What happens to Moses’ face after his encounter with God on the mountain: Does he radiate light or grow horns? Ancient Near Eastern iconography can help us understand what Exodus 34:29–35 is trying to communicate.There was a long discussion of the tradition of Moses' horns on PaleoJudaica many years ago. And the subject has come up now and then since. See the links collected here.
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Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.
Linguistic Studies on Biblical HebrewSeries: Studies in Semitic Languages and Linguistics, Volume: 102
Volume Editor: Robert D. Holmstedt
This volume presents the research insights of twelve new studies by fourteen linguists examining a range of Biblical Hebrew grammatical phenomena. The contributions proceed from the second international workshop of the Biblical Hebrew Linguistics and Philology network (www.BHLaP.wordpress.com), initiated in 2017 to bring together theoretical linguists and Hebraists in order to reinvigorate the study of Biblical Hebrew grammar. Recent linguistic theory is applied to the study of the ancient language, and results in innovative insight into pausal forms, prosodic dependency, ordinal numeral syntax, ellipsis, the infinitive system, light verbs, secondary predicates, verbal semantics of the Hiphil binyan, and hybrid constructions.
Prices from (excl. VAT): €125.00 / $149.00
E-Book (PDF)
Availability: Published
ISBN: 978-90-04-44885-8
Publication Date: 08 Mar 2021Hardback
Availability: Published
ISBN: 978-90-04-44884-1
Publication Date: 11 Mar 2021
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Reconstructing the TempleFor some topically related PaleoJudaica posts, see here and links.The Royal Rhetoric of Temple Renovation in the Ancient Near East and Israel
Andrew R. Davis
Description
- Examines the rhetoric surrounding temple renovation in royal literature of the ancient Near East
- Engages extensively with primary sources from a range of time and cultures
- Interprets the story of Jeroboam I's placement of calves at Dan and Bethel (1 Kgs 12:25-33) as an account of temple renovation
This book examines temple renovation as a rhetorical topic within royal literature of the ancient Near East. Unlike newly founded temples, which were celebrated for their novelty, temple renovations were oriented toward the past. Kings took the opportunity to rehearse a selective history of the temple, evoking certain past traditions and omitting others. In this way, temple renovations were a kind of historiography. Andrew R. Davis demonstrates a pattern in the rhetoric of temple renovation texts: that kings in ancient Mesopotamia, Israel, Syria and Persia used temple renovation to correct, or at least distance themselves from, some turmoil of recent history and to associate their reigns with an earlier and more illustrious past.
Davis draws on the royal literature of the seventh and sixth centuries BCE for main evidence of this rhetoric. Furthermore, he argues for reading the story of Jeroboam I's placement of calves at Dan and Bethel (1 Kgs 12:25-33) as an eighth-century BCE account of temple renovation with a similar rhetoric. Concluding with further examples in the Hellenistic and Roman periods, Reconstructing the Temple demonstrates that the rhetoric of temple renovation was a distinct and longstanding topic in the ancient Near East.
£81.00
Hardback
Published: 08 October 2019
232 Pages
235x156mm
ISBN: 9780190868963
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You can access the first issue here.
Part One of a series on Ancient Hebrew Literature Beyond “The Bible.” For the earliest Jewish readers and writers, there was no “Bible.” Instead the literature from this period constitutes a surprisingly broad spectrum of sacred texts from Genesis and the Books of Enoch to hundreds of different Psalms attributed to David but often not found in modern Bibles. If the publication of the Dead Sea Scrolls along with decades of new research has proven that “Bible” is a misleading anachronism for the Second Temple period, can we create a new and better picture of Judaism and Christianity’s earliest known religious literature?Cross-file under Archangel Metatron Watch.
