Ugaritic Studies and the Hebrew Bible, 1968-1998 (With an Excursus on Judean Monotheism and the Ugaritic Texts)

UGARITIC STUDIES AND THE HEBREW BIBLE, 1968-1998 (WITH AN EXCURSUS ON JUDEAN MONOTHEISM AND THE UGARITIC TEXTS)

MARK S. SMITH Philadelphia

This presentation offers a synopsis of the major texts and tools as well as intellectual topics and trends that have dominated the field of Ugaritic-biblical studies since 1968. 1 This year marked a particu• lar watershed with the publication of Ugaritica V 2 which included fourteen new Ugaritic texts and several polyglots. For the sake of convenience, this discussion is divided into three periods: 1968-1985, 1985 to the present, and prospects for the future. The texts and tools for each period are listed, followed by a brief discussion of the intellectual topics and trends. This survey is hardly exhaustive; it is intended instead to be representative.

1 Earlier technical surveys of Ugaritic-biblical studies include W.F. Albright, "The Old Testament and Canaanite Language and Literature", CBQ. 7 (1945), pp. 5-31; H. Donner, "Ugaritismen in der Psalmenforschung", ZAW 79 (1967), pp. 322-50; H.L. Ginsberg, "Ugaritic Studies and the Bible", BA 8 (1945), pp. 41-58; H. Ringgren, "Ugarit und das Alte Testament: einige methodolische Erwagungen", UF II (1979 = C.F.A. Scha4fer Festschrift ), pp. 719-21 ; and E. Ullendorff, "Ugaritic Studies Within Their Semitic and Eastern Mediterranean Setting" , BJRL 46 (1963), pp. 236-44. Popular surveys include: M. Baldacci, La scoperta di Ugarit: La citta-stato ai primordi della Bibbia (Piemme, 1996); P.C. Craigie, Ugarit and the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI, 1983); AHW. Curtis, Ugarit (Has Shamra) , Cities of the Biblical World (Cambridge, 1985); AS. Kapelrud, The Ras Shamra Discoveries and the Old Testament (trans. G.W. Anderson ; Norman, OK, 1963; original publication, Oslo, 1953); D. Kinet , Ugari~ Geschichte undKultur einer Stadt in der Umwelt des Alten Testamentes, Stuttgarter Bibelstudien 104 (Stuttgart, 1981); P. Xella, La terra di Baal: Ugarit e la sua civilta (Rome, 1984). The survey of "Ugaritic texts" here involves texts only in the Ugaritic language. 2 J. Nougayrol , E. Laroche , C. Virolleaud, and C.F.A Schaeffer, Ugaritica V, MRS XVI (Paris, 1968). 328 MARK S. SMITH

I. 1968-1985

Texts and Tools Archaeology: French mission-Bordreuil, Callot, Caubet, de Contenson, Courtois, E. and]. Lagarce, Margueron, Stucky , Yon. North's article in ZDPV89 (1973), pp . 113-60, and Courtois's response in ZDPV90 (1974), pp . 97-114;O. Callot, Une maison aDugarit (RSO I; Paris, 1983). See Has Shamra 1929-1979 (Lyon, 1979). New texts: texts from seasons of RIH 77 and 78: P. Bordreuil and A. Caquot, "Les textes en cun eiformes alphabctiques decouv erts en 1978 a Ibn Hani", Svna 57 (1980), pp . 343-73;P. Bordreuil, "L 'epigraphie ougaritique: 1973-1993", in M. Yon, M. Sznycer, P. Bordreuil (ed.), Le Pays d'Ougarit autour de 1200 avo].G. Histoire et archiologie. Actes du Colloque International, Paris, 28 juin - ler juillet 1993 RSO II (Paris, 1995), pp . 27-32. M.Dietrich, O . Loretz and]. Sanmartin, Die keilalphabetischen Texte aus Ugarit: Einschliesslich der keilalphabeuschen Texte aus asserhalb Ugarits. Teil 1, AOAT 24/1 (Kevelaer/ Neukichen-Vluyn, 1976). R.E. Whitaker, Concordance ofthe Ugaritic Literature (Cambridge, MA , 1972). S. Segert, A Basic Grammar of the Ugaritic Language (Berkeley/ Los Angeles/London, 1984). Translations of "classics": A. Caquot,M. Sznycer and A. Herdner, Textes ougari• tiques: Tome I. ivfythes et ligendes, LAPO 7 (Paris, 1974); M.D. Coogan , Stories from Ancient Canaan (Philadelphia, 1978); ].C.L. Gibson, Canaanite Myths and Legends (Edinburgh, 1978) cf. D. Pard ee, "T he New Canaanite Myths and Legends ", BiOr 37 (1980), pp. 269-91; and G. del Olmo Lete, Mites y leven• das segun la tradicion de Ugarit (Madrid, 1981). Hippiatric text translations : C. Cohen and D. Sivan , The Ugaritic Hippiatric Texts: A Critical Edition (New Haven , 1983); D. Pardee, Les textes hippiatriques, RSO II (Paris, 1985).3 Major text studies: e.g., H.H.P. Dressler, "T he AQHT Text: A New Transcription, Translation, Commentary and)ntrodJ;!ction " (dissertation, Cambridge, 1976); for 1.23, P. Xella, II muo di SfiR e SLAt: Saggio sulla mitologia ugaritica , Studi Semitici 44 (Rome, 1981). Major religious studies : e.g., ].C. de Moor, New rear with Canaanites and Israelites (1972), and "T he Semiti c Pantheon of Ugarit ", UF 2 (1970), pp. 187-228; ].-L. Cunchillos, Interpretacion de la mitologia Cananea: Estudios de semantica Ugaritica (Valencia, 1984). New Journals: Ugarit-Forschungen, Aula Orientalis; Studi epigrqfici e linguistici; Netosleuerfor Ugaritic Studies; Maarao. Survey and synthesis : Dictionnaire de la Bible Suppliment 9 (1979), pp . 1124 -1442.

Before I survey the particulars listed under topics and trends for this period, it is important to recognize the driving center of production in this period, and that is the team of M. Dietrich and O. Loretz, aided at times by J. Sanmartin. The field may recall with deep grat-

3 Cohen and Pardee have returned to these texts more recently: Cohen, "T he Ugaritic Hippiatric Texts. Revised Composite Text, Translation and Comment ary", UF 28 (1996), pp . 105-53; Pardee, "Q uelque remarques relatives a l'ctude des textes hippi atriques en langue ougaritique", Sem 45 (1996), pp . 19-26.