Preliminary material /Editors CONGRESS VOLUME: OXFORD 1959 -- GIBEON'S HISTORY IN THE LIGHT OF EXCAVATION /JAMES B. PRITCHARD -- METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF OLD TESTAMENT STUDY /IVAN ENGNELL -- THEOPHANY AND ANTHROPOMORPHISM IN THE OLD TESTAMEMT /JAMES BARR -- LES BASES THÉOLOGIQUES DE L'ETHIQUE DE L'ANCIEN TESTAMENT /ED. JACOB -- DAS KRYPTOGRAMM DES SEFER ABISCHA /F. PÉREZ CASTRO -- SOME REFLECTIONS ON THE HISTORY OF THE ARK /EDUARD NIELSEN -- ON THE ETHICS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS /E. HAMMERSHAIMB -- THE INSTRUCTIONS OF 'ONCHSHESHONQY AND BIBLICAL WISDOM LITERATURE /B. GEMSER -- DIE STILISTISCHE ANALYSE BEI DEN PROPHETEN /L. ALONSO-SCHÖKEL -- DER NAME DES KÖNIGS DAVID /J. J. STAMM -- THE ORIGIN OF THE KETHIB-QERE SYSTEM: A NEW APPROACH /HARRY M. ORLINSKY -- THE REVISED STANDARD VERSION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT /MILLAR BURROWS -- THE RECENTLY DISCOVERED PALESTINIAN TARGUM: ITS ANTIQUITY AND RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OTHER TARGUMS /A. DIEZ MACHO -- EXORCISMES ET GUÉRISONS DANS LES ÉCRITS DE QOUMRÂN /A. DUPONT-SOMMER -- DER BEITRAG DER ARCHÄOLOGIE ZUR GESCHICHTE ISRAELS /MARTIN NOTH -- PROBLEMS OF HEBREW PROSODY /STANISLAV SEGERT -- EINE DER KRIEGSROLLE VON QUMRĀN VERWANDTE LITERATURGATTUNG IM CODEX XXVIII DER LEIPZIGER SAMMLUNG /HANS BARDTKE -- DAS HEBRÄISCHE VERBALSYSTEM IM LICHTE DER GEGENWÄRTIGEN FORSCHUNG /RUDOLF MEYER -- THE ANGELIC LITURGY AT QUMRÂN-4Q SEREK ŠÎRÔT 'ÔLAT HAŠŠABBĀT /J. STRUGNELL -- DIE GOTTESVEREHRUNG DER PATRIARCHEN IM LICHTE DER PENTATEUCHQUELLEN /LEONHARD ROST.

Ratheiser's study provides the framework for a non-confessional, mitzvoth ethics-centered and historical-philological approach to the Jewish bible and deals with the basic steps of an alternative paradigmatic perspective on the biblical text. The author seeks to demostrate the ineptness of confessional and ahistorical approaches to the Jewish bible. Based on his observations and his survey of the history of interpretation of the Jewish bible, Ratheiser introduces an alternative hermeneutical-exegetical approach to the Jewish bible: the paradigm of examples. His study concludes that the biblical text is a collection of writings designed and formed from a specifically ethical-ethnic outlook. In other words, he regards the Jewish bible to be written as an etiology of ancient instruction by ancient Jews to Jews and for Jews. As such, it serves as a religious-ethical identity marker that provides ancient Jews and their descendants with an etiology of Jewish life. Ratheiser regards this religious-ethical agenda to have been the driving force in the minds of the final editors/compilers of the biblical text as we have it today.

