NES 130.

373 PROPHETS AND PROPHECY IN THE HEBREW BIBLE

Spring 2021 — The Johns Hopkins University

STUDY GUIDE #1 (first half of the class)

1. Introduction
• Class logistics (syllabus, requirements, attendance, examinations, quizzes, etc.)

Required: Mini written tasks to be assigned in class.

2. Introduction to the Hebrew Bible

• Canon & Canonization

Prior to class: Download “Canon Handout” from Blackboard

3. The Academic Study of the Bible

• Textual and Manuscript Studies
• Studying the Bible Historically
• Studying the Bible as Literature

Prior to class: Download “Textual Criticism Handout” from Blackboard

4. Modern Approaches to Biblical Study

• The Historical Critical Method
• Anachronisms and Source Criticism
• JEDP and the Deuteronomistic History

Required: Leclerc, pgs. 1-17, 38-41.

5. Introduction to the Prophetic Literature of the Hebrew Bible

• Defining a “prophet”
• History of Scholarship

6. Ancient Near Eastern Prophecy; The Comparative Method and the Problem of Origins
• Prophecy in ancient Iraq (Mesopotamia)
• Prophecy in ancient Egypt
• Prophecy in ancient Syria
• Prophecy in ancient Jordan

Required: Leclerc, pgs. 18-37, 98; Various Handouts

Prior to class: Download “Nissinen Sample Analysis” from Blackboard

Nissinen, pgs. 1-11 Introduction

Nissinen, pgs. 13-106 Mari
Nissinen, pgs. 107-144 Nineveh
Nissinen, pgs. 145-206 Other Neo-Assyrian Documents
Nissinen, pgs. 207-250 Miscellaneous Cuneiform Sources
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Nissinen, pgs. 271-273 Egypt

Nissinen, pgs. 212-213, 253-257 Syria
Nissinen, pgs. 251-253, 258-263 Jordan
Nissinen, pgs. 263-269 Lachish
Nissinen, pgs. 275-278 Luwian

7. Divination in Ancient Israel

From this point on in this class, it is required that you have access to an English Bible,
either a print or an on-line edition (but see the cautionary comments about using e-Bibles
on the Syllabus)

Required readings in the Primary Source Material:

Condemnation
Deuteronomy 18: 9-22
Leviticus 19:26
Hosea 4:12
Micah 3:7,11
1 Samuel 15:23
2 Kings 21:6

Lots
Proverbs 16:33
Joshua 18:6,8,10
Judges 20:9
Leviticus 16:6-10
Joshua 7:14-18; 1 Samuel 14:41-42
1 Samuel 10:20-24
Esther 9:24
What are the various uses of lots?

Omens
Genesis 24:12-14, 21, 26-27

Other Divinatory Techniques

Ezekiel 21:21
1 Samuel 14:41-42
Genesis 44:5, 15
Judges 17:5; 18:14; Ezek 21:21
Genesis 31:10-13, 24, 29, 41; 1 Sam 28:6
1 Samuel 28

Urim & Thummim and the Ephod

Deuteronomy 33:8
Exodus 28:15-30
1 Samuel 2:28; 23:9-12; 30:7-8
Judges 8:24-28
Leviticus 8:8
Numbers 27:21
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1 Samuel 14:41-42
1 Samuel 28:6
Hosea 3:4
Ezra 2:63 (Nehemiah 7:65)

8. Divination and Magic; The Magico-Medico-Mythological World of the Ancient Near

East; The Effective Power of Words

9. Pre-literary Prophecy, Part 1 (Non-Deuteronomistic Material)

Required readings in the Primary Source Material:

Balaam Narratives: Numbers 22-24

Yahwistic Material: Genesis 18

Exodus 4:1-17 [cf. Micah 6: 4]
Exodus 15: 20-21

Elohistic Material: Genesis 20

Numbers 11-12 (cf. Exodus 4:16; 15:20)

Required: Leclerc, pgs 42-50; Handout on the Balaam Text from Deir Alla (Jordan)

10. Pre-literary Prophecy, Part 2 (Deuteronomistic Material)

Required readings: The Primary Source Material are listed first followed by the
relevant sections in your Leclerc textbook.

10a. Deuteronomic Tradition: Deuteronomy 18:9-22

Deuteronomy 33:8 (cf. Exod 28:30; Num 27:21)
Leclerc, pgs 50-61

10b. Deborah: Judges 4-5

Leclerc, pgs 62-65

10c Samuel Traditions: I Samuel 2-3; 7-12

Leclerc, pgs 65-72 Fulfillment:
1 Sam 2:30-33 à I Samuel 22:18-23; 1 Kgs 2:27
1 Sam 2:34 à 1 Sam 4:11

10d. Saul: I Samuel 10

I Samuel 18:10-11; 19:18-24; 28:3-25

David: 1 Samuel 23:9-12; 30:7-8; II Samuel 6

Nathan: II Samuel 7, 11-12; I Kings 1

[I Chronicles 29:29; II Chronicles 29:25]
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Gad: I Samuel 22:5; II Samuel 24:10-25

Leclerc, pgs 73-81

10e. Solomon: I Kings 3:5-15

Ahijah: I Kings 11:29-39; 14:1-18; 15:25-30

Leclerc, pgs 81-83

10f. Shemaiah: I Kings 12:21-24

II Chronicles 12:5-15

Jehu: I Kings 16:1-4, 11-13;

II Chronicles 19:2-3; 20:20, 34

“Man of God”: 1 Kings 13

Josiah Prediction: I Kings 13:2; 23:1-25

(cf. Deut 12, 16:5-6)
Leclerc, pgs 84-88

10g. Elijah: I Kings 17-19; II Kings 2:11-12

I Kings 21 (Naboth's vineyard)
(cf. 2 Kings 9:30-37; 10:10-11)

Elisha: II Kings 2-9

II Kings 13:14-21
Leclerc, pgs 88-101

10h. Micaiah: I Kings 22:1-38

Jonah: II Kings 14:25-27

Huldah: II Kings 22:1-23:30

II Chronicles 34-35

STUDY GUIDE #2 (second half of the class)

The second half of the class will look at (a) the writing prophets: the Assyrian Period; (b) the
writing prophets: the Babylonian Period and exilic responses; (c) the writing prophets: the
Persian Period and post-exilic responses; and (d) the emergence of apocalyptic prophecy