Old Testament Exegesis
Old Testament Exegesis
SOCIETY OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE Resources for Biblical Biblical Study
Edited
by
Marvin A. Sweeney
N u m b e r 3 9
O L D T E S T A M E N T E X E G E S I S A Guide to the Methodolog Metho dology y
by Odil Hannes Odil Hannes Steck translated by James D. Nogalski
OLD TESTAMENT EXEGESIS A Guide to the Methodology
by Odil Hannes Steck
translated by Ja James D. Nogalski
S C H O L A R S P R E S S Adanta, Georgia
OLD TESTAMENT EXEGESIS A Guide to the Methodology Second Edition
Copyright © 1998 by the Society of Biblical Literature All right s reserved. No part of this work may bo reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and reco rding, or by means of any Information storage or retrieval System, except as may be expressly permitted by the 1976 Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher. Requests for pe rmis si on should be addressed i n writing to the Rights and Permissions Office, Scholars Press, P.O. Box 15399, At la nt a, GA 30333-0399, USA.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Steck, Odil Hannes. [Exegesis des Alten Testaments. English] Old Testament exegesis : a guide to the methodology / by Odil Hannes Steck ; translated by James D. Nogalski. — 2nd ed. p. cm. — (Resources for biblical study ; ao. 39) Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 0-7885-0465-7 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Bible. O.T.—Oiticism, Interpretation, etc.—Methodology. I . Title. I I . Series. BS1174.2.B3713 1998 221.6Ό 1—dc21 98-2095S
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper
1 he growing precision of cur understanding should enhance, and not diminish our sense of wonder. Alfred Brendel, pianist
Contents
ί Prefaie ta the English Edition Preface Eoravord to the 12th Edition Translators Preface
PART O N E : I N T R O D U C T T O N
xiii xv xix xxiii
1
§1 Foundation and Overview A. The Task of Old Testament Exegesis 13. Imagination and Methodological Direcfion during Exegetical Work I . The Value and Limits of Methodological Dir ect ion I I . The Employment of Fantasy and Imagination Π Ι. Results C. Overview of die Methods of Old Testament Exegesis .1. The Stock of Methods TL Gr oupi ng the Methods I I I . lnterdcpendenee of the Methods TVT Characterizing the Individua! Methods V Coneerning the Question of the Expansion of the Stock of Methods
3 3 5 5 6 14 14 14 15 17 18
§2 General Bibliograph) for Exegetical Work
24
PART TVYO: T H E M E T H O D S
37
§3 Text Criticism A. The Task
39 39
7
20
víii
Contents Β . Commentary on the Approach and the Meth od I . Relationship to Literary Criticism Π . The Procedural Steps ĪIĪ. Prineiples for the Text Critieal Decision ĪVT Summary of the Text Crnica) Procedure C. Results Ü. Lit erature
§4 Literary Criticism A. The Task I . The Overarching Question o f the Development of an Oki 'lèstamcnt 'le st I L Determining the Task of Literary Criticism I I I . Terminolog)— B. Commentary on the Approach and Me th od I . The Question of a Text's Li te rary Tnregrity I I . Methodological Prineiples for the Question of a Text's Literary lntcgrity I I I . The Question of Larger Li te ra ry Contexts I V Summary of the Literary Critical Procedure C. Results D. Literat ure §5 The Transmission 1 lístorical Approach A. The Task I . Dete rminati on I I . Terminolog) B. Comment ary on the Approach and the Meth od I . Rclationsliip to Lit era ry Criticism I I . Transmission TIistoric.il Processes ΙΠ . Methodological Questions for the Analytieal Process I V The Synthetic Process V Applications for the Transmission His torical Approach V I . Summary of the Procedure of Transmission Hist ory C. Results I . Jnsigln into the Origin and Changes of a Transmission Unit within Oral Tradition I I . Transmission I listory as AcruaJizing Procedure I I I . Transmission History as the History of the Religion and Faith of fsrael TV Access to Hist oric al and Religio-Historical Data D. Lit erature
40 40 41 42 44 44 45 47 47 47 51 53 53 53 54 57 58 59 60 63 63 63 64 65 65 66 68 69 69 70 71 71 71 71 72 72
Contents
ix