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Forgery was already a well-developed skill in the nineteenth century and Simonides was a skilled forger. Study of his methods is illuminating for modern forgery foilers. For example, in the early days of the Gospel of Jesus' Wife controvery, his forgeries provided a refutation of the claim that no one had ever before forged an ancient papyrus.Malcolm CHOAT Macquarie University, Sydney From the so-called "Gospel of Jesus Wife" to the post-2002 Dead Sea Scroll-like fragments, fake ancient manuscripts have been risen to renewed prominence in the past decade. Yet while there is a plentiful supply of fakes to deauthenticate, examples of known papyrus forgers are more rare, as most such figures are anonymous. By far the largest corpus of fake papyri which survive is that produced by Constantine Simonides in Liverpool in the early 1860s. In this case, not only do over 30 fake papyri survive in the World Museum Liverpool, but archival and published material allows a much clearer view of Simonides than is possible with most forgers. By assessing the Simonidean papyri, reflecting on their possible models, the methods Simondies used to forge them, and his motivations in doing so, this paper aims not only to better identify Simonides' techniques and motivations, but contribute to better understanding the sociology of forgery.A Forger, his models, methods, and motives: The papyri of Constantine Simonides
Other PaleoJudaica posts involving Simonides are here, here, and here.
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Background here.
Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.
Post-exilic scribes challenged priestly authority by supplementing the Tabernacle texts with a second Ohel Moed, Tent of Meeting, where Moses appoints the 70 elders. In contrast to the Priestly Tabernacle, any Israelite can go to this Tent of Meeting to speak with God.
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In a just-published scholarly article and companion book, Idan Dershowitz, a 38-year-old Israeli-American scholar at the University of Potsdam in Germany, marshals a range of archival, linguistic and literary evidence to argue that the manuscript was an authentic ancient artifact.The epigraphers cited in the article are skeptical. The linguist and biblical scholars sounded more open to the idea.But Dershowitz makes an even more dramatic claim. The text, which he has reconstructed from 19th-century transcriptions and drawings, is not a reworking of Deuteronomy, he argues, but a precursor to it, dating to the period of the First Temple, before the Babylonian Exile. That would make it the oldest known biblical manuscript by far, and an unprecedented window into the origins and evolution of the Bible and biblical religion.
Dershowitz’s research, closely guarded until now, has yet to get broad scrutiny. Scholars who previewed his findings at a closed-door seminar at Harvard in 2019 are divided, a taste of fierce debates likely to come.
The story is also covered by the Daily Mail: Has the mystery of the Shapira Scroll finally been solved? Ancient manuscript dismissed as a fake since 1883 is actually the oldest known Biblical script, expert claims (Ryan Morrison).
The underlying article by Idan Dershowitz is The Valediction of Moses: New Evidence on the Shapira Deuteronomy Fragments (Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft 133(1): 1-22)
Abstract: Wilhelm Moses Shapira’s infamous Deuteronomy fragments have long been deemed forgeries, with Shapira himself serving as the obvious suspect. I provide new evidence that Shapira did not forge the fragments and was himself convinced of their authenticity. Indeed, the evidence for forgery is illusory. In a companion monograph, I show that the Shapira fragments are not only authen-tic ancient artifacts but are unprecedented in their significance: They preserve a pre-canonical antecedent of the Book of DeuteronomyThe article attempts to rebut some of the arguments for the scroll being a forgery. It does not make a positive case that it was a genuine ancient manuscript. It lays the groundwork for Dershowitz's forthcoming book, which will make the positive case. Dershowitz has also published a recent unrelated book with Mohr Siebeck, which I have noted here.
Epigrapher Christopher Rollston has published a blog post aimed at refuting Dershowitz's claims: Deja Vu all over Again: The Antiquities Market, the Shapira Strips, Menahem Mansoor, and Idan Dershowitz.
I have not worked with the Shapira materials enough to have a strong view of my own. At present I am willing to go with the century-and-more-old consensus that they are forgeries. And Rollston makes a key point, which also occurred to me: "Dramatic claims require dramatic, compelling evidence, and we just don’t have it with regard to the Shapira Strips." (His emphasis). That about sums it up. So far I still see no dramatic, compelling evidence that we should rethink the Shapira Scroll. If the book presents such evidence, I will listen to the argument.
