Books by Kristin Weingart
What does the book of Kings reveal about the beginnings of chronography in Israel? Kristin Weinga... more What does the book of Kings reveal about the beginnings of chronography in Israel? Kristin Weingart analyses the chronological data and the literary history of the regnal frame. She explains the systematics of the numerical data and reconstructs the chronographic sources behind it.
Die synchronistische Chronologie im Königsrahmen liefert die Grundstruktur für die Geschichtsdarstellung in den Königebüchern. Sie markiert zugleich die Schnittstelle zweier gegenwärtig intensiv diskutierter Forschungsfelder – die historische Rekonstruktion der israelitischen Königszeit und die Literargeschichte der Königebücher. Kristin Weingart nimmt die Chronologie aus zwei Perspektiven in den Blick. Die Analyse der Zahlenangaben führt auf ihre Systematik und die Methode ihrer Zusammenstellung. Die Analyse des Textes der Eingangsformeln gibt Auskunft über den Charakter der verarbeiteten Quellen. Bei der Suche nach den Anfängen einer synchronistischen Datierungspraxis weist der Königsrahmen auf das Nordreich Israel und zeigt an, dass hier – und dann auch in Juda – in der frühen Königszeit mit einer einsetzenden Sammlung chronologischer Informationen und der Herausbildung chronographischer Literatur zu rechnen ist.
The study treats a question for which it is prima facie surprising that it should need any elabor... more The study treats a question for which it is prima facie surprising that it should need any elaborate explanation at all; is it not self-evident how the name „Israel“ is used within the Old Testament?
Looking at the relevant discussion within Old Testament research that has been going on for almost a century it soon becomes clear that no consistent picture emerges. Does the name „Israel“ in Old Testament times refer to a religious community, a population of a state or an ethnic community (to name just the most prominent within a wider array of attested usages)? Did the way the name was applied change in the course of time? The answers that were and are given vary and quite often contradict each other. Whatever they are, they are always based (regardless of wether their conceptual and methodological prerequisites are laid open or not) on specific ideas about what „Israel“ is and what makes an Israelite an „Israelite“. Therefore, the question of the usage of the name „Israel“ is concerned with the social construction of the collective identity of old „Israel“, that is reflected in the Old Testament texts.
The question is investigated in taking recourse to scientific categories established in sociology and on the basis of a thorough exegetical and literary historical investigations. For methodological reasons, sources from the Persian period (2Ki 17:24-41; Chronicles; Ezra/Nehemiah; prophetic texts like Isa 11:11-16; Ezek 37.47-48; Zech 9 a.o.) form the point of departure. In a second step the references of „Israel“ in preexilic texts like the Jacob-Narrative, the Joseph-Story, the so-called Succession History (2Sam 9-20 and 1Ki 1-2), Isa *1-39, Hos 5-6, or Mi 1-3 come into view. A synthesis leads to the conclusion of a basic primordial coding of the collective identity of Israel, i.e. the collective identiy is based on the belief of a common descent. The crucial aspect in this regard is not the historical or biological verifiability of the conviction, it rather lies in the fact, that the community in question perceives the construction as essential, i.e. as a self-evident truth, and thus it establishes a social reality. This fundamental difference between a (modern) external perspective and the internal one of the community has often been overlooked in previous research. The study shows the fundamental importance of the shared conviction of a common descent for „Israelite“ identity in the post-exilic Persian period as well as the pre-exilic monarchic period. Thus it challenges currently wide-spread notions like the assessment of post-exilic „Israel“ as a religous community („Kultgemeinde“) and and pre-exilic „Israel“ as the name of a political entity, i.e. the Northern Kingdom. As the texts show, Israel understood itself in pre- and postexilic times as an ethnos, defined by a common descent, i.e. as a „Stämmevolk“.
