Old Testament Introduction

The purpose of this book is to provide a comprehensive introduction to the complexities of the Old Testament; it also provides the basic knowledge required for students of O.T. theology. This widely used textbook appears here in its second English edition and is based on the fifth German edition (1995). This new edition has been expanded especially in regard to Pentateuch research and the anthropology of the O.T.

Werner H. Schmidt has been Professor of Old Testament at the University of Bonn since 1984.

Preface

xi

Part I. Survey of the Old Testament and Its History

The Parts of the Old Testament

3

(5)

Name and Structure

3

(3)

The Formation of the Canon

6

(2)

The Stages of Israel's History

8

(20)

Nomadic Antiquity

9

(6)

The Early Period before the State (Settlement and Age of the Judges)

15

(3)

The Period of the Monarchy

18

(7)

The Period of the United Kingdoms

19

(1)

The Period of the Divided Kingdoms the Northern Kingdom, Israel

20

(3)

The Southern Kingdom, Judah

23

(2)

The Exilic and Postexilic Periods

25

(3)

Aspects of Social History

28

(13)

The Nomadic Clans

28

(3)

Ownership of Land

31

(2)

Changes Brought by the Monarchy

33

(2)

Social Contrasts in the Time of the Major Prophets

35

(2)

The Postexilic Situation

37

(4)

Part II. Traditions and Documentary Sources of the Pentateuch and the Historical Books

The Pentateuch

41

(22)

Name and Structure

41

(3)

Stages and Problems of Pentateuchal Scholarship

44

(19)

Criticism of Moses' Authorship

44

(1)

Discovery and Delimitation of the Pentateuchal Sources

45

(1)

Dating of the Documentary Sources

46

(2)

Results and Still Open Questions of Literary Criticism

48

(10)

Form Criticism and Tradition History

58

(5)

Selected Types of Narrative

63

(12)

Myth and Primeval History

63

(2)

The Saga as a Form of Transmission

65

(6)

The Individual Saga

65

(4)

Etiological Motifs

69

(1)

Sanctuary Legends

69

(1)

Saga Cycles and Later Form of the Sagas

70

(1)

The Joseph Novella

71

(4)

The Yahwist History

75

(9)

Introductory Questions

75

(4)

Theological Intentions

79

(5)

The Elohist History

84

(9)

Introductory Questions

84

(5)

Theological Intentions

89

(4)

The Priestly Document

93

(17)

Introductory Questions

93

(9)

Theological Intentions

102

(8)

Old Testament Law

110

(10)

The Forms of Legal Statement

110

(4)

Collections of Laws

114

(6)

The Decalogue

114

(2)

The Book of the Covenant

116

(2)

The Law of Holiness

118

(2)

Deuteronomy

120

(16)

Introductory Questions

120

(9)

Theological Intentions

129

(7)

The Deuteronomistic History

136

(24)

Introductory Questions

136

(4)

Theological Intentions

140

(5)

From the Book of Joshua to the Books of Kings

145

(15)

The Book of Joshua

145

(3)

The Book of Judges

148

(3)

The Books of Samuel

151

(5)

The Books of Kings

156

(4)

The Chronicler's History

160

(13)

Chronicles

160

(2)

Ezra and Nehemiah

162

(5)

Theological Intentions

167

(6)

Part III. The Prophets

The Form of Prophecy

173

(21)

Prophetic Utterance and Prophetic Book

173

(7)

Distinction between Oral Proclamation and Written Record

173

(2)

Distinction between Individual Utterance and Composition

175

(2)

Distinction between Original Prophetic Utterance and Later Redaction

177

(3)

Main Categories of Prophetic Literature

180

(8)

Stories about the Prophets

180

(2)

Visions

182

(1)

Words

183

(5)

Questions in Contemporary Study of the Prophets

188

(2)

Precursors of the Writing Prophets

190

(4)

Amos

194

(7)

Hosea

201

(8)

Isaiah

209

(11)

Micah

220

(5)

Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and Obadiah

225

(8)

Jeremiah

233

(13)

Ezekiel

246

(10)

Second Isaiah and Third Isaiah

256

(14)

Haggai, Zechariah, Second Zechariah, Malachi

270

(12)

Joel and Jonah

282

(6)

Daniel

288

(11)

Part IV. Liturgical and Sapiential Poetry

The Psalter

299

(12)

Song of Solomon, Lamentations, Ruth, and Esther

311

(10)

Proverbs

321

(7)

Qoheleth or Ecclesiastes: Solomon the Preacher

328

(5)

The Book of Job

333

(10)

Part V. Theology and Hermeneutics

Discourse about God in the Old Testament

343

(23)

The Question of the Unity of the Old Testament Aspects of a ``Theology of the Old Testament''

366

(6)

On Understanding Humankind: Anthropological Insights of the Old Testament

372

(17)

For and Against the Old Testament: Hermeneutic Themes

389

(10)

Bibliography

399

(50)

Index

449

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Old Testament Introduction

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials