REL 252: Old Testament / Hebrew Bible

Instructor: Kang Na

Phone: 946-7155

Office: Patterson Hall 129

Office hours: TR 14:00–15:00

 Welcome!

Welcome to Religion 252: Old Testament/Hebrew Bible (or Everything You Always Wanted To Know About the Old Testament But Were Too Afraid Or Busy To Ask)! The course title describes our main objective, which is to provide a general introduction to understanding the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. More specifically, our aim will be:

Achieving these goals will require hard work on your part. At the same time, you can expect this course to be full of challenging, enlightening, exciting, frustrating, and rewarding experiences.

 Caveat

This course is designed so that anyone, religious or not, can attain the goals mentioned above. This course is not designed to persuade you to a particular faith or religious point of view. Nor is it intended to build up or disparage existing faith. Students who consider themselves to be followers of any religion, or no religion at all, are all welcome on this semester journey to become better acquainted with the Old Testament, to learn to appreciate it better, and to become informed and responsible interpreters of it.

 Requirements and evaluation for the course

Evaluation

For my criteria for evaluation of assignments go to Evaluation and read the information carefully.

Assigned
readings

Assigned readings are essential and should be completed before each class time. The primary focus throughout the course will be on the OT/HB texts. Occasionally there will be assigned readings handed out in class, but these will ordinarily be short. Keeping notes on the readings is highly recommended. You are required to come to class with written questions or comments you have about all the readings (for details go to Participation).

Annotated
map

You will draw an annotated map of the United Monarchy at the height of David’s reign.

Exegesis
paper

You will submit an exegesis paper on one of the biblical passages indicated on the syllabus (submit your paper at Turnitin.com). This must be on time. If not, you must write another paper. See the Project/text column below for passages and due dates (the paper is due on the day the text is assigned).

NB: You may be given the chance to revise your paper after the initial evaluation. Should you choose to do so, your revision will be evaluated and the final grade will be the average of the two.

Terms

Throughout the semester, you’ll be responsible for learning a list of significant terms covered in our texts and class time (see the “terms” file on the R-drive). You will be responsible for the definitions and, when appropriate, significant biblical passages related to the terms. Use also 1) Nicholas Turner’s Handbook for Biblical Studies (on reserve at the library) and 2) the other resources listed in Resources to consider below. The terms may constitute a part of any quiz or exam.

Quizzes
&
exams

The final exam, which will be an oral exam, will cover the entire sweep of the course. See my Evaluation page under Quizzes and examinations. The instructor reserves the right to administer pop quizzes, the results of which will affect the evaluation of your participation.

Grades

Grades will be assigned as fairly as possible. See my Evaluation page under Grades for more information. The final grade for the course will consist of the following:

Extra

credit

You may earn extra credit at various times during the semester.

Caveat: The instructor reserves the right to make the final determination concerning any extra credit. You can earn a maximum of 5% towards the final grade. You can write more than one, if you wish, but you won't receive more than 5% total in extra credit.

 Required books

•

The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha (NOAB). You are encouraged to use other translations in addition to, but not in lieu of, this edition of the NRSV, which will be the common text for class assignments and discussions. The Tanakh is especially recommended for comparison.

•

Achtemeier, Paul J. Inspiration and Authority. Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 1999.

•

Harris, Stephen L. and Robert Platzner. The Old Testament. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2003.

 Recommended books (* = on reserve)

*

Tanakh. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 1985 (5748).

Achtemeier, Paul. Inspiration and Authority: Nature and Function of Christian Scripture. Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 1999.

Anderson, Bernhard W. Understanding the Old Testament. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 1998.

Armstrong, Karen. A History of God. New York: Ballantine Books, 1993.

Brown, Raymond E. Responses to 101 Questions on the Bible. New York: Paulist Press, 1990.

Miles, Jack. God: a Biography. New York: Vintage Books, 1995.

Pritchard, James, B., ed. The Ancient Near East, vol. I: An Anthology of Texts and Pictures. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1958.

