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With the theological dimensions of the Septuagint (LXX) gaining interest, this paper focuses on anthropomorphisms—instances attributing human-like traits to God—as a noteworthy element of LXX-theology, where the avoidance of such attributions is considered indicative of a more transcendent conception of God. The article examines the anthropomorphism of God's "mouth" in the Pentateuch, particularly the unique translation in Num 20:24. Doing so, the study reveals a discrepancy in translating the human and divine "mouth," employing more literal equivalents for the former and less-literal equivalents for the latter, contributing to the characterization of LXX-Numbers as anti-anthropomorphic. The examination of Num 20:24, where a different Vorlage is posited, underscores the importance of meticulous analysis in understanding the Greek translation of anthropomorphisms, and suggests the need for nuanced assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the identification of priestly materials in the book of Joshua is a common part of scholarship at this point, the battle of Jericho in Josh 6 is one text that has not typically been identified as containing priestly elements. In the first part of this article, I argue that the representation of warfare in Josh 6 is constructed around three distinctly priestly elements: its ideology of ḥērem, use of trumpets, and description of the Israelite battle order. In the second part of this article, I explore the implications of this identification across three different compositional models: the Neo-documentary hypothesis, the DtrL hypothesis, and the model of a late priestly (or post-priestly) redaction of the Deuteronomistic History. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This short note responds to Ellen De Doncker’s recent VT article, “Substituting Anthropomorphisms? God’s Mouth in Num 20:24 and the Possibility of a Different Vorlage.” It proposes an alternative Vorlage for LXX Num 20:24 that offers a better semantic match with the LXX translation of this verse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that (1) the segment of text known as Gen 10 is a collation of three separate works; (2) the works have mutually exclusive ideas about the zones and groups of the world; and (3) the zones and groupings illustrate the insight that has come to the fore of late that group identity—ethnic, national, racial, and so on—is a human, cultural product, not a set of natural, biological traits. Specifically, Semitic identity was not an obvious and long-lived category in ancient Israel and Judea, but distinct to a few particular literary works and contradicted by others. Later cultures responded to the collated text at Gen 9–11 and used its terms and concepts selectively to map their own world, which has had a pernicious, bloody afterlife down to our own times. Therefore, (4) the label “Semitic” should not be used for peoples, places, cultures, religions, and even languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Priestly story of Jacob at Bethel in Gen. 35.9–15 is commonly interpreted as a Priestly delegitimization of the pre-Priestly Jacob/Bethel story in Gen. 28.10–22*. This interpretation has arisen largely from the different ways in which the texts conceptualize the maqôm and maṣṣēbôt, with the Priestly text supposedly desacralizing the standing stone and turning the 'place' into merely a location of remembrance, not the dwelling of the deity. This article challenges this assumption, especially addressing the similarities between the Priestly conceptions of Bethel and the redactional 'vow narrative' in Gen. 28.20–22*. It then relates the redaction-critical findings with the historical situation at sixth-century Bethel, which seems to have been the main cultic site in Yehud during the Neo-Babylonian and early Persian periods. On the basis of this analysis, the article concludes with the suggestion that Bethel be taken more seriously as a possible compositional context of P. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exodus event demonstrates a culture and religious shift from an Egyptian context to that of national Israel. Scholars have underplayed the influence of Egypt on Israel during the exodus while overplaying the influence of Canaan. To be sure, Canaanite mores influence the practices of the Israelites. However, the generation that left Egypt (according to the Biblical account) would have been assimilated to Egyptian mores. Thus, the present article seeks to establish the exodus event as the means by which Israel sheds its former Egyptian mores and becomes "national Israel". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migration of people, whether legal or not, is no doubt one of the universe’s enigmas. As a subject that seeks the engagement of interdisciplinary approaches, the biblical text is not in shortage of references to the movement and resettlement of individuals across different narratives and literary forms. Numerous references to ‘sojourners’, ‘migrants’, and the intricacies and reactions that migration generates are found in several portions of the Pentateuch. By employing a narrative methodology and a hermeneutic of ethical deduction as interpretive approach, this article holds that, the patriarchal narrative of Genesis 12:10–20, is fittingly, a narrative of migration that raises several ethical challenges that are profoundly relevant to migrants in socio-economic situations. Abraham’s vulnerable position as a migrant under socio-economic circumstances to Egypt created fear in him and presented him moral dilemmas in which inequalities created by wealth and poverty posed dangers of losing faith. Many individuals and families are faced with similar circumstances today, being caught up in webs of difficult considerations and forced to make unpleasant decisions. Contribution: This article employs a narrative reading of Abraham’s sojourn in Genesis 12:10–20 in an attempt to bring together biblical, literary and theological discourses into dialogue with ethics and migration. The article serves as a viable starting point for discussions about the ethical considerations faced by migrants in socio-economic situations, and how principles of honesty, empathy and responsible decision-making can guide their actions.

