Exploring the Old Testament : A Guide to the Historical Books

by Satterthwaite, Philip E.

• ISBN13: 9780830825523
• ISBN10: 0830825525
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-06-01
• Publisher: Intervarsity Pr

Summary

The historical books, from Joshua to Ezra and Nehemiah, form the narrative backbone of the Old Testament. Without them the Pentateuch would stop cold and the Prophets would hang in suspension. Even the Psalms and Wisdom literature would lose some of their luster for lack of a setting. Without these historical books the New Testament would be resolving an incomplete narrative, answering a question only half and hesitantly posed. For all these reasons and more, it is a tragic fact that many of us today cannot give a brief and coherent account of this story. We fear that books with names like Judges, Kings and Chronicles would bore us. But nothing could be further from the truth. For the story they tell is full of action and intrigue, tragedy and suspense, vivid characters and memorable events. They are the stuff of great art and literature, and they have inspired men and women to lives and deeds of uncommon faith and courage. Exploring these books is essential for a true education, whether religious or otherwise.In this guidebook, Philip E. Satterthwaite and J. Gordon McConville introduce us to the content and the context of these historical books. We view them within the setting of ancient history and history writing, and come to appreciate their literary artistry, their role within the Scriptures of Israel, and their lasting value as theological and ethical resources. Designed especially for students,Exploring the Old Testament, Volume 2: A Guide to the Historical Booksoverflows with interesting and helpful features that encourage avid exploration and the joy of learning.