Several years ago I noted another scholarly defense of the authenticity of the Shapira scroll. For additional PaleoJudaica posts on the Shapira Scroll controversy, start here and follow the links. Incidentally, the current New York Times article tells what the big revelation was in Chanan Tigay's book on the Shapira scroll affair.
UPDATE (12 March): More here.
UPDATE (15 March): More here.
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Ancient Israel's NeighborsBrian R. Doak
Essentials of Biblical Studies
Description
- Features an introduction assisting students thinking about the concept of history
- Emphasizes the sometimes conflicting evidence within the Hebrew Bible about the identity of neighbors
- Includes an accessible review of archaeology, writing evidence, and art for each of Israel's neighbors
Whether on a national or a personal level, everyone has a complex relationship with their closest neighbors. Where are the borders? How much interaction should there be? How are conflicts solved? Ancient Israel was one of several small nations clustered in the eastern Mediterranean region between the large empires of Egypt and Mesopotamia in antiquity. Frequently mentioned in the Bible, these other small nations are seldom the focus of the narrative unless they interact with Israel. The ancient Israelites who produced the Hebrew Bible lived within a rich context of multiple neighbors, and this context profoundly shaped Israel. Indeed, it was through the influence of the neighboring people that Israel defined its own identity-in terms of geography, language, politics, religion, and culture.
Ancient Israel's Neighbors explores both the biblical portrayal of the neighboring groups directly surrounding Israel-the Canaanites, Philistines, Phoenicians, Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites, and Arameans-and examines what we can know about these groups through their own literature, archaeology, and other sources. Through its analysis of these surrounding groups, this book will demonstrate in a direct and accessible manner the extent to which ancient Israelite identity was forged both within and against the identities of its close neighbors. Animated by the latest and best research, yet written for students, this book will invite readers into journey of scholarly discovery to explore the world of Israel's identity within its most immediate ancient Near Eastern context.
£16.99
Paperback
Published: 05 September 2020
176 Pages
210x140mm
ISBN: 9780190690601
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Jeroboam makes two golden calves, and sets them up at Dan and Bethel. Post-exilic biblical scribes revised this archetypal act of apostasy by introducing a new version of the same sin set in a more ancient period: Aaron's Golden Calf at the foot of Mount Sinai.For some PaleoJudaica posts involving the Golden Calf and other ones too, see the links collected here.
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What actor should play this person in a movie about their life? In my classes on ancient Judaism, I ask students this question a lot. It’s a phenomenon called fancasting – where fans suggest actors who should play characters in their favorite book series or in other media. ...This is a great idea that I may adopt in my own teaching.
I have started doing something similar in my undergraduate course on the Book of Daniel. We have a seminar devoted to each chapter of the book. We begin each seminar discussing who the main characters are in the chapter, the events of the chapter, what each character does in response to the events, and how we think each character feels about what happens in the chapter. I borrowed the approach from techniques professional actors use to learn parts in new scripts.
I have found this to be a good way to look at the biblical text from a new angle. I have learned things about the Book of Daniel that I never noticed before. And it makes it easy even for shy students to enjoy class participation.
Cross-file under Pedagogy.
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The object was not scientifically excavated, but its provenance is at least secure. That means it probably is a genuine ancient artifact, although we have been fooled before with a similar discovery. I leave it to the IAA to authenticate and publish the figurine.
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Potentially this is an important discovery. But I see reasons for caution. Centre College Professor Emeritus Tom McCollough presented the discovery at a recent online conference. The article reports that Centre College bought the amulets in 2009 on the basis of photographic evidence that their original purchase was in the 1950s. That would mean they are fair game for publication, unlike more recently looted artifacts from Iraq.
