DOCSLIB.ORG

The Punishment of the Wicked Priest and the Death of Judas

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Punishment of the Wicked Priest and the Death of Judas THE PUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED PRIEST AND THE DEATH OF JUDAS RICK VAN DE WATER Jerusalem In a recent reassesment of Jonathan the Hasmonean as the Wicked Priest of the Qumran pesharim, the claim has been made that all other theories have been refuted Òonce and for all.Ó1 There appears to have been little response to this claim, perhaps in part because that identi cation already enjoys something of a consensus. One of the main arguments for Jonathan has always been his death at the hands of gentiles (exe- cuted by Tryphon in 142 BCE), which is supposed to agree with what is said of the demise of the Wicked Priest in 1QpHab and 4Q171. 2 According to H. Stegemann, the Habakkuk pesher even agrees with JonathanÕs death outside Judea. 3 On the other hand, there are a number of reasons why such con dence in identifying Jonathan as the Wicked Priest is misleading. To begin with, StegemannÕs assertion was based on a highly ques- tionable interpretation of the above-mentioned pesher.4 J. Carmignac and W. Brownlee have criticized taking as past events what could actually refer to future punishment, according to the verb tenses. 5 The 1 E. Puech, ÒJonathan le prtre impie et les dbuts de la communaut de Qumran. 4QJonathan (4Q523) et 4QPsAp (4Q448),Ó RevQ 17 (1996) 241 –70, esp. 269. 2 E.g. G. Jeremias, Der Lehrer der Gerechtigkeit (SUNT 2; Gšttingen, 1963) 75. A.S. van der Woude has recently asserted that Òall commentatorsÓ see 1QpHab 9:9 –12 as JonathanÕs murder by Tryphon (ÒOnce Again: The Wicked Priests in the Habakkuk Pesher from Cave 1 of Qumran,Ó RevQ 17 [1996] 383). 3 H. Stegemann, Die Entstehung der Qumrangemeinde (Bonn: privately published, 1971) 205–6. 4 J. Murphy-OÕConnor: ÒI see no evidence for thisÓ (ÒThe Essenes and Their His- tory,Ó RB 81 [1974] 230 n. 67); M. Knibb: Òby no means straightforwardÓ (ÒKeeping up with Recent Studies: III. The Dead Sea Scrolls: Re ections on Some Recent Publications,Ó ExpTim 90–1 [1978–80] 297). 5 J. Carmignac, Les Textes de Qumran traduits et annots (Paris, Letouzey & An , 1961) 1:55–6; W. Brownlee, ÒThe Wicked Priest, the Man of Lies, and the Righteous Teacher—The Problem of Identity,Ó JQR 73 (1982) 7. ©Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2003 Dead Sea Discoveries 10, 3 Also available online – www.brill.nl 396 RICK VAN DE WATER perfect verbs that clearly indicate past punishment occur in passages that make no mention of gentiles, nor do they offer anything that would suggest a sudden execution, even if preceded by torture. In- stead, there is a speci c mention of diseases, which does not t what is known of Jonathan. 6 Brownlee also pointed out that there is no warrant for deriving Òillegitimate priesthoodÓ from the title Òwicked.Ó On the contrary, there is clear evidence that at one time, the Wicked Priest was highly regarded, but that through greed, he transgressed the law. Brownlee put it bluntly: Òin any translation it is the lust for wealth which has made a traitor of the Wicked Priest, and nothing is said of the usurpa- tion of an o f ce which did not belong to him.Ó7 To this can be added that there is no certainty that he was even a high priest at all. 8 From another angle, the presence of Essenes in the Temple as late as 103 BCE is hard to reconcile with the idea of an exodus of Zado- kites from Jerusalem at the time of Jonathan. 9 Some have even ques- tioned whether JonathanÕs external concerns would have permitted him to persecute the Zadokites. 10 Still another problem is posed by seeing him as the object of praise in 4Q448. 11 The explanation that this song was written when Jonathan was only a military leader before becoming high priest leaves an important question unanswered: Why would it then be kept by the Qumran community for over two hun- dred years after Jonathan had become the Wicked Priest? 12 These dif culties, and especially the question of the punishment of the 6 Brownlee, ÒWicked Priest,Ó 4; cf. M. Knibb, The Qumran Community (Cam- bridge: University Press, 1987) 239. 7 Brownlee, ÒWicked Priest,Ó 17. 8 P. Callaway, The History of the Qumran Community: An Investigation (Shef eld: Academic Press, 1988) 156 –67. 9 J. Murphy-OÕConnor, ÒJudah the Essene and the Teacher of Righteousness,Ó RevQ 10/40 (1981) 583. 