Lester L Grabbe | University of Hull (original) (raw)

Papers by Lester L Grabbe

Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer (ed.), Prophecy and Its Cultic Dimensions, 2019

Although the terms "cult prophet" and "cultic prophecy" are found throughout the literature on pr... more Although the terms "cult prophet" and "cultic prophecy" are found throughout the literature on prophecy, there seem to be few if any recent lengthy studies or discussion. The general concept has not been questioned, as far as I know. This is surprising, since such a major subject should have had challengers by now. However, part of the reason might be that

This Symposium asks whether a 'history of Israel' can be written, and if it can, how? Can... more This Symposium asks whether a 'history of Israel' can be written, and if it can, how? Can the Hebrew Bible be used as a source for such history? The question of writing the 'history of ancient Israel' has become fiercely debated in recent years. It is a debate that seems to generate more heat than light because of quite different concepts of historical methodology. The European Seminar on Methodology in Israel's History was founded specifically to address this problem. Members of the Seminar hold a variety of views but all agree that there is a problem to be tackled. The first meeting of the Seminar, held in Dublin in 1996, was devoted to some broad questions: (1) Can a 'history of ancient Israel' (or Palestine, Syria, the Levant, etc.) be written? (2) If so, how? What place does the Hebrew Bible have as a source in writing this history? This first volume contains the main papers that were prepared to set the stage for the discussion, along with an introduction to the Seminar, its aims and its membership. The editor also provides a concluding chapter summarizing and reflecting on the debate.>

Journal for the Study of Judaism, 2008

This is not the published form but represents the text as it was submitted to the journal. There ... more This is not the published form but represents the text as it was submitted to the journal. There should be few differences, if any, with the published version.]