This article is devoted to the analysis of movement terminology in LXX-Gen 12:6. The research problem aims to investigate the contextual differences in the usage of the Greek verbs διοδεύω, διαβαίνω and παρέρχομαι, which are the common counterparts of the Hebrew עָבַר in the Greek Bible. In particular, the article seeks to understand the precise meaning of the Greek verb διοδεύω used in LXX-Gen 12:6. It concludes that the choice of the very rare verb διοδεύω in LXX-Gen 12:6 can be well understood in the context of the geography and topography of Canaan and the ethnic ideology of the biblical writers. Namely, the itinerary in LXX-Gen 12:6–9 did not require Abram to overcome any natural obstacles (which would have required the use of διαβαίνω) or pass by somebody or something (best expressed by παρέρχομαι). He did, however, have to travel through a wider space – the country inhabited by a foreign and potentially hostile population.

The Pentateuch is a foundational cornerstone within biblical literature, encapsulating a mosaic of historical narratives, legal codes, and theological reflections. This paper presents a vibrant and evolving landscape of contemporary Pentateuchal studies aimed at unravelling its complexities and exploring its multidimensional facets. The study elucidates the challenges and gaps in current Pentateuchal scholarship. It identifies the pressing need to reconcile diverse methodologies, harmonize contradictory theories, and integrate interdisciplinary approaches. Additionally, it addresses the imperative to comprehend the Pentateuch within its socio-cultural context, considering its reception history and relevance in modern academic discourses. To address these challenges, this paper engages in a comprehensive analysis of emerging trends within Pentateuchal studies. It navigates through the evolution of methodologies, from traditional source criticism to contemporary literary and narrative analyses, highlighting the interplay between form, genre, and redactional layers within the Pentateuch. Furthermore, it examines the burgeoning influence of interdisciplinary frameworks, encompassing post-colonialism, feminist criticism, and ecological hermeneutics, which offer new perspectives on the Pentateuch’s implications for contemporary societal issues. This study endeavours to synthesize a more holistic understanding of the Pentateuch by meticulously exploring these diverse perspectives. It aims to bridge scholarly divides, reconcile interpretative conflicts, and shed light on the Pentateuch’s socio-cultural significance; considering the dynamic interaction between historical contexts and modern interpretations, it seeks to elucidate the enduring relevance of the Pentateuch in shaping ethical, cultural, and theological discourses. Ultimately, this research contributes to the ongoing discourse within biblical scholarship by providing a comprehensive framework amalgamating diverse methodologies and perspectives. It underscores the need for continued exploration and engagement with the Pentateuch, acknowledging its profound impact on ancient civilizations and its enduring relevance in contemporary societies.

In the Bible, legal discourse is often employed for theological purposes. It contributes to the search for an ordered life in the presence of God. While many factors are involved in such a quest, this essay focuses on four primary concepts: divine presence, holiness, righteousness, and the covenantal community. After introducing these concerns, the claim that law was divinely revealed to Israel is examined. Discussion of the method of biblical law is illustrated by a description of the theology of four major bodies of instructions in the Pentateuch: the Book of the Covenant, Priestly writings, the Holiness source, and the laws of Deuteronomy. Examples from other biblical texts are also used. On that basis, the article considers the appropriation of biblical law within Christian traditions.