§6 Redaction Historical Approach A. The Task B. Commentary on the Approach and .Method I . Relationship to Literary Criticism I I . Redaction Historical Processen I I I . Summary of the Redaction Historical Procedure C. Results I . Insight into the Changes of a Text in Written Tradition I I . Redaction History as Actualizing Procedure I I I . Redaction Hi st or y as the Hist or y of Israel's Faith D. Literat ure
75 79 80 80 81 89 92 92 92 92 92
§7 Form Critical Approach A. The Task I . The Overarching Question of the Presuppositions of a Text or Its Stages I I . Starting Point I I I . Determination TV. Terminolog}' Β . Commentary on the Approach and Method I . Constituent Questions I I . Concerning the Question of the Linguistic Shape Summary of the Procedural Steps I I I . Det erm ini ng the Gerne I V The Question of the Genre llistory Summary of the Steps V Regarding the Question o f the Life Setting Summary of the Steps V I . Area of Usage C. Results I . Result of the Question of ihe Linguistic Shaping and the Determination of Genre I I . Results of the Question of the Genre Hi st or y I I I . Results of the Question of the Life Setting D. Literatu re
95 95
§8 Tradition Historical Approach A. Th e Task I . Starting Point I I . Determin ation I I I . Terminolog)'
95 96 100 101 102 102 103 105 106 109 109 110 114 11 5 115 115 116 116 117 121 121 121 123 124
χ Β . Commentar y on the Approach and Meth od I . Differentiation from the Transmission Histor ical Approach I I . Areas of Trad iti on Historical Inquir y I I I . Recognizing Ftxed Contents IV. The Concept Hi st or y Approach V. The Tradition Historical Approach as Historical Process V I . The Tradition Historical Approach and the History of Motifs V I I . Steps of the Tradition Historical lnvestigation of a Text C. Results I . Compr ehending the Text's Profile Π . Tnsight into Connections D. Literatur e
125 125 125 128 129 133 134 135 140 140 140 141
§9 Det ermini ng the Histori cal Setting A. The Task " B. Commentary on the Approach and Method I . Daring a Text I I . The Contemporary History and Social Environment of a 'lèxt I I I . Identifying the Externa! Reaüties Mentioned in the Text TV Det ermini ng Autho r and Addressee V Concerning Materialistic Histor ical Interpretation of Old Testament Texts V I . Overview of the Approach to the I listorical Setting C. Results D. Literatu re
147 148 149 149
PART T I TREF: PURP OSE
151
§10 Interpretation as Determinati on of the Text's Historical Meani ng A. The Task B. Relationship to the Methodological Approaches C. Commentary on the Exem ti on I . Int erp reting die Text in Its Ow n Formative Arena I I . Interpreting the Text in Its Old Testament Development D. Considering the Text's Historical Meaning in Light of the Present E. Suggestion for Proceeding with the Acquisitum and Presentetion Ε Translation of the Text G. Literatu re
153 153 156 158 158 163
143 143 143 143 144 145 146
166 167 168 169
Contents
xí
PART FOUR: I L L U S T R A T I O N
171
§11 The Exegetical Process Using Gen 28; 10-22 as Example A. First Provisional Translation of the ll ebrew Text B. Observations I . Concept of the Text as Component of Today's World I I . Concept of the Text as a Component of Its Historical World C. Methodologically Directed Procedurcs I . Text Criticism I I . The Question of die Text's Development I I I . The Question of the Presuppositions of the Stages of Gen 28:10-22 D. Inte rpreting the Historically Deteraiined Meani ng of Gen 28:10-22 in Its Various Stages of Gr ow th I . The Individua! Transmission Stages I I . The Old Testament Development TIT. Considering the Text's Movement of Meaning in Light of Ou r Presem Time
173 173 174 174 175 182 183 183
Appendix: Literat/m Ulustrating the Exegetical Treatment of a Text
193 199 199 201 201
202
Preface to
the English Edition