10 E.g. F.M. Cross, The Ancient Library of Qumran and Modern Biblical Studies , (Garden City, NY: Doubleday Anchor, 1961 2) 153 n. 87a. J. Charleworth has criticised Jonathan supporters for not addressing CrossÕ arguments (ÒThe Origin and Subsequent History of the Authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls: Four Transitional Phases Among the Qumran Essenes,Ó RevQ 10 [1979–1981] 222). 11 G. Vermes, ÒThe So-Called King Jonathan Fragment (4Q448),Ó JJS 44 (1993) 294–300. For the original proposal that the ÒJonathanÓ in question is Alexander Janneuas, cf. E. Eshel et al., ÒA Composition Containing Part of Ps. 154 and a Prayer for the Welfare of King Jonathan and his Kingdom,Ó IEJ 42 (1992) 199 –229. 12 Puech (ÒJonathan le prtre impie,Ó 259, 268) has attempted to defend that expla- nation with the suggestion that the song was introduced into the Qumran library by a member, without the notice of the others ( !)..
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Wisdom, Israel and Other Nations Perspectives from the Hebrew Bible, Deuterocanonical Literature, and the Dead Sea Scrolls
    Wisdom, Israel and Other Nations Perspectives from the Hebrew Bible, Deuterocanonical Literature, and the Dead Sea Scrolls Marko Marttila (University of Helsinki) and Mika S. Pajunen (University of Helsinki)1 “Wisdom” is a central concept in the Hebrew Bible and Early Jewish literature. An analysis of a selection of texts from the Second Temple period reveals that the way wisdom and its possession were understood changed gradually in a more exclusive direction. Deuteronomy 4 speaks of Israel as a wise people, whose wisdom is based on the diligent observance of the Torah. Prov- erbs 8 introduces personified Lady Wisdom that is at first a rather universal figure, but in later sources becomes more firmly a property of Israel.Ben Sira (Sir. 24) stressed the primacy of Israel by combining wisdom with the Torah, but he still attempted to do justice to other nations’ con- tacts with wisdom as well. One step further was taken by Baruch, as only Israel is depicted as the recipient of wisdom (Bar. 3–4). This more particularistic understanding of wisdom was also employed by the sages who wrote the compositions 4Q185 and 4Q525. Both of them emphasize the hereditary nature of wisdom, and 4Q525 even explicitly denies foreigners’ share of wisdom. The author of Psalm 154 goes furthest along this line of development by claiming wisdom to be a sole possession of the righteous among the Israelites. The question about possessing wisdom has moved from the level of nations to a matter of debate between different groups within Judaism. 1. Introduction Israel as the Chosen People is one of the central theological themes in the Hebrew Bible.2 Israel’s specific relationship with God gains its impressive for- mulation in the so-called Bundesformel: “I will be your God, and you shall be my people” (e.
    [Show full text]
  • The Poetry of the Damascus Document
    The Poetry of the Damascus Document by Mark Boyce Ph.D. University of Edinburgh 1988 For Carole. I hereby declare that the research undertaken in this thesis is the result of my own investigation and that it has been composed by myself. No part of it has been previously published in any other work. ýzýa Get Acknowledgements I should begin by thanking my financial benefactors without whom I would not have been able to produce this thesis - firstly Edinburgh University who initially awarded me a one year postgraduate scholarship, and secondly the British Academy who awarded me a further two full year's scholarship and in addition have covered my expenses for important study trips. I should like to thank the Geniza Unit of the Cambridge University Library who gave me access to the original Cairo Document fragments: T-S 10 K6 and T-S 16-311. On the academic side I must first and foremost acknowledge the great assistance and time given to me by my supervisor Prof. J. C.L. Gibson. In addition I would like to thank two other members of the Divinity Faculty, Dr. B.Capper who acted for a time as my second supervisor, and Dr. P.Hayman, who allowed me to consult him on several matters. I would also like to thank those scholars who have replied to my letters. Sa.. Finally I must acknowledge the use of the IM"IF-LinSual 10r package which is responsible for the interleaved pages of Hebrew, and I would also like to thank the Edinburgh Regional Computing Centre who have answered all my computing queries over the last three years and so helped in the word-processing of this thesis.
