HU Credits: 4

Degree/Cycle: 1st degree (Bachelor)

Responsible Department: bible

Semester: Yearly

Teaching Languages: Hebrew

Campus: Mt. Scopus

Course/Module Coordinator: Dr. Ronnie Goldstein

Coordinator Email: rongol@mail.huji.ac.il

Coordinator Office Hours:

Teaching Staff:
Dr. Ronnie Goldstein

Course/Module description:
This course will deal with issues crucial to the origin and development of ancient Israelite prophecy and its culmination in the canonical books of the prophets.

Course/Module aims:
The student will become familiar with a variety of different approaches to these books and the main tools for studying them.The readings will allow us to pursue several topics in greater depth such as the poetics of biblical prophecy; the historical and social setting of the prophets; and the way in which the prophecies were actualized by latter communities.

Learning outcomes - On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
Independently study differnt aspect of Biblical Prophecy

Attendance requirements(%):
100

Teaching arrangement and method of instruction: We will approach the material by means of a close reading of selected passages in the prophetic books.

Course/Module Content:
A. Introduction:
1. a. General
1. b. The Classical Prophets
1. c. Oral, written, edited – Prophecy and Prophetical Books
2. The calling of the prophet
3. Prophecy in Ancient Near East and Biblical Prophecy Literature
4. Genres of Prophetic Speech
B. Selected Types in the Prophetic Literature
5. Biographical stories
6. Symbolic Acts
7. Visions
8. Prophecies against the Nations
9. Letters
10. Liturgy
C. Selected Themes
11. Day of YHWH
12. Social Justice
13. Prophecy and fulfillment
14. Inner Biblical Interpretation: Reinterpretation, Actualization.

Required Reading:
J. Blenkinsopp, A History of Prophecy in Israel, Louisville, KY, 1996

1. Introduction:
a. General
J. Blenkinsopp, A History of Prophecy in Israel, Louisville, KY, 1996 pp. 1-26
or
H.B. Huffmon, “Prophecy (ANE),” ABD vol. 5, pp. 477-482
J.J. Schmitt, “Prophecy (Preexilic Hebrew),” ABD vol. 5, pp. 482-489
J. Barton, “Prophecy (Postexilic Hebrew), “ ABD vol. 5, pp. 489-495
Or:
S. Paul, "Prophets and Prophecy", Encyclopaedia Judaica 13, 1151-1181

b. The Classical Prophets
M. Haran, "From Early to Classical Prophecy: Continuity and Change", VT 27 (1977), pp. 385-397
S. Geller, “Where the Prophets Poets?” Prooftexts 3 (1983), pp. 211-221

c. Oral, written, edited – Prophecy and Prophetical Books:

H. Gunkel, "The Prophets: Oral and Written", in: Water for a Thirsty Land: Israelite Literature and Religion (ed. K.C. Hanson), Minneapolis 2001, pp. 85-133

B. S. Childs, "The Canonical Shape of the Prophetical Literature", in: Interpreting The Prophets (ed. J. L. Mays and P. J. Achteimer), Philadelphia 1987, pp. 41-49


d. The calling of the prophet
K. Baltzer, "Considerations regarding the Ofice and Calling of the Prophet," HTR 61 (1968), pp. 567-581
Jer 1;Jes 6;Jer 15: 15-21; Ezek 1-2

2. Prophecy in Ancient Near East and Biblical Prophecy Literature
Blenkinsopp, Prophecy, pp. 40-48
A. L. Oppenheim, “The Arts of the Diviner” in: Ancient Mesopotamia: Portrait of a Dead Civilization, Chicago 1977, pp. 206-227
M. Weinfeld, “Ancient Near Eastern Patterns in 1. Introduction:
a. General
J. Blenkinsopp, A History of Prophecy in Israel, Louisville, KY, 1996, pp. 1-26
H.B. Huffmon, “Prophecy (ANE),” ABD vol. 5, pp. 477-482
J.J. Schmitt, “Prophecy (Preexilic Hebrew),” ABD vol. 5, pp. 482-489
J. Barton, “Prophecy (Postexilic Hebrew), " ABD vol. 5, pp. 489-495
Or:
S. Paul, "Prophets and Prophecy", Encyclopaedia Judaica 13, 1151-1181
b. The Classical Prophets
M. Haran, "From Early to Classical Prophecy: Continuity and Change", VT 27 (1977), pp. 385-397
S. Geller, “Where the Prophets Poets?” Prooftexts 3 (1983), pp. 211-221
c. Oral, written, edited – Prophecy and Prophetical Books
H. Gunkel, "The Prophets: Oral and Written", in: Water for a Thirsty Land: Israelite Literature and Religion (ed. K.C. Hanson), Minneapolis 2001, pp. 85-133
B. S. Childs, "The Canonical Shape of the Prophetical Literature", in: Interpreting The Prophets (ed. J. L. Mays and P. J. Achteimer), Philadelphia 1987, pp. 41-49

2. The calling of the prophet
K. Baltzer, "Considerations regarding the Ofice and Calling of the Prophet," HTR 61 (1968), pp. 567-581
Jer 1;Jes 6;Jer 15: 15-21; Ezek 1-2

3. Prophecy in Ancient Near East and Biblical Prophecy Literature
Blenkinsopp, Prophecy, pp. 40-48
A. L. Oppenheim, “The Arts of the Diviner” in: Ancient Mesopotamia: Portrait of a Dead Civilization, Chicago 1977, pp. 206-227
M. Weinfeld, “Ancient Near Eastern Patterns in Prophetical Literature”, VT 27 (1977), pp. 178-195

