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The Word of God in Transition from Prophet to Exegete in the Second Temple Period

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The Word of God in Transition from Prophet to Exegete in the Second Temple Period JOURNAL FOR THE STUDY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT SUPPLEMENT SERIES 197 Editors David J.A. Clines Philip R. Davies Executive Editor John Jarick Editorial Board Robert P. Carroll, Richard J. Coggins, Alan Cooper, J. Cheryl Exum, John Goldingay, Robert P. Gordon, Norman K. Gottwald, Andrew D.H. Mayes, Carol Meyers, Patrick D. Miller Sheffield Academic Press This page intentionally left blank The Word of God in Transition From Prophet to Exegete in the Second Temple Period William M. Schniedewind Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series 197 Copyright © 1995 Sheffield Academic Press Published by Sheffield Academic Press Ltd Mansion House 19 Kingfield Road Sheffield, S11 9AS England Typeset by Sheffield Academic Press and Printed on acid-free paper in Great Britain by Bookcraft Midsomer Norton, Somerset British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 1-85075-550-7 CONTENTS Acknowledgments 7 Abbreviations 8 Introduction 11 Chapter 1 PROPHETIC TITLES AND INSPIRATION FORMULAS 31 Prophetic Titles 32 Inspiration Formulas 54 Chapter 2 PROPHETIC SPEECHES 80 Prophets and Messengers 81 Speakers with Prophetic Titles 84 Inspired Messengers 108 Chapter 3 THE 'WORD OF GOD' IN TRADITION 130 The Resignification of , 'the Word of YHWH' 130 Reinterpreting Prophecies from Samuel-Kings 138 The Dynastic Oracle 143 Tradition, Transition and Context 161 Chapter 4 DIVINE INSPIRATION AND THE LEVITICAL SINGERS 163 Excursus: The Redaction of 1 Chronicles 23-27 165 Music and Prophecy 170 The Levitical 'Singers' 174 Chapter 5 PROPHECY AND KINGSHIP 189 David, 'the Man of God' 193 6 The Word of God in Transition Divine Revelation to David 198 David, Cult Founder and Temple Builder 207 Chapter 6 THE PROPHETS AS HISTORIANS 209 Source References 211 Prophets in the Chronicler's Narrative 228 Conclusion FROM PROPHETS TO INSPIRED INTERPRETERS 231 Prophets and Inspired Messengers 231 The History of Prophecy 238 Prophecy in Early Judaism and Christianity 241 The Date, Authorship and Purpose of Chronicles 249 Bibliography 253 Index of References 260 Index of Authors 273 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The present study is a revised version of a doctoral dissertation com- pleted at Brandeis University in March 1992, 'Prophets, Prophecy, and Inspiration: A Study of Prophecy in the Book of Chronicles'. This study owes much to my teachers there: Michael Fishbane, Marc Brettler, Tzvi Abusch, Stephen Geller, and Krister Stendahl. I wish also to acknowledge the advice and help of Hugh Williamson, Sara Japhet and J. Edward Wright, whom I consulted at various stages on aspects of the dissertation. Although I have tried carefully to recognize their work on the pages of this monograph, their contribution goes beyond that which footnotes can acknowledge. I owe special thanks to Marc Brettler whose rigor as a scholar and dedication as a teacher I hope to emulate. My debt to Michael Fishbane cannot be expressed in words; this study is a tribute to him and a beginning in the adventure upon which he has started me. The present study was revised during 1992-93 while I was a post- doctoral fellow at the Albright Institute of Archaeological Research in Jerusalem. The Albright Institute and the Ecole Biblique et Arch6ologique Fran9aise provided me with the ideal environment in which to research, study and write. During my study at the Albright, Marvin Sweeney was kind enough to read over the manuscript and offer suggestions and encouragement. In the end, though I have profited through the work, advice and encouragement of many others I am solely responsible for the ideas expressed herein. My greatest joy through this entire work has been my lovely wife Jeanne who has given more than any in endless evenings with her husband at the computer. I can scarcely repay the debt owed. William M. Schniedewind Jerusalem, Christmas 1993 ABBREVIATIONS AB Anchor Bible AJSLL American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures AnBib Analecta biblica ANET J.B. Pritchard (ed.), Ancient Near Eastern Texts AOAT Alter Orient und Altes Testament BASOR Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research BDB F. Brown, S.R. Driver, and C.A. Briggs, Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament BET Beiträge zur biblischen Exegese und Theologie BHS Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia Bib Biblica BJS Brown Judaic Studies BL H. Bauer and P. Leander, Historische Grammatik der Hebrdischen Sprache des Alten Testaments (Hildesheim: Olms, 1965) BN Biblische Notizen BTB Biblical Theology Bulletin BZ Biblische Zeitschrift BZAW Beihefte zur ZAW CBQMS Catholic Biblical Quarterly Monograph Series CTA A. Herdner (ed.), Corpus des tablettes en cunéiformes alphabetiques découvertes a Ràs Shamra-Ugarit de 1929 a 1939 (Paris: Imprimerie Nationale/Librairie Orientaliste Paul Geuther, 1963) CTM Concordia Theological Monthly DJD Discoveries in the Judaean Desert El Eretz Israel EncJud Encyclopaedia Judaica (1971) ETL Ephemerides theologicae