Struggling with God : An Introduction to the Pentateuch

by McEntire, Mark

• ISBN13: 9780881461015
• ISBN10: 0881461016
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-03-01
• Publisher: Mercer Univ Pr

Summary

This textbook focuses primarily on the content and structure of the Pentateuch. Discussions of historical and theological issues are included when they serve to illustrate the content and structure of the text. A full chapter engages each of the five books of the Pentateuch. The material in this book is classroom tested.

Author Biography

Mark McEntire teaches Old Testament and Hebrew language at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
Why This Book?	p. ix
Plan of the Book	p. x
Acknowledgments	p. xiii
Dedication	p. xiv
Introduction: Reading the Pentateuch	p. 1
The Problems and Prospects of Reading an Ancient Text	p. 1
The Contents and Organization of the Pentateuch	p. 2
Our Access to the Text of the Pentateuch	p. 4
Dating and Describing the Production and Canonization of the Pentateuch	p. 6
Moses and the Authorship of the Pentateuch	p. 8
Critical Study of the Bible and the Authorship of the Pentateuch	p. 11
Contemporary Approaches to the Interpretation of the Pentateuch	p. 24
Similar Literature from Other Cultures in the Ancient Near East	p. 32
History and the Pentateuch	p. 35
"Literal" Reading of the Bible	p. 39
Key Terms	p. 43
Sources for Further Study	p. 43
The Book of Genesis	p. 45
The Literary Landscape of Genesis	p. 45
The Primeval Complex	p. 53
The Ancestral Complex I: The Abraham and Sarah Cycle	p. 68
The Ancestral Complex II: The Jacob Cycle	p. 73
The Ancestral Complex III: The Joseph Cycle	p. 80
History and Genesis	p. 84
Key Terms	p. 85
Questions for Reflection	p. 85
Sources for Further Study	p. 85
The Book of Exodus	p. 87
The Literary Landscape of Exodus	p. 87
Israel in Egypt	p. 89
The Appearance and Development of Moses	p. 91
The Plague Narratives	p. 96
Israel in the Wilderness	p. 100
The Beginning of the Sinai Experience	p. 105
The Tabernacle and the Golden Calf	p. 110
History and Exodus	p. 116
Key Terms	p. 120
Questions for Reflection	p. 120
Sources for Further Study	p. 121
The Book of Leviticus	p. 123
The Literary Landscape of Leviticus	p. 123
Instructions for Sacrifice	p. 126
The Ordination of the Priesthood	p. 130
The Purity Laws	p. 134
The Day of Atonement	p. 139
The Holiness Code	p. 140
History and Leviticus	p. 146
Key Terms	p. 148
Questions for Reflection	p. 148
Sources for Further Study	p. 149
The Book of Numbers	p. 151
The Literary Landscape of Numbers	p. 151
Israel Defined Numerically	p. 156
Laws and Instructions I	p. 160
Travel and Battle Narratives I	p. 165
Laws and Instructions II	p. 179
Travel and Battle Narratives II	p. 180
Instructions for Settling in Canaan	p. 183
History and Numbers	p. 184
Key Terms	p. 185
Questions for Reflection	p. 186
Sources for Further Study	p. 186
The Book of Deuteronomy	p. 187
The Literary Landscape of Deuteronomy	p. 187
Moses Recalls the Israelite Story	p. 193
Moses Establishes a Second Law	p. 194
Moses Speaks the Deuteronomic Code	p. 199
Moses Proclaims the Blessings and Curses of the Law	p. 209
Preparing for Moses' Departure	p. 212
History and Deuteronomy	p. 215
Key Terms	p. 217
Questions for Reflection	p. 217
Sources for Further Study	p. 217
Concluding Issues	p. 219
The Pentateuch and the Deuteronomistic History	p. 219
The Pentateuch and Chronicles	p. 220
Future Directions in Pentateuch Studies	p. 222
The Pentateuch and Contemporary Society	p. 223
Indexes	p. 225
Author Index	p. 225
Subject Index	p. 227
Scriptuture Index	p. 231
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.