4. Genres of Prophetic Speech
The Messanger Formula; The Oracle; The Lawsuit
H. Gunkel, "The Israelite Prophecy from the Time of Amos", in: Twentieth Century Theology in the Making (ed. J. Pelikan), New York 1969, pp. 48-75
C. Westermann, Basic Forms of Prophetic Speech, London 1967 (repr., Loisville, 1991)
E. Conrad, “The ‘fear not’ Oracles in Second Isaiah”, VT 34 (1984), pp. 129-152
H.B. Huffmon, "The Covenant Lawsuit in the Prophets", JBL 78 (1959), pp. 285-295

B. Selected Types in the Prophetic Literature
5. Biographical stories
Jeremiah 37-45; Isaiah 36-37; Isaiah 6-8; Amos 7: 10-17
R. E. Clements, “The Prophecies of Isaiah to Hezekiah concerning Sennacherib”, repr. In: Old Testament Prophecy – From Oracles to Canon, Louisville KY 1996, pp. 35- 48.
P.R. Ackroyd “Historians and Prophets”, SEA 33 (1968), 18-54.


6. Symbolic Acts
Jes 20:1-6, Jer 43:8-13, Jer 18-19, Ezekiel 4:1 – 5:6, Hosea 1-3
H. L. Ginsberg, "Studies in Hosea 1-3" in: Y. Kaufmann Jubilee Volume (ed. M. Haran), Jerusalem 1960, pp. 50-69.
Hutton, Rodney R., “Magic or Street-Theater? The Power of the Prophetic Word,” ZAW 107 (1995), 247-260
Greenberg, Moshe, "Nebuchadnezzar and the Parting of Ways: Ezekiel 21: 26-27," in M. Cogan and I. Ephal (eds.), Ah, Assyria: Studies in Assyrian History and Ancient Near Eastern Historiography Presented to Hayim Tadmor (Jerusalem: Magnes Press, Hebrew University, 1991), pp. 267-271

7. Visions
Amos 7:1 – 8:3; 9:1-4; Jer 1: 11-19, Jer 24: 1-10, Ezek 1:1-28;
B. O. Long, "Reports of Visions among the Prophets", JBL 95 (1976), pp. 353-365.
W. Zimmerli, "Visionary experience in Jeremiah", in: Israel's Prophetic Tradition: Essays in Honour of Peter R. Ackroyd (ed. R. Coggins et al.), Cambridge 1982, pp. 95-118
A. Key, "The Magical Background of Isaiah 6:9-13," JBL 86 (1967), 198-204
M. Greenberg, "Ezekiel's Vision: Literary and Iconographic Aspects", in: History, Historiography, and Interpretation, pp. 159-168.

8. Prophecies against the Nations
Amos 1-2; Jeremiah 25; 46; 50-51; Isaiah 15//Jeremiah 48
Blenkinsopp, Prophecy, 121-129
D. L. Christensen, Transformations of the War Oracle in Old Testament Prophecy, Missoula MT 1975, pp.
Hayes, J.H., “The Usage of Oracles against Foreign Nations in Ancient Israel,” JBL 87(1968), 81-89.

9. Letters
Jeremiah 29; Letter of Jeremiah
M. Dijkstra, "Prophecy by Letter (Jer 29:24-32)", VT 33(1983), 319-322

10.Liturgy
Micah 7; Jer 10-20
H. Gunkel, "The Close of Micah: A Prophetic Liturgy", in: What Remains of the Old Testament, London and New York 1928, pp.115-149

C. Selected Themes
11. Day of YHWH
Isaiah 2;
G. Von Rad, "The Origin of the Concept of the Day of Yahweh", JSS 4 (1959), pp. 97-108.
M. Weiss, "The origin of the 'Day of the Lord' reconsidered", HUCA 37 (1966), pp. 29-71.
12. Social Justice
N. K. Gottwald, "The Biblical Prophetic Critique of Political Economy: Its Ground and Import", in: The Hebrew Bible in its Social World and in Ours, SBL Semeia Series, Atlanta 1993, pp. 349-364

13. Prophecy and fulfillment
Isaiah 55:6-11; Jer 18: 1-10; Jer 28; Jer 23
Blenkinsopp, pp. 189-193
A. Rofe, "How is the Word Fulfilled? Isaiah 55:6-11 within the Theological Debate of Its Time", in: Canon, Theology, and Old Testament Interpretation: Essays in Honor of Brevard SW. Childs (ed. G. M. Tucker et al.), Philadelphia 1988, pp.246-261.
R. Carrol, “Prophecy and Dissonance: A Theoretical Approach to Prophetic Tradition”, ZAW 92 (1980), pp. 108-119.

14. Inner Biblical Interpretation: Reinterpretation, Actualization.
Isaiah 56: 9 – 57: 2; Jeremiah 12: 7-12
M. Goshen-Gottstein, "Hebrew Syntax and The History of the Bible Text", Textus 8 (1973), pp. 100-108.
M. Fishbane, Biblical Interpretation in Ancient Israel, Oxford 1985, pp. 443-505
B. D. Sommer, A Prophet Reads Scripture: Allusion in Isaiah 40-66, Stanford 1998,
pp. 32-72 (esp. 54-57)

Additional Reading Material:

Course/Module evaluation:
End of year written/oral examination 65 %
Presentation 0 %
Participation in Tutorials 10 %
Project work 25 %
Assignments 0 %
Reports 0 %
Research project 0 %
Quizzes 0 %
Other 0 %

Additional information: