It is commonly accepted in various disciplines and contexts that history writing often (if not always!) contribute to the process of identity (re)formation. Using the past in order to find a renewed identity in new (socio-political and socio-religious) circumstances, is something that we also witness in Hebrew Bible historiographies. The so-called Deuteronomistic History, as well as the works of Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah, are often read from the perspective of a community trying to find a new identity in changed circumstances.
In the Historical Books section at the 2008 Auckland SBL International Meeting, this perspective was investigated further. The papers presented included theoretical reflections on the relationship between historiography and identity (re)formation, as well as illustrations from Hebrew Bible historiographies (of the Exilic and Second Temple periods). These papers, together with a few responses to the papers, are offered here to a wider scholarly audience.
Contributors include Jon Berquist, Mark Brett, Louis Jonker, Mark Leuchter, Christine Mitchell, Klaas Spronk, Gerrie Snyman, Ray Person, Armin Siedlecki, and Jacob Wright.
List of Contributors vii
List of Abbreviations viii
Introduction xi
Part I Deliberations
Identities and Empire: Historiographic Questions for the Deuteronomistic History in the Persian Period Jon L. Berquist 3
The Book of Judges as a Late Construct Klaas Spronk 15
National Identity as Commentary and as Metacommentary Mark G. Brett 29
Coming to Terms with Ezra's Many Identities in Ezra-Nehemiah Mark Leuchter 41
David's Officials According to the Chronicler (1 Chronicles 23-27): A Reflection of Second Temple Self-Categorization? Louis C. Jonker 65
Otherness and Historiography in Chronicles Christine Mitchell 93
Part II Responses
"Identity (Re)formation as the Historical Circumstances Required" Raymond F. Person 113
"Persian Period Studies Have Come of Age" Armin Siedlecki 123
Identity, Powder, and the World of Ancient (Biblical) Text Production Gerrie Snyman 133
"Continuing These Conversations" Jacob L. Wright 149
Index of Biblical References 169
Index of Authors 172
Overview
It is commonly accepted in various disciplines and contexts that history writing often (if not always!) contribute to the process of identity (re)formation. Using the past in order to find a renewed identity in new (socio-political and socio-religious) circumstances, is something that we also witness in Hebrew Bible historiographies. The so-called Deuteronomistic History, as well as the works of Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah, are often read from the perspective of a community ...