Integral Israel according to Chronicles 147 ‘amaria.? Jerusalem and its tet, in the middle of the Persian break in the life and development of post-exi Ezra-Nehemiah was written in order to document the stages leading to this change in the fifth century BCE and preparing the establishment of an independent province Yehud? ‘This transformation concerns equally the p the cultural 5 much as it has its impact on the ideological sphere. ly we now find Yehud (sro Tar Ezra 58) firmly established as an independent province of the Achaemenid empire, covering some 600 square miles, Material life now differs markedly from the culture of the first half of the Persian period. So only now, right in the ‘middle of the Persian time, do clear signs of transition appear in the political and cultural area, But what about spiritual life and history of ideas, the ‘Geistesgeschichte"? We possess a unique testimony to help us define the new state of ‘ming. It shows how late Persian Judaism became aware ofits specific role and task in relation to the entre Jewish people, in the diaspora as well as in Yehud. I am referring to Chronicles with its well-rounded, Rolle Ssmarias bei der Enstehung des Jedemtums’, KS, hingeren liche Lage gebracht worden, deren 318), He chem rograts that we have “kein kare Bild. ..von den Einechtongen [inthe tritores ofthe former king- dom of Ju... unter der Henschaft der Babyloner... So wisson wir nicht einmal ‘Bena, ob das zuletz von Zedekia verwaltete Gebiet als arninistrative Einheitbeste- hen bliob, Die Wehscheinlichkeitspricht fur das Gegente. Dann war aber die Frage, ob dic Babylonir aus einem so Kleinen Gebiet uberhzupt eine Provinz fur sich unter einem eigenen Stathalter2u machen fr nétig hilten. Ich zweifle nicht, dass Prochsch das Richtige getoffen bat, als er neverdings diese Frage randweg vemeins und die Vermutung aussprach, das Restgebiet um Jerusalem werde ‘ielmehr dem Stathalter von Samaria zar Verwaltung Uberwiesen worden sein...” 3. Juda~Iehud-Israel, pp. 28-90,148 ‘Second Temple Studies Interpreter, Canon and Interpretation With Chronictes we have already passed the decisive threshold and left behind the break that was supposed to have occurred in the middle of the Persian period. In Chronicles there is something new. It is no longer a continuati continuity of tran interpretation. But from th Judes a certain degree of explanation and texpretation to the exegetical methods produced by the te history—history is the realization of already-existing bluepri ‘The Chronicler starts conditions of | and thet they can be derived from it. When taking up the older tradi- tions, scrutinizing, digesting them and presenting them afresh, he retels the past while atthe same time he is speaking about the present. 5. S.Taphot, mepor 7 Ldeology of the Book of Chronicles and its Place in Biblical Thought 5 Jerusalem: Bialik Institute, 1977), p. 199 (GF BEATS, 9; Bere: Lang, 1989), p. 230 149 WILLI An Integral Israel according to Chronicle ‘This inquiry into metahistorical relations is especially evident in the ‘opening of his work, in the genealogies, which I propose to call ‘citizenship-lists’ of twelve-tribe Israel ‘The Chronicler's Israel is the people of its land. The patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Israel certainly have their prominent position in the beginning of Chronicles—but only among humankind, the oixovpévn of 1 Chronicles 1, and not in connection with Israel's stock as described in 1 Chroni 1” The promises given to them are not dealt with, just as said of Moses and his mediation of the Torah—both go without saying and are presupposed.* icles does not speak abou s, but it does speak about ar ‘ the land." its complete form, ‘At the intersection of genealogy with geography the citizenshi have to be seen in close relation to the late prophetic utterances on Land’, ut and not as anal lder,pre-exilic tribal the genealogies are based upon these older elements and expose them to the reader ina concise, fresh manner. In doing so they provide their format ness of the target group's identity. The citizenship, the civil rights of such an ‘All-Israel’ are in a certain sense idealized. Nevertheless the Wholistic, metahistoric concept of Israelis closely related to historical reality. tis this organic ‘All-Israe!” that is presented in 1 Chronicles 2-10 as dramatis persona of the retelling of its history." So the 6. vonik (BEAT, 24.1; Nevkicchen-Viuyn: Neukicchener Verlag, 1991), p. 55. 