Biblische Notizen, 2023

This collection of 30 articles, all in English and most previously published, are presented here ... more This collection of 30 articles, all in English and most previously published, are presented here mostly unchanged, though a number have a short appendix updating them. All but seven are from 2015 or later. F. notes that the past 20 years have seen two major changes in his perspective: first, he now thinks the beginnings of biblical historiography reflect the ideologies and realities of the Northern Kingdom in the first half of the 8t h century BCE; secondly, he has developed an interest in Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles but wants to see them as reflecting Hasmonean ideology of the late 2nd century BCE. In chs 1-17 he tends to follow the biblical concept of Israel's history, but in chs 18-30, his own understanding of biblical historiography. Part I Overviews: "1 History, Historicity and Historiography in Ancient Israel" begins with a critique of the "neo-traditionalistic" trend among some archaeologists, then goes on to delineate the extent to which critical history has been preserved in various biblical sources. "2 The Appearance and Dissemination of Writing in Israel and Judah", focuses on the archaeological context of inscriptions (as opposed to palaeographic development); he concludes that the ability to compose literary texts arose in Israel in the first half of the 8 th century BCE, but in Judah, it was the late 8 th or even the 7 th century. This dating is important in subsequent essays which generally see oral traditions as first being written down no earlier than 800 BCE. Part II Pentateuch Traditions: "3 Comments on the Historical Background of the Abraham Narrative: Between 'Realia' and 'Exegetica'" (with Thomas Römer), dates the origin of the Abraham tradition to the Iron Age, with its textualization in the 7th century, and its joining with the Jacob tradition after 722 BCE. "4 Comments on the Historical Background of the Jacob Narrative in Genesis" (with Römer), suggests that the Jacob tradition was one of the earliest origin traditions, arising as an ancestor of the Transjordanian Beney Ya'akov but subsequently identified with Israel; the tradition was first written down in the 8th century and transmitted to Judah after 722 BCE where it continued to develop. "5 The Wilderness Narrative and Itineraries and the Evolution of the Exodus Tradition", focuses on the archaeology of the main toponyms in the wilderness narrative and itineraries: the exodus tradition first surfaces in Hosea and Amos and may have arisen in the lowlands as a charter myth in Jeroboam I's involvement with Egypt, was picked up in the Israelite association with the Arabian trade in the 8th century, and transferred to Judah after 722 BCE. "6 Early North Israelite 'Memories' on Moab" (with Römer), traces the history of Moab as embedded memories in the biblical text (with some early memories even in late texts): first, a Moab polity before 900 BCE, known from archaeology, though Sihan "the Amorite" may refer to Canaanite rule of the mishor; then, the settlement of the 2 1/2 tribes in Gilead may remember the Omride conquest of the mishor; next, Num. 21-22 and the Balaam-Balak story (also 2Kgs 3) as a memory of the (brief) Omride rule of the mishor; finally, the recovery of territory by Mesha and Moab's expansion, in several passages (Isa 15; Jer 48; 2Kgs 3). Part III Rise of Ancient Israel: "7 The Earliest Israel: Territorial History in the Highlands of Canaan", asks how the name "Israel" of Merenptah's inscription became applied to the Northern Kingdom: the territorial entities are traced from the Amarna age to the Omride kingdom, with suggestions that the first heir of the name "Israel" could have been a Shechem-Shiloh polity of Iron I or a Gibeon-Gibeah polity of the 11 th century or a Tirzah polity of the mid-10 th or the Omride dynasty of the early 9 th. "8 What the Biblical Authors Knew about Canaan before and in the Early Days of the Hebrew Kingdoms", seeks to answer the question by examining the towns listed in the various layers of tradition; three maps summarize the system of towns examined: the first, with the conquest traditions, is quite different from the second which shows the pre-Dtr traditions in Judges and Samuel; but the second is quite similar to the third which shows late Iron I and early Iron IIA cities, indicating that the earliest traditions have a memory of some late Iron I and early Iron IIA sites (but not Late Bronze), mainly in the eastern part of Cis-Jordan. Part IV Saviour Stories in the Book of Judges: "9 Historical-Geographical Observations on the Ehud-Eglon Tale", suggests (admittedly speculatively) that an old tale of a conflict with a Canaanite polity centred on Heshbon in the 10 th century came to be written down in the 8 th century; at that time the Canaanite entity no longer existed; hence, it became a political satire involving a ruler of Moab which now controlled the region. "10 Compositional Phases, Geography and Historical Setting behind Judges 4-5 and the Location of Harosheth-ha-goiim", hypothesizes two original traditions arising from separate events in the 10 th century, one affecting the southwestern Jezreel Valley, the other taking place around Mt Tabor and Anaharath; these were written down in the 8th century (including composition of the Song of Deborah) and merged into a single event, with further editings in the 7 th century. Unfortunately, nothing is said about the fact that Judges 5 is written in Archaic Biblical Hebrew and appears to be quite a bit earlier than the account in Judges 4. "11 Geographical and Historical Observations on the Old North Israelite Gideon Tale" (with Oded Lipschits), reconstructs the oral tale, which remembers Gideon who (if not just an invention of the story teller) seems to have fought the Midianites west of Shechem in the 10th century. "12 The Old Jephthah Tale: Geographical and Historical Considerations", thinks this was a Saviour Tale about a border dispute with the Ammonites, conducted by an apiru group led by Jephthah, between the town of Gilead (south of the Jabbok River) and the town of Mizpah (north of the Jabbok) no later than the 10th century BCE. "13 Comments on the Abimelech Story in Judges 9", traces (through various redactional layers) the presumed oldest tradition, which was thought to deal with a struggle between two apiru groups over control of Shechem that ended in the destruction of stratum XI (late 11 th or early 10 th century BCE); later insertions into the account relate to persons and events in the history of the Northern Kingdom. "14 Major Saviors, Minor Judges: The Historical Background of the Northern Accounts in the Book of Judges", summarizes F.'s conclusions about the "Saviour Tales" (see the other articles in this section) and examines the "Minor Judges" accounts; he sees five such accounts (Othniel and Shamgar being Deuteronomistic insertions) with origins in heroic tales of the North; their geographical distribution shows a deliberate attempt to fill in the territory of the Northern Kingdom to cover the Israelite hill country, Gilead, Jezreel, and the northern border areas (remarkably similar to the description in 2Sam 2:9). Part V Saul, Benjamin, Bethel: "15 Saul, Benjamin, and the Emergence of 'Biblical Israel': An Alternative View", seeks to prove (contra Nadav Na'aman) that Benjamin was dominated by the Northern Kingdom until changing hands shortly before 800 BCE, though it may have subsequently reverted back to Israelite control until the fall of Samaria; the second part of the essay summarizes F.'s view of the development of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. "16 Saul and Highlands of Benjamin Update: The Role of Jerusalem", summarizes and updates his (admittedly hypothetical) reconstruction of the Benjamin highlands polity: Saul's original territory was areas of Benjamin and southern Ephraim; he expanded and may have been strong enough to take Jerusalem at some point (perhaps even built Khirbet Qeiyafa), providing the later idea of a United Monarchy; Shoshenq I came against this polity and may have set up rivals to Saul-David in Jerusalem and Jeroboam I in Shechem. "17 Reevaluating Bethel" (with Lily Singer-Avitz), presents a history of Bethel based on archaeological results from previous excavations, arguing that the site prospered in the Iron I, Iron IIB, and the late

Handbook for the Study of the Historical Jesus, 2010

Границы и население провинции Иудеи в персидский период (539-332 гг. до Р. Х.) согласно археологи... more Границы и население провинции Иудеи в персидский период (539-332 гг. до Р. Х.) согласно археологическим данным Важность археологии для изучения персидского периода в истории Йехуда (dwhy / yehud-арамейское название провинции Иудеи в персидский период) трудно переоценить, и все же традиционно археологи, занимающиеся Сирией-Палестиной, уделяли очень мало внимания именно этому периоду. В течение долгого времени исследователи по разным причинам были заинтересованы в изучении предшествующих или последующих эпох. Предшествующие периоды представляли для ученых больший интерес, поскольку в связи с появлением в Палестине сначала израильского народа, а затем двух царств Израиля и Иудеи сохранилось много письменных текстов о социальной, культурной, литературной и материальной сторонах жизни общества. Последующие периоды, особенно эллинистический, римский и византийский, считались важнее персидского по той причине, что в источниках, описывающих их, можно было найти информацию о появлении иудаизма и христианства. Полномасштабные раскопки велись в основном на участках, связанных либо с библейским Израилем,

Journal of Biblical Literature, 1979

N the present renaissance of targumic studies, one point of major controversy continues to be the... more N the present renaissance of targumic studies, one point of major controversy continues to be the dating of the various targumim. Perhaps one reason why the question of dating has been so important is that the targumim have been heavily drawn on for comparative studies, ...

“Mighty Oaks from (Genetically Manipulated?) Acorns Grow: The Chronicle of the Kings of Judah as... more “Mighty Oaks from (Genetically Manipulated?) Acorns Grow: The Chronicle of the Kings of Judah as a Source of the Deuteronomistic History”, in R. Rezetko, T. H. Lim and W. B. Aucker (eds.), Reflection and Refraction: Studies in Biblical Historiography in Honour of A. Graeme Auld (VTSup 113; Leiden: Brill, 2006) 154-73.

Judah and the Judeans in the Persian Period, 2006

I. INTRODUCTION LESTER L. GRABBE, Introduction II. RESEARCH PAPERS EHUD BEN ZVI, General Observat... more I. INTRODUCTION LESTER L. GRABBE, Introduction II. RESEARCH PAPERS EHUD BEN ZVI, General Observations on Ancient Israelite Histories in their Ancient Contexts PHILIP R. DAVIES, The Origin of Biblical Israel E. AXEL KNAUF, Against Historiography--in Defence of History CHRISTINE MITCHELL, Why the Hebrew Bible Might Be All Greek to Me: On the Use of the Xenophontic Corpus in Discussions of Biblical Literature LUKASZ NIESIOLOWSKI-SPANO, (Pseudo-)Eupolemus and Shechem: Methodology Enabling the Use of Hellenistic Jewish Historians' Work in Biblical Studies III. BOOK REVIEWS AND RESPONSES REVIEW OF: William G. Dever, What Did the Biblical Writers Know and When Did They Know It? (2001) and Who Were the Early Israelites and Where Did They Come from? (2003) RAINER ALBERTZ, Review of William G. Dever WILLIAM G. DEVER, A Response to Rainer Albertz REVIEW OF: Lester L. Grabbe, A History of the Jews and Judaism in the Second Temple Period 1: Yehud: A History of the Persian Province of Judah (...

