“The present volume is conceived according to the following plan. First, in part one, I share with my readers how the historical narratives came about. Then, in parts two, three, and four, I present a cursory reading of those narratives. As with all of my books about Scripture, this one is written as an aid to understanding the biblical literature, not as a replacement for it. It assumes the biblical text has been read, and it invites a rereading of that text. If the reader takes seriously the intended function of this Introduction and as a result understands Scripture better—that is, understands more correctly the message its authors intended to convey—then my effort will have borne fruit.” —“Foreword”
Abbreviations Foreword PART I: The Rise and Formation of Scripture 1 Where Would One Begin? History Writing in the Ancient Near East • The Context of History Writing • The Lack of Data • Anti-History • Roots of This Unorthodox Approach • The mašal as Edifying Story • The Biblical Story of Israel and Judah as mašal 2 From Ezekiel to Scripture God’s Justice • Beginning with the End • Ezekiel as God’s Sole Representative • The Diptych Jeremiah-Ezekiel • Scripture Is Offered as Sole Way of Salvation • The Scrolls of Isaiah and the Twelve Prophets 3 The Expanded Story Ezekiel’s Yahweh as Universal God • The Two Shall Be One • The Awaited Leader Is the Beloved, after God’s Heart • David • Solomon • Samuel • Judges • Joshua • Deuteronomy • Levi • Why Egypt? • A Universal God Requires a Universal History • Universal Beginnings 4 The Primacy of Israel over Judah The Second Generation • Ephraim, the Exodus Tribe • The Book of Joshua • The Judges and Samuel • The Cycle of Joseph in Genesis • The Phenomenorn of Adoption • Why Twelve Tribes? PART II: The Torah 5 Genesis Man Instead of King • Creation of the Universe • Creation of Man • The Sabbath • Man in the Garden • Human Genealogy • The Scattered Nations Are United around Abraham • Abraham, the One Father of the Many • Isaac • Abram the Gentile • Isaac versus Jacob/Israel • Gerar and the Blessing of the Nations • The Shepherds and Egypt • Famine • The Sin of Jacob/Israel and His Sons • Generations— modelet • In the Footsteps of Abraham • Circumcision • Abraham of Chaldea • Grace Supersedes the Law 6 Exodus and the Sojourn in the Wilderness The Book of Exodus • Moses • The Theophany Related to Exodus • The Name of the God of Exodus • The Lord as Sole King over Israel • The Law as Manna • Leviticus • Jubilee • Numbers • The Spirit of Prophecy—not Earthly Food—Guarantees Life • Rebelliousness and Punishment 7 Deuteronomy Deuteronomy’s Purview • Deuteronomy and the Josianic Reform • Structure and Characteristics of Deuteronomy • The Deuteronomistic History PART III: The Prior Prophets 8 The Deuteronomistic History 9 Joshua Joshua and Judges • The Book of Joshua: “The Golden Age” • Canaan as the New Jerusalem • Rahab the Harlot • The Case of the Gibeonites 10 Judges The Book of Judges: “Apostasy and Return” 11 Samuel and Kings Samuel • The Central Role of the Prophets • Kingship Criticized and the Davidic Covenant PART IV: Toward the Gospel 12 Tensions within Judaism World Religions • Judaism • A New Kind of Crisis • Daniel • The Literature of the Maccabees • Ezra and Nehemiah • Chronicles • Wisdom of Sirach • The Biblical Canon Index of Scriptural References Index of Subjects
Item Number: BKV751 Publication data: Crestwood, NY: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2003 Format: softcover Number of pages: 197 Dimensions (l × w × h): 21.5 cm × 14.1 cm × 1.5 cm ISBN: 0‒88141‒105-1
