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Let There Be Lite - eBook [ePub]: Using Limericks to Introduce the Hebrew Bible
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Let There Be Lite - eBook [ePub]: Using Limericks to Introduce the Hebrew Bible
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Product Details
ISBN-13: | 9781426755163 |
---|---|
Publisher: | Abingdon Press |
Publication date: | 09/01/2012 |
Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
Format: | eBook |
File size: | 437 KB |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
Let There be Lite
Using Limericks to Introduce the Hebrew Bible
By Marvin L. Chaney
Abingdon Press
Copyright © 2015 Marvin L. ChaneyAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4267-5516-3
CHAPTER 1
PART I: PROLEGOMENA
Read Before Opening: "Preunderstandings" about the Bible
Moderns oft read the Bible in spurts.
This a complex mosaic converts
Into separate tiles.
Many biblical styles
Thus are severed from their just deserts.
In the Bible, there's much of cross-ref'rence.
We don't see it when our reading pref'rence
Is an atomized text—
One pearl after the next.
It's high time we gave large wholes some def'rence!
When a genre we know at firsthand,
There is much that we "preunderstand."
Foreign forms we adopt
We, in truth, oft co-opt.
Frame of ref'rence we thus countermand.
If a text is an answer of sorts,
Common sense to a query exhorts
With a homely suggestion:
"What on earth was the question?"
For the text with that question comports.
Could it be that to hear Bible's voice,
We, in truth, are not given a choice?
Must we others attend,
With strange cultures contend,
If we wish in God's Word to rejoice?
If we travel in some foreign land,
Things will often not go as we've planned.
Culture's diff'rent and strange;
Just for us it won't change—
Sights, smells, notions, and none of them bland!
Reading Bible is much like such trip.
There are things, passing strange, you can't skip!
They can shock and annoy,
Or inspire you with joy,
But your viewpoint they're sure to unzip!
A good tour book won't make you a local,
But it helps you not think like a yokel.
For all intros that's goal.
They strange cultures cajole
Their presumptions to speak out more vocal.
In the Bible, the hist'ry's systemic,
And the lit'rature there is polemic.
If you grasp those two truths,
It the way truly smoothes
For all else, and that's not academic.
In the Bible—I wish to inform—
Our conventions are not quite the norm.
There the king's head of all,
To hold others in thrall.
Peasant masses in poverty swarm.
In the Bible, there's no middle class.
When I look for myself there, alas!
If it's class I compare,
I find out I'm not there!
I've been swallowed by social crevasse.
The societies we call agrarian Cf. Bossen (1989).
Are male-dominant. "Girls are for marryin'."
Now the root of this scheme,
Anthropologists deem—
Plowin' doesn't mix well with child carryin'.
If such ag is intensified more,
Patriarchy comes much to the fore.
More decisions obtain
In the public domain.
In the household—no choice, work galore!
All agrarian kings are close knit
To religion. It makes them legit.
Monarchs have divine right.
It's quite out of their sight
Church and state from each other to split.
State religions all sanction the king.
These relationships benefits bring
To the foremost of priests,
Who are really artistes.
Crown support for their temples they swing.
King and priest each can scratch other's back.
While it sure gives our worldview a whack,
Long apologies royal
Are Old Testament foil
For a Godtalk whose genre we lack.
Royal apology's not all that bad.
As a genre for Godtalk it had
Quite intrinsic within it,
So opponents could spin it,
Royal duty for justices glad.
When king reigns with the mandate of heaven,
Royal apology serves as the leaven
To critique wicked rule,
For the P.R. does drool
Virtues royal, more than seven times seven.
The hobgoblin of many small minds,
Logic rarely Old Testament binds.
Royal apology's mood
Is much more to include
All the angles a savvy pol finds.
In agrarian world, most religion
That's official is royalty's pigeon.
Thus, a god who frees slaves
For this system makes waves.
Such a god differs more than a smidgen!
When their talk to redemption has turned,
Many moderns abstraction have learned.