7." 1.Chron, 29.18 is tobe sander this aspoc, 8. S.Japhet, ‘Conquest and Setlement in Chron pp. 205-206, , JBL 98 (1979), ison, Israel in the Book of Chronicles (Cambridge: “The Genealogies of 1 Cheon (PhD dissertation, The Dropsie University,150 Second Temple Studies Chronicler is defining the place and the function of late Persian Judaisin by referring to the much wider and broader Istael of the legacy and tradition now consti- h identity in Yehud and abroad. They describe the role of Judaism in the framework of the multinational regard, the succession of the kingdom of Judah theme of the historical lds upon this “All Israel’ picture of the genealogies. And its bbe found in 1 Chron. 2.3-4.23, We begin with a brief survey of the contents, The cl sometimes a part of the picture itself and parti elements of biblical wac 1 Chron, 2. 421-23. Add to this the genealogical notice 2. ac, 42ac, $0a0 24, leading to the genealogy of Jerahmeel (2.25afs-41) and to the genealogy of Caleb (2:42aB-55), When looking at ch. 3 from the aspect of Israels ist settlement, we se th nship- It combines genealogical with geographical viewpoints. The same the concluding ch. 4, which deals with Judah's principal clans according to their main areas of settlement. Tn ch. 4 we have picture of Israelite population in the territory of Judah, from North to South, that is, as seen from Jerusalem.!* We find very different components pieced together to create a new unity of a higher order. Behind this we recognize an unceasing Interpretaion in der Chronik (BZAW. ofthe ‘eschatologischer Panam 14, Further investiga -oncerning the composition of the Jadah-genealogy son, “Sources and Re WILLI An Integral Israel according to Chronicles 151 endeavour to understand, to interpret and to expose preformed tradition, This is realized on three levels: the Chronicler deals with scriptural tradition, he uses oral tradition, and he gives this material the systematical shape of his presentation.!* Interrelation of Oral and Literal Tradi Here we must include a brief statement abo th the 73 229 rm, the ‘oral teaching’ of later rat nn’ does not exclude a secondary st tuadition was read attentively. In this reading the past became the shape forthe present, and even for dhe fue. Discrepancies between ince, but at the same word.'6 dition does not mean ‘of Moses, the teachings of and became jon of the current generation. According to the fully developed ic conception, such interpretation and application of Scripture took part in the authority and dignity of the original 3703 T™™7, the revelation preserved in Scripture, although it would appear on scene and be recognized much later. ‘Orality’ therefore is a formal descrip- tion, not a judgment of value. as ‘oral’ to ‘Scripture Chronik, p72. Chronik, pp. 38-59.1s2 Second Temple Studies Selection In order to connect different componenis to create a whole they mst, frst be selected, In Chronicles, to, interpretation begins with a care- ful selection. To define the criteria the Chroniclr followed for his selection we should proceed from the knov ‘The Chronicler does not base his genealogy of Judah primarily on ‘Numbers 26 or Genesis 46 as he does for most of the twelve tribes. ‘The starting point of his conception of Judah is Genesis 38. In this respect the construction is not opaque. There is no ‘Undurchsichtigkeit des Aufbaus’, as W. Rudolph” claims. The Tamar story provides a reasonable framework for the exposition of all descendants of Judah Chronicles 2-4. Not only the content of the chapter, but its posi- in the flow of the book of Genesis as well was of prime, impor- tance for this choice."* Positioning is another element of scribe Israel's structure as genealogy and family Judah's precedence does ‘an exception.'” Aside from the tribes around the tabernacle and later refers to the distribution of the land (Num. 2.3. 4 only 1 Chron. 2.3-9.1 and 12.25-38 Israel (v, 3ff.), and it is done without any explanation, Nevertheless 17. Chronitécher (HAT, 121; Tabingen: Mobs [Paul Siebeck}, 1955) 18, alist Interpretation of Genesis 9p. 79-98 and ‘Tudeh and Tamas’, VP 29 (1979), li, Chromik, p60. WILLI An Integra! Israel according 10 Chronicles 153 the Chronicler has reasons to do so, but he until 1 Chron. 