DOCSLIB.ORG

Term Paper Topics

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Term Paper Topics Research Assignment Overview for Profs Term Paper Topics 1. What does archaeological evidence from the Gezer high place contribute to the understanding of the carving of a Decalogue on two stone tablets (Exod 20; Deut 5)? (Davi d Ussishkin, “On the hi story of the hi gh place at Gezer.” Timelines 2 (2006): 411-416. Leuven: Peeters.) 2. What does the Nash Papyrus contribute to the understanding of the importance of the Decalogue in Jewish spiritu ality in Egypt before the Common Era? (F. C. Burkitt, “The Hebrew Papyrus of the Ten Commandments.” Jewish Quarterly Review 15 (1903) 392-408. (http://faculty.gordon.e du/hu/bi /Te d_Hilde brandt/OTeSources/02- Exodus/Text/Articles/Burkitt-10Commands-JQR.pdf) 3. Ramesses II (1290-1224 B.C.E.) took great pride in his victory at the Battle of Kadesh (1286 B.C.E.). Explain the tactical mistake he made during the battle, and how the stories of his Battle at the Red Sea (Exod 14:21-31) may be a satire ridiculing Ramesses as a warrior. (Frank Moore Cross, “The Song of the Sea and Canaanite Myth.” In Canaanite Myth and He brew Epi c: essays in the history of the religion of Israel: 112-144, Cam bri dge : Harvard University 1973) 4. Merneptah (1224-1214 BCE) celebrated his victory over the “people of Israel” on a stela at Thebes. How may this inscription be related to the 300 villages which appeared in the hills north of Jerusalem around 1250 B.C.E. and the traditions in the Books of Joshua-Judges? (La wrence E. Stager, “Forging an Identity; the emergence of ancient Israel.” In The Oxford History of the Biblical World: 123-175. Edited by M.D. Coogan. New York: Oxford University.) 1. Pharaohs as early as Narmer (3000 B.C.E.) are portrayed with their right arms raised and holding a mace about to kill the enemies of Egypt. How does this Egyptian motif contribute to the understanding of the biblical description of Yahweh with “…a mighty hand and an outstretched arm”? (Exod 6:1-11; Deut 4:29-38; 1 Kgs 8:37-47; Ps 136:7- 17; Ezek 20:29-39). (T h omas E.Le vy; Edwin C M van den Brink; Yuva l Goren ; Da vi d Alon, “New Light on King Narmer and the Protodynastic Egyptian Presence in Canaan.” Biblical Archaeologist 58, (Mar 1995): 26-35.) 2. Two important theories of archaeology that developed during the first half of the 20th century are Cultural History and Annales Archaeology. Explain a significant difference in the approaches that Cultural Historians and Annales Archaeologists take to their work. (Ian Hodder and Scott Hutson, “Archaeology and History.” In Reading the Past: current approaches to intre pretati on in archaeology: 125-155. Ne w York : Cam bri dge University.) 3. Two important theories of archaeology that developed during the second half of the 20th century are Processual Archaeology and Post- Processual Archaeology. Explain a significant difference in the approaches that Processual Archaeologists and Post-Processual Archaeologists take to their work. (Ian Hodder and Scott Hutson, “Post- Processual Archaeology.” In Reading the Past: current approaches to intrepretation in archaeology: 206-235. New York : Cam bri dge University.) 4. Compare and contrast how Rainey and Edelmen use the Annals of Merneptah to identify the location of early Israelite villages. (G.W. Ahlstrom and Diana Edelman, “Merneptah’s Israel.” JN ES (1985): 44:59-61. Anson F. Rainey, “Israe l in Merenptah’s Inscription and Reliefs.” I EP 51 (2001): 57-75) 5. What do the reliefs in Sennacherib’s trophy room at Nineveh depicting his conquest of Lachish contribute to understanding the irony of the Nineveh motif in the book of Jonah? (Christoph Uehlinger, “Cli o in a world of pi ctures -- another look at the Lachi sh re liefs from Sennacheri b's southwest palace at Nineveh.” In “Like a bird in a cage”: 221-305. Edi te d by Lester L. Grabbe . Ne w York : Sheffield Academic, 2003) 6. The Bible indicts Ahab and Jezebel as heretics. What contrasting qualities do the Annals of Mesha contribute to the understanding of these monarchs of ancient Israel? (J. Andre w Dearman and Ge rald L. Mattingly, “Mesha Stela.” Anchor Bible Dictionary 4 (1992): 708-709. Edited by D. N. Freedman. New York : Double day.) 7. What do the Annals of Sennacherib on the Taylor Prism contribute to the understanding of why the Assyrians lifted their siege of Jerusalem without conquering the city (2 Kgs 18:17—19:36)? (Davi d Ussishkin, “Sennacherib's campaign to Philistia and Judah: Ekron, Lachish, and Jerusalem.” In Essays on Ancient Israel in its Near Eastern Conte xt: 339-357. Edi te d by Yai rah Amit, Ehud Ben Zvi; Israel Finkelstein and Oded Lipschits. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 2006) 8. Explain and critique two pieces of archaeological evidence which Kenneth A. Kitchen offers to support his conclusion that the stories in the books of Joshua and Judges are historically reliable? (K.A. Ki tchen, “Hum ble Be ginnings – around and in Canaan,” In On the Reliabi li ty of the Old Testament: 159-239. Grand Raids: William B. Eerdmans.) 9. Explain why archaeologists consider the House of David Inscription recovered by Avraham Biran at Tel Dan and the Yehoash Inscription to be authentic, but the Ivory Pomegranate Inscription to be a forgery. (Shimon Ilani, Amnon Rosenfeld, Howard R. Feldman, Wolfgang E. Krumbein a n d Joel Kronfeld, “Archaeometric Analysis of the ‘Jehoash Inscription’ Tablet.” Journal of Archaeological Science 35 (2008): 2966-2972) 10. What does the Egyptian royal ritual of brother-sister marriage contribute to understanding Abraham’s reference to Sarah as his sister in the book of Ge ne sis (Ge n 12:9--13:1)? (Russell Mi ddle ton, “Brother-Sister and Father-Daughter Marriage in Ancient Egypt.” American Soci ologi cal Review 27, 5 (1962): 603-611). A Short Guide to Writing Research Papers in an introductory course on the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible The following notes and references are meant to help you to organize and compose a conventional term paper on archaeology and the Bible. You may find the basic sequence and resources helpful in other disciplines, too. 1. Choosing a Topic Your topic may be chosen for you, but, if not, aim for one that is (1) interes ting to you, (2) manageable with readily available sources, (3) malleable so you can narrow in on an especially interesting or important aspect and (4) argu able. The following resources explain the dynamics of choosing a good topic for any research. Booth, Wayne, Gregory C. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams 1995 The Craft of Re search. Chicago: University of Chicago. Ke nne dy, J. 1984 Library Research Guide to Religion and Theology: Illustrated Search Strategy and Sources. 2d ed. Ann Arbor: Pieran. Lue y, Beth 1995 Handbook for Academic Authors. 3rd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University. Preece, Roy 1994 Starting Research: An Introduction to Academic Research and Dissertation Writing. New York: St. Martin’s. Choose topics suggested by assigned readings, by questions posed in the Study Guide or by the additional sources in the bibliographies. 2. Researching Your Topic Material about your topic will be found in a variety of sources. In most cases, you can build your research by moving from general to specific treatments of your topic. In your research, it is vital that you not allow your expanding knowledge of what others think about your topic to drown your own curiosities, sensibilities, and insights. Instead, as your initial questions expand and then diminish with increased knowledge from your research, your own deeper concerns, insights, and point of view should emerge and grow. You might even try to reach new conclusions or arrive at a new pe rspe ctive about your topic. A. Consult Standard Sources and Build Bibliography Encyclopedia articles, dictionaries, and other standard re fere nce tools contain a wealth of material—and helpful bibliographies — to orient you in your topic. Look for the best, most authoritative, and up-to-date treatments. Checking cross-references will deepen your knowledge. General References: Freedman, David Noel et al. 1992 The Anchor Bible Dictionary. 6 vols. New York: Doubleday Me yers, Eric M., ed. 1997 The Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East. New York: Oxford University. One volume commentaries Brown, Raymond E., Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Roland E. Murphy, eds. 1990 The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice- Hall. Mays, James L., ed. 2000 The HarperCollins Bible Commentary. Re v. e d. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco. Newsom, Carol A., and Sharon H. Ringe, eds. 1998 Women’s Bible Commentary. Expanded edition. Louisville: Westminster John Knox. General books on Egypt, Mesopotamia and ancient Israel: Baines, John and Jaromir Malek 1980 Atlas of Ancient Egypt. New York: Facts on File. Coogan, Michael D., e d. 1998 The Oxford History of the Biblical World. New York: Oxford. De Vaux, Roland, Ancient Israel. 