Books Edited by Kristin Weingart
Zur Exegese des Alten Testaments wird ein differenziertes, weithin unstrittiges und mithin relati... more Zur Exegese des Alten Testaments wird ein differenziertes, weithin unstrittiges und mithin relativ stabiles Instrumentarium an Methoden und Arbeitsschritten genutzt. Materialiter blickt die jüngere alttestamentliche Forschung indes auf tiefgreifende Umbrüche, insbesondere die Auflösung jahrzehntelang geltender Konsense zurück. Dieser Stand der Dinge wirft die Frage auf, wie die Diastase zwischen einem stabilen Methodenkanon und nachhaltigem Dissens in den damit erzielten Ergebnissen zu erklären ist. Ihr stellt sich die Exegetik. Sie fragt, so das von den hier versammelten Beiträgen vorausgesetzte Verständnis, nach den Bedingungen exegetischer Arbeit. Dieser metakritische Ansatz steht im Dienste einer eminent konstruktiven Absicht, nämlich der Kalibrierung der exegetischen Kritik selbst. Unter Bündelung des bisherigen Diskussionsstandes bietet der Band Bausteine für eine Theorie der Exegese.
Erhard Blum lehrt die biblischen Überlieferungen als adressatenbezogene Mitteilungsliteratur zu v... more Erhard Blum lehrt die biblischen Überlieferungen als adressatenbezogene Mitteilungsliteratur zu verstehen. So wenig sie selbst akademische Glasperlenspiele sind, so wenig kann es ihre Auslegung sein. Umgekehrt erweist sich die damit aufgeworfene Frage nach dem Eigensinn der jeweiligen Überlieferung als entscheidender Schlüssel auch zur Rekonstruktion ihrer Entstehung. Angeregt von diesem exegetischen Programm, legen dreiunddreißig Fachkollegen und Freunde Untersuchungen vor, die in Auseinandersetzung mit dem Werk Erhard Blums entstanden sind. Der Band umfasst Beiträge zu sämtlichen Teilen des masoretischen Kanons sowie ferner zu historischen, linguistischen und hermeneutischen Fragen.
The emergence of the Israelite monarchy is an issue of ongoing debate, and the reconstruction of ... more The emergence of the Israelite monarchy is an issue of ongoing debate, and the reconstruction of this early history involves interpreting historical research, approaching questions of ancient state formation, and synthesizing archaeological research from sites in the central Canaanite hill country. Last, but certainly not least, unraveling the mysteries of the distant past requires the study of biblical traditions of the early monarchy embedded in the books of Samuel and Kings. This volume presents the results of an interdisciplinary Tübingen–Tel Aviv Research Colloquium blending integrating textual exegesis with archaeological perspectives on Saul and Benjamin in order to reconstruct the rise of the early monarchy in Israel and the way it was commemorated in the biblical narrative.
Articles in Journals by Kristin Weingart
Martin Noth’s study Das System der zwölf Stämme Israels first appeared in 1930. For nearly 50 yea... more Martin Noth’s study Das System der zwölf Stämme Israels first appeared in 1930. For nearly 50 years, his reconstruction of the development of the Israelite tribal system met with widespread approval, but in the last 40 years it has lost its appeal and is hardly taken seriously in scholarly discussions. While the latter is doubtlessly justified when it comes to the idea of an ancient Israelite tribal amphictyony, the paper argues that the study nevertheless remains a worthwhile read in the current debates on the origins of the Israelite tribal system. Noth’s study not only names observations and requirements that any attempt to trace the development of the tribal system must take into account, it also sheds light on some problematic presuppositions and arguments still recurring in some recent contributions. Moreover, Noth’s argument also is instructive where it tends to be self-contradictory, because here points come into view which seem to be essential for a convincing rake on the origins of the tribal system. Such points are illustrated using the example of a recent contribution by Christian Frevel.
In current accounts of the history of Israel, the historicity of a united Davidic kingdom is ofte... more In current accounts of the history of Israel, the historicity of a united Davidic kingdom is often disputed. On the basis of two problems, this article examines the heuristic premises and implications of this deconstruction of the biblical view of history. It identifies three indirect indications that speak for the existence of a united Davidic kingdom: (1) the depiction of the division of the kingdom in 1Kings 11 f. and the pragmatics of the account, (2) the connection between Israel and Judah reflected in the dating practice of the synchronistic chronology of the Book of Kings and (3) the layout of the twelve-tribe system with its integration of Judah.
A r c h ä o l o g i E. K u n s t. g E s c h i c h t E 2 / 2 0 1 9 ... dann sollst du ihm vom Exod... more A r c h ä o l o g i E. K u n s t. g E s c h i c h t E 2 / 2 0 1 9 ... dann sollst du ihm vom Exodus erzählen! Diese Anweisung gibt das Buch Deuteronomium allen nachfolgenden Generationen. In der Exoduserzählung verdichten sich Jahrhunderte-Menschen, Schicksale, Orte, Gebete, Kulte. Wie ist der Exodus zu jener großartigen Geschichte gewachsen? Von Kristin Weingart "Wenn dich morgen dein Kind fragt …" Wie die Exoduserzählung wächst, indem sie weitererzählt wird welt und umwelt der bibel 2/2019 30 e-Sonderdruck aus Welt und Umwelt der Bibel 2/19 (No. 92): "Exodus. Mythos und Geschichte" weltundumweltderbibel.de bibelwerk.shop/produkte/exodus-mythos-und-geschichte-3001902
The Hebrew Bible presents Israel as a community of twelve tribes descending from one common ances... more The Hebrew Bible presents Israel as a community of twelve tribes descending from one common ancestor. While Israel’s kinship identity does not represent a fact to be ascertained by biology or genetics, as an elementary social construction it nevertheless functions as the basic code for Israel’s collective identity. The article therefore discusses the nature and the origins of the Israelite tribal system.
Like other primordial codes of collective identity, it applies features which are regarded within the relevant community as natural or essential and beyond the possibility of individual choice. Being an Israelite is a matter of descent, of being born into one of the Israelite tribes. The code is expressed by means of genealogies which structure the social world of the community and inform and orientate social interactions.
If one asks for the historical origins of the tribal system it becomes easily apparent that it is hard to name any period within the history of Israel in which it would easily match social reality or the shape of any given political entity. This holds true for the post-exilic as well as the pre-exilic monarchic periods. Sources for earlier periods are elusive but the indications available allow for some cautious conclusions on the existence and shape of north-Israelite and Judahite kinship structures which in time developed into the system of the twelve tribes of Israel.
By naming Micah and citing Mi 3:12 the book of Jeremiah (Jer 26:18) provides an explicit example ... more By naming Micah and citing Mi 3:12 the book of Jeremiah (Jer 26:18) provides an explicit example of the reception of older prophetic texts and traditions in later compositions. In addition, Jer 26:18f. also offer a historical setting for Micah’s message, namely the time of Hezekiah and most probably the events of 701 BCE.
The paper will argue that the literary history of the book of Micah substantiates the assumption of an early Micah collection originating from late 8th century BCE. It will discuss the extent, composition, and pragmatics of the composition which comprises Mi *1:5-3:12. Focussing on the situation of the eminent Assyrian threat, Micah uses the the fate of Samaria as a rhetorical device in order to persuade his Judean adressees of his message.
In doing so, Micah not only displays a familiarity with North Israelite prophetic traditions, the book also adopts compositional elements and rhetorical strategies found especially in the Book of Amos.
Many and also the most recent dictionaries like e.g. Gesenius18 list רצה I and רצה II and propose... more Many and also the most recent dictionaries like e.g. Gesenius18 list רצה I and רצה II and propose the translation „to pay“, „to redeem“, „to restore“ for רצה II. The suggestion of two homonymous roots goes back to a very short note of S. Fraenkel in ZAW 1899 and has been accepted by many commentators in order to explain a few difficult instances of רצה in the Hebrew Bible, namely Lev 26:34,41,43; Isa 40:2; Job 20:10, and 2Chr 36:21. Others disagree and see the mentioned passages covered by the semantic range of רצה I.
The paper shows that the introduction of a root רצה II does not result from compelling lexicographical evidence but was rather prompted by a specific understanding of the texts in question, esp. Lev 26. This understanding has its roots in theological presuppositions on the nature of the Shabbat and the ways of atonement and is reflected in the history of exegesis.
In current biblical research, there is a discernable tendency to date the
Joseph Story into the p... more In current biblical research, there is a discernable tendency to date the
Joseph Story into the post-exilic period and to interpret it as a reaction to the Diaspora experience. The paper shows that this assertion is untenable. It contradicts the literary historical stratigraphy in the book of Genesis, which proves inter alia that the Joseph Story is a pre-priestly composition. Moreover, the narrative itself does not contain any significant references to a Diaspora situation. A comparison with the Sinuhe Story to which the Joseph Story shows notable parallels and which, from an Egyptian perspective, is also set abroad, provides further confirmation.