Individual souls
In their "spiritu'l" roles
Are oft taken as all that's concerned.
When in Bible redemption is talked,
Through concrete world the language has walked.
Loss of land, due to debt,
And debt-slavery's net
Have God's people in life starkly stalked.
When a kinsman's both able and willing
To pays debts that entail outcomes chilling,
The "redeemed" underdog
Has profound analogue
For God's actions with grace over spilling.
Biblical Geography
The prevailing winds blow from the west
In the winter of moisture possessed.
When o'er mountains they rise,
It should cause no surprise
That cold rain is their vital bequest.
Once the top of the mountains is reached,
Most of moisture from clouds has been leeched.
Farther east, lower down,
Oft the grasses turn brown,
For the "rain shadow" can't be impeached.
Microclimates are par in this land.
Though it's just rule of thumb, a bit canned,
As you go north and west,
There's more rain to attest.
South and east come more desert and sand.
From a geopolitical view,
Israel's right in the midst of the stew.
The great powers, so brash,
On its turf often clash.
Woes aplenty attach thereunto!
Israel's actions were often reactive.
Pharaoh went on excursions extractive.
On the other side rose—
Bound their will to impose—
Powers, Mesopotamian, active.
Both were larger then Israel by far,
And if they once decided to spar,
In the buffer zone stood
Little Israel—not good!
Such did Israel and Judah oft mar.
Coastal highway was just what folks needed.
Up the plain they could move unimpeded.
Things were altered a smidge
By the old Carmel ridge.
As an obstacle, how it succeeded!
All its passes were winding and narrow.
Even largest force, led by a Pharaoh,
Single column must form.
Local forces could storm
Exposed flanks and extended line harrow.
Those who made it through safe to Esdraelon
In their goals, nonetheless, oft were failin.'
The walled fortress, Megiddo,
Could their plans still torpedo,
For it sat the best passes surveillin.'
Israel's balkanized, more than a little.
Cantons there can be most noncommittal
To the state or its king.
Local magnates oft cling
To most taxes, though crown seeks remittal.
If the central authority ebbs,
All the bit players make like celebs.
Every section and faction
Wants a piece of the action.
Former minions become Johnny Rebs.
Coalitions can change over night,
The once powerful forced to take flight.
The specifics oft roil,
All the actors embroil,
While the balkanized genus sits tight.
PART II: PENTATEUCH (TORAH) AND FORMER PROPHETS (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy)
(Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings)
Introduction to the Strands
(The limericks in this section and those immediately following articulate a more recent version of the so-called "Documentary Hypothesis." This perspective is currently under critique from a number of angles. No alternative, however, has achieved anything approaching a consensus. Since more recent hypotheses usually begin with a critique of the "Documentary Hypothesis," however, and since they all must treat the issues it raises, it is here presented without further comment. Most prose "introductions" published in recent years can alert the reader to the questions involved.)
If you look in the text, you will see
How the strands picture God diff'rently—
From mysterious smoke
To God much as a bloke—
Each its context just fits to a tee.
Oh, the Yahwist, when picturing God,
Isn't just theological clod.
His scenes anthropomorphic—
While not mysteries orphic—
Ground God's immanence right in the sod. Gen 2:7
Now the Elohist really tries hard
God's transcendence securely to guard.
Thus his dreams of the night
With his prophets unite
To keep God at a distant regard.
Deuteronomists loudly proclaim,
"To put limits on God is most lame.
But that place God will choose
You'd do well to peruse,
For that's where you can locate God's name!"
Though their ritual world strikes us as gory,
Priestly writers sure tell quite a story.
From creation to law,
They can tell cooked from raw.
Divine presence they pose as God's glory.
Abe thought Pharaoh could hardly resist 'er, Gen 12:10-20
So he passed Sarai off as his sister.
Yahweh Pharaoh's house plagued.
He said, "Truth you have vagued.
Now then, please take your wife. I've dismissed 'er."
In the next generation, the same— Gen 26:1-11
Isaac plays with his Becky this game.
Abimelech's the king.
This Philistine does sing,
"The excuse that you gave me was lame!"
Chapter 20 these scenes does commix, Gen 20
The names Sarah and Abe does affix.
But surprise it does spring—
Abimelech is king!
The excuses spoke here are prolix!
Yahweh rules the first two episodes. Gen 12:10-20; 26:1-11
Elohîm in the third fear forebodes. Gen 20
In that third set of strife,
Anxious pleas are just rife.
Stories three, but in two different modes.
In the J texts, it's Yahweh as buddy. Gen 12:10-20; 26:1-11
Everybody's complexion is ruddy.
Elohîm's at remove, Gen 20
Humankind to reprove.
It's small wonder our picture is muddy!
Who took Joseph to slavery in Egypt? Gen 37:3-36
That's a problem we're able to decrypt.
In E, Reuben sees fit
To put Joe in a pit.
Thence the Midianites Joseph conscript.
In the J form, it's Judah in charge. Gen 37:3-36
Here the Ishmaelites tend to loom large.
Judah sells Joe to them,
And plans Joe's requiem.
Other brothers remain on the marge.
In the J and the P texts it's Sinai,
Where old Moses to Yahweh says, "Aye-aye!"
But in E and in D,
Mo's at Horeb to see
God revealed in most sacred of loci.
Wish the Bible would make up its mind!
For in E, Bethel's God's house refined. Gen 28:10-22 (parts)
But to read DTR, 1 Kgs 12:26-13:34
Bethel's right on a par
With the worst place God ever could find!
In the Yahwist, it rains forty days— Gen 7:4, 12, 17;
Quite sufficient the ark high to raise! 8:6-12
In P's version severe,
The flood takes a whole year! Gen 7:11; 8:13f.
It's enough mathematicians to craze!
Into P's ark, beasts go two by two. Gen 6:19-22; 7:9;
They all need just the right food to chew. 8:17-19
In J's scheme of affairs,
Noah takes seven pairs Gen 7:2-5
Of the clean beasts. He'll slaughter a few. Gen 8:20-22
P's text needs no excess of the clean.
It's flood's missing a sacrifice scene. Gen 9:1-17
Of much blood it disposes,
But it saves that for Moses!
What are we from this diff'rence to glean?
In the eyes of the LORD he finds favor. Gen 6:8
That's a role that J's Noah can savor.
He shares that favored spot Gen 18:3; 19:19
With some more in J's plot Exod 33:12-17; 34:9;
Who from taint of the curse have a waiver. Num 11:11, 15
In stark contrast, P's Noah is "blameless." Gen 6:9
So should Abram be, too, and not aimless. Gen 17:1
In P's own Hebrew tongue,
It's tamîm that is sung.
Offerings all should be "perfect," though nameless.
Strand analysis oft meets objection:
"It subjects Bible's text to dissection.
After scholars palaver,
What remain's a cadaver—
Lifeless parts without vital connection!"
Those who analyze strands still today
See the matter a different way.
While the whole is composite,
Each new textual deposit
Recomposes the old for new day.
Thus the process of text's composition
Forward leans toward a lively fruition.
Since perspectives diverse
In its pages converse,
It invites each new reader's position.
Final text's a collage of collages,
Where the parts bring their own entourages.
But each place presupposed
Now is stark juxtaposed.
Conversation's the stuff of montages!
The Yahwist
(For many of the details enunciated here, see Coote and Ord [1989].)
Yes, J's tale is of blessing and curse.
Before Abe, generations grow worse.
But through Abe runs a strain
That will blessing attain.
It's God's plan, though the men be perverse.
When legitimate heir's long in doubt,
It permits Yahweh's promise to shout:
"Abram's seed shall have land—
It's what Yahweh's long planned—
And their numbers all limits shall flout!"