2 vols. New York: McGraw Hill, 1965. King, Philip J. and Lawrence E. Stager 2001 Life in Biblical Israel. Louisville: WestminsterJohnKnox. Rainey, Anson and R. Steven Notley 2006 The Sacred Bridge: Carta’s atlas of the biblical world. Jerusalem: Carta. Roaf, Michael 1990 Cultural Atlas of Mesopotamia and the Ancient Near East. New York: Facts on File. Start listing the sources you consult right away in standard bibliographical format (see section 5, below, for examples of usual formats). Assigning a number to each one facilitates easy reference later in your work. Investing in a bibliography program like Nota Bene (http://www.notabene.com/), EndNote (http://www.endnote.com/), Biblio (http://www.scholarsoft.com/biblio2.htm) or Biblioscape (http://www.bi bli oscape .com/) will keep your sources and your notes in easy- to-use order.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Shema in John's Gospel Against Its Backgrounds in Second Temple
    The Shema in John’s Gospel Against its Backgrounds in Second Temple Judaism by Lori Ann Robinson Baron Graduate Program in Religion Duke University Date: Approved: ___________________________ Joel Marcus, Supervisor ___________________________ Mark Goodacre ___________________________ Richard B. Hays ___________________________ Laura S. Lieber Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate Program in Religion in the Graduate School of Duke University 2015 ABSTRACT The Shema in John’s Gospel Against its Backgrounds in Second Temple Judaism by Lori Ann Robinson Baron Graduate Program in Religion Duke University Date: Approved: ___________________________ Joel Marcus, Supervisor ___________________________ Mark Goodacre ___________________________ Richard B. Hays ___________________________ Laura S. Lieber An abstract of a dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate Program in Religion in the Graduate School of Duke University 2015 Copyright by Lori Ann Robinson Baron 2015 Abstract In John’s Gospel, Jesus does not cite the Shema as the greatest commandment in the Law as he does in the Synoptic Gospels (“Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might” [Deut 6:4-5]; only Deut 6:5 appears in Matthew and Luke). This dissertation, however, argues that, rather than quoting the Shema , John incorporates it into his Christological portrait of Jesus’ unity with the Father and of the disciples’ unity with the Father, the Son, and one another. This study employs historical-critical methodology and literary analysis to provide an exegetical interpretation of the key passages relevant to the Shema in John (John 5:1-47; 8:31-59; 10:1-42; 13:34; 14, 15, 17).
    [Show full text]
  • Yeshivat Har Etzion Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit Midrash (Internet Address: [email protected])
    Yeshivat Har Etzion Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit Midrash (Internet address: [email protected]) ********************************************************* all His statutes and His God require of you, but to PARASHAT HASHAVUA commandments, which I fear the Lord your God, to ********************************************************* command you – you, and walk in all His ways, and to PARASHAT EKEV your child, and your child’s love Him, and to serve the ********************************************************* child, all the days of your Lord your God with all your life, and that your days may heart and with all your soul, be prolonged. to keep the IN LOVING MEMORY OF commandments of the Lord, and His statutes, Jeffrey Paul Friedman which I command you this Hear, therefore, O Israel, day, for your good. August 15, 1968 – July 29, 2012 and take care to do it, that (11:9) That you may it may be well with you, and prolong your days in the that you may increase land, which the Lord swore לע"נ mightily, as the Lord, God to your fathers to give to of your fathers has spoken them and to their seed, a יהודה פנחס בן הרב שרגא פייוועל to you, a land flowing with land flowing with milk and .milk and honey. honey כ"ב אב תשכ"ח – י אב תשע"ב (6:6-9) And these words, (11:18-20) And you shall which I command you this lay up these, My words, in ת.נ.צ.ב.ה day, shall be in your heart. your heart and in your soul, ****************************************************************** And you shall teach them and bind them for a sign diligently to your children, upon your hand, and they and shall speak of them shall be as frontlets The Expanded Shema when you sit in your house, between your eyes.
    [Show full text]
  • The Hebrew Papyrus of the Ten Commandments
    392 THE JEWISH QUARTERLY REVIEW 15 (1903) 392-408. Public Domain. THE HEBREW PAPYRUS OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. F. C. Burkitt A HEBREW papyrus is a rarity in any case, but the document that forms the subject of this paper is unique. It is a papyrus containing the Decalogue in Hebrew followed by the Shema’, the text differing in many notable particulars from the Massoretic standard, and agreeing with that which underlies the Septuagint version. When we add that there is every reason to suppose that the Papyrus is at least five or six hundred years older than any piece of Hebrew writing known to scholars, it is evident that the tattered fragments of which a facsimile is here inserted are interesting and important from every point of view. The recent history of the Papyrus is involved in some obscurity. It came into the possession of Mr. W. L. Nash, the Secretary of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, having been bought in Egypt from a native dealer along with some very early uncial fragments of the Odyssey. Mr. Nash thinks it very probable that the whole "find " comes from somewhere in the Fayyum. These Greek fragments must be as old as the second century A. D., and are probably much earlier: they contain portions of Odyssey XII. 279- 304, and have been edited by the present writer with a facsimile in the Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology for November, 1902, p. 290 ff. The Hebrew fragments which form the subject of the present article were entrusted to Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • World's Oldest Surviving Parchment of the Ten Commandments
    PRESS RELEASE March 27, 2013 Media Contacts: Casey Kroger, (513) 608-5777 - cell, [email protected] Jenna Kehrt (513) 373-6592 - cell, [email protected] Natalie Hastings (513) 325-3142 – cell, [email protected] Press Site: www.cincymuseum.org/dead-sea-scrolls/press World’s Oldest and Best-Preserved Parchment of The Ten Commandments Coming to Cincinnati for 17 Days Only Special Gift from Great American Insurance Group brings treasured 2,100-year-old-scroll to Cincinnati Museum Center from Good Friday (March 29) to April 14 CINCINNATI – The oldest and best-preserved parchment manuscript containing the Ten Commandments –the pillars of morality and law in the Western world and which 3,500 years later were written into the civil and criminal codes of 12 of the original 13 U.S. colonies – will be on view in Cincinnati Museum Center’s blockbuster exhibition, Dead Sea Scrolls: Life and Faith in Ancient Times. Written in Hebrew between 50 BCE - 1 BCE on a parchment scroll measuring just over 18 inches by 3 inches, the Ten Commandments Scroll will be on view from Friday, March 29 to Sunday, April 14, when the exhibition closes. The text, from the biblical book of Deuteronomy, encapsulates and defines how ancient Israelite men and women should work and live with one another and outlines their relationship with their god. Only two ancient manuscripts of the Ten Commandments have been discovered to date: the Ten Commandments Scroll, and the Nash Papyrus, an incomplete papyrus text currently housed in the Cambridge University Library, and dating to 150 -100 BCE.