Table of Contents

List of illustrations	p. viii
Key to panels	p. ix
Preface	p. xi
Acknowledgements	p. xii
Introduction	p. xiii
Abbreviations	p. xv
What are the Histories? A survey of recent scholarship	p. 1
Overview of the Histories	p. 1
Some questions	p. 3
The Histories in their ancient Near Eastern context	p. 4
The Histories as literary texts	p. 4
Literary-critical approaches	p. 5
Narrative criticism	p. 7
The Histories as historical documents	p. 11
Are the Histories history writing?	p. 11
Are the Histories historically reliable?	p. 13
The Histories as part of a larger story	p. 17
The Histories and biblical theology	p. 18
The Histories, theology and ethics	p. 20
Yhwh in the Histories	p. 21
The Histories and ethics	p. 23
Conclusion	p. 24
The 'Outline' sections in Chapters 3-11	p. 25
Further reading	p. 25
The ancient Near East, 1550-63 BC	p. 29
1550-1200 BC	p. 31
1200-934 BC	p. 32
934-610 BC	p. 34
610-539 BC	p. 36
539-332 BC	p. 38
332-63 BC	p. 39
Conclusion	p. 40
Further reading	p. 40
Joshua	p. 41
Introduction	p. 41
Outline	p. 41
1:1-8:35: Crossing into Canaan; initial victories	p. 41
9:1-12:24: Further victories and summary	p. 48
13:1-21:45: Division of the land	p. 50
22:1-24:33: Conclusion	p. 55
Key themes	p. 56
Critical issues	p. 58
Literary-critical issues	p. 58
Historical issues	p. 62
War and killing	p. 69
Joshua in the canon	p. 69
Further reading	p. 70
Judges	p. 73
Introduction	p. 73
Outline	p. 74
1:1-3:6: Introduction to the judges period	p. 74
3:7-16:31: The judges of Israel	p. 77
Narratives from early in the judges period (17:1-21:25)	p. 90
Key themes	p. 94
Critical issues	p. 96
Literary-critical issues	p. 96
Historical issues	p. 99
Judges in the canon	p. 102
Further reading	p. 103
1 and 2 Samuel	p. 105
Introduction	p. 105
Outline	p. 105
1 Samuel 1-7: Samuel's rise and Eli's demise; the journeys of the ark (I)	p. 105
1 Samuel 8-15: Saul becomes king; Saul's reign	p. 108
1 Samuel 16-31: David's rise and Saul's demise	p. 115
2 Samuel 1-7: David becomes king; the journeys of the ark (II)	p. 122
2 Samuel 8-20: David as king	p. 127
2 Samuel 21-24: Conclusion	p. 131
Key themes	p. 134
Critical issues	p. 136
Literary-critical issues	p. 136
Historical issues	p. 139
Samuel in the canon	p. 143
Further reading	p. 144
1 and 2 Kings	p. 147
Introduction	p. 147
Outline	p. 148
1 Kings 1-11: Solomon's reign	p. 148
1 Kings 12-16: Division of the kingdom; early history of Israel and Judah	p. 154
1 Kings 17-2 Kings 10: The two kingdoms; Elijah and Elisha	p. 159
2 Kings 11-17: The last years of Israel	p. 165
2 Kings 18-25: The last years of Judah	p. 170
Key themes	p. 175
Critical issues	p. 181
Literary-critical issues	p. 181
Historical issues	p. 188
Kings in the canon	p. 195
Further reading	p. 196
Joshua-Kings and theories of Deuteronomistic historiography	p. 199
Introduction	p. 199
The Deuteronomistic History: a survey of scholarship	p. 199
Noth's theory	p. 200
Scholarship after Noth	p. 202
Later developments	p. 206
Evaluation	p. 208
Points of agreement	p. 208
Points of disagreement	p. 209
Final comments	p. 216
Further reading	p. 217
Ruth	p. 220
Introduction	p. 220
Outline	p. 220
1:1-22: Famine and bereavement	p. 220
2:1-23: Ruth meets Boaz	p. 222
3:1-18: Naomi seeks a 'resting-place' for Ruth	p. 223
4:1-22: A redeemer	p. 224
Key themes	p. 225
Critical issues	p. 226
Literary-critical issues	p. 226
Ruth and biblical law	p. 227
Ruth in the canon	p. 228
Further reading	p. 229
Esther	p. 231
Outline	p. 232
1:1-22: A queen deposed	p. 232
2:1-23: Esther is queen, Mordecai a hero	p. 232
3:1-15: Haman's plot, Mordecai's dilemma	p. 233
4:1-17: Esther's dilemma	p. 234
5:1-14: Esther's dinner party for the king - and Haman!	p. 234
6:1-14: Mordecai is rewarded	p. 234
7:1-10: Haman is condemned	p. 234
8:1-17: The decree overturned	p. 235
9:1-32: Purim	p. 235
10:1-3: Mordecai honoured	p. 236
Key themes	p. 236
Critical issues	p. 237
Text	p. 237
Literary-critical issues	p. 239
Esther in the canon	p. 242
Further reading	p. 243
Ezra and Nehemiah	p. 244
Introduction	p. 244
Outline	p. 245
Ezra 1:1-6:22: Return from exile and rebuilding the temple	p. 245
Ezra 7:1-10:44: Ezra's mission: torah, temple and the problem of mixed marriages	p. 248
Nehemiah 1:1-7:73a: Rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem	p. 249
Nehemiah 7:73b-10:39: Covenant renewal	p. 251
Nehemiah 11:1-13:31: Dedication of walls, and further reforms	p. 252
Key themes	p. 254
Critical issues	p. 256
Literary-critical issues	p. 256
Historical issues	p. 260
Theology	p. 263
Ezra-Nehemiah in the canon	p. 263
Further reading	p. 264
1 and 2 Chronicles	p. 266
Introduction	p. 266
Outline	p. 266
1 Chronicles 1:1-9:44: From Adam to the restoration from Babylon	p. 266
1 Chronicles 10:1-2 Chronicles 9:31: The reigns of David and Solomon	p. 270
2 Chronicles 10:1-36:23: From Rehoboam to the restoration from Babylon	p. 276
Key themes	p. 279
Critical issues	p. 284
Literary-critical issues	p. 284
Historical issues	p. 286
Chronicles in the canon	p. 287
Further reading	p. 289
Index	p. 291
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