Search

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]

Copyright of Cumhuriyet Ilahiyat Dergisi / Cumhuriyet Theology Journal is the property of Cumhuriyet Universitesi, Ilahiyat Fakultesi / Cumhuriyet University, Faculty of Theology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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]

The article considers the problem of the origin and use of the East Slavonic Pentateuch codices based on the Old Bulgarian translation of the Octateuch. The latter type of codex is typical for all Christian medieval writing, including South Slavonic, while the Pentateuch is considered to belong primarily to the Jewish tradition. There is an opinion that the appearance of the Pentateuch in the East Slavonic literature (from the beginning of the 15th century) was due to Jewish influence, but this is not true. In fact, most of the East Slavonic codices in the form of the Pentateuch (twenty-three in all) belong to a special, and the latest, recension of the Church Slavonic Octateuch, namely the Edited Pentateuch, which indeed emerged as a result of direct Slavic-Jewish contacts, but not earlier than the second half of the 15th century. The other codices of the East Slavonic Pentateuch are only four in number, while the manuscripts of the East Slavonic Octateuch are fifteen, including four copies of the complete Gennady’s Bible. There are three reasons for the origin of the Pentateuch among the Eastern Slavs. Codicologically it can be explained by the convenience of dividing into two parts a vast corpus including the Octateuch, the Books of Kings and Esther, which was also rarely found as a unit in Byzantium and in the Latin West. The Pentateuch was also common in the Christian Coptic tradition, and without any Jewish influence. From the point of view of the liturgical use of the Old Testament books in the Byzantine rite, it was the Pentateuch, without the remaining three books of the Octateuch, that could also be used as the Prophetologion. Finally, the Pentateuch is also honored by Christians as the “root of the New Testament”, and the ideas about this were well known to both East and South Slavonic medieval scholars. [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]

In a time where approximately one-third of the world’s population identify as Christian, while the percentage of individuals rejecting the idea of a divine being remains relatively low, it is striking that proponents of the latter category attempt to silence research and findings from the former group. A recent example of this is the reaction to four articles published in 2023 in the Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe (Journal of Humanities). These articles discuss recent scientific research, indicating highly intelligent and precise design in both macrocosm and microcosm, leading researchers to logically conclude that there must be a designer who cannot be a part of the cosmos itself. This conclusion causes significant discomfort among atheistically inclined thinkers, as evidenced by the fierce response to these articles. It appears that there is even pressure on academic journals to employ censorship and refrain from publishing such research. This article is a reaction to such criticism. Spangenberg (2023) takes issue with the assumption of the researchers of the four articles that humans are rational beings, by emphasising the irrationality of certain human behaviour. He has a significant problem with the researchers’ suggestion that the order found in nature and humans’ rational thinking abilities cannot be seen as coincidental but are ordained by God. He also attempts to create a contradiction between a merciful God and a God who punishes sin. But all these arguments can be dismissed based on basic logic. Spangenberg accuses the authors of misinformation when discussing Genesis. Referring to Genesis 1:26, he asserts that when God says, “let us make man,” it implies multiple gods. Spangenberg’s idea of polytheism in Genesis is further emphasised by his reference to the garden in Genesis 2 as the garden of gods, because it was located in the east. According to him, that would have referred to the place where heaven and earth meet, allowing gods residing in heaven to enter the earth. This conclusion based on the garden’s eastern location resembles a slippery slope form of reasoning. Even when considering only the Pentateuch, the introduction of the so-called assembly of gods and garden of gods in Genesis 1 and 2 by Spangenberg cannot be considered a plausible interpretation. The focus in the Pentateuch, as in the rest of the Bible, is on the fact that God must be known and acknowledged as the only God, contrary to the pagan nations’ concept of multiple gods. Spangenberg based his ideas on the documentary hypothesis – a theory that claims that the first five books of the Bible emerged over a long period of time and that they are a compilation of various and contradictory documents. He uses this to discredit the research in the four articles, despite the fact that even supporters of the documentary hypothesis admit to problems in this hypothesis. Contemporary research suggests that it is crucial to consider the truth claims of the Pentateuch itself and move away from hypothetical source documents. Arguments by people such as Spangenberg, that authors who do not accept this document hypothesis or give reference to it should be censured, cannot bear any weight. In fact, recent research returns to the idea that the Pentateuch is a single work, written according to a plan and largely composed by one author. By accepting its unity and inspiration, as millions of Christians do, valuable insights can be gained, for instance by considering why specific names for God are used in particular contexts. Conversely, viewing it as merely different sources does not yield fruitful research. In a further attempt to discredit the four scientific articles in the TGW, Spangenberg points to the negative way in which the church had supposedly dealt with Galileo Galilei’s heliocentric research some centuries ago. Contrary to Spangenberg’s assertion, the reality is that Galileo’s affair did not start as a conflict between science and the church. The church had initially encouraged Galileo to continue his work. It was particularly natural scientists who, partly justifiable and partly not, raised issues concerning the results of his research. As evidenced by the authors of the four articles mentioned above, it was especially Christian thinkers who had developed scientific knowledge throughout many centuries; moreover, they had established and funded several universities where research could be done. Upon examining the four articles opposed by Spangenberg and others, it becomes clear how crucial it is that science and its results should not be suppressed. The articles discuss research in natural sciences and cosmology that delves into the cause and fine-tuning of the universe, as well as the precision of cosmic constants that make life possible. Additionally, they explore the origins of encoded information within DNA, and its role in life itself. It is unacceptable to reject experimental observations and derived theories based on a negative view of Christian beliefs beforehand. Scientific inquiry necessitates an unbiased and openminded approach, demonstrating the courage to interpret data honestly, in order to reach the most probable conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Larq Journal for Philosophy, Linguistics & Social Sciences is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In "A Greek-English Lexicon of the Septuagint" when a word appears to be proper to the LXX and the literature depending on it, it is characterized as a neologism. The label "neol." suggests that the word in question was probably not used before the time of the composition of the LXX. According to the Lexicon the first use of more than 500 words is in the Pentateuch. The purpose of the article is to trace how the Slavonic translator of the biblical books understands and transmits these words. It can be said that the translation of the neologisms is very indicative of the ways in which the vocabulary of the still young OCS was formed. It reveals the Slavonic men of letters not only as translators but as creators of the language. [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]

