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A Socio-Rhetorical Interpretation of Joshua 6

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A Socio-Rhetorical Interpretation of Joshua 6 Avondale College ResearchOnline@Avondale Theses Bachelor Honours Theses 10-2012 A Socio-Rhetorical Interpretation of Joshua 6 Abel Cristian Iorgulescu Avondale College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://research.avondale.edu.au/theses_bachelor_honours Part of the Biblical Studies Commons Recommended Citation Iorgulescu, A. C. (2012). A socio-rhetorical interpretation of Joshua 6 (Bachelor's thesis, Avondale College, Cooranbong, Australia). Retrieved from https://research.avondale.edu.au/ theses_bachelor_honours/8 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses at ResearchOnline@Avondale. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses Bachelor Honours by an authorized administrator of ResearchOnline@Avondale. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Avondale College School of Ministry and Theology A SOCIO-RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION OF JOSHUA 6 An Honours Project Presented in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for THHN42100 Theology Honours Thesis by Abel C. Iorgulescu October 2012 STUDENT DECLARATIONS Statement of Original Authorship I declare that the work contained in this thesis has not been submitted previously for a degree or diploma at this institution, an Australian or overseas university, or any other institution of higher education. To the best of my knowledge and belief, this thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made. Signed: ____________________ Date: ______________________ Statement of Copyright I grant to Avondale College the rights to archive in the College library, and to make available my thesis in whole or in part for study now and in the future. I retain all property rights. I also retain the right to use in the future works all or part of this thesis. Signed: ____________________ Date: ______________________ ii DEDICATION To Annaleese – my beautiful daughter and treasured possession whom I pray will grow to love and trust Yahweh, the God who is faithful in keeping His promises. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This study could not have been completed without the valuable support, wisdom and guidance of the following individuals/groups. First, I would like to thank my family- my beautiful wife Liana and my precious daughter Annaleese- for their love, support and belief in me. Thank you for being a loving wife even though I spent more time with the books in the library than with you and our wonderful daughter. I would like to thank my parents and parents- in-law for their prayers and continual reminder to put my trust in God. A special thank you goes to Wendy Jackson, my supervisor, who offered me guidance and assistance in completing this research. Thank you for the regular meetings, the helpful feedback, and for the constant encouragements. I would also like to mention Kayle de Waal, Daniel Reynaud and Laurie Meintjes. Without your input, this work could not have reached this stage. I would like to thank three students, William Iererua, Ian Fesolai and James London, who experienced the same amount of stress and pressure as I did. It was a blessing to pray together and to encourage one another. Thank you, William, for reminding me what an awesome God we serve. Above all, I would like to thank God for His beautiful promise found in Josh 1:9 (“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”) and for fulfilling it in my life. iv ABSTRACT OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH Honours Thesis Avondale College School of Ministry and Theology Title: A SOCIO-RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION OF JOSHUA 6 Name of Researcher: Abel C. Iorgulescu Name and degrees of faculty adviser: Dr. Wendy Jackson, BHB, MBChB, FRACP, MDiv, PhD candidate. Date completed: October 2012 The ḥērem war in Joshua 6, which demands total destruction of the city and its inhabitants, presents a God who at first glance appears to be merciless and cruel. This thesis employs socio-rhetorical interpretation as described by Vernon Robbins to explore Joshua 6. It aims to better understand God's involvement in the ḥērem war, and to determine what this involvement says about God’s character. The comprehensive picture that emerges from the five textures of socio- rhetorical interpretation reveals that Yahweh's anger is not against people or other nations, but against sin that destroys His creation. Rather than being merciless and cruel, a careful study of Joshua 6 shows that Yahweh is in fact merciful and full of love towards His creation. This love is demonstrated in the fact that God accommodates Himself to His sinful people. While violence is used in the process of v the conquest, it is violence against sin and is redemptive in its nature, bringing salvation a step closer to its final fulfilment. This salvation is intended not only for the Israelites, but also for all the other nations. Joshua 6 also highlights God's love by presenting Him as a covenant keeper, thereby strengthening the faith of the Israelites in Yahweh who keeps His promises. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS STUDENT DECLARATIONS.....................................................................................ii DEDICATION.............................................................................................................iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.........................................................................................iv ABSTRACT..................................................................................................................v TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................................................vii LIST OF TABLES........................................................................................................x LIST OF ABREVIATIONS..........................................................................................x Chapter I. INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY.........................................................1 Introduction ....................................................................................1 Background of the Task .................................................................1 Statement of the Task.....................................................................2 Expectations of the Thesis..............................................................2 Limitations .....................................................................................3 Outline of the study........................................................................3 II. LITERATURE REVIEW ...........................................................................4 God’s Role in the Origins of OT wars ...........................................4 God did not Command the OT Accounts of Ḥērem Wars ......4 God did Command the OT Accounts of Ḥērem Wars ............7 Ḥērem ...........................................................................................10 The Conquest of Jericho...............................................................13 Summary Statement .....................................................................16 III. METHODOLOGY....................................................................................17 Rationale.......................................................................................17 Outline of Methodology...............................................................21 Inner Texture.........................................................................21 Repetitive Texture and Pattern .........................................22 Progressive Texture and Pattern.......................................22 Opening-middle-closing Texture and Pattern ..................23 Narrational Texture and Pattern .......................................23 Intertexture ............................................................................24 Oral-scribal intertexture....................................................24 Historical intertexture.......................................................25 vii Social and Cultural Texture ..................................................25 Specific Social Topics ......................................................26 Common Social and Cultural Topics ...............................27 Ideological Texture ...............................................................27 Sacred Texture ......................................................................29 Summary Statement .....................................................................30 IV. INNER TEXTURE ...................................................................................31 Repetitive Texture ........................................................................31 Progressive Texture......................................................................39 Opening-middle-closing Texture .................................................43 Opening .................................................................................45 Middle ...................................................................................46 Closing ..................................................................................49 Summary ...............................................................................49 Narrational Texture ......................................................................50 Narrational Pattern .......................................................................52 Summary Statement .....................................................................54
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