Table of Contents

Preface xi

Abbreviations xiii

Introduction 1

Part 1 Marks, Messages, and Measures of Authenticity in the Hebrew Prophets

1 To Be a Prophet... 7

The Divine Call 9

The Divine Word 17

The Divine Vision 20

Mighty Works 24

The Divine Spirit 25

Prayer 29

2 The Prophetic Message-What Is It? 32

Foretelling and Forthtelling 32

Corrective Speech 33

Covenant Disobedience 33

Social Injustice 34

Censure of Other Nations 35

Authentic Messages 35

Messages of the Prophets 37

Early Messengers of Yahweh 37

Samuel: Prophet of Obedience 39

Nathan: Prophet of the Covenants 39

Gad: Prophet to David about the Census 40

Elijah: Prophet of Yahweh Alone 40

Elisha: Prophet against Moab and Syria 41

Amos: Prophet of Justice and Righteousness 42

Second Moses: Prophet of the Song 47

Hosea: Prophet of Divine Compassion 48

Micah: Prophet against Urban Oppression 57

Isaiah: Prophet of Holiness and the Holy One 62

Zephaniah: Prophet of the Day of Yahweh 79

Habakkuk: Prophet at the Watchtower 81

Huldah: Prophetess of the Temple Scroll 83

Joel: Prophet of the Outpouring Spirit 83

Nahum: Prophet against Assyria 87

Feremiah: Prophet of the New Covenant 88

Obadiah: Prophet against Edom 100

Ezekiel: Prophet of Yahweh's Glory 102

Second Isaiah: Prophet of the Incomparability of Yahweh 106

Jonah: The Reluctant Prophet 121

Haggai: Prophet for Rebuilding the Temple 124

Zechariah: Prophet of the Branch 127

Second Zechariah: Prophet of Yahweh's Coming King 131

Malachi: Prophet of Yahweh's Messenger 134

3 Measures of Authenticity 138

The Locus of Authenticity 138

The Inspirational Event 138

The Prophetic Act 140

The Dynamic Message 142

The Believing Community 143

Tests for Authenticity 144

Visions and Signs 144

The Way of Yahweh 145

Fulfillment of Yahweh's Word 148

Prophetic Integrity 152

Moral Behavior 153

Part 2 Poetry, Prose, Rhetoric, and Symbolism in the Herbrew Prophets

4 Prophetic Discourse in Poetry and Prose 159

Hebrew Poetry 159

Poetry in the Hebrew Prophets 160

Prophetic Oracles in Prose 161

5 Rhetorical Discourse in the Prophets 165

Rhetoric in the Ancient Near East 165

Hebrew Rhetoric 166

Prophetic Rhetoric 167

Repetition 168

Accumulation 179

Tropes 181

Comparison 188

Contrast 188

Argument 189

Humor and Irony 196

Drama 202

6 Prophetic Signs, Wonders, and Symbolic Behavior 208

Signs and Wonders 208

Symbolic Acts 209

Ahijah the Shilonite 209

Alijah and Elisha 210

Amos 211

Isaiah 212

Jeremiah 213

Ezekiel 215

The Prophet as Symbol 217

Conclusion 219

Notes 223

Bibliography 231

Index of Passages 236

Index of Subjects 251