But these photos were not shown to the Live Science reporter. Nor are there photographs of the three amulets. Their early date is based on the evaluation of corrosion on the objects, which sounds subjective to me. Similar evaluations were advanced for an early dating of the Jordanian lead codices. My understanding is that it is difficult to use metallurgy to date such objects as far back as antiquity. But that is not my field. I defer to experts in the area.
It is entirely possible that this is a legitimate and important discovery. Professor McCollough is an expert in ancient amulets and would not be fooled easily. At the same time, I reserve judgement on both the authenticity and the early dating of the amulets, pending the publication of good photos of them, their decipherment in a peer-review journal, the release of the documentation on their original acquisition, and publication of full reports on the metallurgical analysis used to date them. Preferably, they should also be tested by an independent lab. Once all that is out there, specialists in the various areas can evaluate the credibility of the claims.
I hope the amulets can be authenticated as real ancient artifacts. Let's keep an eye on this story.
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Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.
Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.
Annette Yoshiko Reed, Demons, Angels, and Writing in Ancient Judaism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020. DOI: 10.1017/9781139030847. x+353 pp.I noted the publication of the book here.[...]
Annette Reed, in Demons, Angels, and Writing in Ancient Judaism, opens a door to a world in which this [rabbinic] curriculum is turned entirely on its head: where demons and angels, astronomy and geometry, are at the center of a scholarly enterprise of codifying and organizing knowledge about life, the universe, and everything. ...
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In recent months, a slew of studies has been published in academic journals, some defending the original interpretation of the so-called Lachish gate shrine and some challenging it.I am shocked, shocked, to hear that archeologists have different interpretations of an excavation site. The next thing you know, someone will claim that biblical scholars disagree about something.For some scholars, the site was indeed a small temple but it was never desecrated because the enigmatic perforated stone block found there was not a toilet seat. Other experts entirely dismiss the idea that the gatehouse room was used as a shrine and suggest its function was entirely secular, perhaps connected to water management.
Behind this somewhat technical dispute lies the much broader debate on how much of the Bible is a true story and whether archaeologists in Israel are sometimes too keen to interpret their finds as evidence of the holy text’s historicity.
I noted the discovery of the desecration toilet, or whatever it is, in 2016. For other posts on ancient toilets, see here and links.
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Literary Genres in Poetic Texts from the Dead Sea Scrolls
Pickut, William Douglas
William Douglas Pickut,Literary Genres in Poetic Texts from the Dead Sea Scrolls,Abstract,December 8, 2016,Among the texts of the Dead Sea Scrolls, there are four literar [...]
2016 | Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations | Dissertation
Innovation in Post-Biblical Hebrew Poetry: A Stylistic Analysis of the Hymns of the Dead Sea Scrolls
Jobe, Eric Paul
Amidst the various disputes and controversies in the history of Qumran scholarship, scholars have generally neglected the stylistic study of the poetic texts of the Dead [...]
2015 | Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations | Dissertation
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The book was discovered in northern Iraq in January 2017 by journalists — when Mosul was still in the hands of Islamic State — and sent to the local bishop, Archbishop Mouche, who entrusted it to a federation of Christian NGOs for safekeeping.It had been hidden in the basement of the church together with other important books, but ended up in Erbil before being sent overseas for restoration.
The Central Institute for the Conservation of Books (ICPAL) in Rome oversaw the restoration of the manuscript, which was funded by the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage.
The 10-month restoration process involved consultation with experts at the Vatican Library, which has Syriac volumes dating back to the same period. The only original element of the book that was replaced was the thread that binds it together.
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Background here and links.
Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.
Between the sacred and the mundane: The largest collection of ancient dice found in Israel – revealed near the Western Wall.HT Todd Bolen at the Bible Places Blog. Archaeologists have hit the jackpot with this dicover of 35 ancient gaming dice, including a loaded one. For other recent discoveries of ancient gaming pieces in Israel, see the links here.According to Antiquities Authority Archeologist Tehilah Lieberman: “The ancient dice are amazingly similar to those in use nowadays. Though they are made of bone rather than plastic, the marking system is similar to the one used now. In Roman times, use of dice in board games was very common. Finding dozens of dice teaches us that in the interval between battles, or between building a structure to paving a road, the soldiers, and later also the citizens of Roman Jerusalem, known as Aelia Capitolina, found time to have fun and enjoy games.