5.1-2, where he discusses Reuben. Judah's precedence is not derived from the historical predominance of the tribe. It is not explained by the longer lasting existence of the Southern kingdom. It has not been conceived as an ideological subli- ‘mation of the Persian province Yettud, Rather itis the actualization of what has long ago been prefigured in the Tamar story of Genes ‘The content and position” of this old tribal saga’ are now filled with new meaning and realized in Judah's development. Since 1 Chron. 1,35-54 had already taken up Genesis 36 as alist of the ‘sons of Esau’, after Gen. 35.23-26 (= 1 Chron, 2.1-2), there remained only the Joseph story, the blessing of Jacob—and precisely Genesis 38, Genesis 38 as a closed narrative, as ‘in sich abgeschlossene Einzelerzthlung’,” has always confronted its interpreters with a riddle, The old midrash?® solved it tracing Judah's departure from his brothers (Gen. 38 is advice to sell Joseph ic tradition” as well as modem exegesis refer to the ‘Gesamtzusammenhang"® of Genesis. Witho rot expound them 20. Later rabbinical interpre W. Bacher, Die exegetise Neukirchen-Viuyn: ‘amilineraihlung...nd nicht 23. Quoted also by Rashi, see Migra’ot Gedolot (Jerusalem: 1974 EY R Rosenbaum and A.M, Siermann, Pentateuoh with Tar ‘Haphiaroth and Rashi’s Commentary, | (lecwsalem: Feldheim, 1973) 25. Westermann, Genesis, p. 52154 Second Temple Studies ‘yest wm Serena ya as | ara ements ws ames spr sab amoa ma Taw awe Ho owe Foam usa THN yaa DTT 2 "And the sons of Reuben the first-born of Tsrael—for he isthe first-born, and because he defled his father's bed, his birthright was given tothe sons of Joseph the son of Israel, but not to be enrolled inthe genealogy {according to civil rights othe bi 10 that Judah prevtled over his Beechers and from him came the leader; yet the birthright is Joseph's ‘This is without doubt the Chronicter’s own explanation. It accounts for his putting Judah at the beginning. He does not do so because of Judaean particularism, motivated by ‘love of Judah and hatred of Israel", Vorliebe fur Juda und Hass gege construed, male first-born the father. is and descent; the second one has a s ‘matters of inheritance. The matriprimoger is important in cases where bu is the background of the notice 1 Chron, 5.1.2° The wording refers to ‘air08 docs not ead to a conjectural r379 (contra BHS App. ikbicher, pp. 42-43). 27. As WML. de Wette (Beitrige zur Einleitung in das Ale Testament. ber 29. Gen. 39.2: Deu. 21.17; Pss. 78.51; 105.36. 30. Agsins G “eH vig eixod Toone vi lopa, respectively against 5 (A) bwsp" Ivy Br ysry,t his son (8 eben, the son of sae’, ead MT. WILLI An Integral Israel according to Chronicles 155 Gen. 48,56 where a double portion—indicating first birthright divided in half between Ephraim and Manasseh and therefore neut lized. Now all future tibes of Israet would receive the same share. In ‘st explains the balancing of the the two sons of Joseph. But at 2 Such precedence quite person, which Judah now In the Chronicler’s eyes these are the factors, as he deduces them from Scripture and tradition, which make David the 7 i nsbop (2 Chron, 13.8). Davi fxpresies and realizes Judah's predominance, From the very begin- predominance has been related to “All Israel’, to the people of the twelve wibes in tse ing to Chronicles the Kingship of David isthe result of, rather than the reason for, Judah's is exactly this role that was now being put to the test in and by the province of Yehud—and with it the welfare of “All Israel’ ‘The manner in which the chronist sts present Judah as predominant, according to Scripture and tradition, Karée wag ypagdc, underlines this fact. 31. M.Tsevat, "D2", in TAWAT, I, cols. 643-50, the quotation 32. MD. References genealogy the whole156 Second Temple Studies Reworking Older Tradition Every synopsis shows the reader at a substantial element in Chroni Jifficulty the direct qu. lance that interpretation is ‘can ascertain without ture. In the genealogy of ium. 2, 3 = 7.12 (Ruth 4,18- 1 Sam, 16.6.9 (ef 1 Samuel 17, 136); Exod. 31.2b = 38.22a; 2 Sam. 3,2- 1s which we would put in quotation marks are Gen, 38.7; 46.12bB; Josh. 7.1af}; Exod. 31.2b = 38.22a; 2 Sam. 3.2-5; 55, 14-16, ‘The very enumeration of these references shows that the different books of the older tradition are considered equally and dealt the same manner: we see no different n, As Genesis 38 pro- 's Judah-genealogy, so 14 (with passive meaning). The and used this form not only in An Integral Israel according to Chronicles. 