Balaam in Text and Tradition

Balaam in Text and Tradition
Author: Jonathan Miles Robker
Publisher: Mohr Siebeck
Total Pages: 416
Release: 2019-08-19
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 3161563557

The figure Balaam has interested exegetes and scribes for millennia. Jonathan Miles Robker examines the different versions of the literary character Balaam as attested in biblical and epigraphic literature. By contrasting the distinct information about Balaam presented in the various sources (the plaster inscription from Della, Numbers 22-24; 31; Deuteronomy 23; Joshua 13; 24; Judges 11; Micah 6; and Nehemiah 13), the author seeks to trace the development of characterizations of Balaam from the oldest available material to the youngest in the Hebrew Bible. In this way, Jonathan Miles Robker advances discourse about the literary and tradition-historical development of the texts that became the Hebrew Bible. Beyond the text of the Hebrew Bible, he also traces the continued development of Balaam's characterization through the texts of Qumran and the New Testament. To this end, the author contributes discussions of the history of religion in Antiquity.

A Guide to Early Jewish Texts and Traditions in Christian Transmission

A Guide to Early Jewish Texts and Traditions in Christian Transmission
Author: Gabriele Boccaccini
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 640
Release: 2019-10-14
Genre: Bibles
ISBN: 0190863080

The Jewish culture of the Hellenistic and early Roman periods established a basis for all monotheistic religions, but its main sources have been preserved to a great degree through Christian transmission. This Guide is devoted to problems of preservation, reception, and transformation of Jewish texts and traditions of the Second Temple period in the many Christian milieus from the ancient world to the late medieval era. It approaches this corpus not as an artificial collection of reconstructed texts--a body of hypothetical originals--but rather from the perspective of the preserved materials, examined in their religious, social, and political contexts. It also considers the other, non-Christian, channels of the survival of early Jewish materials, including Rabbinic, Gnostic, Manichaean, and Islamic. This unique project brings together scholars from many different fields in order to map the trajectories of early Jewish texts and traditions among diverse later cultures. It also provides a comprehensive and comparative introduction to this new field of study while bridging the gap between scholars of early Judaism and of medieval Christianity.

The Prestige of the Pagan Prophet Balaam in Judaism, Early Christianity and Islam

The Prestige of the Pagan Prophet Balaam in Judaism, Early Christianity and Islam
Author: George H. van Kooten
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 349
Release: 2008-05-31
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9047433130

This volume deals with the pagan prophet Balaam who figures in the book of Numbers. By the very nature of his stature as a non-Israelite, pagan prophet, the figure of Balaam raises important questions with regard to the nature of prophecy and the relation between the Israelite God and the pagan nations. The conflicting stories and potent oracles of Balaam in Numbers 22-24 and other parts of the Jewish Scriptures prompted extensive reflection on this ambiguous figure. Thus the leading perspective developed in this volume is the often simultaneous praise and criticism of Balaam as a prestigious pagan prophet throughout ancient Judaism, early Christianity and the early Koranic commentaries. The papers are clustered in four sections which deal with (1) Balaam in the Old Testament and the Ancient Near East, and comparable figures in Ancient Greece; (2) Balaam in Ancient Judaism; (3) Balaam in the New Testament & Early Christianity; and (4) Balaam in the Koran and early Koranic commentaries. The reception of this enigmatic figure can be characterized as the simultaneous praise and criticism of a pagan prophet. The book is particularly useful as it also contains Émile Puech’s newly reconstructed text, translation and commentary of the first combination of the Deir ‘Alla inscriptions which contain an excerpt of the book of the historical Balaam. Combined with the other papers, the volume pictures a fascinating continuum between paganism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Encyclopedia of Jewish Folklore and Traditions

Encyclopedia of Jewish Folklore and Traditions
Author: Raphael Patai
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 677
Release: 2015-03-26
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1317471717

This multicultural reference work on Jewish folklore, legends, customs, and other elements of folklife is the first of its kind.

The Elohist

The Elohist
Author: Robert Karl Gnuse
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
Total Pages: 204
Release: 2017-02-07
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1498295428

Though many Old Testament scholars prefer no longer to speak of the Elohist source in the Pentateuch, Gnuse seeks to defend the existence of this pentateuchal tradition by responding to scholarly critics, isolating texts belonging to the source and offering a theological assessment of these texts. Dream reports in ancient Near Eastern texts from the seventh and sixth centuries BCE bear striking familiarity with the biblical dream reports in the Elohist. Prophetic narratives in the books of Samuel and Kings appear to have inspired the subsequent creation of the Elohist narratives in the Pentateuch. Thus, Gnuse situates the Elohist tradition in the seventh century BCE after the fall of the state of Israel in the north in 722 BCE, which is a later date than scholars have attributed to this source in the past. Because of this setting the Elohist texts may be assessed differently than they have been in the past. The texts might have spoken to exiles from the northern state with themes that bespeak devotion to one God, hope of restoration, and absolute obedience to a transcendent deity who is revealed through dreams, fire, and prophets. The author also ponders what these texts say to our modern age.

Who Is the True Seer Driven by God: Balak or Balaam?

Who Is the True Seer Driven by God: Balak or Balaam?
Author: Junhee Lee
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
Total Pages: 167
Release: 2022-09-14
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1666736031

Serious Bible readers, including biblical scholars, Sunday Bible teachers, laypersons of church, and even the Sunday school kids, ask the question, “Is Balaam a good or bad person?” or “Is Balaam a prophet of God or a pagan diviner?” However, nobody has provided a relieving answer for the question up to this day. Then, what does the Balaam story in the passage of Num 22–24 tell us about the character of Balaam? More fundamentally, what does the passage want readers to know? This book suggests a new way for Bible reading, especially the Old Testament. The Old Testament readers can discover a proper strategy to understand the intention and message of every single passage of the Old Testament through the ways that are suggested in this book.

Scribal Practice, Text and Canon in the Dead Sea Scrolls

Scribal Practice, Text and Canon in the Dead Sea Scrolls
Author:
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 412
Release: 2019-09-16
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9004410732

This volume contains 17 essays on the subjects of text, canon, and scribal practice. The volume is introduced by an overview of the Qumran evidence for text and canon of the Bible. Most of the text critical studies deal with texts from the Dead Sea Scrolls, including sectarian as well as canonical texts. Two essays shed light on the formation of authoritative literature. Scribal practice is illustrated in various ways, again mostly from the Dead Sea Scrolls. One essay deals with diachronic change in Qumran Hebrew. Rounding out the volume are two thematic studies, a wide-ranging study of the “ambiguous oracle” of Josephus, which he identifies as Balaam’s oracle, and a review of the use of female metaphors for Wisdom.

The Enoch-Metatron Tradition

The Enoch-Metatron Tradition
Author: Andrei A. Orlov
Publisher: Mohr Siebeck
Total Pages: 404
Release: 2005
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9783161485442

Andrei A. Orlov examines the tradition about the seventh antediluvian patriarch Enoch, tracing its development from its roots in the Mesopotamian lore to the Second Temple apocalyptic texts and later rabbinic and Hekhalot materials where Enoch is often identified as the supreme angel Metatron. The first part of the book explores the imagery of the celestial roles and titles of the seventh antediluvian hero in Mesopotamian, Enochic and Hekhalot materials. The analysis of the celestial roles and titles shows that the transition from the figure of patriarch Enoch to the figure of angel Metatron occurred already in the Second Temple Enochic materials, namely, in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch, a Jewish work, traditionally dated to the first century CE. The second part of the book demonstrates that mediatorial polemics with the traditions of the exalted patriarchs and prophets played an important role in facilitating the transition from Enoch to Metatron in the Second Temple period.

Hebrews - Revelation

Hebrews - Revelation
Author: David E. Garland
Publisher: Zondervan Academic
Total Pages: 820
Release: 2011-01-04
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0310866243

Continuing a Gold Medallion Award-winning legacy, the completely revised Expositor's Bible Commentary puts world-class biblical scholarship in your hands. A staple for students, teachers, and pastors worldwide, The Expositor's Bible Commentary (EBC) offers comprehensive yet succinct commentary from scholars committed to the authority of the Holy Scriptures. The EBC uses the New International Version of the Bible, but the contributors work from the original Hebrew and Greek languages and refer to other translations when useful. Each section of the commentary includes: An introduction: background information, a short bibliography, and an outline An overview of Scripture to illuminate the big picture The complete NIV text Extensive commentary Notes on textual questions, key words, and concepts Reflections to give expanded thoughts on important issues The series features 56 contributors, who: Believe in the divine inspiration, complete trustworthiness, and full authority of the Bible Have demonstrated proficiency in the biblical book that is their specialty Are committed to the church and the pastoral dimension of biblical interpretation Represent geographical and denominational diversity Use a balanced and respectful approach toward marked differences of opinion Write from an evangelical viewpoint For insightful exposition, thoughtful discussion, and ease of use—look no further than The Expositor's Bible Commentary.

Interpreting Ancient Israelite History, Prophecy, and Law

Interpreting Ancient Israelite History, Prophecy, and Law
Author: John H Hayes
Publisher: James Clarke & Company
Total Pages: 317
Release: 2017-04-27
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0227906284

For more than five decades, John Hayes's scholarship has had a decisive influence on scholars and students in the field of Hebrew Bible study. This collection of ten essays, written between 1968 and 1995, displays his remarkable and thought-provoking elucidation of Israelite history, prophecy, and law. These essays make significant contributions that challenge the mainstream scholarship establishment with their daring interpretations and explanations, along with their bold, innovative theories. The way in which Hayes approaches the study of seminal figures, biblical texts, and historical reconstructions, combined with his analysis of specific methods, will have lasting implications for contemporary scholarship. He argues that biblical texts must be understood as being embedded within the particular historical, social, cultural, and political matrices from which they emerged. Whether exploring the social formation of early Israel, the final years of Samaria, or the social concept ofcovenant, he demonstrates a textually focussed and exegetically based approach. Hayes's essays provide valuable insights that help contextualise developments within mid- to late-twentieth-century interpretation, thereby granting scholars glimpsesof key moments in the evolution of particular methods, trends, and models that have given shape to current research approaches. Familiarity with Hayes's writings thus allows contemporary interpreters to envisage new avenues and perspectives in critical discussion of the Hebrew Bible.