_____. The Ancient Near East, vol. II: A New Anthology of Texts and Pictures. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1975.

Strunk, William, Jr., and E. B. White. The Elements of Style. New York: Macmillan Publishing, 1979. (See my web page "Resources" under "Miscellaneous" for the first edition of Strunk.)

 Resources to consider

See my Resources page for McGill, AV & Web resources.

R-drive: for helpful materials, check not only the course folder but also the "Religion" folder.

Bible concordances (McGill library).

Ferguson, Duncan S. Bible Basics. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1995.

Turner, Nicholas. The Handbook for Biblical Studies. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1982.

 Keeping in touch

During the semester check your e-mail regularly for the latest messages regarding course matters (e.g., study guides, quizzes, exams, changes in the syllabus). Also visit this page for updates to the syllabus, as well as my home page for other information and resources related to the course. See my schedule for my office hours and please feel free to make an appointment any time about course matters.

 Tips from former students

For some practical advice from former students, see the tips page.

 One last word …

I promise to be as fair as possible. I recognize that you’ll be quite busy this semester, striving after all your passions. I understand. I have my passions too: my awesome, wonderful family, music, Reformed theology, nature, mountain biking, fixing things, and food, among other things. But I’m also very passionate about the Bible and education, both yours and mine—I don’t just mean the business of acquiring knowledge, but more importantly the total development of honorable human beings. I don’t require you to share my excitement about the Bible, but I do expect you to complete all the requirements for the course. To help you do that, I will make myself available beyond class time and the office hours. If you have any questions, concerns, complaints, and even compliments, I will do my best to take the time to listen and offer my opinion or advice. Keep in mind that I’m here to help you learn and to continue learning myself. I’ll be more than glad to help you out when you’re stuck while doing an assignment. So, again, welcome to Religion 252: Old Testament/Hebrew Bible!

 C o u r s e   S c h e d u l e

Date

Assigned reading

• = required

> = recommended

* = on reserve

Project / text

highlight = R-drive file
bold = text for paper

red bold = deadlines

Class / topic

Sep 1

W

Welcome to
REL 252:
Old Testament /
Hebrew Bible

•Bible Hunt
•Optical illusion (stare at the center for 30 seconds & then look at your hand)

•General orientation

Sep 3

F

•Course syllabus (including Evaluation link)

•Fisher: Effective Learning
•Harris: vii–viii
•Gen 7.1–5; 6.11–22
•*Brooks & Collins: “Introduction” to Hebrew Bible or Old Testament
•Terms 1

>NOAB: 453–66 ES; 543–73 Index
>New evidence of flood?
>Bible Contradiction & Responses

•Copy all relevant Web pages to your hard disk or diskette
•Memorize the books of the OT/HB in Protestant canonical order.

•From this class on: bring your Qs & Cs to each class (see Participation)

>Bible in 50 words
>Perception quiz

>Study Guide 1

•Preliminary stuff: terms, concepts & approaches
•(How) can or should Christians read the Jewish scriptures?

Sep 6

M

•Harris: ch. 1

•Achtemeier: Foreword; Forward rev; Intro

•NOAB: xvii–xxi
•NOAB: 453–71, 505–14 ES
•*Brown: Responses, Q1–14, 19–30

•Terms 2

>NOAB: 526–39 ES
>Myth

•Reminder: bring your Qs & Cs to each class (see Participation)

>Study Guide 2
>Bible in 50 words
>Calendar

•"The Hebrew Bible"

Sep 8

W

•Harris: ch. 2

•Achtemeier: ch. 1

•Terms 3

>NOAB: 3–7 HB

•Translation comparison
•Reminder: bring your Qs & Cs to each class (see Participation)

>Transmission errors

>Study Guide 3

•"The Process of Formation"

Sep 10

F

•Harris: ch. 3
•Achtemeier: ch. 2

•Terms 4

>NOAB: 471–505 ES

>Fertile Crescent (map)

