The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) Why should we study it? -to understand it on its own merits...
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Transcript of The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) Why should we study it? -to understand it on its own merits...
The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures)
Why should we study it?
-to understand it on its own merits-to understand it in relation to the New
Testament-to recognize its profound impact on history
Texts and Versions
Jewish: Torah(Pentateuch),Nevi'im (Prophets), Khetuvim(Writings)
Christian: Law, History, Wisdom, Prophecy
Catholic versions include 7 books not found in Protestant Bibles unless under the heading of 'Apocrypha'
The 7 'deutero-canonical' books: Sirach, Wisdom of Solomon, Tobit, Judith, Baruch,
1 & 2 Maccabees
The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures)
The Formation of the Pentateuch
c. 1800-1400 lived experiences, tribal period c. 1400 – 1200 lived experiences, Egyptian sojourn,
early oral cycles c. 1200-1000 lived experiences, settlement
period, continued oral traditions, earliest written
texts c. 1000-600 continuing oral tradition, J & E
textual traditions develop (scribes) c. 600 Deuteronomist , continuing textual
development (scribes) c. 550-500 Priestly tradition weaves together
extanttextual traditions
c. 500-300 final redaction of textual traditon
The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures)
Names of God
El – god, singular, family/tribal protector
Elohim – god, plural (royal form)
El Shaddai – god of the heights, God Most High
YHWH – proper name of Israelite god, unpronounced
Adonai – LORD, used to refer to YHWH
At the time of the patriarchs/matriarchs the Israelites
worshipped only YHWH but still accepted that there
were other gods.
The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures)The World of the Ancient Israelites
Ancient Times Modern Borders
Central Dates to Remember
c. 1800 BC Age of Patriarchsc. 1200 BC Exodus
1020 BC United Monarchy721 BC Assyria conquers Israel587 BC Babylon conquers Judah
538 BC the Return from Exile515 BC 2nd Temple period begins
The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures)
The first Creation Narrative: Gen. 1.1-2.3Text from the Priestly redactor
The Hymn of Creation
Separation Population light/dark sun/moon & stars Waters above/below birds/fish land/sea mammals, humanity
'and God saw that it was good', 'on the 7th day He rested'
Made in the Divine ImageStewards of Creation
Priestly connection to sanctity of Matrimony
The Second Creation Narrative: Gen. 2.4-3.24
Adam, Eve, and the Garden
The importance of language
‘man’ (‘adam) and ‘soil’ (‘adamah)
name of the garden is reminiscent of both the Akkadian word for ‘steppe’ and the Hebrew word
for pleasure
naked(‘erummim) and cunning (‘arum)
man (ish) and woman (ishah)
The words ish (man) and ishah (woman) share the letters alef shin, which spell out eish: fire. The man has a yod within the word ish, and woman has a hey in the word
ishah. The yod and hey together spell out the name Yah, referring to the divine Presence.
Gen. 6.5-9.17 Noah and the Flood
Gen. 11.1-9 the Tower of Babel
Patriarchs and Matriarchs
The Family Tree
(c. 2100-1700 BC)
Hagar + Abram(Abraham) + Sarai (Sarah)
Ishmael Isaac + Rebekah
» Esau Jacob(Israel)
Leah (and Zilpah) + + (Bilhah
and) Rachel
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dinah Dan,
Napthali Issachar, Zebulun, Gad,
Asher Joseph, Benjamin