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The Theme of Faith in the Hezekiah Narratives Durham E-Theses The theme of faith in the Hezekiah narratives Bostock, David How to cite: Bostock, David (2003) The theme of faith in the Hezekiah narratives, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/4075/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk David Bostock The Theme of Faith in the Hezekiah Narratives This study examines the Hezekiah narratives as found in 2 Kgs 18-20 and Isa. 36-39, with special reference to the theme of faith, using narrative criticism as its methodology. Attention is paid especially to setting, plot, point of view and characterization within the narratives. The Kings version is taken as the main text for exegesis purposes, but relevant differences in the Isaiah text are noted. Articles and books on "faith" in the Old Testament rarely mention Hezekiah as an example of faith. Until recently, studies that have treated the theme of faith in the book of Isaiah have tended to neglect this section because of their historical-critical stance. Again, there are many studies of the Hezekiah narratives, but few focus on literary methods and/or the theme of faith. The major part of the study involves an exegesis of the text. How the narratives function within the context of the book of Kings is also considered. Furthermore, faith as a theme in the book of Isaiah is examined, and comparison is made especially between Isa. 36 and Isa. 7. The plot of the longest narrative (2 Kgs 18:13-19:37/Isa. 36-37) proves to be very instructive in the way that the verb ntD3 (to trust) is used. Isaiah, YHWH, Sennacherib and Hezekiah emerge as main characters within the narratives. Different points of view and the use of temporal and geographical setting also reinforce the characterization. In particular, a largely positive portrait of Hezekiah as an example of faith emerges. The Theme of Faith in the Hezekiah Narratives David Bostock PhD University of Durham Theology 2003 The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. 3 Contents Acknowledgements p. 4 Introduction: Literature Survey; Methodology p. 5 Ch. 1 Exegesis of 2 Kgs 18:1 -12 p. 22 Ch. 2 Exegesis of 2 Kgs 18:13-19:37/Isa. 36-37 p. 57 Ch. 3 Exegesis of 2 Kgs 20:1-11/Isa. 38 p. 108 Ch. 4 Exegesis of 2 Kgs 20:12-21/Isa. 39 p. 161 Ch. 5 The Function of the Hezekiah Narratives in the Book of Kings p. 193 Ch. 6 The Theme of Faith in the Book of Isaiah p. 222 Ch. 7 Conclusions p. 268 Abbreviations p. 282 Bibliography p. 285 4 Acknowledgements I wish to thank my supervisor, Dr. Walter Moberly, for all of his help and guidance in the writing of this thesis. My appreciation also goes to the other lecturers in the Department of Theology at the University of Durham who have taught me at various times, especially Dr. Tony Gelston and Professor Robert Hayward. Special thanks are due to my wife, Christine, without whose loving support this project would never have been possible. The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published in any form, including electronic and the internet, without the author's prior written consent. All information derived from this thesis must be acknowledged appropriately. Introduction In this introduction, the literature pertaining to the theme of faith and the Hezekiah narratives will be briefly surveyed, and the approach to the text briefly outlined. The translations of the Hebrew text are taken from the RSV, unless otherwise stated. Literature Survey The literature that is reviewed below relates mainly to the twentieth century. It is doubtful whether much would be gained by extending the survey to works of the early modern period. The historical-critical approach, which was developed in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, became the dominant method in many of the studies of the last century. The results of the earlier works are generally repeated and built upon in later studies. In the latter half of the twentieth century, however, a sea change occurred in the study of the text, which is very significant for the present study. The text began to be examined in the form in which it has been received. In the following survey, articles, essays and monographs