>Study Guide 4

>ANE Quiz

•“The Ancient Near East”

Sep 13

M

•Harris: ch. 4

•Achtemeier: ch. 3
•Gen 1.26–27

•Ps 82

•Ex 15.11

•1 Kgs 22.19–23

•Dt 32.8–9

•Terms 5

>Study Guide 5

•“The God of Israel”

Sep 15

W

•Harris: ch. 5

•Achtemeier: ch. 4
•NOAB: 3–7 HB
•Terms 6

>Study Guide 6

•“Who Wrote the 'Book of Moses'”

Sep 17

F

•Harris: ch. 6

•Achtemeier: ch. 5

•Terms 7

>Study Guide 7

•“The Five Books of Torah”
-stories and histories

Sep 20

M

•Harris: ch. 7

•Achtemeier: ch. 6

•Gen 9.1–17

•Gen 1–11

•*Pritchard: vol.1: 12–16, 31–39 & vol.2: 1–5; vol.1: 40, 65–75 (also “read” the pictures)

•Terms 8

>Myth

>Creation retold (humor)

>Breath of God (hymn)

•Gen 1.1–2.4a; Gen 2.4b–3.24 (cf. Enuma Elish; also cf. Job 26.8–14; 38; Ps 8; 136; 148; 74.13–17; 89.5–10; Prov 8.22–31; Isa 27.1; 51.9–10): ethical & scientific relevance?

•Gen 1.26–27: Is God alone? (cf. Ps 82; Ex 15.11; 1 Kgs 22.19–23)

•Gen 11.1–9

>Calendar
>Study Guide 8

•"In the Beginning"

•Creation myth: ethical & scientific relevance?

Sep 22

W

•Harris: ch. 7

•Achtemeier: ch. 7

•Gen 12–18.15

•Gen 25.19–34

•Gen 26.1–11

•Gen 29–30
•Terms 9

•Gen 22.1–19: sons & sacrifices (cf. Judg 11.29–40)
•Gen 37: E&J confusion?
•Gen 38: Judah & Tamar

•Gen 45; 50: Where is God?

>Study Guide 9

>Genesis Quiz

•Genesis: YHWH's providence
-God's absent presence

-Soap opera or Jerry Springer Show?
-History of the universe & story of a family
-Abraham's story: the many and the one
-They call me Ishmael

Sep 24

F

•Harris: ch. 8

•Achtemeier: Epilogue
•Ex 1–2

•Ex 15.1–18
•Ex 19–24; 32–34
•*Pritchard: vol.1: 85–86; 138–67; vol.2: 42–53 (skim prudently; check for OT parallels)

•Ps 78, 105, 106, 135, 136
•Terms 10

>Dt 5–28 (skim prudently)

>Code of Hammurabi

•Ex 3; 6: What's your name?

•Ex 20.1–17 (cf. Dt 5.6–21): ten (?) words of YHWH
•Ex 23.1–3: justice for all

>Study Guide 10

•“Freedom and Responsibility”

•Exodus: freedom & law (YHWH's dos & don'ts)

•Exodus: freedom & egalitarianism
-Moses meets YHWH

Sep 27

M

•Harris: ch. 9

•Lev 11.44
•Num 11–14; 22; 32
•Terms 11

•Lev 19 (esp. 19.13–15, 18, 33–34): egalitarian ethos (cf. Ex 23.1–3)

•Num 12: Moses—he's my man
•Num 22: the talking donkey

>Study Guide 11

•No class (work on papers)

•“Regulating the Divine-Human Bond”

•Leviticus: learning to be the people of YHWH
-Walk this way (Halakah)
•Numbers: faith is a journey
-On the road to becoming a covenant people

Sep 29

W

•Harris: ch. 10

•Dt 5–12
•Terms 12

•Dt 6.4–9: Israel's creed
•Dt 12.1–32: Centralization of YHWH cult (Where is this place that YHWH will choose?)
•Dt 17.14–20 (cf. 1Kgs 11.1–13): No one's above the law