The language of 'christophanies' is used technically by scholars to refer to appearances of the incarnate Son of God after his resurrection, as narrated in the New Testament Gospels and Acts. At a more popular level, though, the term is increasingly applied to alleged appearances of the pre-incarnate Son in the Old Testament. That Jesus appeared to - and was even recognized by - the likes of Abraham and Moses is usually argued from several scriptural trajectories. The New Testament suggests that God the Father is invisible, inviting us to ask who conducted the Old Testament appearances; the mysterious Angel of the Lord has often been interpreted as a manifestation of the divine Son; and several New Testament passages imply Old Testament appearances of and encounters with Jesus. It seems obvious, indeed orthodox, to affirm that Jesus has always been at work in communicating with and saving his world. However, Andrew Malone argues that, while Christ-centred readings of the Old Testament abound, christophanies prove to be a flimsy foundation on which to build. Despite apparent success, any scholarship commending the idea does not withstand close scrutiny. Malone carefully sifts the evidence to show that the popular arguments should be abandoned, and that the pursuit of Old Testament christophanies ultimately threatens to undermine the very values it promotes. He concludes that it better honours the Trinity and the text of Scripture to allow that the Father and the Spirit, as well as the Son, were themselves involved in Old Testament appearances.

In this collection of essays-many of them here published in English for the first time-the distinguished Norwegian Old Testament scholar, Magne S3/4b°, investigates the complex and variegated history of traditions constituting the literature of the Old Testament. Professor S3/4b° provides tradition-historical studies of particular texts (such as the 'revelation' of God's name in Exodus and passages presenting the early preaching of Isaiah) and of particular theological themes (such as the priestly theology in the Pentateuch and the relation of apocalyptic to prophecy and wisdom), as well as more wide-ranging considerations of the significance of tradition history in Old Testament studies. The focus is on the diverse and creative development of the traditions, and on the final transition from pluriformity to canonical unity.

In 1943, the famous Old Testament scholar, Martin Noth, published his monograph, _berlieferungsgeschichtliche Studien, in which he established the hypothesis of a Deuteronomistic History and gave his treatment of the Chronicler's History. It quickly became one of the classics in the field and is probably Noth's most enduring legacy. This book brings together essays from an international symposium of scholars celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of Noth's important volume and reviewing his other contributions to Old Testament study. Part I discusses Noth's life and work (Christopher Begg), his view of the Deuteronomistic History (Antony Campbell) and the Chronicler's History (Roddy Braun), his contributions to the history of Israel (Thomas Thompson), tradition criticism (Rolf Rendtorff), and Old Testament theology (Timo Veijola), as well as reflections on Noth's impact on current and future study (David Noel Freedman, Walter Dietrich). Part II analyses the scholarship over the past fifty years on each book in the Deuteronomistic History: Deuteronomy (Thomas Romer), Joshua (Brian Peckham), Judges (Mark O'Brien), 1-2 Samuel (P. Kyle McCarter), and 1-2 Kings (Steven McKenzie).

Kristin De Troyer — University of St. Andrews “This finely revised and nicely updated version of one of the classics in our field can truly be called a grand introduction to the history of the biblical text.” Leonard Greenspoon — Creighton University “Readers familiar with Würthwein’s earlier work will discover all of the strengths of his approach to Biblical Hebrew. Old and new readers will enjoy the thoroughly up-to-date discussion of the aims and methods of textual criticism as well as the unbiased analysis of ancient versions and their modern scholarly editions. Beautifully reproduced plates are easy to read, and the updated bibliography is satisfyingly full. . . . This successful project can be easily digested by newcomers and savored by specialists.” Robert L. Hubbard — North Park Theological Seminary “A very welcome, thorough revision of the long-honored standard introduction to the Masoretic text. Its integration of recent scholarship is first-rate, and the rewritten text retains the clear, accessible style that won its predecessors decades of popularity as a textbook. Yet another generation of students will find in this book a friendly, reliable guide through the complex terrain of ancient Hebrew texts and their relationships. Highly commended.” The Bible Today “Every scholar and serious Bible student should have a passing knowledge of the work of the text critic. This book will provide such knowledge.” Books at a Glance "An important, up-to-date resource that will benefit everyone interested in Old Testament Textual criticism. The excellent bibliography, diagrams, and plates are unique contributions among introductory works in the field. Highly recommended."