From the structure of the book to its enigmatic law codes, Leviticus poses a number of interpretive questions for readers. This article aims to tackle a variety of these questions raised by the blasphemer narrative. I will consider especially the relationship between the nature of the crime committed and the legal decision that follows. I further intend to show how the internal concerns of this pericope cohere with the concerns of the H redactor and the passage's immediate context between chapters 23 and 25. While no doubt a difficult task, coming to an understanding of the blasphemer narrative is vital for grasping the structure and argument of Leviticus. Furthermore, this narrative raises obvious questions concerning the justice of God. Does the punishment of the blasphemer fit the crime? Does this sentencing fit with general notions of justice in the ancient world, or even with the God of Israel's own legal standards? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars have long recognized that the Second Temple-period literature regarding the figure of Enoch draws from much older traditions dating from the same general period as the pentateuchal texts that mention him. Chief among these are the genealogical narratives in Genesis 4-5, widely recognized as deriving from distinct sources. Insufficient attention, however, has been devoted to the conceptual overlaps between these sources, which point to a pre-pentateuchal tradition regarding Enoch shared by the writers behind Genesis 4-5. I argue that a pre-pentateuchal Enoch tradition connected the legendary patriarch Enoch to esoteric knowledge related to the ancestral cult and chthonic mythology, one that drew from an even older set of circumstances where rival forms of Transjordanian Yahwism took root in premonarchic Israel. The different sources behind Genesis 4-5 show awareness of this tradition even as it was transformed into a new narrative setting. This carries significant implications for the way Jewish scribes reengaged the Enoch tradition in the Second Temple period, especially in the Book of the Watchers (1 Enoch 1-36). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In this article, the authors present a dataset of the text of the Samaritan Pentateuch with word-level linguistic annotations. The Samaritan Pentateuch is an important early witness of the Pentateuch or Torah. This dataset is based on a transcription generally taken from manuscript Dublin, Chester Beatty Library 751 (Genesis 1:1–Deuteronomy 32:36) and supplemented from manuscript Nablus (Kiryat Luza), Samaritan Synagogue, Garizim 1, where the former manuscript has not preserved the text (Deuteronomy 32:36b–34:10). The dataset is a Text-Fabric dataset. Text-Fabric is a Python package for processing annotated text corpora, which means that the dataset comes with an app, where the text can be inspected and queried using the annotations. It is also easy to perform textual and linguistic research using Python scripts and to make comparisons with other relevant textual datasets with the same annotation conventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of modern theories of the formation of the Old Testament canon involves a review of existing theories and hypotheses that shed light on the complex and multi-stage process of forming a single holistic collection of books. The purpose of the article is to review the researchers’ hypotheses about the place, time, authorship, edition, compilation and publication of the sacred Old Testament books. The question of the process of formation of the Old Testament canon in the ancient Israelite environment and the criteria of canonicity used at the time of giving the sacred books a certain status remains debatable. The liberal approach has become widespread in modern biblical studies, which requires the formation of a correct attitude towards it on the part of biblical theological science. Sometimes the conclusions of researchers are unexpected for the consciousness of a person who lives by the tradition of the Church and has passed the stage of reception of the tradition contained in it and the attitude to the sacred Old Testament books. On the basis of the numerous modern theories that have appeared, seeking to explain the process of the formation of the canon and the authorship of its books, there is a need to analyze existing theories and form a correct attitude towards them from the side of the Orthodox dogma. The relevance of the research topic is due to the attention that has been paid to the process of collecting the entire corpus of Old Testament books. With the emergence of biblical criticism as a scientific discipline, a variety of theories have emerged that represent the process of collecting biblical books together in various ways. The diversity of opinions in research circles requires forming Orthodox theological assessment of such a phenomenon in the history of the Old and New Testament Churches as the period of collecting the Old Testament books and fixing them in a single code.

The article is a critical review of the commentary by Bartosz Adamczewski – Genesis. A Hy­pertextual Commentary. After presenting the theses put forward by Adamczewski in his commentary on Genesis, the criteria of sequential hypertextuality implemented by Adamczewski and his method of de­limiting literary units that remain in hypertextual relations are critically reviewed. The methodological weakness of the hypertextual commentary on Genesis cannot be covered up by the creativity of the com­mentator.

