THE CONDEMNED SONS IN THE BLESSING OF JACOB (GEN. 49:3-7) THE PROBLEM OF CURSES IN THE BLESSING BY KWANGBONG JUNG A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THEOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF OLD TESTAMENT AT UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE NOVEMBER 29, 2010 PROMOTER: PROF. S. D. SNYMAN DECLARATION “I declare that the dissertation hereby handed in for the qualification Ph.D at University of the Free State, is my own independent work and that I have not previously submitted the same work for a qualification at/in another University/faculty.” ii CIRCULATION AND COPY AGREEMENT In presenting this dissertation as required for the Ph.D degree from University of the Free State, I agree that the UFS-SASOL Library may make it available for inspection and circulation in accordance with its regulations governing materials of this type. I agree that permission to copy from, or to publish, this dissertation may be granted by the professor under whose direction it was written, when such copying or publication is solely for scholarly purposes and does not involve potential financial gain. I understand that any copying from, or publication of, this dissertation which involves potential financial gain will not be allowed without written permission. iii ABSTRACT THE CONDEMNED SONS IN THE BLESSING OF JACOB (GEN. 49:3-7) THE PROBLEM OF CURSES IN THE BLESSING by Kwangbong Jung November 2010 260 pages It is almost inconceivable that Jacob begins condemning his first three sons in the blessing at his death bed. Many scholars have long endeavored to solve the problem from the social and political circumstance in the late period of redaction. It is a more reasonable attempt to find the solution in the stream of the story in Genesis, the repeated blessing stories in Genesis. As is widely known, Genesis is the book of blessing. Blessing is the base of the inter-relationship in the Old Testament. The Old Testament emphasizes God as the final source or agent of blessing and curse. On the other hand, the Old Testament illustrates the belief that the spoken words themselves have the active power to produce the desired effect without any external agent as well. The blessing stories in Genesis ordinarily contain curse together. Yet, the excluded sons are not the cursed sons. The curse contains the hope of the blessing at the same time. Genesis emphasizes that the God’s promise for Abraham continues in the line of blessing of the descendants of Abraham without ceasing. However, when God chooses one to succeed the blessing to the next generation, it does not automatically mean a rejection or curse of the other sons. iv A similar paradigm repeatedly appears in the blessings of Genesis. One son inherits the promise and all the brothers share the benefits. Joseph inherits the father’s blessing and the other brothers will participate in the blessing together. They are blessed as a unit. The Jacob’s curse on the first three sons plays an important role: the instrument of discipline and precaution, various courses for ultimate blessing, and the role of arbitrator of the potential rivalry and conflict among brothers. Keywords Genesis 49, Jacob’s Blessing, Blessing, Curse, brk, arr, Firstborn son, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Joseph, Twelve tribes. v OPSOMMING DIE VERVLOEKTE SEUNS IN DIE SEËNING VAN JAKOB (GEN. 49:3-7) DIE PROBLEEM VAN VERVLOEKING SAAM MET SEËNING deur Kwangbong Jung November 2010 260 bladsye Dit is amper onbegryplik dat Jakob sy eerste drie seuns begin veroordeel tydens die seen uitsprake op sy sterfbed. Baie geleerdes poog al lank om hierdie probleem in ‘n sosiale en politieke konteks op te los. ‘n Meer sinvolle benadering is om die oplossing te vind in die storie lyn van Genesis - die herhaalde verhale van seën. Dit is immers algemeen bekend dat Genesis die boek van seëning is. In die Ou Testament is seën die basis van onderlinge verhoudings en word daar klem gelê op God as die finale bron of agent van seëning of vervloeking. Aan die ander kant illustreer die Ou Testament ook die oortuiging dat die gesproke woord in en opsigself ‘n aktiewe krag het om die verlangde effek te hê sonder die betrokkenheid van eksterne agente. Die verhale van seën in Genesis gaan gewoonlik met ‘n vervloeking gepaard. Tog is die uitgeslote seuns nie die vervloekte seuns nie. Die vervloeking hou tegelyketyd ook ‘n seëning in. Genesis beklemtoon dat God se belofte aan Abraham sonder ophou deur sy nageslagte beleef sal word. As God egter besluit om die seën van een generasie na ‘n ander oor te dra beteken dit nie dat daar ‘n outomatiese verwerping van of vervloeking op die ander seuns is nie. vi ‘n Soortgelyke paradigma word herhaaldelik in die seëninge in Genesis gesien. Een seun erf die beloftes en sy broers deel in die voordele. Josef het sy vader se seëning ontvang en sy broers het deelgehad aan die seën. Hulle is ‘n geseënde eenheid. Jakob se vervloeking van die eerste drie seuns speel ‘n belangrike rol: dit is ‘n instrument van dissipline en voorsorg, dui op die verskillende paaie tot uiteindelike seëning, en op die rol van ‘n arbiter in die moontlike mededinging en konflik tussen broers. Sleutelwoorde Genesis 49, Jakob se seëning, Seën/Seëning, Vloek/Vervloeking, Eersgeborene seun, Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Josef, Twaalf stamme. vii 241 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………………………………….…… iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS …………………………………………………………………..… xii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1. THE SIGNIFICANCE AND PROBLEM ............................................................................. 1 1.2. THE RESEARCH QUESTION ............................................................................................. 3 1.3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................... 4 1.4. CHAPTER LAYOUT ............................................................................................................. 6 CHAPTER 2 GENERAL SURVEY ON GENESIS 49 2.1. THE HISTORY OF SCHOLARLY RESEARCH ............................................................... 8 2.1.1. Studies prior to the 18th century .......................................................................................... 8 2.1.1.1. Traditional Jewish interpretation ................................................................................. 8 2.1.1.2. The interpretation of the church fathers ...................................................................... 9 2.1.1.3. Interpretation of Reformers ....................................................................................... 11 2.1.2. Studies after the 18th century ........................................................................................... 12 2.1.2.1. Separating Genesis 49 from the surrounding chapters .............................................. 12 2.1.2.2. Genesis 49 as an Individual Collection ..................................................................... 14 2.1.2.3. Genesis 49 as tribal sayings ....................................................................................... 18 2.1.2.4. Genesis 49 in the relationship with Deuteronomy 33, and Judges 5 ......................... 22 2.1.2.5. Genesis 49 and archaeological discoveries ............................................................... 26 2.1.2.6. Regional characteristic of Genesis 49 ....................................................................... 31 2.1.2.7. Other related studies .................................................................................................. 33 2.2. MAIN ISSUES IN THE RESEARCH OF GENESIS 49 ................................................... 37 2.2.1. Genre ................................................................................................................................ 37 2.2.1.1. Tribal Sayings ............................................................................................................ 38 2.2.1.2. Deathbed Testament or Farewell speech ................................................................... 41 2.2.1.3. The Blessing of Jacob ................................................................................................ 44 2.2.2. The Historical Background ............................................................................................... 49 2.2.2.1. The Traditional View (2000-1800 B.C.) ................................................................... 50 2.2.2.2. The period of Judges ................................................................................................. 51 viii 242 2.2.2.3. The period of the united Monarchy ........................................................................... 54 2.2.2.4. The period of the Divided Kingdom .......................................................................... 55 2.2.2.5. The Exilic or Post-Exilic period ................................................................................ 56 2.2.3. The Structure .................................................................................................................... 59 2.2.3.1. Tribes’ geographical location .................................................................................... 60 2.2.3.2. Chiastic structure (Leah, Bilhah-Zilpah, Zilpah-Bilhah, Rachel) .............................. 61 2.2.3.3. Joseph-centered Structure .......................................................................................... 62 2.3. SUMMARY ...........................................................................................................................