lovanienses FOTL The Forms of the Old Testament Literature GKC Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar, ed. E. Kautzsch, trans. A.E. Cowley HAR Hebrew Annual Review HAT Handbuch zum Alten Testament HSM Harvard Semitic Monographs HTR Harvard Theological Review HUCA Hebrew Union College Annual IB Interpreter's Bible IBS Irish Biblical Studies Abbreviations 9 ICC International Critical Commentary IEJ Israel Exploration Journal Int Interpretation JAOS Journal of the American Oriental Society JBL Journal of Biblical Literature JJS Journal of Jewish Studies JNES Journal of Near Eastern Studies JQR Jewish Quarterly Review JR Journal of Religion JSOT Journal for the Study of the Old Testament JSOTSup Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series JSS Journal of Semitic Studies JTS Journal of Theological Studies KAI H. Donner and W. Rollig, Kanaandische und aramdische Inschriften KB3 L. Koehler and W. Baumgartner (eds.), Hebrdisches und aramdisches Lexikon zum Alten Testament, 3rd edn LCL Loeb Classical Library NCB New Century Bible Or Orientalia OTL Old Testament Library OTS Oudtestamentische Studien RB Revue biblique RTF Revue de theologie et de philosophie SBLDS SBL Dissertation Series SBLMS SBL Monograph Series SBLSBS SBL Sources for Biblical Study SBLSP SBL Seminar Papers SET Studies in Biblical Theology SJOT Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament SJT Scottish Journal of Theology TDNT G. Kittel and G. Friedrich (eds.), Theological Dictionary of the New Testament TDOT G.J. Botterweck and H. Ringgren (eds.), Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament TynBul Tyndale Bulletin TZ Theologische Zeitschrift VT Vetus Testamentum VTSup Vetus Testamentum, Supplements WBC Word Biblical Commentary WMANT Wissenschaftliche Monographien zum Alten und Neuen Testament WTJ Westminster Theological Journal ZA W Zeitschrift fur die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft This page intentionally left blank INTRODUCTION There is no longer any prophet... (Ps. 74.9) The phrase 'the word of God' conjures up various images, from the fiery words of the classical prophets and Moses receiving the Law on Mount Sinai to a modern preacher waving a large black King James Bible. These diverse images can be understood by examining the momentous change which took place in the meaning of the term 'word of God' after the exile of the people of Israel to Babylon in 586 BCE. Post-exilic biblical literature, and the book of Chronicles in particular, reflects a transition in the meaning of the 'word of God'. In the classical prophetic literature, the 'word of God' comes to the prophet. In the prophetic literature, the pathos of the prophet who receives God's word is striking. The 'word of God' in the pre-exilic literature is truly 'living and active'. It comes directly from God to the prophet who in turn speaks to the people. After the exile, the 'word of God' becomes the received traditions—Scripture—which an inspired interpreter makes alive for the people. Thus, inspired scribes like Ezra or Baruch and inspired teachers like Jesus of Nazareth or the Teacher of Righteousness reveal the mysteries of the 'word of God'. They no longer simply receive the 'word of God', rather they interpret the 'word of God'. In them a new kind of prophet emerges, the inspired text interpreter. This study examines the emergence of this new kind of prophet, the inspired messenger, in the post-exilic period, and it takes its starting point as prophecy in the book of Chronicles. The book of Chronicles is a post-exilic work which concerns the pre-exilic period. As such, it provides us with a unique opportunity to see the ideas of a post-exilic writer concerning the pre-exilic period. What interests us particularly is the Chronicler's presentation of pre-exilic prophecy and prophets. Herein emerges a picture of the inspired text interpreter set against the portrait of the classical prophets.1 1. The book of Chronicles, although included in the Greek canon among the 12 The Word of God in Transition 1. Post-Exilic Prophecy Although prophecy has been a topic of intense interest in biblical studies, post-exilic prophecy has suffered from some neglect. This may be traced to Julius Wellhausen's influential Prolegomena zur Geschichte Israels.2 Wellhausen not only viewed the monarchy as the classical period of Israel, but also saw classical prophecy as the apex of Israelite religion. Post-exilic Judaism then was 'an artificial product'3 and post-exilic prophecy only a shadowy reflection of its illustrious predecessor. Wellhausen based this harsh evaluation of post-exilic Judaism on his analysis of Chronicles. He writes in summation: 'Chronicles owes its origin, not to the arbitrary caprice of an individual, but to a general ten- dency of its period'.4 As a result, the post-exilic period in general and post-exilic prophecy in particular has been neglected in scholarship until quite recently.5 However, little work has been done on prophecy in 'historical books', belongs more properly with the 'Writings' as it is in the Hebrew canon. The purpose of the Chronicler was not to write a history of Israel but rather to exhort the post-exilic community to seek the LORD and to support the temple.
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