The purpose of this article is to analyze the translation and reception of the Pentateuch in medieval Poland by examining the Old Polish (vernacular) apocrypha of the New Testament. It analyses, for example, passages in which a verse from the Pentateuch is quoted or paraphrased, in which a quotation from the Books of Moses is omitted by an evangelist, as well as all passages in which the names of various figures and heroes of the Old Testament Pentateuch, are invoked. It turned out that in medieval Polish-language biblical apocryphal narratives the Pentateuch functions differently from other biblical and patristic sources. It is not used as freely as the Gospels or the Psalms. It is used to characterize the Jewish world and the precepts of the Law. Quotes from the books of Moses rarely function as prophecies. The Pentateuch in Old Polish apocrypha functions as a reservoir of stories, a collection of catchphrases to be evoked. This is because while the heroes of the Old Testament were prominent in preaching, art, and language, the text of the Torah was not frequently translated into the Polish language.

The article presents the current state of knowledge about the creation of the Pentateuch. The oldest traditions contained in it are the covenant code (VIII B.C.), the core of the exodus traditions and the core of patriarchal traditions (specially the tradition of Jacob), dating back to the early period of the monarchy (IX/VIII B.C.). The next stage in the creation of this work is the Deuteronomistic school with the code of the covenant worked out by it (Deuteronomistic code, the second half of VII century B.C) and priestly school (late 6th century B.C.). The exodus tradition (+ Moses) and the patriarchal tradition developed independently at first. The first connection is attributed either to the priestly school (after the Babylonian exile) or the non-priestly/(post) Deuteronomistic (in the final period of the monarchy or during the exile). In the current debate considerable importance is attached to the so-called editors, who did not glue existing texts together, but broke them up and created them, presenting in them their own concepts and theological view.

Typical hermeneutical approaches to the Deuteronomic Code, and to scriptural legal codes more generally, attend to genre either for the sake of historical-critical concerns as an end in themselves, or as a gateway to abstracted content. This article argues, conversely, that the genre of the code is not disconnected from its content, and that its form—imaginative, pragmatic propositions based on communal hope—can and should be imitated in the practice of theological ethics. As best seen in Deuteronomy 15, the communicative genius of the code is that it (1) imagines a specific, viable future, (2) empowers moral agency, (3) forges communal identity, and (4) addresses unique historical situations. Appropriating the genre, rather than the content, thus has unique potential to give traction to modern ethical scholarship through conscious, kerygmatic contingency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four manuscripts from Qumran Cave 4 are identified as manuscripts that constitute a collection of excerpts from Deuteronomy: 4Q37, 4Q38, 4Q41, and 4Q44. This paper focuses on 4Q37 and its contribution to understanding the larger group of Deuteronomy-excerpted texts. Based on material reconstruction of the scroll, the paper confirms that it originally included excerpts from both Deuteronomy and Exodus. This conclusion establishes the existence of a repertoire of scriptural sections that were selected and cited in special-use—probably liturgical—texts. The broader implications for the reception history of the Pentateuch in Second Temple times is that the Pentateuch was not conceptualized solely as a legal code or intellectual text but also as a text that was used in liturgy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Judaism, in its traditional expressions, which are contained in the Torah and Talmud, knows the concept of holy war, which it characterizes in a special way: as a war of destruction under God’s oath – herem. But even the passages of the Pentateuch enable to perceive that the ‘heremic’ holy war is not understood statically but goes through a development: from the genocidal war against the idolatrous peoples in the example of Numbers 21:2-3, to a war with certain limitations in Deuteronomy 20. A special twist is offered by the prophetic texts, which place the concept of herem as a mirror for the moral collapse of biblical Israel (Jeremiah 25:8-14). The Rabbinic Judaism of the Mishnah and Talmud, on the basis of the aforementioned biblical texts, then abandons the military use of the term herem and understands it in the sense of spiritual discipline, which concerns the exclusion of ungodly elements from the community. In addition, Talmud introduces a typology that is roughly divided into commanded and optional war. The majority opinion of the rabbis limits the commanded or obligatory war to Joshua’s war. An additional rabbinic restriction is the so-called Three Oaths, in which Jews promise not to forcibly establish an independent political entity. The reason for this kind of ‘enclosure’ is also in the catastrophic failures of the Jewish-Roman wars. The tradition is reinterpreted by Moses Maimonides, who interprets the commanded war more and more in the context of spiritual struggle and renewal of the Jewish faith. He does see war as a potential means of defending the Jewish nation, but never in the sense of conversion or expansion. Based on these traditional understandings, we can postulate that Judaism does not allow so-called holy war and therefore avoids militant violence justified by divine command.