Now this promise is often repeated Gen 12:1-3; 13:14-17;
Right through risks that would see it deleted. 15:4-5; 18:17-19; 24:7;
It includes a great name, 27:27-29; 28:13-16; 30:27;
That a blessing can frame. Num 22:6; 24:9
It's a circle that must be completed.
J's quite nasty to Moab and Ammon. Gen 19:30-38
He their parentage deigns to examine.
Claims the daughters of Lot
Turned dad into a sot,
Then played games, and I don't mean backgammon!
If J's text is for David's new court,
It's not hard to construe this resort.
David's treatment was rough, 2 Sam 8:2; 10:1-11:1; 12:31
When he called cousins' bluff.
Blame the victim—it's victor's retort!
Balak summoned old Balaam to curse. Num 22-24
Yahweh's message was just the reverse.
"I chose Israel to bless.
Balaam can do no less.
My decision e'en king can't coerce."
It's important, and so bears repeating.
Balaam's clear from the start—he's not cheating.
Divination's not sold.
He must say what he's told.
There's no point to the king's loud entreating.
In the Yahwist, this mandate to bless
Is large part of the narrative's stress.
It now reaches new peak—
Israel's foes up the creek—
Is it function of David's success?
In J, Yahweh appears quite a muser, Gen 2:18; 3:22; 6:5-8;
Of the options a candid peruser. 8:21-22; 11:6-7; 18:20-21
Yahweh changes his mind
Good solutions to find.
He's a J, so he's also a chooser.
Yahwist narrator never does say
How to God's mind he's privy this way.
But his claim, although tacit,
Has an interesting facet—
His authority it does display.
In the Yahwist, the ground's 'adamah. Gen 2:7
From it Yahweh 'adam formed—huzza!
With relations, all ways,
Yahwist writer oft plays.
It's a pun, not linguistic faux pas!
When the Yahwist is our frame of ref'rence,
It reverses the usual pref'rence Cain, Esau, Reuben,
For the most senior son. Simeon, Levi.
Younger sons here outrun. Abel, Jacob, Judah.
(A device to show David some def'rence?) 1 Sam 16:1-13.
Isaac's name, "He (God) laughs," is no joke. Gen 18:9-15; 21:1-3 (parts);
It, for J, much importance bespoke. cf. 19:14;
For its meaning contextual 26:8-11; 39:14, 17.
Was in nuance quite sexual.
Sarah's "laughing" betrays divine stroke!
The Elohist
(For many of the details enunciated here, see Coote [1991]).
Thus the Elohist periodizes— Exod 3:9-15
Before Moses, the name that he prizes
For his God's Elohîm.
But for Mo, in his scheme,
Yahweh's name a new age authorizes.
Moses' time is quite marked by the law.
It's what stories before all foresaw.
Before crimes, contracts, torts,
There's a preface of sorts,
As narration toward Horeb does draw.
In E, Bethel is God's house revered. Gen 28:10-22 (parts)
It's where God can be culticly neared.
Bethel sure adumbrated
That pure Horeb awaited,
And far Horeb near Bethel endeared.
Jeroboam blessed shrines on his borders. 1 Kgs 12:28-30
It's not hard to explain new king's orders.
Folks became partisan,
Both at Bethel and Dan.
Of north's causes royal cults became warders.
When on pilgrimage peasants did plod,
And as worshippers drew near to God,
They identified much
With those shrines they could touch—
For those borders, a sure defense squad!
Fear of God is in E a motif, E.g., Gen 20:11; 22:12; 42:18;
In most stories a clear interleaf. Exod 1:17, 21; 3:6b; 18:21; 20:20
Awed respect for E's God
Also gives tacit nod
To usurper, who now reigns as chief.
When he into their hearts deeply peered,
Jeroboam, usurper, much feared
Other men, whom he ruled.
In his mold were they schooled?
This dark fear to his throne close adhered.
Jurisdiction unites all the threads,
Knits together E's various dreads.
Will son safely succeed?
Will new evil stampede?
