History Extension

Topic 2: The Origins and Early History of Israel

History is a PROCESS
At its most basic, history is an attempt to record what has happened in the past.
(Webb, p.1)

There are many processes for recording history.....

Documentaries
Time Lifes Lost Civilisations

Artwork

Inscriptions
Tel Dan Stele Mesha Stele Merneptah Stele

Archaeological digs

Process of recording History

Epigraphical evidence
Arad Lachish letters

Films
The 10 Commandments

Modern historians
The Bible
Finkelstein & Silberman; Miller & Hayes

KNOW THE HISTORIAN

E. H. CARR

The Origins & Early History of Israel

Principal focus Students investigate changing interpretations of the evidence relating to the origins and early history of Israel
(BOS p.15)

Origins & naming of Hebrews

Impact of archaeological evidence

Origins & Early History of Israel Areas of debate

Conquest or settlement?

Textual problems of the biblical narratives

Emergence of the monarchy & kingdom of Israel

Textual problems of the Biblical narrative

sources

dating

authenticity

inconsistencies

Textual problems of the Biblical narrative

Biblical references to be considered for this case study are:

Genesis
The emergence of Abraham and the Jewish Patriarchs in the Land of Israel

Exodus, Numbers & Deuteronomy

Enslavement in Egypt, the Exodus and journeys in Sinai and Trans-Jordan

Joshua & Judges

Invasion and settlement in Canaan-Israel

Samuel, Chronicles & Kings

Detailed accounts of the emergence of the monarchies of the united Jewish Kingdom and the successor states of Judah and Israel.

Sources

First 5 books of the Bible are considered to be divine directly from the mouth of God.

Moses is credited in the Bible as author.

Much of the Bible was developed through oral traditions such as poetry, recitation and storytelling.

Documentary Hypothesis: The 4 original writers of the Pentateuch J (9th century BCE, Judah) E (8th century BCE, Israel) D (7th century BCE, Judah) P (5th century BCE, possible exile)

J&E
The oldest sources sometimes difficult to separate. They often tell the same or similar stories. Easiest way to differentiate is through the name used for the deity. J uses YHWH. E first uses Elohim, and after the name is revealed to Moses at the burning bush then moves to YHWH.

P
This source is more easily identifiable, as it tends to show a priestly interest. The style is very formal and focuses on things like genealogies, numbers, cult and religion, purity and holiness. Entire books such as Leviticus have been assigned to P.

D
This has been suggested to be (by some scholars such as De Witte) the book of law referred to in 2 Kings 22:8-13.

dating

Dates for the original oral sources cannot be confirmed. Dating of first written compilation believed to be have been 1000 BCE and 650 BCE. Reliance on fragments over a great period of time.

inconsistencies

I am Abraham, I mean Isaac, and this is my wife, ahh... sister, Sarah, I mean, Rebekah...

Did Isaac try this trick too?

Genesis 1:27
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female he created them . (created simultaneously)

Genesis 2:18-22
And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. (created man first)

How will WE decide what constitutes

Authenticity
in regards to

the Bible?

Modern Biblical Scholarship to be considered for this area of debate:

references
Bloch-Smith, E., Israelite ethnicity in iron I: Archaeology preserves what is remembered and what is forgotten in Israels history in Journal of Biblical Literature 122:3 (2003) pp.401-425 Bridge, E., HST155 Archaeology and the Early History of Israel, Macquarie University 2010, Lectures 1 & 3 Dever, W., Archaeology and the emergence of early Israel in J. Bartlett (ed) Archaeology and Biblical Interpretation (1997) pp.20-50 Finkelstein, I. & Silberman, N., The Bible Unearthed: Archaeologys New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origins of Its Sacred Texts (The Free Press, New York: 2001) Fritz, V., Conquest or Settlement? The Early Iron Age in Palestine in Biblical Archaeologist 50:2 (1987) pp.84-100 Ian Lacey, The Origins and Early History of Israel in Teaching History 42:2 (2008) pp. 38-42 Miller, J. & Hayes, J., A History of Ancient Israel and Judah, 3rd ed. (John Knox Press, Westminster: 2006) NSW Board of Studies, History Extension Syllabus, (NSW BOS, Sydney: 2009) Rendsburg, G. The date of Exodus and the conquest/settlement: the case for the 1100s in Vetus Testamentum 42:4 (1992) pp. 510-527 Webb, K., Extension History: The Historians (History Teachers Association of NSW, Annandale: 2006)

Images Anenberg, J., Ancient Bridge in the Eilat Mountains, retrieved from flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/redsea_eilat/293183807/ Asquith, P., Moses in Myers Park Auckland, retrieved from flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/wasabicube/3516719963/ Conger, S., Tel Dan022 Ancient Dan, retrieved from flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/dukie1/3449591489/ Costa, E., [Israel] retrieved from flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/edo-finelight/2394087158/ Cranach, L., Paradise, 1536, retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lucas_Cranach_d._%C3%84._035.jpg Enos, J., Old Bible Text, retrieved from flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/notjake13/2393304429/ jamestraceur, Arch, Dome of the Rock, Israel, retrieved from flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/deivorytower/204735986/ LollyKnit, Uncovering Pottery shards at Beth Shemesh, Israel retrieved from flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/lollyknit/425316237/ Patsy, Bible with Questions and Answers, 2011 http://patty-patcards.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html Smolianitski, A., bible text, retrieved from flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/smolianitski/3908339519/