One of the most prolific fields of research in biblical studies in the twenty-first century – in both Old and New Testament studies – is the analysis of biblical texts in relation to the events of the Neo-Babylonian conquests of Judah. The first conquest led to a surrender in 597 BCE, which was followed by a second, destructive, conquest of Jerusalem and surrounding areas in 586 BCE. Both conquests were accompanied by substantial deportations of Judeans into the Mesopotamian heartland. In addition to continued debates on about the historical events themselves, and the challenge of reading different biblical texts in relation to these historical events, the ‘exile’ has also been the focus of ongoing discussions in biblical theology. This attention to ‘exile’ has taken two different forms: through an analysis of the theology of the texts themselves in their own times; and through modern theological reflections on ‘exile’ as a theme. The latter approach appears in twenty-first century proposals for a (mainly Christian) biblical theology, which takes these historical events seriously, and examines how they inform contemporary Christian faith and practice. Finally, discussion on ‘exile’ themes in theology now incorporates scholars in both Old and New Testament work.

Muslim scholars have generally assumed that the Torah was all revealed at once to Prophet Musa [Moses], peace be on him, which is why the Muslim discourse on the Torah generally lacks discussion on its codification. However, some of the Muslim scholars took the position that, like the Qur’an, the Torah was revealed gradually. The present paper examines the views of four eminent scholars – ‘Ubaydullah Sindhi, Abu ’l-A‘la Mawdudi, Amin Ahsan Islahi and Javed Ahmad Ghamidi – and tries to build a comprehensive theory about the revelation and codification of the Torah as well as about critical analysis of the content of the Pentateuch. It concludes that the principles which Muslim tradition has developed for ascertaining authenticity of traditions and for interpretation of the Qur’anic verses and Prophetic traditions as well as for reconciliation of apparently conflicting texts can be very beneficial in developing a coherent Muslim theory for Biblical criticism.

Asırlarca Tevrat’ın Musa tarafından yazılan vahiy mahsulü bir eser olduğuna inanıldı. Geleneksel Yahudiliğin günümüzde de devam ettirdiği bu inanç Batı dünyasında yapılan eleştirel çalışmalarla sorgulanmaya başlandı. Bu araştırmalarda, Tevrat’ın değişik zamanlarda yaşayan farklı isimler tarafından kaleme alınan bir eser olduğu ortaya konuldu. Bu eleştirel araştırmaların zirve noktasını Julius Wellhausen tarafından son şekli verilen ve Tevrat’ın dört farklı kaynaktan oluştuğunu ileri süren Dört Kaynak Hipotezi oluşturur. Çoğunlukla kabul gören bu görüşe, 1970’lerden itibaren yapılan bazı çalışmalarla ciddi anlamda itiraz edildi. Bu makalenin konusu, Dört Kaynak Hipotezi’ne büyük ölçüde karşı çıkan ve Tevrat’ın üç temel kaynaktan oluştuğunu ileri süren Kanadalı araştırmacı John Van Seters’in (d. 1935) Tevrat eleştirisidir. Van Seters’in en dikkat çekici iddiası, Tevrat’ın kaynaklarından Yahvist metnin milattan önce altıncı yüzyılda Babil Sürgünü’nde yaşamış bir tarihçi yazar tarafından başta Tesniye olmak üzere Tesniyeci Tarih, peygamber kitapları ve Antik Yakın Doğu anlatıları dikkate alınarak yazıldığıdır. Çalışmada, Van Seters’in bu iddiası üzerinde durulacaktır.

