Description
History and Tradition in Early Israel offers a reconstruction of Israelite tradition based upon a new master paradigm. It is built upon the observation that El and Yahweh were different gods, belonging to two religions and venerated by two peoples living in different regions of Palestine (Israel and Judah).
The northern tribes were originally called Jacob after their Aramean patriarch. They worshipped the high god El and took him as their namesake deity with their adoption of the new corporate name, Israel ("El rules"). Their neighbors to the south were Hebrews who worshipped the Bedouin war god Yahweh Sabaoth who inhabited the desert regions of Edom, Midian and Sinai.
The distinctiveness of the two groups was purposely obscured by various mechanisms intended to unite them under a new collective identity. Based upon this understanding of the socio-religious components of ancient Israel, History and Tradition in Early Israel offers a lucid survey of the history and traditions of Israel’s early period (c. 1380-1000 BCE).
Contents
I. Two Become As One
A. Methodology and the Nature of the Sources
B. Elism and Yahwism
C. Abraham and Jacob
D. Sociological Characteristics
E. The Historical Patriarchs
F. Two Kingdoms
II. Primeval Yahwism
A. The Problem of Incessant Feuding
B. The Cursing of Canaan
C. The Kenite Genealogy
III. Defection
A. The Oppression
B. The Ethnic Identity of Moses, Aaron, Miriam and the Levites
C. The Elohistic Interpretation of the Tetragrammaton (YHWH)
D. The Exodus
E. The Song of the Sea
F. Conclusions
IV. Convergence
A. The Wilderness Itinerary: Traditio-historical Considerations
B. The Traditions of the Northern Route
1. Taberah (E)
2. Meribah/Massah: The Revelation at Horeb (E)
a. The Theophany
b. YHWH invokes his own Name
c. The Ten Words
i. The Levitical Cult
ii. Internal and External Clan Relationships
d. The Inscribing of the Law
e. The Molten Image
f. Moses Commanded to Return
g. The New Tablets and the Making of the Ark
h. The Tent
3. Kibroth-hataavah (E)
C. The Traditions of the Southern Route
1. Marah (J)
2. Communion with Yahweh at Sinai (J)
a. Preparations
b. The Theophany
c. The Ten Words
d. The Cultic Violation
e. The New Tablets
3. Kadesh (J)
V. The New Society
A. The Conquest Traditions in Joshua
B. Hoshea, Governor of Shechem--Joshua, King of Israel
C. The Northern Expansion of Hoshea
D. The Campaign Launched from Kadesh
E. Edom and the Transjordan Conflicts
F. The Birth of Israel
1. The Sanctuary of the Oak
2. The Assembly at Shechem
3. The Syncretistic Pantheon of El Elyon
G. Early Israel
H. Summary
VI. Degeneration and Deliverance
A. Chronology and Descent
B. The Religious Situation
C. Stories of Conflicts
1. Othniel and Edom
2. Ehud and Moab
3. Deborah, Barak and Jabin of Hazor
a. The Song of Deborah
4. Abimelech and the Decimation of Shechem
5. Gideon and Midian
6. Jephthah and Ammon
7. Samson and Philistia
8. Samuel and Philistia
D. Sacerdotal and Juridical Legal Traditions
E. Summary
VII. Like the Nations
A. Hannah, Samuel and the House of Eli
B. The Return of the Ark
C. The Establishment of the Monarchy
1. The Anti-Monarchic Perspective (E)
2. The Royalist Narrative
3. Poetic Traditions
a. The War Oracle of Saul
b. The Song of Hannah
D. Summary
VIII. From Shepherd King to Son of Yahweh
A. The Promises to Abraham and David
B. The Song of the Divine Warrior
C. Last Words of David
D. Psalm 2
E. The Ideology of the Zadok Priesthood
F. Psalm 29
IX. The Elusive Name
A. The Elohistic "Name" Episodes
1. Jacob at Penuel
2. Moses at the Burning Bush
3. Moses on Horeb
4. Joshua near Jericho
5. Gideon at the Terebinth
6. Manoah at the Rock
B. The Typology of the Revelatory Experience
1. Recipients
2. Location
3. Problem
4. Form of Appearance
5. Response
6. Divine Intent
7. Demure
8. Sign of visitation
9. Giving of a new name
10. Reluctance to reveal the divine name
11. Recognition and cult designation
12. Threat of
C. Traditio-historical conclusions
D. A Profile of the Elohist
Summary
Conclusions
Selected Bibliography
Index of Biblical Citations
About the author
Dr. L. M. Barré received his doctorate in religion from Vanderbilt University in 1986. His work has been published in such scholarly works as The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, Vetus Testamentum, Die Zeitschrift für die alttestamentlische Wissenschaft, The Catholic Biblical Quarterly Monograph Series, The Journal for Old Testament Study and The Mercer Dictionary of the Bible. Dr. Barré is also named in Who’s Who in America.