    [Show full text]
  • The Valediction of Moses
    Forschungen zum Alten Testament Edited by Konrad Schmid (Zürich) · Mark S. Smith (Princeton) Hermann Spieckermann (Göttingen) · Andrew Teeter (Harvard) 145 Idan Dershowitz The Valediction of Moses A Proto-Biblical Book Mohr Siebeck Idan Dershowitz: born 1982; undergraduate and graduate training at the Hebrew University, following several years of yeshiva study; 2017 elected to the Harvard Society of Fellows; currently Chair of Hebrew Bible and Its Exegesis at the University of Potsdam. orcid.org/0000-0002-5310-8504 Open access sponsored by the Julis-Rabinowitz Program on Jewish and Israeli Law at the Harvard Law School. ISBN 978-3-16-160644-1 / eISBN 978-3-16-160645-8 DOI 10.1628/978-3-16-160645-8 ISSN 0940-4155 / eISSN 2568-8359 (Forschungen zum Alten Testament) The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliographie; detailed bibliographic data are available at http://dnb.dnb.de. © 2021 Mohr Siebeck Tübingen, Germany. www.mohrsiebeck.com This work is licensed under the license “Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Inter- national” (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). A complete Version of the license text can be found at: https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/. Any use not covered by the above license is prohibited and illegal without the permission of the publisher. The book was printed on non-aging paper by Gulde Druck in Tübingen, and bound by Buch- binderei Spinner in Ottersweier. Printed in Germany. Acknowledgments This work would not have been possible without the generosity of my friends, family, and colleagues. The Harvard Society of Fellows provided the ideal environment for this ven- ture.Atatimeinwhichacademiaisbecomingincreasinglyriskaverse,theSociety remains devoted to supporting its fellows’ passion projects.
    [Show full text]
  • Shabbat Shalom from Cyberspace February 11, 2012 18 SHEBAT 5772
    Shabbat Shalom from Cyberspace February 11, 2012 18 SHEBAT 5772 SHABBAT SHALOM FROM CYBERSPACE YITRO Haftarah: Yeshayahu 6:1-13 FEBRUARY 10-11, 2012 18 SHEBAT 5772 DEDICATIONS : DEDICATION : In memory of Eliyahu ben Esther - Eli Bibi, and in memory of Sarina bat Victoria - Sally Azrak HAPPY BIRTHDAY MONIQUE and ELLEN HADDAD – HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ELLEN AND ISAAC To subscribe or to unsubscribe, shlit"a, and written by Moshe children, and I’m too old to have please reply to Kormornick posted at now. You take all the gold and [email protected] ShortVort.com. Its one of those silver and let me take the baby”. bright lights that came out of one The deal was agreed and the Daily Minyan on the East Side of the darkest periods in our Polish woman took her new 59th and Third Ave history. ‘daughter’ home to her delighted Monday through Thursday at husband . They raised the Jewish NEW TIME: 4:30 PM Sharp – During the Holocaust, a large girl as their own, treating her very Join us group of Polish women were well, but never told her anything Mincha followed by Arbit –Take rounded up to be sent to the gas of her history. The girl excelled in 20 Minutes out of your day chambers. As the group gathered her studies and became a Artistic Frame – 979 Third their possessions to take with successful pediatrician, working in Avenue – 1705 them into the camp the evil Nazi the top hospital in Poland. For more information please officers called out to all the speak with villagers who were standing by After some years the girl’s Rabbi Danny Greenwald watching, “Anything that these ‘mother’ passed away.
    [Show full text]
  • The Dead Sea Scrolls: Retrospective and Prospective
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Faculty Publications, Classics and Religious Studies Department Classics and Religious Studies 2003 The Dead Sea Scrolls: Retrospective and Prospective Sidnie White Crawford University of Nebraska-Lincoln, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/classicsfacpub Part of the Classics Commons Crawford, Sidnie White, "The Dead Sea Scrolls: Retrospective and Prospective" (2003). Faculty Publications, Classics and Religious Studies Department. 119. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/classicsfacpub/119 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Classics and Religious Studies at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications, Classics and Religious Studies Department by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. The Pesher (Commentary) Habakkuk. This is one of the original four scrolls brought to the American School in Jerusalem in 1948. Published in Near Eastern Archaeology 65:1 (2002), pp. 81–86. Copyright © 2003 American Schools of Oriental Research he Dead Sea Scrolls—in the popu- Tlar imagination, the very name con- THE jures up scandal, intrigue and mystery. Tales of illicit excavations, clandestine purchases, and midnight trips to Beirut, DEAD SEA all with the sound of gunfire crackling in the background, abound in the lore SCROLLS of the Scrolls and the scholars associ- ated with them. While visions of Roland RETROSPECTIVE de Vaux as a French Indiana Jones may AND PROSPECTIVE be the product of an overheated imagi- nation, the actual story of the discovery Sidnie White Crawford of the Scrolls is nevertheless an exciting one in the annals of archaeology.
