The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures)

Why should we study it?

-to understand it on its own merits-to understand it in relation to the New

Testament-to recognize its profound impact on history

Texts and Versions

Jewish: Torah(Pentateuch),Nevi'im (Prophets), Khetuvim(Writings)

Christian: Law, History, Wisdom, Prophecy

Catholic versions include 7 books not found in Protestant Bibles unless under the heading of 'Apocrypha'

The 7 'deutero-canonical' books: Sirach, Wisdom of Solomon, Tobit, Judith, Baruch,

1 & 2 Maccabees

The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures)

The Formation of the Pentateuch

c. 1800-1400 lived experiences, tribal period c. 1400 – 1200 lived experiences, Egyptian sojourn,

early oral cycles c. 1200-1000 lived experiences, settlement

period, continued oral traditions, earliest written

texts c. 1000-600 continuing oral tradition, J & E

textual traditions develop (scribes) c. 600 Deuteronomist , continuing textual

development (scribes) c. 550-500 Priestly tradition weaves together

extanttextual traditions

c. 500-300 final redaction of textual traditon

The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures)

Names of God

El – god, singular, family/tribal protector

Elohim – god, plural (royal form)

El Shaddai – god of the heights, God Most High

YHWH – proper name of Israelite god, unpronounced

Adonai – LORD, used to refer to YHWH

At the time of the patriarchs/matriarchs the Israelites

worshipped only YHWH but still accepted that there

were other gods.

The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures)The World of the Ancient Israelites

Ancient Times Modern Borders

Central Dates to Remember

c. 1800 BC Age of Patriarchsc. 1200 BC Exodus

1020 BC United Monarchy721 BC Assyria conquers Israel587 BC Babylon conquers Judah

538 BC the Return from Exile515 BC 2nd Temple period begins

The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures)

The first Creation Narrative: Gen. 1.1-2.3Text from the Priestly redactor

The Hymn of Creation

Separation Population light/dark sun/moon & stars Waters above/below birds/fish land/sea mammals, humanity

'and God saw that it was good', 'on the 7th day He rested'

Made in the Divine ImageStewards of Creation

Priestly connection to sanctity of Matrimony

The Second Creation Narrative: Gen. 2.4-3.24

Adam, Eve, and the Garden

The importance of language

‘man’ (‘adam) and ‘soil’ (‘adamah)

name of the garden is reminiscent of both the Akkadian word for ‘steppe’ and the Hebrew word

for pleasure

naked(‘erummim) and cunning (‘arum)

man (ish) and woman (ishah)

The words ish (man) and ishah (woman) share the letters alef shin, which spell out eish: fire. The man has a yod within the word ish, and woman has a hey in the word

ishah. The yod and hey together spell out the name Yah, referring to the divine Presence.

Gen. 6.5-9.17 Noah and the Flood

Gen. 11.1-9 the Tower of Babel

Patriarchs and Matriarchs

The Family Tree

(c. 2100-1700 BC)

Hagar + Abram(Abraham) + Sarai (Sarah)

Ishmael Isaac + Rebekah

» Esau Jacob(Israel)

Leah (and Zilpah) + + (Bilhah

and) Rachel

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dinah Dan,

Napthali Issachar, Zebulun, Gad,

Asher Joseph, Benjamin