157 ), but already in 2.3a, at the beginning of the genealogy, after in the key verse 2.9. by means of this 73, continued by ch. 3, being based on the quotations of 2 Sam. 3.2-5 and 2 Sam. 5. passages make specific reference to David's sons havi Hebron’ (3.2) and ‘born to him in Jerusalem’ (5.14) respectively. The later case is connected to the beginning of Israelite settlement in Jerusalem. David's children therefore figure as representative mem- bers of the first generation born in Jerusalem, and their descendants in 3.10-24 are a sign of continuing Jewish settlement of the town, in spite of all interruptions as for instance by exile (vv. 16-19). 1 Chronicles 3 then concludes the first, genealogical part (\4>™) of the gencalogy of Judah, thematized by 29. ‘Chapter 4 in its turn does not emphasize gencalogy as much as geography. By means ofthe filiation land, not only in lages, starting mother- to daughter-cities, centers and areas . That is why he reminds Judaism of his liaspora of those everlasting connections y of Israel 8 and colonies, ofxiotat—by the very term See e.g, Thucydides (before 455-c, 400), Founders’, The Oxford Classical Dictionary (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1964 {1949)),p. 195. Herodotus in his 51 and 8.22), as Plutarch (Them, 9), even uses the tem naps ss does Chronicles.138 Second Temple Studies The Integration In Chronicles’ genealogy of Judah the non-Isr conspicuous. Attention to non-Israelites begins third son from Judah’s Canaanite marriage, Shelah, frame the whole genealogy, closing it in 4 the beginning in 2.3. Obviously, they are regarded as genuine members of the tribe of Judah, Just as Canaanite ancestors contributed to the development of Judah—see the Tamar story!"—, so did ‘the Ismaelite Jether’ @.17), ‘an Egyptian servant named Jatha’ (2.34), and ‘1 daughter of Pharaoh’ (4.18; NASB 4.17), whereas 4.22 i connection with Moab. For an adequate impression af the Chronicler and his conception of Israel iportant to keep in mind how openly he exposes the non- Israel Judah's heritage— right against the background of In the genealogical ch. 2 the Chronicler deals substantially with Caleb. Here we see an author and interpreter applying older tradition sumstances, Central to this is 2.18-24. In contrast to lake these verses as a competing doublet to ‘two passages do not really represent two dif much a genealogy a: id even if Shua should not be the name ofa Canaanite clan, inwanderung der isralitischen Sime in Kanaan (1901), WILLI An Integral Israel according to Chronicles 159 theme of our list, We have to start from the fact that ori ‘exacily what the key verse 2.9 frankly declares! Nowhere else in the ‘Old Testament are Jerahmee! and Caleb presented as sons of Hezron ‘or even as brothers." Of course there were indications in tradition relating Caleb to Judah (see for example Num. 13), but by descent and genealogy he was not Judaean. The difference between Caleb and ed, nay, demanded, the Judah. Within his synchronic perspec- jons and, at the same time, pro- vided the reasons for the fact that ‘the new community politically [was] by no means and [could] not be exclusi ‘Gemeinvvesen politisch durchaus nicht exclusiv [war] und niebt sein [konnte}’, as E, Meyer!” has already formutated it. Unfortunately Meyer's point is not widely known. We thus would propose to recog- nize the Chronicler’s own contribution** in his integrating Jerahmeel line already indicated by priestly and other obedient to God's promises and command wore forced out by the Nabataeans; see LR, Bartlett, “From Edomites 10 Nabatacans: A Study in Continuity’, PEQ 111 (1979), pp. 53-66. 