Copyright of Slovo (05836255) is the property of Slovo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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.

The article examines the theory of hypertextuality and interpretation in the Pentateuch. It is noted that ancient Jewish authors revised old texts to address new contexts and define their community identity. Gérard Genette's theory of hypertextuality offers ways to categorize literary interactions between texts and make our assumptions about how interpretive texts function more explicit. The article examines four significant revisions of Pentateuchal materials: the Deuteronomic and Priestly work of the Pentateuch, the Temple Scroll, and the Book of Jubilees. It emphasizes that the distinction between "biblical" and "non-biblical" did not exist in the Second Temple period and that a new approach is needed to consider these texts equally. The theory of hypertextuality can make important contributions to integrating biblical studies and research on the Dead Sea Scrolls. One such contribution is the treatment of interpretations in the Pentateuch and interpretations of the Pentateuch on an equal level. The theory of hypertextuality allows for recognizing and analyzing similarities between different texts. The use of this theory can also help understand the relationships between source texts and dependent texts in ancient Jewish literature. There are various approaches to applying the theory of hypertextuality to different texts, such as the New Testament and the Old Testament. The text discusses the theory of hypertextuality and its application to the Pentateuch. It emphasizes that mere coherence of a text is not sufficient to argue that it was designed for independent existence. Instead, it is argued that the function of a text should be considered in line with the intentions of its authors. The text also examines the characteristics of ancient Jewish hypertexts, such as self-presentation and paratextual markers, to determine whether they were designed as substitutes, supplements, or corrections to their hypotext. It is noted that Deuteronomy, Jubilees, and the Temple Scroll can be considered as continuations or supplements, while the Priestly work can be seen as an independent alternative to existing narratives. The use of paratextual signs, such as titles, can indicate a hypertextual relationship between texts. This article examines the revisions in and of the Pentateuch using Gérard Genette's theory of hypertextuality. The theory offers ways to categorize literary interactions between texts and make the functioning of interpretive texts more explicit. This can help solve urgent problems in the study of the Hebrew Bible and ancient Judaism. The article focuses particularly on the book of Deuteronomy and its connection to the hypotextual context. It emphasizes that interpretation does not only occur retrospectively to the foundational texts of Western religion and culture but is built into them and produces interpretation. [Extracted from the article]

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.

The textual frame of this research is about the Samaritan Pentateuch. It represents the development in the textual history of the linguistic qualities in the Samaritan Pentateuch. The research will present the study comprehensive linguistic qualities, creating an important resource of lexicographical information. to describe the Samaritan Pentateuch, the witnesses for the Hebrew spoken in the Late Second Temple period, and that by itself is important step to describe the Hebrew Samaritan Pentateuch of this period, Through the semantical analysis, and also the etymological. This seems especially important in light of the following considerations the Semitics linguistics. The Samaritan Hebrew language used some words which are otherwise unknown in Hebrew language. From another side probably meeting with the Tiberian tradition of Biblical Hebrew with many cases that agreed, the different between the two is the phonetical system which we will make it clear in this research through the examples of the Samaritan Pentateuch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Studia Paradyskie is the property of University of Szczecin Press / Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Szczecinskiego and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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.

Meteorological extremes and/or climatic catastrophes are increasingly frequent experiences. In the Book of Exodus, a strong hailstorm, accompanied by thunder and lightning, becomes an eco-narrative (Ex 9:13-35). From poetic and thematic studies of this exodal episode, which manage to bring new observations, the present investigation aims, above all, at the dialogue between the eco-theological dimensions inherent in the biblical narrative and the environmental issues that currently afflict humanity. With this, the article proposes to generate innovative results both for Christian Theology, which by dedicating itself to the ecological issue still lacks more extensive biblical foundations, and for Brazil, which in view of its future needs to deal with the environmental issue, especially the climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Ilahiyat Researches / Ilahiyat Tetkikleri Dergisi is the property of Ataturk University Coordinatorship of Scientific Journals and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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]