    [Show full text]
  • The Concept of Atonement in the Qumran Literature and the New Covenant
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Liberty University Digital Commons Liberty University DigitalCommons@Liberty University Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and Graduate Faculty Publications and Presentations School 2010 The onceptC of Atonement in the Qumran Literature and the New Covenant Jintae Kim Liberty University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/lts_fac_pubs Part of the Biblical Studies Commons, Comparative Methodologies and Theories Commons, Ethics in Religion Commons, History of Religions of Eastern Origins Commons, History of Religions of Western Origin Commons, Other Religion Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Kim, Jintae, "The oncC ept of Atonement in the Qumran Literature and the New Covenant" (2010). Faculty Publications and Presentations. Paper 374. http://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/lts_fac_pubs/374 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and Graduate School at DigitalCommons@Liberty University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications and Presentations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Liberty University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. [JGRChJ 7 (2010) 98-111] THE CONCEPT OF ATONEMENT IN THE QUMRAN LITERatURE AND THE NEW COVENANT Jintae Kim Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, Lynchburg, VA Since their first discovery in 1947, the Qumran Scrolls have drawn tremendous scholarly attention. One of the centers of the early discussion was whether one could find clues to the origin of Christianity in the Qumran literature.1 Among the areas of discussion were the possible connections between the Qumran literature and the New Testament con- cept of atonement.2 No overall consensus has yet been reached among scholars concerning this issue.
    [Show full text]
  • The Dead Sea Scrolls
    Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Maxwell Institute Publications 2000 The eD ad Sea Scrolls: Questions and Responses for Latter-day Saints Donald W. Parry Stephen D. Ricks Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/mi Part of the Religious Education Commons Recommended Citation Parry, Donald W. and Ricks, Stephen D., "The eD ad Sea Scrolls: Questions and Responses for Latter-day Saints" (2000). Maxwell Institute Publications. 25. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/mi/25 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Maxwell Institute Publications by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Preface What is the Copper Scroll? Do the Dead Sea Scrolls contain lost books of the Bible? Did John the Baptist study with the people of Qumran? What is the Temple Scroll? What about DNA research and the scrolls? We have responded to scores of such questions on many occasions—while teaching graduate seminars and Hebrew courses at Brigham Young University, presenting papers at professional symposia, and speaking to various lay audiences. These settings are always positive experiences for us, particularly because they reveal that the general membership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a deep interest in the scrolls and other writings from the ancient world. The nonbiblical Dead Sea Scrolls are of great import because they shed much light on the cultural, religious, and political position of some of the Jews who lived shortly before and during the time of Jesus Christ.
    [Show full text]
  • Theme and Genre in 4Q177 and Its Scriptural Selections
    THEME AND GENRE IN 4Q177 AND ITS SCRIPTURAL SELECTIONS Mark Laughlin and Shani Tzoref Jerusalem 4Q1771 has conventionally been classified as a “thematic pesher,”2 or, more recently as “thematic commentary,”3 or “eschatological midrash.”4 It is one of a group of Qumranic compositions in which the author cites and interprets biblical texts, applying them to the contemporary experience of his community, which he understands to be living in the eschatological era. Unlike the continuous pesharim, thematic pesha- rim are not structured as sequential commentaries on a particular 1 John M. Allegro first pieced together the thirty fragments that he identified as comprising 4Q177, which he labeled 4QCatena A. Cf. John M. Allegro and Arnold A. Anderson. Qumran Cave 4.I (4Q158–4Q186) (DJD V; Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1968), 67–74, Pls. XXIV–XXV. John Strugnell subsequently added four additional fragments, and suggested improvements to Allegro’s readings and reconstructions (“Notes en marge,” 236–48). Annette Steudel re-worked the order of the material in 4Q174 and 4Q177, and argued that the two manuscripts should be regarded as parts of a single composition, which she termed 4QMidrEschat. See George J. Brooke, “From Flori- legium or Midrash to Commentary: The Problem of Re/Naming an Adopted Manu- script,” in this volume. Cf. Annette Steudel, Der Midrasch zur Eschatologie aus der Qumrangemeinde (4QMidrEschata,b): Materielle Rekonstruktion, Textbestand, Gattung und traditionsgeschichtliche Einordnung des durch 4Q174 (“Florilegium”) und 4Q177 (“Catenaa”) repräsentierten Werkes aus den Qumranfunden (STDJ 13; Leiden: Brill, 1994). The current discussion will touch upon the relationship between 4Q177 and 4Q174 but is primarily concerned with the composition of 4Q177 itself.
    [Show full text]
  • Pesher and Hypomnema
    Pesher and Hypomnema Pieter B. Hartog - 978-90-04-35420-3 Downloaded from Brill.com12/17/2020 07:36:03PM via free access Studies on the Texts of the Desert of Judah Edited by George J. Brooke Associate Editors Eibert J.C. Tigchelaar Jonathan Ben-Dov Alison Schofield VOLUME 121 The titles published in this series are listed at brill.com/stdj Pieter B. Hartog - 978-90-04-35420-3 Downloaded from Brill.com12/17/2020 07:36:03PM via free access Pesher and Hypomnema A Comparison of Two Commentary Traditions from the Hellenistic-Roman Period By Pieter B. Hartog LEIDEN | BOSTON Pieter B. Hartog - 978-90-04-35420-3 Downloaded from Brill.com12/17/2020 07:36:03PM via free access This is an open access title distributed under the terms of the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license, which permits any non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided no alterations are made and the original author(s) and source are credited. Further information and the complete license text can be found at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ The terms of the CC license apply only to the original material. The use of material from other sources (indicated by a reference) such as diagrams, illustrations, photos and text samples may require further permission from the respective copyright holder. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Hartog, Pieter B, author. Title: Pesher and hypomnema : a comparison of two commentary traditions from the Hellenistic-Roman period / by Pieter B. Hartog. Description: Leiden ; Boston : Brill, [2017] | Series: Studies on the texts of the Desert of Judah ; volume 121 | Includes bibliographical references and index.
    [Show full text]
  • FOR KING JONATHAN OR AGAINST? the USE of the BIBLE in 4Q448* Three Columns of a Damaged Scroll from Qumran Cave 4 Were
    FOR KING JONATHAN OR AGAINST? THE USE OF THE BIBLE IN 4Q448* EMMANUELLE MAIN The Hebrew University qfJerusalem Three columns of a damaged scroll from Qumran cave 4 were pub­ lished in 1991, by Esther and Hanan Eshel and Ada Yardeni, under the title: "A Scroll from Qumran Which Includes Part of Psalm 154 and a Prayer for KingJonathan and His Kingdom."1 The expression 'jonathan the king," 1,oi11m1', was deciphered twice, once in the sec­ ond column and once in the third column of this scroll. These two adjacent columns on the bottom half of the sheet indeed seem to be a part of the same literary unit, which appears to be a prayer. This discovery is very exciting. It not only provides us with a previ­ ously unknown work but, moreover, seems to be first-hand evidence of what a Jewish contemporary of Jonathan (i.e., of Alexander Jannaeus), thought about the famous Hasmonean king. What, then, is the meaning of the prayer? What was its purpose? Does it indeed mean, as the editors concluded, albeit not without some hesitation, that this text constitutes a prayer for the welfare of King Jonathan2 and his kingdom? Some scholars agreed completely with the editors' interpretation.3 • This is a revised and expanded version 0/ the lecture I gave in Mqy 1996 at the Orion Center International Symposium on Biblical Perspectives. I want to express special thanks to Prq/. Daniel Schwart;:: for his valuable remarks on a previous version qf this paper and to Drs. Esther Cha;::on and Avital Pinnick for their heroic ifJorts in making itr English acceptable.
