Style and Structure in Biblical... | Buy

The authors of the Hebrew Bible used a variety of stylistic devices to structure, to connect, and to separate their tales--and thus to establish contexts within which meaning comes to light. What are these devices, and how do they guide our reading and our understanding of the text? Style and Structure in Biblical Hebrew Narrative explores some of the answers, and shows Scriptural interpretation can be "a matter of style."

List of Abbreviations

xiii

Introduction

1

(6)

Part I: Structures of Organization

Symmetry and asymmetry

7

(1)

Repeated elements

8

(2)

Organizing elements and organized units

10

(1)

Balance of subunits

11

(1)

Interpretation

11

(2)

Reverse Symmetry

13

(22)

Concentric symmetry

15

(11)

Numbers 12:13

15

(1)

1 Kings 1:33-35

15

(1)

Leviticus 24:13-23

16

(2)

Jonah 1

18

(2)

2 Chronicles 25:1-28

20

(1)

Genesis 2:4b--3:24

21

(2)

1 and 2 Kings

23

(2)

1 Kings 1:1--2:12a

25

(1)

Chiastic symmetry

26

(9)

1 Kings 19:14

26

(1)

Genesis 12:16b

27

(1)

Genesis 9:6a

27

(1)

1 Kings 21:1-16

28

(1)

2 Kings 8:7--9:13

29

(1)

1 Chronicles 11:1--12:41

30

(1)

Genesis 25:12--35:26

31

(4)

Forward Symmetry

35

(12)

Genesis 1:1; Genesis 1:1-31

37

(1)

1 Kings 11:1-8

38

(1)

Genesis 2:18-25

39

(2)

1 Kings 11:31-39

41

(2)

2 Kings 9:14--11:20

43

(4)

Alternating Repetition

47

(10)

1 Kings 2:36-46a

48

(1)

Genesis 12:1

49

(1)

1 Samuel 1:12-13

50

(1)

1 Kings 20:16-21

50

(2)

2 Kings 17:6-41

52

(2)

1 Samuel 8:1--12:25

54

(3)

Partial Symmetry

57

(24)

Inclusion

57

(2)

Epitome

59

(1)

Internal inclusion

60

(4)

1 Kings 2:38b, 41

60

(1)

1 Kings 1:24-27

61

(1)

Esther 5:9-14

61

(2)

Ruth 4:9-11a

63

(1)

Framing inclusion

64

(5)

1 Kings 2:12b, 46b

64

(1)

Genesis 18:16, 22

65

(1)

1 Samuel 15:10-12, 34-35

65

(2)

1 Kings 12:30-31; 13:33-34

67

(1)

1 Kings 6:1--9:10

68

(1)

External inclusion

69

(4)

2 Samuel 14:24, 28

69

(1)

Genesis 37:36; 39:1

70

(1)

Exodus 6:10-13, 26-30

71

(2)

Complex inclusion

73

(3)

1 Kings 4:1-20, 21-25

73

(1)

Genesis 1

74

(1)

Regnal formulas

74

(2)

Introductory epitome

76

(2)

Genesis 10:1

76

(1)

1 Kings 18:1

77

(1)

Concluding epitome

78

(3)

Genesis 2:1

78

(1)

Exodus 3:14-15

78

(3)

Multiple Symmetry

81

(20)

Composite Symmetry

82

(6)

1 Kings 5:1-12

82

(2)

1 Kings 6:9-36

84

(1)

2 Kings 18--20

85

(3)

Complex symmetry

88

(6)

Ruth 1--4

88

(1)

Genesis 11:27-22:24

89

(3)

1 Kings 1-11

92

(2)

Compound symmetry

94

(7)

Genesis 11:1-9

94

(2)

2 Kings 17:25-34a

96

(1)

2 Kings 21:19-26

97

(4)

Asymmetry

101

(18)

Unmatched subunit

103

(4)

1 Kings 2:39

103

(1)

1 Kings 18:9-14

103

(2)

Genesis 1:26-28

105

(1)

Genesis 21:1-7

106

(1)

Non-correspondence

107

(3)

2 Kings 2:25

107

(1)

1 Kings 1:33-35

108

(1)

1 Kings 11:31-39

108

(2)