After some preliminary remarks on Cyril's two works on the Pentateuch, De adoratione and Glaphyra, as well as the σκοπός of the biblical text, this contribution deals with Cyril's reading of the biblical account of the creation of the universe and creation of man. In contrast to other interpreters, e. g., the Cappadocian fathers, the Alexandrian patriarch does not show interest in a detailed explanation of cosmogony based on natural philosophy. He rather emphasizes the limits of the human mind in understanding the details of the act of God's creation of the world. According to Cyril's understanding of the goal of Moses' writings, his exegesis of Genesis focuses especially on the creation of man. Convinced that Moses wrote his books as moral instruction to lead men to God, Cyril interprets selected parts of Genesis in a typological way in order to show man's journey from the fall into sin to the restoration of a holy life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The “communion of the saints” is usually considered a New Testament topic. It appears in the Apostles’ Creed as a mandatory commitment for church orthodoxy and orthopraxy. However, the Old Testament Hebrews were also a faith community and committed to beliefs and behaviors (at least “on paper”) that enable and enhance communion and fellowship as well as exclude actions that cause division and dissension, which can lead to discouragement, disengagement, and even destruction. Consequently, the Hebrew Bible can offer, at least typologically, statements and stories that illustrate how crucial communion and community were for God’s OT people, and anticipate the same for the NT churches. This article will make use of selected passages in the Pentateuch that provide mainly data about what would prevent or pervert communion among ancient Hebrew believers inYahweh, which provides principles applicable to modern Gentile believers in Jesus as the Christos.

This article argues for a new translation of the niphal of חשב in the Priestly Narrative. This verb has typically been translated as "credited" and has been used as the foundation for arguing that the Priestly sacrificial system utilizes a divine ledger that tracks credits and debits of individual Israelites. I demonstrate that the concept of this kind of "credit theology" is foreign to the Priestly Narrative, and that the mistranslation of this verb has enabled a fundamental misunderstanding of the sacrificial system. Instead, I suggest that the use of this verb is limited to a very specific legal scenario related to the inappropriate possession of sacrificial material, is best understood in the context of property law, and should be translated as "to bail". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article raises the question of language items (words or phrases) which could be the markers of a textual relationship between Biblical translations and their originals, on the examples of two East Slavonic texts created presumably in the 15th century in the Ruthenian lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The article is based on the data of the edited Slavonic-Russian Pentateuch and two versions of the East Slavonic translation of the Song of Song, from the museum (Russian State Library, Moscow, mid-16th century) and Vilna copies (Wroblewski Library of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, Vilnius, first quarter of the 16th century), including the glossary for both versions from the so-called Zabelin Set, a cluster of Biblical texts translated from Jewish sources into Old Ruthenian from the 17th-century manuscript (State Historical Museum, Moscow). These examples demonstrate the importance of the search for possible intermediary languages for texts, which, by all formal indicators, are the fruit of direct language and literary contacts between Slavs and Jews. There are proposed methods of ascertaining an original language and the language of a possible intermediary through a system of linguistic-textual markers. The weakest linguistic-textual markers are Hebrew loanwords written with Cyrillic script, especially when these are proper names only. Such forms do not exclude the possibility that their source was not the Masoretic Text itself, but translations of the latter made within the framework of the same Jewish tradition, i.e., the Targums (cfr. in particular the ‘Old Yiddish Targum’ and the ‘Judeo-Turkic Targum’). The most reliable linguistic-textual marker turns out to be the presence of words that are not just foreign-language borrowings and not from the Hebrew language, but that also qualify as hapaxes that were not adopted by the language of the book tradition into which the corresponding translation was made. Between these two extreme types of markers there are intermediate steps, which in different ways reveal the presence of an intermediary language and an intermediary text, but as a whole, all the markers speak in favor of the existence of these intermediaries.