Stratigraphy, plot, and (especially) pragmatics point to a North-Israelite
origin of the Joseph Story. It is a masterpiece created in the 8th cent. BCE, most likely in the time of Jeroboam II.
Among the prophetic narratives within the Book of Kings, the stories about the “Men of God” Elija... more Among the prophetic narratives within the Book of Kings, the stories about the “Men of God” Elijah and Elisha are by far the most elaborate ones. Elijah and Elisha are presented as closely connected. They even carry the same title: “Chariot of Israel and its horses”. In 2Ki 2:12 Elisha cries out to Elijah using it, later the Israelite king expresses his despair at Elisha's death (2Ki 13:14) by adressing him with it.
In the current narrative sequence, the title is one of the features that present Elisha as the successor of Elijah. 2Ki 2 depicts Elijah's ascend to heaven in a fiery chariot and explains why Elijah carries the title. While no similar explanation is given in the case of Elisha, the tradition history of images shows that the title is easier connected with the Elisha narratives which see him as supporter of various Israelite kings in military conflicts than with the Elijah stories. In addition, the Elijah narratives show a dependency on the Elisha material. Therefore it is likely that the title “Chariot of Israel and its horses” originated in the Elisha tradition and was later transferred to Elijah. Accordingly, 2Ki 2 was created not only to present Elijah as Elisha’s predecessor but also to provide a scenic explanation why Elijah is carrying the title.
For Wellhausen, the exile marked a decisive turning point in the construction of Israelite collec... more For Wellhausen, the exile marked a decisive turning point in the construction of Israelite collective identity: Israel went into exile as a people and returned as a religious sect. This assessment led to the definition of post-exilic Israel as a religious community, based on a shared faith, adherence to the law etc., which is still quite commonplace in OT exegesis. This paper looks at the criteria that different Persian period texts provide to determine who belongs to Israel. It argues that the question of the Israelite-ness of the populace in the area of the former Northern Kingdom triggered a dispute. But while there was no consensus regarding the status of the Samarians, the same underlying criterion for defining an Israelite was used either to include or exclude the Samarians – the social construction of a common descent which finds its expression in the system of the twelve tribes of Israel.
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Books by Kristin Weingart
Die synchronistische Chronologie im Königsrahmen liefert die Grundstruktur für die Geschichtsdarstellung in den Königebüchern. Sie markiert zugleich die Schnittstelle zweier gegenwärtig intensiv diskutierter Forschungsfelder – die historische Rekonstruktion der israelitischen Königszeit und die Literargeschichte der Königebücher. Kristin Weingart nimmt die Chronologie aus zwei Perspektiven in den Blick. Die Analyse der Zahlenangaben führt auf ihre Systematik und die Methode ihrer Zusammenstellung. Die Analyse des Textes der Eingangsformeln gibt Auskunft über den Charakter der verarbeiteten Quellen. Bei der Suche nach den Anfängen einer synchronistischen Datierungspraxis weist der Königsrahmen auf das Nordreich Israel und zeigt an, dass hier – und dann auch in Juda – in der frühen Königszeit mit einer einsetzenden Sammlung chronologischer Informationen und der Herausbildung chronographischer Literatur zu rechnen ist.
Looking at the relevant discussion within Old Testament research that has been going on for almost a century it soon becomes clear that no consistent picture emerges. Does the name „Israel“ in Old Testament times refer to a religious community, a population of a state or an ethnic community (to name just the most prominent within a wider array of attested usages)? Did the way the name was applied change in the course of time? The answers that were and are given vary and quite often contradict each other. Whatever they are, they are always based (regardless of wether their conceptual and methodological prerequisites are laid open or not) on specific ideas about what „Israel“ is and what makes an Israelite an „Israelite“. Therefore, the question of the usage of the name „Israel“ is concerned with the social construction of the collective identity of old „Israel“, that is reflected in the Old Testament texts.
