Journal of Hebrew Scriptures (JHS)
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Seeking the Divine, Divining the Seekers: The Status of Outsiders Who Seek Yahweh in Ezra 6:21
Get PDFThis article argues, pace Thiessen, that the boundaries of restored Israel in Ezra 1–6 are porous: the texts that establish the community\u27s exclusivism do so only provisionally, in place of a working temple cult. This is shown especially in Ezra 2:61–63, where priests who cannot find written proof of their ancestry must wait for Urim and Thummim. Thus, during the Passover in Ezra 6:19–21, the cult (rather than written documents) ultimately establishes boundaries, permitting the inclusion of outsiders
Review of Brown, William P., Wisdom\u27s Wonder: Character, Creation, and Crisis in the Bible\u27s Wisdom Literature (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2014).
No full textOptimality in the “Grammars” of Ancient Translations
Get PDFThis paper proposes a new methodology for describing, explaining, and tracking the linguistic and non-linguistic shifts that occurred in the ancient biblical translations. It first surveys the approach to Descriptive Translation Studies (DTS) taken by Gideon Toury, outlining pertinent theoretical points. Second, it summarizes the principles and methods of Optimality Theory (OT), arguing that this linguistic model may be harnessed in order to benefit the study of ancient translations. Third, this article applies the theory and methods developed here to a single sample verse, 2 Sam 11:1. Through this study, I demonstrate that the combined theoretical and methodological model provided by DTS and OT allows us to identify, describe, evaluate, and organize the norms constraining the translator of Tg. Jon. to Samuel—and, by extension, to the other ancient Versions. Finally, I argue that we may use OT\u27s notational system to capture regularities and anomalies in ancient translations, outlining their respective “grammars.
Review of Seijas, Guadalupe (ed.), Historia de la Literatura Hebrea y Judía (Madrid: Trotta, 2014).
No full textReview of Zehnder, Markus and Hallvard Hagelia (eds.), Encountering Violence in the Bible (Bible in the Modern World, 55; Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix, 2013).
No full textA New Interpretation of Job 19:26
Get PDFThis article offers a new interpretation Job 19:26, a passage which is arguably one of the most difficult and obscure in the book. The article surveys earlier interpretations, including the various versions of the text as well as medieval and modern commentators, and points to the limits of the readings that have been offered so far. Taking into account the immediate context of v. 26, the article proposes a new solution based on a minimal emendation of the MT. In the resulting reading, Job expresses his conviction that God will eventually vindicate him, and heal his skin and flesh. In keeping with recent studies of Job, this reading can be related to the broader issue of disability in the book
Review of Fried, Lisbeth S., Ezra and the Law in History and Tradition (Studies on Personalities in the Old Testament; Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press, 2014).
No full textReview of Verheyden, Joseph (ed.), The Figure of Solomon in Jewish, Christian and Islamic Tradition: King, Sage and Architect (Themes in Biblical Narrative, 16; Leiden: Brill, 2013).
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