    [Show full text]
  • The Pentateuch
    THE PENTATEUCH EXPLORING THE FIRST FIVE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTATMENT PENTATEUCH Historical Background of the First Five Books of the Old Testament Historical Background to Pentateuch • What is the Pentateuch? • First five books of the Old Testament • Genesis • Exodus • Leviticus • Numbers • Deuteronomy • Pentateuch: "pente" means five, "teuchos" means implement (scrolls) • Called the Torah • Written in Hebrew Historical Background to Pentateuch • What is the Pentateuch? • Torah is translated “law” in the OT, meaning to instruct, direct, or guide. • It probably has a wider meaning, by OT usage, which includes all directives that come from God. In the NT torah, Greek nomos, can refer to either the Mosaic legislation (Rom 7:14) or a broad behavioral principle (9:31) Historical Background to Pentateuch • Content of the Pentateuch • Creation - God • Flood - God with Noah • Babel - God separates people • God's promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - Chosen people through whom God will bless all nations • Joseph and Egyptian captivity • Exodus to the Promised Land • Law given to Moses • Wilderness wandering to Promised Land Historical Background to Pentateuch • Context of the Events of the Pentateuch • Record’s God’s relationship to humanity in their historical context • Describes God’s desire for humanity and various responses from humanity • Reveals the nature of God • Records God’s laws to the Israelites • Historical events in the Pentateuch occur in the ancient Near East Historical Background to Pentateuch • Manuscripts for the Pentateuch • Dead Sea Scroll are some of the oldest manuscripts of the Old Testament (2nd century B.C. to 1st century A.D.) • Old Testament was later translated in Greek called the Septuagint (LXX) – 3rd century B.C.
    [Show full text]
  • Brief Study of the Decalogue: the Ten Words, Exodus 20:1-17 John F
    Brief Study of the Decalogue: The Ten Words, Exodus 20:1-17 John F. Brug A careful study of the Ten Commandments is always in order, because they are one of the chief parts of Christian doctrine which pastors teach each year in catechism class. Such a study is especially fitting at this time, because after some decades of moving from translation to translation in the catechism (and the change from German to English), we have had the opportunity to evaluate one translation of the catechism for twenty some years. Our study will be based on an exegesis of Exodus 20:1-21 and Deuteronomy 5:1-22, with reference to the Septuagint, Luther’s German, and to old and new English translations of the Catechism, whenever appropriate. Our study of each commandment will consist of three parts: a literal translation to reflect the Hebrew idioms, some notes and comments, and a suggested translation based on these comments. The First Word: Exodus 20 v 1-2 (We are numbering “The Ten Words” according to one of the systems of numbering used by the Jews, so that we can compare it with the Catholic/Lutheran system of numbering and the Reformed system. Notice that according to this system of numbering the first word is not a commandment but a motivational statement. The various methods of numbering the commandments will be discussed in an appendix, after we have examined the texts of Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5.) 1 ַויְ ַד ֵבּר ֱא ִֹלהים ֵאת ָכּ ַל־ה ְדּ ָב ִרים ָה ֵא ֶלּה ֵלאמ ֹר׃ ס 2 אָנ ֹ ִכי יְ ָהוה ֱא ֶֹלהיָך ֲא ֶשׁר ֵהוֹצ ִאתיָך ֵמ ֶא ֶרץ ִמ ְצ ַריִם ִמ ֵבּית ֲע ָב ִדים׃ Literal translation: And God spoke all these words, saying, “I [am] Yahweh your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, from the house of slaves.
