Biblical Prophecy

University of Texas, Austin Department of Middle Eastern Studies MES 320: Biblical Prophecy Unique 41660, 41390, 43745 MEZ 1-120, TTH 930-11 Instructor: Na'ama Pat-El ([email protected], 232-8292) Office Hours: WMB 5.144, Wed. 2-4. TA: Daryl Carr ([email protected]) Course description: Course materials: • English Bible HarperCollins Study Bible: New Revised Standard Version, Harper One. OR: The New Oxford Annotated Bible: New Revised Standard Version With the Apocrypha, Oxford University Press. • Text Book: Petersen, D. L. (2002). The Prophetic Literature: an introduction. Louisville, KY, Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 978-0664254537 Homework: preparation for class include reading closely the biblical text and the additional material assigned for each class. Attendance, attention, and open-mindedness: Mandatory (attendance is 25% of the final grade). Three absences not excused by the instructor in advance will result in a one letter grade penalty (note that announcing an absence to the instructor or the TA does not constitute as an excused absence). It is the student responsibility to sign the attendance sheet managed by the TA; failure to do so will be considered an absence. Religious holydays sometimes conflict with class and examination schedules. If you miss an -1- University of Texas, Austin Department of Middle Eastern Studies examination, work assignment, or other project due to the observance of a religious holy day you will be given an opportunity to complete the work missed within a reasonable time after the absence. It is the policy of The University of Texas at Austin that you must notify each of your instructors at least fourteen days prior to the classes scheduled on dates you will be absent to observe a religious holy day. Assignments and exams: Midterm (3/8) and Final exam (TBA). The Midterm and Final exams each contain two essay questions. You are allowed to use a Bible during these exams. There will be additional two short review papers during the semester on the papers listed under ADDITIONAL READING. Grading: 20% Class attendance, participation and preparation. 20% 2 review papers. 30% Midterm. 30% Final exam. Drop dates: Please consult the Registrar's website for important drop dates. Email: Email is recognized as an official mode of university correspondence; therefore, you are responsible for reading your email for university and course-related information and announcements. You are responsible to keep the university informed about changes to your email address. You should check your email regularly and frequently to stay current with university-related communications, some of which may be time-critical. You can find UT Austin's policies and instructions for updating your email address at www.utexas.edu/its/policies/ emailnotify.php Policy on Scholastic Dishonesty: Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. Since such dishonesty harms the individual, all students, and the integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced. Refer to the Student Judicial Services website for official University policies and procedures on scholastic dishonesty. Please refer to The Role of Faculty in Confronting Scholastic Dishonesty brochure published by Student Judicial Services for information on confronting students who violate scholastic dishonesty policies. For further information, visit the SJS website at http:/ /www.utexas.edu/depts/dos/sjs/ or call 471-2841. -2- University of Texas, Austin Department of Middle Eastern Studies Disability: Students with disabilities who require special accommodations need to get a letter that documents the disability from the Services for Students with Disabilities area of the Office of the Dean of Students (471-6259 voice or 471-4641 TTY for users who are deaf or hard of hearing). This letter should be presented to the instructor in each course at the beginning of the semester and accommodations needed should be discussed at that time. Five business days before an exam the student should remind the instructor of any testing accommodations that will be needed. -3- University of Texas, Austin Department of Middle Eastern Studies CLASS OUTLINE: _______________________________ _______________ ______________ 1/17 Introduction: definitions 1/19 Introduction: definitions READINGS: J.J. Schmitt, “Prophecy (Preexilic Hebrew),” ABD vol. 5, pp. 482-489. 