Even God Cannot Change the Past, 2018

The past is a foreign country', as Leslie Poles Hartley famously wrote. 1 which then became the t... more The past is a foreign country', as Leslie Poles Hartley famously wrote. 1 which then became the title of David Lowenthal's book on history (1985). Not only do they do things differently there, but it is difficult to get to, for the past is not directly accessible. We can get access to it only via its traces in the present. These may be elements of realia, things from the past that survive in the present, or they may be verbal accounts from the past, about the past, that still exist in the present. The trouble with verbal accounts, though, is that they are human creations. Such accounts may come to us in written form, but they most likely existed orally at some point in their life. One hopes that they contain memory, but what has been forgotten and omitted? 1The Go-Between (1953), prologue.

Journal of Jewish Studies, 2001

In a methodological discussion of this issue, the contributors cover a range of topics, from anci... more In a methodological discussion of this issue, the contributors cover a range of topics, from ancient poltics to modern ideology. The entity known as 'the Exile' has had an extremely forceful influence in Old Testament scholarship, both as an event and as a symbol. But was there an 'Exile'? And if so, how did it fit into the pattern of population deportations that characterized the imperial strategies of the ancient Near East? In a major methodological discussion of this issue, the contributors to this symposium of the European Seminar in Historical Methodology cover a range of topics, from ancient politics to modern ideology. In probing the meaning and implication of 'Exile' they also reflect a spectrum of opinions and conclusions. As with Volume 1 of this series, the editor has provided an introduction and concluding reflections.

Times of Transition, 2021

The Journal of Hebrew Scriptures, 2019

This volume focuses on Henry Aubin's thesis in The Rescue of Jerusalem: The Alliance between ... more This volume focuses on Henry Aubin's thesis in The Rescue of Jerusalem: The Alliance between Hebrews and Africans in 701 BC (2002) that an army of Egypt's Kushite Dynasty (also known as the Twenty-fifth Dynasty) was influential in saving Jerusalem from capture by Assyrian forces. Eight scholars from a range of disciplines—biblical studies, Assyriology, Egyptology and Nubiology—assess the thesis and explore related ideas. Most of the evaluators tilt in varying degrees toward the plausibility of the book's thesis. The volume concludes with Mr. Aubin's response to each essay.

Near Eastern Archaeology, 2007

work both ways. On the basis of the chain of pure speculation we have before us, what Mesoamerica... more work both ways. On the basis of the chain of pure speculation we have before us, what Mesoamerican or classical archaeologist could possibly feel confident using the example of "state building" in tenth-century B.C.E. Israel to prove that the same process occurred in those very different archaeological contexts? This is even more apparent in the next stage of Faust's interpretive scenario in which he suggests that the flight of the rural Israelites to find shelter among their countrymen in a few highland towns gives rise to "the creation of a stronger leadership, which was probably followed by more sophisticated leadership and advanced administration" that was "likely to create an environment in which intellectual life flourishes" (Faust 2003a: 156). Where is the slightest archaeological evidence for this? The contention that cross-cultural parallels from nineteenth-century Africa or the Mongol Empire suggest that it could have happened is irrelevant to this discussion unless

The Oxford Handbook of the Writings of the Hebrew Bible, 2018

This chapter discusses the history of Judah and the Judeans in the early Persian period (from abo... more This chapter discusses the history of Judah and the Judeans in the early Persian period (from about 539 to about 398 bce), based not just on Ezra-Nehemiah but on a critical examination of a variety of biblical and extra-biblical sources. It covers the obscure figure of Sheshbazzar, the building of the second temple, the activities of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, the satrap Tattenai, the governorship of Nehemiah, and questions about the activities of the enigmatic figure of Ezra, in the satrapy of Transeuphrates under the rule of the Persian emperors from Cyrus to Artaxerxes II.