Transposition

110

(9)

Exodus 6:10-13, 26-30

110

(1)

Genesis 1--11

111

(2)

1 Kings 3:16--4:34; 9:26--10:29

113

(6)

Part II: Structures of Disjunction

Narrative Components

119

(26)

Characters

120

(2)

Setting: locale

122

(1)

Setting: time

122

(2)

Narrative voice

124

(1)

Change in characters

125

(7)

1 Kings 2:1-10

125

(1)

2 Kings 7:3-11

126

(2)

1 Kings 1:15-37

128

(1)

Ruth 2:1--3:18

129

(2)

1 Kings 18:21-40

131

(1)

Change in setting: locale

132

(3)

2 Kings 10:12-17

132

(1)

2 Kings 18--20

132

(1)

Genesis 18

133

(1)

1 Kings 18:6-16

134

(1)

Numbers 20:22--21:20

135

(1)

Change in setting: time

135

(5)

Genesis 24

135

(3)

1 Kings 2:39

138

(1)

Genesis 22:4

139

(1)

2 Kings 18:13

139

(1)

1 Kings 18:3-4

139

(1)

Change in narrative voice

140

(5)

1 Kings 18:12c-13

140

(1)

1 Kings 21:20-26

141

(1)

1 Kings 3:16-28

141

(4)

Repetition

145

(10)

Repetition of information

147

(3)

Genesis 5:32; 6:9-10

147

(1)

2 Kings 8:28--9:2; 9:14-16

148

(1)

1 Samuel 17:12a

149

(1)

Repetition of subject nouns

150

(2)

Genesis 21:25

150

(1)

1 Kings 12:26

150

(1)

1 Chronicles 14:3b

151

(1)

Interruptions of discourse

152

(3)

Exodus 5:4-5

152

(1)

Exodus 3:14-15

152

(1)

1 Kings 22:28b

153

(2)

Narrative Sequence

155

(36)

Narrative tense and simple past

155

(2)

Breaks in narrative sequence

157

(2)

The verb ``to be'' and verbless clauses

159

(1)

Broken narrative sequence beginning a unit

160

(2)

Genesis 3:1

160

(1)

Genesis 18:17

160

(1)

Exodus 3:1

160

(1)

Genesis 4:1-2

161

(1)

Jonah 1:4

162

(1)

Genesis 39:1-6

162

(1)

Broken narrative sequence ending a unit

162

(4)

Genesis 1

162

(1)

Genesis 2:25

163

(1)

1 Samuel 15:34

163

(1)

1 Kings 18:6b

163

(1)

1 Kings 17

164

(1)

2 Samuel 18:18

165

(1)

Broken narrative sequence interrupting a unit

166

(11)

Ruth 1:14b

166

(1)

Jonah 1:10b

166

(1)

Genesis 23:10a

167

(1)

1 Kings 13:1-10

168

(1)

Genesis 41:47--42:5

169

(8)

Part III: Structures of Conjunction

Threads

177

(5)

Genesis 2:4b--3:24; 4:1-16

177

(1)

1 Kings 1--11

178

(1)

Judges 17--21

179

(1)

1 Kings 13

179

(1)

Genesis 18--19

180

(2)

Links

182

(2)

Genesis 2:25; 3:1

182

(1)

1 Kings 20:43; 21:4

182

(1)

2 Kings 2:25; 3:1

182

(1)

Judges 8:33; 9:4

183

(1)

Ezra 3:13; 4:1

183

(1)

Genesis 16:16; 17:1

183

(1)

Linked threads

184

(2)

1 Kings 12:25

184

(1)

Ruth 1:22

184

(1)

Regnal formulas

184

(1)

Between books

185

(1)

1 Kings 1--2

186

(1)

Hinges

186

(2)

Genesis 26:33-35; 27:1

186

(1)

Genesis 2:4

187

(1)

Genesis 23:1--25:11

187

(1)

Double-duty hinges

188

(3)

2 Kings 17:6

188

(1)

2 Kings 2:15b

188

(1)

1 Kings 11:26-43

189

(2)

Conclusion

191

(4)

Selected Bibliography

195

(4)

Author Index

199

(1)

Subject Index

200

(2)

Scripture Index

202

What is included with this book?

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.