The search for the historical sources of the tradition of Moses, with the present state of knowledge, leads to the conclusion that we can look for its traces primarily in biblical texts. These include the Egyptian name of Moses mentioned in the Pentateuch, his relationship with the Midianites / Kenites, and the current knowledge about the origins and development of Yahwism. Some references in other books of the Old Testament (Hosea 12:14; Judges 18:30; 2 Kings 18:4) linking Moses (without giving the name) with the Exodus (the first one) and with some forms of worship unorthodox for later authors (two other ones) deserve attention when examining these issues. The conclusion to be drawn from examining these issues is that the biblical “biography” of Moses is largely the result of the later literary and theological work of biblical authors and presents this protagonist in a way that differs significantly from the potential “historical” archetype

This essay analyzes the Torah's role in Judean communities from Ptolemaic Egypt in order to evaluate the significance of the Judean claim of divine origins for their law in relation to the conceptual or functional nature of this law. An introductory step explores the nature of the Judean communities in Egypt under the Ptolemies. The essay then moves to consider the nature of judicial practice in Ptolemaic Egypt, especially among Judean communities, where scholars have asserted overlap with the written Greek Torah in the interpretation of legal records. Given the largely negative finds from papyri documents concerning practical judicial conceptions, the discussion turns to depictions of Torah in the Letter of Aristeas and other Hellenistic-Judean literature. The argument demonstrates that direct references to the Torah conceive of its importance in philosophical terms and group affiliation rather than judicial categories , even when the conception of God as a divine legislator emerges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a contextualised exposition of classical Greek texts, in chronological order, from Herodotus to Eusebius of Caesarea (5th century BC-4th century AD), with brief biographical reviews and in which the name 'Palestine' appears. A Latin text by Pomponius Mela is also included for its reference to Gaza which, with the exception of the Septuagint texts, predates Arrian, Arrian of Nicomedia, a Greek historian of the Roman period, by nearly a century. The selection of classical texts explored in this article is not intended to be exhaustive; however, the exploration of these texts in connection with Palestine has never been attempted before. While avoiding historical, philosophical or literary criticism of these texts, this article focuses on the specific considerations of the name 'Palestine' in the classical literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The noun rûaḥ , meaning breath, s/Spirit, or wind, occurs 378 times in the Hebrew Scriptures, with an additional eleven in the Aramaic portions of Daniel. Within the Pentateuch, rûaḥ occurs a total of thirty-eight times. The semantic breakdown of rûaḥ in these books is as follows: breath, five times (Gen 6:17; 7:15, 22; Exod 15:8, 10—although Yahweh's "breath" here is the equivalent of the blowing "wind"); spirit, meaning either the human spirit or the divine Spirit but distinguished from mere breath, twenty-seven times. The principal texts that will concern us are Gen 1:2; 6:3; 41:38; Exod 28:3; 31:3; 35:31; Num 24:2; 27:18; and Deut 34:9. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In his review essay on my dissertation, Esias E. Meyer dedicates an important part to discussing the slave laws in the Pentateuch. A key role in his critique is played by his understanding of the term pater familias as “a man with a woman and children.” This, however, is not how I used the term; rather, a pater familias is the head of an extended family with land possession. In this response, I show that landownership is the key to understanding the relationship between the slave laws of the Pentateuch.

Zacharias Frankel had a very low opinion of the abilities of the LXX translators, the quality of their work and the ensuing textual transmission. He considered the Septuagint only useful as a testimony to help prove the antiquity of the halakah, a notion with apologetic value. Methodologically, he conceptualized the genesis of the Greek Pentateuch through the theories of contemporary historical criticism. His monographs on the Septuagint display great continuity with early modern scholarship. This also holds true for the assumption that the Septuagint reflects Jewish interpretation, and the notion of five translators/editors for the Greek Pentateuch. Frankel's works were considered important, but his innovations, viz. the insistence that all Jewish exegesis was Palestinian in origin and his rejection of textual criticism, were accepted by few and rejected by most scholars, Jews and Christians alike. Frankel's boldness and his use of German helped to keep his ideas on the scholarly agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the late nineteenth century through the 1980s, a lack of strong exegetical support for a messianic understanding of Genesis 3:15 (the “protevangelium”) led to a number of exegetical and theological treatments of the verse downplaying the messianic significance of the verse and favoring a collective view of the seed of the woman and often a naturalistic view of the serpent. Since the early 1990s, though, scholars have provided significant exegetical and theological arguments to support an understanding of the seed of the woman as an individual who will engage in warfare with the serpent. These developments have brought about something of a renaissance in the interpretation of Genesis 3:15 among evangelical scholars. This article will survey and evaluate the most significant issues and developments in the interpretation of the seed of the woman over the past thirty years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origins and early history of the pentateuchal prohibition against eating finless and scaleless aquatic species (Lev 11:9–12; Deut 14:9–10) has yet to merit a detailed investigation. The present study is an initiatory attempt to attend to this lacuna by analysing 56 zooarchaeological assemblages of fish remains from 30 sites throughout the southern Levant from the Late Bronze Age through to the end of the Byzantine period (ca. 1550 BCE to 640 CE). A central conclusion of the study is that consumption of scaleless fish— especially catfish—was not uncommon at Judean sites throughout the Iron Age and Persian periods. Unlike the pentateuchal prohibitions against eating pork, the ban against finless and scaleless aquatic species apparently deviated from longstanding Judean dietary habits. The pentateuchal writers appear to have legislated this dietary restriction despite the lack of an old and widespread dietary tradition at its root. This conclusion should encourage us to rethink commonly held assumptions that other pentateuchal dietary proscriptions emerged out of earlier dietary 'taboos'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article shows the prophetic profile of Moses from the perspective of the “final text” of Deuteronomy especially in Deut 4 and Deut 29–30. In Deut 30:1–10, Moses announces the circumcision of hearts. Moses’ song in Deut 32 confirms his message of doom and final salvation for the people of Israel. It solves the question of collective salvation of the people by a kind of canonical theology, quoting as a subtext Prophets, Psalms and Wisdom Literature. However, Deuteronomy has no answer to Moses’ fate of suffering death. He has to die, so that instead of him the written Torah can accompany the people on their way into the Promised Land. Moses’ fate of suffering death is not at all over because Pss 90–92 function also as a subtext for Moses’ individual fate, developing a perspective of salvation for him as a kind of subtext for the Moses narrative in Deuteronomy. https://doi.org/10.17159/2312–3621/2021/v34n1a13

The identification of Moses in the Pentateuch as a royal figure has renewed currency in Old Testament scholarship, and Danny Mathews has devoted a substantial monograph to bolstering this view of Moses. A detailed appraisal of the arguments supplied by Mathews and others is provided in this article, with the aim of disputing the proposed classification of Moses as a king. Nor is Moses to be simply labelled a prophet, or even the greatest of the prophets. Moses is best seen as a unique figure and the fountainhead of later specialised offices in Israel, such as judge, prophet and king, but he should not be identified with any particular one. The evaluation of the position and role of Moses must be set within the theological framework of the Kingship of Yhwh in the Pentateuch, and on that basis, he is to be viewed as the exalted agent of God the King. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matthew's use of the Pentateuch in the Sermon on the Mount establishes the foundation for how Christians are to live their lives by modeling the example of Jesus Christ. This paper works through the Pentateuch in order of appearance in the Christian Canon addressing the respective Pentateuch uses throughout the Sermon on the Mount rather than in order of appearance in the sermon. The implications of the Pentateuch quotations by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount as recorded by the Apostle Matthew details not only the foundation of Christian living but also addresses the completion of the Messianic prophecy as the Old Testament Law being fulfilled by Christ Jesus. Upon examination of Matthew's Gospel and comparing the Pentateuch quotations in context and how Christ uses them in the sermon discourse not only enhances understanding of the Pentateuch in the overall theme of God's revelatory redemptive work in Scripture, but it also enhances the understanding of the Sermon on the Mount in the same manner. Jesus' use of the Pentateuch in the sermon discourse additionally simplifies and provides clarity to the Law, establishing what true righteousness looks like. Therefore, exemplifying the need for the imitation of Christ in daily life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article sets out to provide a basic biblical theology for the book of Ruth, considering its historical context, its literary structure, its theological message, and its typological trajectory to Jesus Christ. Borrowing from themes found in the Pentateuch, the author seeks to show that David’s genealogy and reign is a continuation of God’s redemptive work in the past. In this way, the book of Ruth builds upon the preceding redemptive-historical narrative and points beyond itself to the future in gathering of the nations. Ruth is to be read as a covenantal, canonical connector that links God’s covenant promises in the Torah to Davidic kingship, which then sets the trajectory to the final fulfillment of Abrahamic blessing to the nations through the Messiah. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]