that centre on the theme of faith will be considered first. Then works that focus on the Hezekiah narratives will be surveyed. Finally, works of Old Testament theology will be perused for any contribution that they may make. There are several articles and longer works on "faith" in the Bible or the Old Testament. Many of the articles in the standard Bible and theological dictionaries make little or no mention of Hezekiah.1 Similarly, Fohrer in an 1 For example, Joseph P. Healey, "Faith-Old Testament", ABD, II, pp. 744-749. E.C. Blackman, "Faith", IDB, II, pp. 222-234, especially pp. 222-223, 225-227. J.M. Ward, "Faith, Faithfulness in the Old Testament", IDBSup, pp. 329-332. O. Michel, "IUOTK;", NIDNTT, I, pp. 593-606; Dieter Luhrmann "Glaube", RAC, cols. 48-122, especially cols. 55-63. Artur Weiser, "Faith - The Old Testament Concept", TDNT, VI, pp. 182-196. Otto Kaiser, RGG (4th edn), cols. 944-947. Klaus Haacker, "Glaube", TRE, XIII, pp. 277-304, especially pp. 277-289. J.B. Bauer and H. Zimmermann, "Faith," EBT, I, 237-43. article on "Basic Structures of biblical Faith" does not include Hezekiah among his examples of faith, which he understands to depend on personal correlation between God and man.2 As the verbal forms of the Hebrew root ]BN are not found in the Hezekiah narratives (only the noun riQK), it is not surprising that articles on pK have little to say about Hezekiah, but Jepsen notes that only David and Hezekiah have reliability before God attributed to them.3 The articles on nB3 by R.W.L. Moberly in NIDOTTE and E. Gerstenberger in TLOT highlight the use of the term in 2 Kgs 18-19.4 There is also a specific article on "Hezekiah" by Iain W. Provan in the former work; he discusses the portrayal of Hezekiah's character and mentions his trust in YHWH.5 One article should receive special mention, as it is of particular relevance. While this study was in progress, John W. Olley published '"Trust in the Lord': Hezekiah, Kings and Isaiah."6 This is a significant survey of the verb naa, beginning with the context of the Hezekiah narratives. Olley notes the unusual concentration of the nt23 root in 2 Kgs: 18-19 and Isa. 36-37 and continues with a survey of the references in these chapters. Olley then surveys the use of nJ23 in the books of Isaiah, Psalms, Proverbs, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and the Twelve. His findings will be considered in the body of the study. 2 Georg Fohrer, "Basic Structures of Biblical Faith" in Studien Zum Alien Testament (BZAW, 196; Berlin: De Gruyter, 1991), pp. 101-131. 3 A. Jepsen, '"|DK", TDOT, I, pp. 292-323 (315-316); R.W.L. Moberly, '"|DX", NIDOTTE, I, pp. 427-433; Hans Wildberger, "]DK", TLOT, I, pp. 134-157; 4 R.W.L. Moberly, "TI03", NIDOTTE, I, pp. 644-649 (646-648). E. Gerstenberger, 'TOU", TLOT, 1, pp. 226-230 (227). A. Jepsen ("nQ2", TDOT, II, pp. 88-94) also makes passing reference to Hezekiah. 5 Iain W. Provan, "Hezekiah", NIDOTTE, IV, pp. 703-707. 6 John W. Olley, '"Trust in the Lord': Hezekiah, Kings and Isaiah", TB 50 (1999), pp. 59- 77. Despite its title, Robert Davidson's book, The Courage to Doubt, has a good deal to say about faith.7 In his chapter on "Jerusalem - Symbol or Snare?" he suggests that the deliverance of Jerusalem from the Assyrian threat (2 Kgs 18:17-19:37) seemed to vindicate the doctrine of the inviolability of Jerusalem, but he does not explicate any other issues in connection with the Hezekiah narratives. In a monograph entitled Faith, H-J Hermisson concentrates on the stories connected with Abraham and the Exodus, on laments in the Psalms, and on first and second Isaiah, but only mentions Hezekiah in passing.9 Buber makes no reference to Hezekiah in his well- known work, Two Types of Faith.10 In a short monograph containing three lectures about "faith" in the Old Testament, Wenham quotes Isa. 36:4-8 as an example of trusting in God for deliverance in a time of crisis, but again there is little explication of the passage.11 Thus, books and articles on faith in the wider context of the Old Testament tend to pay little attention to the Hezekiah narratives. At least three studies have concentrated on faith in connection with the book of Isaiah.
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