>Study Guide 12

•“A Mosaic Legacy”

Oct 1

F

•Harris: ch. 11
•NOAB: 309–13 HB
•Terms 13

>Study Guide 13

•No class (work on papers)

•“Intro to the Deuteronomistic History”

Oct 4

M

•Harris: ch. 12
•Josh 1–12; 24
•Terms 14

•Josh 2, 6: conquest (?) of Canaan
•Josh 24: birth of the Tribal Confederacy

>Study Guide 14

•“The Origin of Israel”

•Settlement in Canaan: conquest?
-YHWH the warrior
-Tribal Confederacy and the renewal of the covenant

Oct 6

W

•Harris: ch. 13
•Judg (esp. 2.6–16.31)
•Terms 15

•Judg 2.6–3.6: Dtr's theory of history
•Judg 8.22–23: theocracy & monarchy

>Study Guide 15

•“YHWH's Warriors”
-Settling down in Canaan: Anyone know how to farm?
-Pendulum swings of Israelite history

Oct 8

F

•Harris: ch. 14
•1Sam (skim)
•2Sam (skim)
•Ps 132; 2.5–9
•Terms 16

>1Chr 10–2Chr 9 (skim)
>NOAB: 530–33 ES (very helpful)

•Map of David’s empire due (Turnitin.com; file name = "last name map.doc")
•1Sam 7.3–8.22; 10.17–27; 12 (cf. Judg 8.22–23): Samuel Tradition (theocratic); cf. Hos 8.4; 9.15; 10.3, 9)
•1Sam 9.1–10.16; 11: Saul Tradition (monarchic)

•2Sam 6.6–11: portrait of YHWH?

•2Sam 7:(cf. Ps 132): deal with David
•2Sam 11.1–12.23 (cf. 1Kgs 15.4–5): monarchic & theocratic issues?

>Study Guide 16

•“The Birth of the Monarchy”
-Whatever happened to the Tribal Confederacy & theocracy?
•Monarchy & the united kingdom
-Problem of kingship
-David meets YHWH: the Davidic covenant

Oct 11

M

•Harris: ch. 15

•1Kgs

•Terms 17

•1Kgs 11.1–13 (cf. Dt 17.14–20): Who or what's to blame?
•1Kgs 12 (cf. 2Kgs 17.20–23): apostasy or restoration?

•1Kgs 18–19: prophet on the run
 

>Study Guide 17

•“Parallel Stories of Israel and Judah"

•YHWH gets a house (so does Solomon)
-What went wrong?
•The divided kingdom
-YHWH does DT

Oct 13

W

•Harris: ch. 15

•2Kgs

•Dt 12.1–32: centralization of YHWH cult

•Prayer of Manasseh (cf. Ps 51)

•Terms 18

•2Kgs 21–23 & 2Chr 33–35: last hope for Judah? Will the real Menasseh stand up?
 

>Study Guide 18

•Reform of Yahwism

Oct 15

F

•Harris: ch. 16

•1Kgs 22.1–28
•1 Sam 10.5–13; 16.13–23; 19.18–24
•1Sam 18.10
•2Kgs 9.11
•Ezek 14.1–11
•Am 7.10–17

•NOAB: 969–73 HB

•Terms 19

>Historical background: 2Chr 10–21

•1 Sam 10.5–13; 16.13–23; 19.18–24: ecstasy?
•1Kgs 22.1–28: Can prophets lie? (cf. 1Sam 16.14;  Ezek 14.1–11; Am 7.10–17)

>Prophets & psalms

>Prophets

>Study Guide 19

•No class

•“The Nature and Function of Israelite Prophecy"

-prophecy, lies & texts

Oct 18

M

•Course syllabus (including Evaluation link)

•Fisher: Effective Learning
 

•Harris: ch. 17

•Amos
•Hos