Old Testament - Midterm Exam

Central Highlands

Place where most of Israel's cities were settled

Good defensively

House of the Father/Clan/Tribe

Order of society from small to large

Deuteronomic Theology

Centralization of worship and "the place the Lord will choose as a dwelling for His Name"

Election and Loyalty

Principle: God's choice and expectations of covenantal fidelity

location and focus Holiness Code

Location: Found in Leviticus 17-26

Focus: Instructions for the people of Israel

Patriarchal Society

Male-dominated social structure with the father as the household head

Casuistic Law

Conditional laws (if/then statements), e.g., goring ox law

Importance of Shechem

Significance: First place where God appeared to Abram

Canon Endings (Jewish vs Christian)

Jewish Canon: Chronicles - expectation to rebuild the temple

Christian Canon: Malachi - waiting for someone to come

Location of Daniel in Canon (Jewish vs Christian)

Jewish Canon: Writings

Christian Canon: Prophets

Peace Offering

Widest latitude of species and sex of animal for sacrifice-could be shared

Purification Offering

Also called sin offering

A means to enable someone with major ritual impurity back into a state of ritual purity

Retribution Principle

Found in: Deuteronomy

Concept: Covenant blessings and curses

Define the Covenant and its types

Definition: An oath-bound relationship with expectations

2 Types: Treaty-parity or suzerain-vassal

Royal Land Grant

Land given unconditionally by a king

Purpose of Kosher Laws

To maintain Israelite holiness and separation from neighboring nations and groups (Hittites, Philistines, etc.)

meaning and scope of the Torah

Meaning: Law, instruction, teaching

Scope: First five books of the Bible

Sign of the Covenant (Abrahamic)

Circumcision (Genesis 17)

Last 3 Books Brought into Canon that are up to debate

Song of Songs (Song of Solomon), Esther, Ecclesiastes

Interpretive Pluralism

Diversity of Christian interpretations of the Bible

Languages of the OT

Hebrew and Aramaic (Hebrew dominant)

Hittite Treaty

Six-part pattern similar to suzerain-vassal treaties

Importance of Merneptah Stele

First mention of Israel as a people group outside the Bible

Shephelah

Breadbasket of Israel

Region between the Philistine Plain and Central Highlands

Means shoulders

Shema

Deut 6:4-9; Shema means listen or hear in Hebrew

An ancient Jewish prayer with a focus on teaching children

Also, commands to fix as emblem on forehead and write them on the doorpost

Contribution of Julius Wellhausen

Associated with the Documentary Hypothesis (JEDP)

Role of Judah and Ephraim in Joseph Story

Key figures rising to power

importance of Ketef Hinnom

Earliest biblical textual language ever found

Dates to the 600's BC

Relates to Numbers 6 (the Lord bless you and keep you)

Source Analysis

The quest to find the (hypothetical) sources behind the text before it was edited together

Scholars who work on the Documentary Hypothesis practice this approach

Apodictic Law

Type of law code, using absolutes, showing no grey area

ex. 10 commandments

Tabernacle and Zones of Holiness

Zone 1-Holy of Holies-restricted to High Priest, one day a year

Zone 2-Holy Place-the long room inside the tabernacle where priests would go daily

Zone 3-Courtyard-place for ritually pure Israelites and priests

Zone 4-Camp-place for Israelites to live, either ritually pure or minor ritually impure

Zone 5-Ouside the camp-place for major ritual impurity, so it would not spread to

others

Redaction Analysis

Focus on how texts are brought/edited together

Exodus 4:23-27 as an example → who did God try to kill?

debate of the Neo-Assyrian Treaty

Scholars debate whether Deuteronomy more formally resembles a Hittite treaty or a Neo-Assyrian treaty

civilizations of Map of Ancient Near East: where did they live?

Egypt in Egypt; Hittites in Anatolia; Assyrians and Babylonians in Mesopotamia; Canaanites in Canaan (where Israel is now)

Northern Kingdom Kings

Key figures were Jeroboam, Omri, and Ahab

Biblicism

Forcing the Bible to address every life situation

revelation of the Name of God (YHWH)

"I AM who I AM" (burning bush)

purpose of Yom Kippur

Cleanse the space and the people so God would continue to dwell with his people

Exod 19/3 things Israel is to be: (roles) (3 of them)

My treasured possession

A Kingdom of priests

A holy nation

Early and late dates of the Exodus

Early date=1400's, built on the chronology of 1 Kings 6:1

Late date=1200's, based on archaeology which does not find occupation of biblical sites of several locations in the 1400's

Theme of book of Leviticus

Holiness

Sin and connection of the golden calf

Sin: Idolatry

Connection: Jeroboam in 1 Kings 12 and Exodus 32

God's character, in being gracious to Israel

gracious

compassionate

slow to anger

abounding in love

Burnt Offering

The most holy offering, fully devoted to God, done daily-nothing could be eaten

Grain Offering

Would accompany the burnt offering

Only could be eaten by the priests

what is the blessing in the Pentateuch connected to?

Tied to land

Two Great Sins of Israel examples

Golden calf and scouts' faithlessness

Pentateuch

five books/scrolls

Abrahamic Covenant Promises

Land, descendants, blessing

Meaning/Translation of Deuteronomy

"second law"

Documentary Hypothesis (JEDP)

J=Yahwist (preference for the name of YHWH)

E=Elohim (preference of the name of God)

D=Deuteronomy (just the book of Deuteronomy)

P=Priestly (focus on priestly concerns especially Leviticus, but also found as an editor of the entire Pentateuch, in this theory)

Division/Structure of Genesis

Chapters 1-11 (Primeval History); 12-50 (Patriarchs)

Six Parts of Ancient Near Eastern Covenant

preamble

historical prologue

stipulations

deposition

witnesses

curses/blessings

10 Commandments in Exodus vs. Deuteronomy

Sabbath:

Remember (Exodus); Observe (Deuteronomy)

The command is strengthened in Deuteronomy

Also the reason/motive for why we should Sabbath

Exodus=creation

Deuteronomy=because we were slaves in Egypt

Book of the Covenant/Covenant code

Location: Exodus 21-23.

Description: Earliest collection of covenantal laws.

Causitic- "if x..., then y..."

Date and connection of Josianic Reform

Date: 623 BC

Connection: Language aligns with Deuteronomy

Consequence of Moses Striking the Rock

Exclusion from the Promised Land

Similarities: Enuma Elish and Genesis 1-3 (themes)

Primeval waters before formal creation

Splitting the waters

Creation of Heavenly lights to determine the calendar

Man as the climax of creation

Treaty structure of Deuteronomy

Modeled after ancient treaties

Interpretations of "Us" in Genesis 1

Declarative statement-let us go do it!

Trinity-Christian reading, built on progressive revelation

Divine Council-likely how ancient Israel understood the us