    [Show full text]
  • Midrash and Pesher-Their Significance to T
    Midrash and Pesher: Their Significance to the Intertextuality Debate By Dan Fabricatore INTRODUCTION The discovery of the Qumran scrolls has shed much light as to how the scholars of the 1st century viewed the Old Testament Scriptures. In these scrolls we find hermeneutical techniques common to that day that some hold may have influenced the New Testament authors as they themselves used Old Testament passages for their own purposes. This presentation will attempt to look at concepts of midrash and pesher, their use in the New Testament, and their relevance to New Testament study today. TERMINOLOGY Trying to define midrash and pesher is akin to a maze. Just when you think you have a handle on the thing, you are afforded several new ways in which to go.1 Midrash The term midrash is a Hebrew noun (midrāš; pl. midrāšîm) derived from the verb dāraš which means “to search” (i.e. for an answer). Therefore midrash means “inquiry,” “examination” or “commentary.”2 Ezra 7:10 is the first use where a written text is the object of dāraš. 10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel. 10 T#o(jlaw; hwFhy: trawTo-t)e $wrod;li wbobFl; 4ykihe )rFz;(e yKi S .+PF$;miW qxo l)erF#;yiB; dMelal;W Midrash has a variety of meanings and uses in the Qumran literature. It is used to refer to “judicial investigation, study of the law, and interpretation.”3 However the main use at Qumran 1 This first presentation is somewhat purposely vague.
    [Show full text]
  • 쿰란 사본과 성서 연구: 4Q285, 4Q448, 4Q246, 7Q5, 11Q13을 중심으로 / 송창현
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.28977/jbtr.2005.4.16.7 쿰란 사본과 성서 연구: 4Q285, 4Q448, 4Q246, 7Q5, 11Q13을 중심으로 / 송창현 쿰란 사본과 성서 연구 - 4Q285, 4Q448, 4Q246, 7Q5, 11Q13을 중심으로- 송창현* 머리말 20세기 최대의 고고학적 발견이라 불리는 사해 두루마리(Dead Sea Scrolls)는 1947년 봄 베두인 목동 무하마드 아드-디브에 의해 우연히 발견되었다. 그는 다 른 동료들과 함께 쿰란 근처에서 가축 떼를 돌보던 중 잃어버린 염소를 찾다가 동굴을 발견하였고 그곳에서 두루마리들이 발견되었다. 그 후 1956년까지 사해 서안 유대 광야의 여러 곳, 즉 키르벳 쿰란, 마사다, 와디 무라바트, 나할 헤베르, 나할 세일림, 나할 미쉬마르 등에서 발견된 고대 유대 사본들을 넓은 의미의 사 해 두루마리라고 부른다. 그리고 특히 사해의 북서 연안에 위치한 키르벳 쿰란 주변의 열한 개 동굴에서 발견된 850여 종류의 사본을 좁은 의미의 사해 두루마 리, 즉 쿰란 사본이라고 부른다. 쿰란 사본은 세 종류로 나누어지는데 즉, 구약성서의 사본들, 외경과 위경의 사본들, 그리고 쿰란 공동체와 관련 있는 사본들이다. 첫째, 쿰란에서는 에스델 서를 제외한 모든 구약성서의 사본이 200여 개 발견되었다. 이 성서 사본들은 레 닌그라드 사본(1008년경)이나 알렙포 사본(925년경)보다 1000년 이상 더 오래 된 것이다. 쿰란의 이 사본들은 구약성서의 정경이 확정되기 이전 단계의 본문으 로서, 마소라 본문, 70인역 본문, 사마리아 오경 본문 등과 함께 구약성서 본문 형성의 역사를 연구하는데 매우 중요한 자료이다. 둘째, 쿰란 사본의 발견 이전 에는 전혀 알려지지 않았거나, 그리스어, 에디오피아어, 라틴어 등 고대 언어의 번역으로만 알려졌던 구약성서의 외경(apocrypha)과 위경(pseudepigrapha)의 히 브리어, 아람어 원본들이 쿰란에서 발견되었다. 그리고 셋째, 전체 쿰란 사본의 약 삼분의 일은 쿰란 공동체의 조직, 생활과 사상을 반영하는 사본들이다. 이 사 본들을 통해 우리는 에세네파와 쿰란 공동체에 대한 더 정확하고 더 풍부한 지식 을 가지게 되었다.