Fear of chaos o'er all E's work spreads.
Jethro gave to old Mo this advice— Exod 18:13-26
For case small will one lesser suffice.
You can still judge what's big,
But give small courts a gig.
It will help disp'rate interests to splice.
It's an E text—it's loaded with hints.
Those inclined to see Jere's fingerprints
On the pages of E
Say it fits to a tee
Jerry's context, which from behind glints.
Local magnates Jere needed to reign.
Without them, his rule went down the drain.
Jurisdiction routine
Let them judge cases mean,
But they sanction from his court did gain.
In E, characters harshly are tested.
The heroic line oft appears bested.
But in just nick of time,
Plot can turn on a dime.
Thanks to God, good from evil is wrested.
"God is with us," says E, every chance.
Repetition the point will enhance.
"Though God's surely remote,
Please be careful to note,
Those obeying their fortunes advance."
Oh, the Elohist has this motif—
Sons in jeopardy need some relief.
There are Isaac and Moses,
Joe, who dreams when he dozes,
Jacob, too, to express one belief.
When in E to a better they speak, Gen 22:1, 7!, 11; 31:11;
Crucial characters surely make meek. Exod 3:4;
It's hinnénnî they cry,
"At your service am I!"
It is speech that of def'rence does reek.
Modern readers are often aghast Gen 22:1-19
That Abe's God claims a sacrifice vast.
Careful reading reveals
That the heartache Abe feels
Is what narrative art has made fast.
E's stark narrative does not present
Simple peek into God's full intent.
The scene's human conceit,
With a context concrete.
Other passages voice clear dissent. Deut 18:10; Lev 18:21; 20:2-5; Mic 6:7-8
In E, dreams are quite often vehicles
To get Joe in and out of his pickles.
E has lots about Joe,
Since he's northern big bro.
He's the leader—a dime among nickels!
Jeroboam from Joseph's tribe hailed. 1 Kgs 11:26-40
For him forced time in Egypt availed,
Just like ancestor Joe,
Good connections to grow.
When the time came, Jere had the job nailed!
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Let There be Lite by Marvin L. Chaney. Copyright © 2015 Marvin L. Chaney. Excerpted by permission of Abingdon Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Table of Contents
Contents
PREFACE,INTRODUCTION,
PART I: PROLEGOMENA,
Read Before Opening: "Preunderstandings" about the Bible,
Biblical Geography,
PART II: PENTATEUCH (TORAH) and FORMER PROPHETS,
Introduction to the Strands,
The Yahwist,
The Elohist,
The Priestly Writers,
The Josianic "Reform" and the Deuteronomistic History,
Exodus Traditions,
Old Testament Law,
Models for the Emergence of Biblical Israel,
Infiltration Model,
Conquest Model,
Peasant and Frontier Revolt Model,
Saul and David,
Solomon,
"Division" of the Kingdoms,
Omri and Ahab; Elijah and Elisha,
PART III: LATTER PROPHETS,
Agrarian Political Economy in Eighth-Century Israel and Judah,
Literary Forms and Devices in the Prophets,
Important Terms in the Prophets,
Amos,
Hosea,
Isaiah,
"First" Isaiah,
Micah,
Zephaniah,
Nahum,
Habakkuk,
Jeremiah,
Ezekiel,
Obadiah,
"Second" Isaiah,
Haggai,
Zechariah,
"Third" Isaiah,
Jonah,
Joel,
Malachi,
Reflections on Studying the Prophets,
PART IV: THE WRITINGS,
1 & 2 Chronicles,
Ezra and Nehemiah,
Psalms,
Proverbs,
Job,
Ecclesiastes,
Song of Songs,
Lamentations,
Ruth,
Esther,
Brief Retrospective on the Systemic History of the World of the Hebrew Bible,
Systemic History of the Hellenistic Period: With Emphasis on the Temple-State of Judea and Its Relations with Its Overlords,
Daniel,
Bibliography of Sources Cited,