The question is investigated in taking recourse to scientific categories established in sociology and on the basis of a thorough exegetical and literary historical investigations. For methodological reasons, sources from the Persian period (2Ki 17:24-41; Chronicles; Ezra/Nehemiah; prophetic texts like Isa 11:11-16; Ezek 37.47-48; Zech 9 a.o.) form the point of departure. In a second step the references of „Israel“ in preexilic texts like the Jacob-Narrative, the Joseph-Story, the so-called Succession History (2Sam 9-20 and 1Ki 1-2), Isa *1-39, Hos 5-6, or Mi 1-3 come into view. A synthesis leads to the conclusion of a basic primordial coding of the collective identity of Israel, i.e. the collective identiy is based on the belief of a common descent. The crucial aspect in this regard is not the historical or biological verifiability of the conviction, it rather lies in the fact, that the community in question perceives the construction as essential, i.e. as a self-evident truth, and thus it establishes a social reality. This fundamental difference between a (modern) external perspective and the internal one of the community has often been overlooked in previous research. The study shows the fundamental importance of the shared conviction of a common descent for „Israelite“ identity in the post-exilic Persian period as well as the pre-exilic monarchic period. Thus it challenges currently wide-spread notions like the assessment of post-exilic „Israel“ as a religous community („Kultgemeinde“) and and pre-exilic „Israel“ as the name of a political entity, i.e. the Northern Kingdom. As the texts show, Israel understood itself in pre- and postexilic times as an ethnos, defined by a common descent, i.e. as a „Stämmevolk“.
Books Edited by Kristin Weingart
Articles in Journals by Kristin Weingart
Like other primordial codes of collective identity, it applies features which are regarded within the relevant community as natural or essential and beyond the possibility of individual choice. Being an Israelite is a matter of descent, of being born into one of the Israelite tribes. The code is expressed by means of genealogies which structure the social world of the community and inform and orientate social interactions.
If one asks for the historical origins of the tribal system it becomes easily apparent that it is hard to name any period within the history of Israel in which it would easily match social reality or the shape of any given political entity. This holds true for the post-exilic as well as the pre-exilic monarchic periods. Sources for earlier periods are elusive but the indications available allow for some cautious conclusions on the existence and shape of north-Israelite and Judahite kinship structures which in time developed into the system of the twelve tribes of Israel.
The paper will argue that the literary history of the book of Micah substantiates the assumption of an early Micah collection originating from late 8th century BCE. It will discuss the extent, composition, and pragmatics of the composition which comprises Mi *1:5-3:12. Focussing on the situation of the eminent Assyrian threat, Micah uses the the fate of Samaria as a rhetorical device in order to persuade his Judean adressees of his message.
In doing so, Micah not only displays a familiarity with North Israelite prophetic traditions, the book also adopts compositional elements and rhetorical strategies found especially in the Book of Amos.
The paper shows that the introduction of a root רצה II does not result from compelling lexicographical evidence but was rather prompted by a specific understanding of the texts in question, esp. Lev 26. This understanding has its roots in theological presuppositions on the nature of the Shabbat and the ways of atonement and is reflected in the history of exegesis.
Joseph Story into the post-exilic period and to interpret it as a reaction to the Diaspora experience. The paper shows that this assertion is untenable. It contradicts the literary historical stratigraphy in the book of Genesis, which proves inter alia that the Joseph Story is a pre-priestly composition. Moreover, the narrative itself does not contain any significant references to a Diaspora situation. A comparison with the Sinuhe Story to which the Joseph Story shows notable parallels and which, from an Egyptian perspective, is also set abroad, provides further confirmation.
Stratigraphy, plot, and (especially) pragmatics point to a North-Israelite
origin of the Joseph Story. It is a masterpiece created in the 8th cent. BCE, most likely in the time of Jeroboam II.
In the current narrative sequence, the title is one of the features that present Elisha as the successor of Elijah. 2Ki 2 depicts Elijah's ascend to heaven in a fiery chariot and explains why Elijah carries the title. While no similar explanation is given in the case of Elisha, the tradition history of images shows that the title is easier connected with the Elisha narratives which see him as supporter of various Israelite kings in military conflicts than with the Elijah stories. In addition, the Elijah narratives show a dependency on the Elisha material. Therefore it is likely that the title “Chariot of Israel and its horses” originated in the Elisha tradition and was later transferred to Elijah. Accordingly, 2Ki 2 was created not only to present Elijah as Elisha’s predecessor but also to provide a scenic explanation why Elijah is carrying the title.
Die synchronistische Chronologie im Königsrahmen liefert die Grundstruktur für die Geschichtsdarstellung in den Königebüchern. Sie markiert zugleich die Schnittstelle zweier gegenwärtig intensiv diskutierter Forschungsfelder – die historische Rekonstruktion der israelitischen Königszeit und die Literargeschichte der Königebücher. Kristin Weingart nimmt die Chronologie aus zwei Perspektiven in den Blick. Die Analyse der Zahlenangaben führt auf ihre Systematik und die Methode ihrer Zusammenstellung. Die Analyse des Textes der Eingangsformeln gibt Auskunft über den Charakter der verarbeiteten Quellen. Bei der Suche nach den Anfängen einer synchronistischen Datierungspraxis weist der Königsrahmen auf das Nordreich Israel und zeigt an, dass hier – und dann auch in Juda – in der frühen Königszeit mit einer einsetzenden Sammlung chronologischer Informationen und der Herausbildung chronographischer Literatur zu rechnen ist.
Looking at the relevant discussion within Old Testament research that has been going on for almost a century it soon becomes clear that no consistent picture emerges. Does the name „Israel“ in Old Testament times refer to a religious community, a population of a state or an ethnic community (to name just the most prominent within a wider array of attested usages)? Did the way the name was applied change in the course of time? The answers that were and are given vary and quite often contradict each other. Whatever they are, they are always based (regardless of wether their conceptual and methodological prerequisites are laid open or not) on specific ideas about what „Israel“ is and what makes an Israelite an „Israelite“. Therefore, the question of the usage of the name „Israel“ is concerned with the social construction of the collective identity of old „Israel“, that is reflected in the Old Testament texts.
The question is investigated in taking recourse to scientific categories established in sociology and on the basis of a thorough exegetical and literary historical investigations. For methodological reasons, sources from the Persian period (2Ki 17:24-41; Chronicles; Ezra/Nehemiah; prophetic texts like Isa 11:11-16; Ezek 37.47-48; Zech 9 a.o.) form the point of departure. In a second step the references of „Israel“ in preexilic texts like the Jacob-Narrative, the Joseph-Story, the so-called Succession History (2Sam 9-20 and 1Ki 1-2), Isa *1-39, Hos 5-6, or Mi 1-3 come into view. A synthesis leads to the conclusion of a basic primordial coding of the collective identity of Israel, i.e. the collective identiy is based on the belief of a common descent. The crucial aspect in this regard is not the historical or biological verifiability of the conviction, it rather lies in the fact, that the community in question perceives the construction as essential, i.e. as a self-evident truth, and thus it establishes a social reality. This fundamental difference between a (modern) external perspective and the internal one of the community has often been overlooked in previous research. The study shows the fundamental importance of the shared conviction of a common descent for „Israelite“ identity in the post-exilic Persian period as well as the pre-exilic monarchic period. Thus it challenges currently wide-spread notions like the assessment of post-exilic „Israel“ as a religous community („Kultgemeinde“) and and pre-exilic „Israel“ as the name of a political entity, i.e. the Northern Kingdom. As the texts show, Israel understood itself in pre- and postexilic times as an ethnos, defined by a common descent, i.e. as a „Stämmevolk“.
Like other primordial codes of collective identity, it applies features which are regarded within the relevant community as natural or essential and beyond the possibility of individual choice. Being an Israelite is a matter of descent, of being born into one of the Israelite tribes. The code is expressed by means of genealogies which structure the social world of the community and inform and orientate social interactions.
If one asks for the historical origins of the tribal system it becomes easily apparent that it is hard to name any period within the history of Israel in which it would easily match social reality or the shape of any given political entity. This holds true for the post-exilic as well as the pre-exilic monarchic periods. Sources for earlier periods are elusive but the indications available allow for some cautious conclusions on the existence and shape of north-Israelite and Judahite kinship structures which in time developed into the system of the twelve tribes of Israel.
The paper will argue that the literary history of the book of Micah substantiates the assumption of an early Micah collection originating from late 8th century BCE. It will discuss the extent, composition, and pragmatics of the composition which comprises Mi *1:5-3:12. Focussing on the situation of the eminent Assyrian threat, Micah uses the the fate of Samaria as a rhetorical device in order to persuade his Judean adressees of his message.
In doing so, Micah not only displays a familiarity with North Israelite prophetic traditions, the book also adopts compositional elements and rhetorical strategies found especially in the Book of Amos.