    [Show full text]
  • F.F. Bruce, "The Dead Sea Habakkuk Scroll," the Annual of Leeds University Oriental Society I (1958/59): 5-24
    F.F. Bruce, "The Dead Sea Habakkuk Scroll," The Annual of Leeds University Oriental Society I (1958/59): 5-24. The Dead Sea Habakkuk Scroll1 Professor F. F. Bruce, M.A., D.D. [p.5] The Dead Sea Habakkuk Scroll (1Q p Hab.) is one of the four scrolls from Qumran Cave I which were obtained in June 1947 by the Syrian Monastery of St. Mark in Jerusalem and subsequently (February 1955) purchased by the state of Israel. The scroll, which contains 13 columns of Hebrew writing, consists of two pieces of soft leather sewn together with linen thread between columns 7 and 8. The columns are about 10 centimetres wide; the scroll was originally about 160 centimetres long. The first two columns, however, are badly mutilated, as is also the bottom of the scroll; this produces an undulating break. along the bottom when the scroll is unrolled. The present maximum height of the scroll is 13.7 centimetres; originally it may have been 16 centimetres high or more. Palaeographical estimates of the age of the scroll vary by some decades, but a date around the middle of the first century B.C. or shortly afterwards is probable. The scroll contains the text of the first two chapters of Habakkuk. The book of Habakkuk, as we know it, consists of two documents: (a) ‘The oracle of God which Habakkuk the prophet saw’ (chapters 1 and 2), and (b) ‘A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth’ (chapter 3). Our scroll quotes one or several clauses from the former document, and supplies a running commentary on the words quoted; but it does not contain the text of the second document, nor, does it make any comment on it.
    [Show full text]
  • A Study on the Teacher of Righteousness, Collective Memory, and Tradition at Qumran by Gianc
    MANUFACTURING HISTORY AND IDENTITY: A STUDY ON THE TEACHER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, COLLECTIVE MEMORY, AND TRADITION AT QUMRAN BY GIANCARLO P. ANGULO A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS Religion May 2014 Winston Salem, North Carolina Approved By: Kenneth G. Hoglund, Ph.D., Advisor Jarrod Whitaker, Ph.D., Chair Clinton J. Moyer, Ph.D. Acknowledgments It would not be possible to adequately present the breadth of my gratitude in the scope of this short acknowledgment section. That being said, I would like to extend a few thanks to some of those who have most influenced my academic and personal progression during my time in academia. To begin, I would be remiss not to mention the many excellent professors and specifically Dr. Erik Larson at Florida International University. The Religious Studies department at my undergraduate university nurtured my nascent fascination with religion and the Dead Sea Scrolls and launched me into the career I am now seeking to pursue. Furthermore, a thank you goes out to my readers Dr. Jarrod Whitaker and Dr. Clinton Moyer. You have both presented me with wonderful opportunities during my time at Wake Forest University that have helped to develop me into the student and speaker I am today. Your guidance and review of this thesis have proven essential for me to produce my very best work. Also, a very special thank you must go out to my advisor, professor, and friend, Dr. Ken Hoglund.
    [Show full text]
  • War and Ethics in the Ancient Near East: Military Violence in Light of Cosmology and History
    Bulletin for Biblical Research 22.1 (2010) 113–150 BOOK REVIEWS Sharon R. Steadman and Gregory McMahon, eds. The Oxford Handbook of An- cient Anatolia: 10,000–323 b.c.e. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011. Pp. xvii + 1,174. ISBN 978-0-19-537614-2. $175.00 cloth. This nearly 1,200-page opus is part of the renowned Oxford University Press Handbook series and seeks to describe in a one-volume format the present state of the art of our knowledge about the history, the material culture, and the languages of ancient Anatolia or, as the editors write, “a synthesis of our cur- rent understanding” (p. 3), concluding roughly a century of serious scholarly study of ancient Anatolia. Following an introductory chapter by the editors (pp. 3–11), the volume contains 51 chapters (of 20–30 pages each), divided into five parts: part 1, “The Archaeology of Anatolia: Background and Definitions” includes 3 chapters dealing with the perspective of the ancient people living in Anatolia, a research history of its preclassical archaeology, and a discussion of Anatolian chronology and terminology. Each chapter contains endnotes (if needed; generally an in- text reference model was used) and a bibliography (divided into primary and secondary sources). Not all bibliographies are equal; while some cover a page or two, others extend up to eight pages. Most chapters contain useful illustrative material such as maps, city plans, black-and-white photos, or tables. These help the reader to visualize a subject that has suffered from lack of exposure and (often) the link to the Hebrew Bible that motivated many of the early scholars (or adventurers) working in Egypt, Palestine, Syria, and Mesopotamia.
    [Show full text]