    [Show full text]
  • Meyer, Dissertation (8.19.17)
    THE DIVINE NAME THE DIVINE NAME IN EARLY JUDAISM: USE AND NON-USE IN ARAMAIC, HEBREW, AND GREEK By ANTHONY R. MEYER, B.A., M.A. A Thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctorate of Philosophy McMaster University © Copyright by Anthony R. Meyer, July 2017 McMaster University DOCTORATE OF PHILOSOPHY (2017) Hamilton, Ontario (Religious Studies) TITLE: The Divine Name in Early Judaism: Use and Non-Use in Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek AUTHOR: Anthony R. Meyer B.A. (Grand Valley State University), M.A. (Trinity Western University) SUPERVISOR: Professor Daniel A. Machiela COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Professor Eileen Schuller, Professor Stephen Westerholm NUMBER OF PAGES: viii + 305 i Abstract During the Second Temple period (516 BCE–70 CE) a series of developments contributed to a growing reticence to use the divine name, YHWH. The name was eventually restricted among priestly and pious circles, and then disappeared. The variables are poorly understood and the evidence is scattered. Scholars have supposed that the second century BCE was a major turning point from the use to non-use of the divine name, and depict this phenomenon as a linear development. Many have arrived at this position, however, through only partial consideration of currently available evidence. The current study offers for the first time a complete collection of extant evidence from the Second Temple period in Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek in order answer the question of how, when, and in what sources the divine name is used and avoided. The outcome is a modified chronology for the Tetragrammaton’s history.
    [Show full text]
  • The Dead Sea Scrolls, Although a Small Number of Scholars Were Already Aware of the Discovery, and William F
    © Copyright, Princeton University Press. No part of this book may be distributed, posted, or reproduced in any form by digital or mechanical means without prior written permission of the publisher. The Discovery of the Scrolls Chapter 1 On April 10, 1948, the Yale University News Bureau released an announcement, which appeared in the major newspapers of the English- speaking world in the following days: The earliest known manuscript of the entire bib- lical book of Isaiah from the Old Testament has been discovered in Palestine, it was announced today by Professor Millar Burrows of Yale Uni- versity, the director of the American Schools of Oriental Research at Jerusalem. In addition, three other unpublished ancient Hebrew manuscripts have been brought to light by scholars in the Holy Land. Two of them have been identified and translated while the third still challenges recognition. The book of the prophet Isaiah was found in a well- preserved scroll of parchment. Dr. John C. 1 For general queries, contact [email protected] © Copyright, Princeton University Press. No part of this book may be distributed, posted, or reproduced in any form by digital or mechanical means without prior written permission of the publisher. Trever, a Fellow of the School, examined it and recognized the similarity of the script to that of the Nash Papyrus – believed by many scholars to be the oldest known copy of any part of the Hebrew Bible. The discovery is particularly significant since its origin is dated about the first century BC. Other complete texts of Isaiah are known to exist only as recently as the ninth century AD.
    [Show full text]
  • A Heartfelt Love: an Exegesis of Deuteronomy 6:4-19
    Restoration Quarterly 20 (1977) 73-87. Copyright © 1977 by Restoration Quarterly, cited with permission; digitally prepared for use at Gordon College and elsewhere] A Heartfelt Love: An Exegesis of Deuteronomy 6:4-19 BRUCE E. WILLOUGHBY Abilene, Texas A very important concept in New Testament theology is man's response to God's love. John states, "We love because He first loved us" (1 Jno. 4:19). God manifested His love by working in history for our benefit, and he calls us to love Him through the life, death, burial and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus the Christ. Yet, to understand and to perform our responsibilities are two very difficult tasks. They become clearer when we consider previous situations wherein God called His people to love him. Since God has not changed the basic foundation for covenant relationships, the demands he makes upon us are similar to the commands he gave to Israel in order that they might remain faithful to him. The prosperity of the nation Israel was conditioned by her faithfulness to the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances of God. It was important that Israel be reminded of her covenant duties so that her days would be prolonged, that she would multiply, that it would go well with her, and that she could possess the land of milk and honey (Deut. 6:1-3). To remind Israel of her covenant responsibilities the author of Deuteronomy recounts the historical setting of the covenant and its meaning (1:11-11:32). This parenetic material (containing exhortation and admonition) comprises two speeches (1:11-4:49 and 5:1-11:32).
    [Show full text]