47. Die Enstehung. des Judentums: Eine historis Georg Olms. 1968), p positon taken by H.G.M, 's Genealogy of Judah. p. 3 Untersuchung, (Halle: iamson, "Sources and 2, who holds that the160 Second Temple Studies and Caleb into the framework of the Judah-genealogy, provided by Genesis 38. Verse 2.9 serves as hermeneutic key to the very different ‘and heterogeneous materials and information which be collected.” He constantly bases his picture of Judah on tradition; but he courageously applies and adapts this tradition to his own time. Certainly the spitit of interpretation differs from the spirit of prophecy—but it has the same source. And it develops by authority as well. AS for the field of histo- ography, Chronicles, through its interpretation and exegetical method, turns out to be @ predecessor and a premise for later apocalyptic.** Judah as Part and Representative of Israel The Chronicler's Israel, However, twelve-tribe Al idah occupied a special 7 ‘The Judah-tist is thus more than a simple reflection about the family and background of David, True, we find information about David escent integrated, but itis derived, according to the Cro view, from a broader genealogical perspective of the entire Mah. The data about David and his family —this is what matters to Chronicler—fi jcture of Judah. In Judah that makes Chronicle assigns an be said that itis inside or outside the province Yehud) that is not Judah (or Fudai (Chronicle found the inegraton of Jerahieel and Caleb already in some source before 49. This isthe main diference between the analysis proposed here and the view of L Wellhausea (De gentibus..): We point of the composition (on with the (old) gene ‘he South, 242-50aee (‘cum Kelubaco v. 9 confer debet Kaled matically declures it as belonging to an old source. i Chronik, pp. 27 and $3, WILLI An Integral Israel according to Chronicles 161 defining Israel, but the preformed, so to say preexisting, Israel of the Tingdom os wellanin it efte Souter the enue enya ste at stands bend te kingship of en preformed by and their sons thus was not incidental It had been px Judah's development and history. But Judah itself is only one memiser be Israel. Representing a function neces- “All Israel by the same God, “hp, the ‘reigning’ of the ons robo, ‘the reign of Persia’ (2 Chron. 36.20). ‘The Iudaism of is time, asthe Chronicler sees it, has its own pecu- lia task, It will fulfil it by recognizing and obeying the Achaemenid kingship which has been ordained by God for Israel's best interest in the same way in which God ordained the Davidic kingship. The task is indicated by Scripture. Contemporary Judaism had to maintain Fngdom f Julho coespod w tt Tel t ingt te Sisco. ha teen tee teint cosine hhominum had largely perished, but that now providentia Dei had partially re-established in the form of the province Yehud, and that Greta one ay would again come tobe: Even under iret Conon the Clrotclee's Tdasm ndercnds Hat an pan of S51. Fora dotted imerpretation see Willi, Chronik, pp. 53-55, p. 169-79 he compares the ehronisic conception of the “himmlische = and its dispensation with the view of Dan. 1-6.162 Second Templ lies Israel. It is precisely its consciousness as Israel which goes to make up its Judaism. By readopting and retelling, by re-oxplaining and reinter- preting the old word, but equally by its attitude and self-consciousness this Judah passed on Israel’s witness and heritage. It stands for an Israel which as in Gal, 6.16 we may call the ‘Topaiih tod Geo, PROPHET AND SOCIETY IN THE PERSIAN PERIOD. ACCORDING TO CHRONICLES. Harry V. Van Rooy Introduction ‘This paper investigates the function of prophets and prophecy in a changing society, as reflected in 1 and 2 Chronicles. Ths is a complex issue, presenting many problems to the inve ‘One has to pre- suppose that the changing position and influence of the prophetic ‘movement after the exile are reflected in these books, This presuppo- sition is very problematic, as these books purport to tel ce history of Israel, focusing on David, Solomon and the Kingdom of Judah. What ‘we have is a text—and a vital question would be what can be deduced this one—about the time it deals with on the one hand as written for on the other hand, What do we s historiographic principles, the value of his sources and the way he used his sources? There are many studies today using sociological approaches to answer questions like these," but do we have enough data to devel gical field studies to the text of the Bib ly edited and does not contain ‘raw data’ Do we rated by looking at modern history and taking modern South African history as an example. Tn 1 CL RPC World of (Cambridge: Cambridge Uni 2 Can 3. Ch ca 4. AGA (1984), p. 66