1/24 pre-monarchic prophets: Abraham, Moses, Deborah, Samuel BIBLICAL PASSAGES: Gen. 20; Deut. 34; Judg. 4; 1Samuel 9-10. READINGS: Petersen, pp. 216-17, 220-226. 1/26, 31 Court prophets and rogue prophets: Nathan, Elisha and Elija BIBLICAL PASSAGES: 2Sam. 7, 11-12; 1Kg. 13:1-10; 14, 18; 2Kg. 3-5:1-19; 20. READINGS: Petersen, pp. 226-232. 2/2 Hosea BIBLICAL PASSAGES: Hosea. READINGS: Peterson, pp. 176-181. 2/7 Amos BIBLICAL PASSAGES: Amos. READINGS: Petersen, pp.184-190. 2/9 Jonah BIBLICAL PASSAGES: Jonah. READINGS: Petersen, pp. 191-193 2/14, 16 Isaiah 1-39 BIBLICAL PASSAGES: Isaiah 1-39. READINGS: Petersen, pp. 47-60. -4- University of Texas, Austin Department of Middle Eastern Studies EXTRA READINGS: Machnist, P. (1983). "Assyria and its Image in the First Isaiah." JAOS 103(4): 719-737. 2/21, 23 Jeremiah BIBLICAL PASSAGES: Jeremiah 1-8, 22-23, 28, 51:59-64 READINGS: Petersen, pp. 97-99, 125-128. ADDITIONAL READINGS: Zimmerly, W. (1982). Visionary experience in Jeremiah. Israel's Prophetic Tradition: Essays in Honour of Peter R. Ackroyd. R. Coggins, A. Phillips and M. Knibb. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press: 95-118. 2/28, 31 Ezekiel BIBLICAL PASSAGES: Ezekiel 1-5, 26, 28, 33-37. READINGS: Petersen, pp. 137-140, 153-165. ADDITIONAL READINGS: Lindars, B. (1965). "Ezekiel and Individual Responsibility." VT 15(4): 452-467. 3/6 Review 3/8 Midterm 3/12-17 Spring Break 3/20, 22 Isaiah 40-55 BIBLICAL PASSAGES: Isaiah 40-55 READINGS: Blenkinsopp, pp. 182-193. ADDITIONAL READINGS: Paul, S. M. (1968). "Deutero-Isaiah and Cuneiform Royal Inscriptions." JAOS 88: 180-186. 3/27 Isaiah 56-66 BIBLICAL PASSAGES: Isaiah 56-66 READINGS: Seitz, C. R. (1992). Isaia (Third Isaiah). ABD. III: 501-507. -5- University of Texas, Austin Department of Middle Eastern Studies ADDITIONAL READINGS: Gregory, B. C. (2007). "The Postexilic Exile in Third Isaiah: Isaiah 61:1-3 in Light of Second Temple Hermeneutics." JBL 126(3): 475-496. 3/29 Prophetic revelation BIBLICAL PASSAGES: 1Kgs 18:18-29; 1Kgs 20:35-43; Isa. 6; Jer. 1; Ezek. 1-2, 4:9-17. ADDITIONAL READINGS: Niditch, S. (1980). The Symbolic Vision in Biblical Tradition. Chico, Scholars Press. 4/3 Symbolism: The exodus motif BIBLICAL PASSAGES: 1Kgs 12; 2Kgs 23 (esp. vv 21-23); Isa. 43:16-20, 63:7-14; Jer. 2, 32:16-25; Ezek. 20; Hos. 2; Amos 3:1-7, 9:7; Mic. 6-7:20. 4/5 Symbolism: God and Israel BIBLICAL PASSAGES: 2Sam. 7; Hos. 1-2, 11; Isa. 1:1-9, 63-64, 66; Jer. 2-3, 31; Ezek. Isa. 66. ADDITIONAL READINGS: Brettler, M. Z. (1989). God is King: Understanding an Israelite Metaphor. Sheffield, Sheffield Academic Press. 4/10 Prophets and society: function and attitude BIBLICAL PASSAGES: Deut. 13:2-6, 18:14-22; Judg. 4; 1Kgs 21; 2Kgs 4-6:23; Jer. 7, 26, 29; Amos 5. ADDITIONAL READINGS: 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. Williams, J. G. (1969). "The Social Location of Israelite Prophecy." Journal of the American Academy of Religion 37(2): 153-165. 4/12 Prophets and kings BIBLICAL PASSAGES: 2Sam 12:1-12; 1Kgs 14:1-18; 2Kgs 19-20; Amos 7:10-17; 2Chr. 20:14-17. ADDITIONAL READINGS: Ackroyd, P. R. (1977). A Judgment Narrative between Kings and Chronicles? An Approach to Amos 7:9-17. Canon and Authority. Essays in Old Testament Religion and Theology. G. W. Coats and B. O. Long. Philadelphia: 71-87. -6- University of Texas, Austin Department of Middle Eastern Studies Collins, A. Y. and J. J. Collins (2008). King and Messiah as Son of God: Divine, Human, and Angelic Messianic Figures in Biblical and Related Literature, Eerdmans Publishing Company. pp. 25-47. 4/17 Prophetic genres Amos 1-2; Isa. 15, 22:15-25; Jer. 25, 29, 45-46; 50-51; Mic. 7 ADDITIONAL READINGS: Hayes, J. L. (1968). "The Usage of Oracles against Foreign Nations in Ancient Israel." JBL 87: 81-89. 4/19, 24 Prophecy in the Ancient Near East I (Aren Wilson-Wright) READINGS: TBA 4/26 Feminist criticism of prophetic literature (Geoffrey McElroy) READINGS: TBA 5/1 Prophecy in early Christian though (Steve Friesen) READINGS: TBA 5/3 The legacy of Ezekiel in Ma'aseah Merkavah discourse in Hekhalot literature (Ra’anan Boustan) READINGS: TBA -7- University of Texas, Austin Department of Middle Eastern Studies Addendum: Grading scale Average Grade 93-100 89-92 86-88 83-85 79-82 76-78 Letter Grade A AB+ B BC+ 73-75 69-72 66-68 63-65 60-62 59 and below C CD+ D DF -8-