The paper shows that the introduction of a root רצה II does not result from compelling lexicographical evidence but was rather prompted by a specific understanding of the texts in question, esp. Lev 26. This understanding has its roots in theological presuppositions on the nature of the Shabbat and the ways of atonement and is reflected in the history of exegesis.
Joseph Story into the post-exilic period and to interpret it as a reaction to the Diaspora experience. The paper shows that this assertion is untenable. It contradicts the literary historical stratigraphy in the book of Genesis, which proves inter alia that the Joseph Story is a pre-priestly composition. Moreover, the narrative itself does not contain any significant references to a Diaspora situation. A comparison with the Sinuhe Story to which the Joseph Story shows notable parallels and which, from an Egyptian perspective, is also set abroad, provides further confirmation.
Stratigraphy, plot, and (especially) pragmatics point to a North-Israelite
origin of the Joseph Story. It is a masterpiece created in the 8th cent. BCE, most likely in the time of Jeroboam II.
In the current narrative sequence, the title is one of the features that present Elisha as the successor of Elijah. 2Ki 2 depicts Elijah's ascend to heaven in a fiery chariot and explains why Elijah carries the title. While no similar explanation is given in the case of Elisha, the tradition history of images shows that the title is easier connected with the Elisha narratives which see him as supporter of various Israelite kings in military conflicts than with the Elijah stories. In addition, the Elijah narratives show a dependency on the Elisha material. Therefore it is likely that the title “Chariot of Israel and its horses” originated in the Elisha tradition and was later transferred to Elijah. Accordingly, 2Ki 2 was created not only to present Elijah as Elisha’s predecessor but also to provide a scenic explanation why Elijah is carrying the title.
The paper outlines the main points of Abravanel’s treatment of dreams, gives an overview over the sources he used, discusses how he tries to reconcile the biblical account with Aristotelian philosophy, and shows why dreams and dream interpretation were so important to Abravanel.
Based on the reconstruction of a pre-deuteronomistic base layer, the paper focuses on the textual pragmatics and historical settings of 1Kgs 11-12. It shows that not only Jeroboam was originally introduced in a favourable light, but the separation of the Israelite tribes from Judah was also presented as a justified and consequent step prompted by Rehoboam’s pretension and bad governance. At the same time, the depiction of Jeroboam which models him as a second David reveals a high degree of veneration for David. The latter is in keeping with the manner the origins of the Northern kingdom are described – not as a glorious founding myth but rather with an legitimatory and almost apologetic tone. The narrative profile, literary stratigraphy, and textual pragmatics of the texts point to a Northern Israelite setting and a date before the end of the Northern kingdom in 720 BCE.
Insights into the pragmatics and literary history of the texts also shed light on the development of the peculiar addition within 1Kgs 11:26-40 which implies that ten tribes for Jeroboam and one tribe for Rehoboam resemble twelve pieces of Ahijah’s garment.
At first glance, the chronological data for the last kings of Israel and their Judean counterparts in 2Ki 15-18 do not give the impression of being particularly systematic. They rather show a number of inconsistencies and contradictions. Some of the main problems are: (1) a double and contradictory synchronistic dating for the begin of Hoshea’s reign in 2Ki 15:20 and 17:1, (2) an excess of 11 regnal years for the Judean kings after Azariah in comparison with the contemporary Israelite kings, and (3) the lack of an accession year for Jotham.
The paper addresses these puzzles and aims to shed some light on the chronological concept of Israel’s final years which is reflected in the dates given in 2Ki 15-18. Based on an analysis of the numbers within the regnal formulae (in the MT as well as in some textual variants) for the respective kings’ commencement and length of reign it will be shown which numbers form a coherent system, which principles underlay their compilation and how the mentioned discrepancies came about.
In older research an Israelite collective identity that transcended the political division into two kingdoms was seen as an old and underlying factor within the history of Israel – with an institutional base in a pre-state amphictyony or the Davidic-Salomonic kingdom. In modern research the doubts concerning the historicity of these institutional anchors are growing, therefore the emergence of any concept of greater Israel is traced to late monarchic or – predominantly – post-exilic times. On the basis of texts like Gen *29f.; Gen *37-50, and Isa 8 the paper argues that Israelite collective identity as expressed in Isa 8:14 was already prevalent in monarchic times. This identity construction was based on a putative common descend and existed alongside political structures like the two kingdoms without being entirely congruent to those political entities.