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Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.
Masada: From Jewish Revolt to Modern MythFor PaleoJudaica posts on the book, see here and links.
By Jodi Magness
(Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 2019), 288 pp., $29.95 (hardcover)
Reviewed by Kenneth Atkinson
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The Oxford Handbook of Ritual and Worship in the Hebrew BibleEdited by Samuel E. Balentine
Oxford Handbooks
Description
- Includes cross cultural perspectives on ritual and worship in the ancient world
- Integrates the study of ritual and worship with the study of all aspects of social and cultural life
- Presents a broader, more comprehensive overview of the subject than is available in other works
- Demonstrates ritual's essential and systemic role in the construction of meaning
Ritual has a primal connection to the idea that a transcendent order - numinous and mysterious, supranatural and elusive, divine and wholly other - gives meaning and purpose to life. The construction of rites and rituals enables humans to conceive and apprehend this transcendent order, to symbolize it and interact with it, to postulate its truths in the face of contradicting realities and to repair them when they have been breached or diminished. This Handbook provides a compendium of the information essential for constructing a comprehensive and integrated account of ritual and worship in the ancient world. Its focus on ritual and worship from the perspective of biblical studies, as opposed to religious studies, highlights that the world of ritual and worship was a topic of central concern for the people of the Ancient Near East, including the world of the Bible.
Given the scarcity of the material in the Bible itself, the authors in this collection use materials from the ancient Near East to provide a larger context for the practices of the biblical world, giving due attention to historical, anthropological, and social scientific methods that inform the context of biblical worship. The specifics of ritual and worship life-the sacred spaces, times, and actors in worship-are examined in detail, with essays covering both the divine and human aspects of the sacred dimension. The Oxford Handbook of Ritual and Worship in the Hebrew Bible considers several underlying concepts of ritual practice and closes with a theological outlook on worship and ritual from a variety of perspectives, demonstrating a fruitful exchange between biblical studies, ritual theory, and social science research.
£97.00
Hardback
Published: 03 November 2020
592 Pages | 12
248x171mm
ISBN: 9780190222116
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The Origins of Early Christian Literature
Contextualizing the New Testament within Greco-Roman Literary CultureAUTHOR: Robyn Faith Walsh, University of Miami, Coral Gables
DATE PUBLISHED: January 2021
AVAILABILITY: Available
FORMAT: Hardback
ISBN: 9781108835305$ 99.99 (C) Hardback
Description
Conventional approaches to the Synoptic gospels argue that the gospel authors acted as literate spokespersons for their religious communities. Whether described as documenting intra-group 'oral traditions' or preserving the collective perspectives of their fellow Christ-followers, these writers are treated as something akin to the Romantic poet speaking for their Volk - a questionable framework inherited from nineteenth-century German Romanticism. In this book, Robyn Faith Walsh argues that the Synoptic gospels were written by elite cultural producers working within a dynamic cadre of literate specialists, including persons who may or may not have been professed Christians. Comparing a range of ancient literature, her ground-breaking study demonstrates that the gospels are creative works produced by educated elites interested in Judean teachings, practices, and paradoxographical subjects in the aftermath of the Jewish War and in dialogue with the literature of their age. Walsh's study thus bridges the artificial divide between research on the Synoptic gospels and Classics.
- Offers an interdisciplinary approach to the Synoptic gospels using methods from classics and literary theory, as well as religious studies
- Demonstrates how the field of New Testament studies remains indebted to methods practiced since the era of German Romanticism
- Offers novel readings of the Synoptic gospels, comparing them with allied Greek and Latin literature
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