This guide to the methodology of Old Testament exegesis has been used i n the German speaking w o r l d for 25 years. I n 1989 (for the 12th edi ti on) , i t was thoroughly revised and expanded. The 13th edition from 1993 is no w pr esented in English translation. This book is not an introduetion to self-study, b nt presumes an academic setting (advanced seminar, etc.) in which the prinei ples of this methodology can be ilhistrated to the student. Examples illustrating the vari ous poi nt s o f the met ho do lo gy ean he fou nd i n the footn otes o f this workbook. Changes have been undertaken for the benefit of English readers regarding the bibliographic references in the Ge rm an e dit ion . Wh e r e translations of German works exist in English, these are me nt io ne d (even i f they are no t translations of the most recent edition of that w o r k ) . I n addi tion , mor e recent publieations treati ng eertain subjeets have been added to the English version of this guide. VVith the aid of scientific exegesis, this manual shows one how to ap proach the historical meani ng of Ol d Testament texts dur in g the peri od of thei r produetive f or ma t i on. T h i s meani ng is the original meaning of an Old Testa ment text w i t h i n the transmission realm of the Old Testament. This mean i n g must be proeessed because i t is the foundationa l mea nin g. T h i s mean i n g is cons tit uti ve io r the to rm ul at io n and the cont ext o f an O l d Testament text. For this reason, this workbook places particular emphasis upon two as peets: (1) Histo rica l exegesis must proceed from the existing text and the final context rather than from diachronic hypotheses. (2) Th e c omp le xi ly of the O l d Testament, in its existing f o r m , however, forces one to diachronic exegesis. I t does so because the o r i g i n o f the for mu la ti on (!) can on ly be unde rst ood as arising in a particular time in Aneient Israel. The procedures of §6 and §10
xiv
Preface to the English Edition
demonstrate that exegetically historical work must ultimately arrive at the
shape of the text and the context as it exists in the Old Testament.
The subject of this guide is not the applieation of Old Testament texts or alternative, methods for understanding the Old Testament. T h e s e alternative methods include reader response criticism, deconstruction, feininist, materialist, and psychological approaches (seeJ.Ch. E x u m and D.J.A. Clin es, eds. T h e N e w L i t e r a r y Criticism and the Hebrew Bible, J S O T . S 143, Sheffield, 1993; and below, p. - ) . This guide concentrates on his tor ic al exegetical meth ods. I wish to thank die translator, Prof. Dr. James Nogalski, and ali those who have helpe d h i m for th ei r concert ed efforts in ma Mn g this guid e accessible to the English speaking w o r l d . Special mention should be made for the help of Prof. Drs. Pamela J. Scalise and M a r k Ε . Seifrid, as well as Ruth Funk, Peter Schwagmeier, and Konrad Schmid, who compared drafts of this manuscript w i t h the Ger ma n. Fina lly, the O l d Testament Col lo qu iu m of Th e Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Prof. Dr. Steven Tuell read the English translation and offered helpfu] correetions and insights at kcy juncturcs. I n addition, I wish to thank the .Society of Biblical L i t e r a t u r e , Scholars Press, and Neukirchener Verlag for helping to make this translation possible. Finally, 1 wish to me nt io n Prof. D r. M a r v i n Sweeney for his careful reading as editor of the series Reources for Biblical Study. Z ü r i c h , May 1995 Odil Hannes Steck
Preface
Dcar Reader, You should work w i t h this book. Perhaps you have already t hu mb cd througl) it , and glanced th ro ug h port ions . The first I m p r e s s i o n was probably: it's all so complicated, so difficult. D o n ' t worry. T l i i s book w i l l not confuse \ ou, but w i l l help to clarify your thoughts. I can picture the Situation. A short text lies before you froni the Old Test ament —in Hebre w. You must exegete it . You desire to compr ehen d this text, but how should you proceed? In the grasp of this text, do we say what we want to hear, or does it teil us what we should hear? One must ask the ques t i o n self-criticaUy, because an a n d e r n te xt canno t defend its elf. Tt has l o n g outlived its author w ho could prot ect it . I t needs yo ur help . T h i s book can accompany you as you become an attorney, mediator, and defender of the text, i n order that it can speak it? message, and come to life for us. What is necessary for tliis task? Understanding the words presumes knowledge. This is certainly the case among l i v i n g people, but even more so for an a n d e r n text. This book would like to showyou how one acquires such knowledge. The historical t o o l , developed over generations, w i l l be delivered to you as precisely and exactly as we use it today. Its service to you, and to die text, is to find the knowledge neces sary for under sta ndin g, by means of the clarification o f ver y simp le questions. Your text has been variousl y tra nsmi tte d in the ancient manuscripts. H o w did it read orig inal lv? §3 o f this book w i l l help you w i t h this question. Copyrights did not yet exist in antiquity. Even in a short text, Statements from var iou s ti mes can stand next t o one another. That is no deficiency. It is the richness of an ancient text. To take die text seriously means to distinguish the Statements in the text, to separate that which was once separated, and also to listen separately t o each of the voices in the text f r o m various times as portions o f vari ou s l it erary w orks o f the O l d Testament t o which they once belonge d. But one may not forget die r et ur n trip, tfie trip f r o m the Separation r
xvi
Preface
back agai n to the unity, t o the harmony o f the voices i n the text as i t Stands befo re us. T h a t is the pa th by wh i c h G o d has been manifested in the course o f the text's development. § § 4 - 6 w i l l teach you how to distinguish various b i b l i cal witnesses in your text; to hear them separately; and then to hear them again together. But no w on to the goal o f under sta nding , wha t is i t that these voices want to sav? W h o c v e r speaks prudent ly, formulate s precisely. Ther efo re, understa nd i n g primarily means to listen to the language; to pereeive how something is said—and how it is not said. I f yo ur text is fo rm cd ac cor di ng to a co mm on pattern, then i t prov ide s insight in to what it wants to say, like b i r t h announcements and menus in our time. §7 seeks to prepare the way tor the question of the linguistic shape of your text. A te xt intends muc h mor e than just wha t is there. W h e n con te mpo raries wilh the same level of kno wle dge inter change ling uist ica lly, they can also understand one anodicr through allusions, associations, and conno tat ions . We are not contemporaries w i t h ancient Israel. We must inquire into those things connected w i t h a text which are left unspoken. §8 formulates the ques t i o n of the text's intellectual connotations. §9 treats the question of the ex pr es se d, historicalh concrete associations from the time of form ula tio n, i ncluding the date, author, and the addressee of your text. These are simple, necessary questions. They help partially clarify how one can experience what the text has to sav, and how it lived during the time when it was formulated and transmitted in Ancient Israel. The goal and culmination o f ali exegesis is to determine and to trače the contents of the text's Statements in order to become its attorney, as far as diose of us from a lat er ti me are able to do. §10 w i l l make i t easier for you to reach this goal. T h e questions are simple, even though the path to elucidation in this book is not quite as simple hecausc of the great antiquity of the texts, the manncr of thcir transmission, and the foreign, unfamiliar w o r l d which one encounters dierein. T h i s difficulty is also related to die current status of die tool which we mu st lay before you i n all its refi nement and preci sio n. An yo ne sta nding at the be gi nni ng o f one's study does not master it in the initial encounter. However, when using this book, one can concentrate on that which is most important in every section. Teaching sessions, particularly introductory exegesis courses, w i l l help you concentrate on that which is most important. They w i l l also help you to gro w w i t h this book. It is so written that even at the end of one's study (in exams, master's work, or even doctoral w o r k ) , it can still servc as an orientation and as Stimulation in the methodological questions o f O l d Testament exegesis. Last but not least, please remember that this book has all types o f O l d Testament texts in view, but not every text asks all of the questions explicated in this book. Even the print type of this workbook w i l l meetyou half-way, in order that yo u can find you r way th rou gh the whole thi ng . As vo n w i l l see, one must difr
Preface
xvii
ferentiate between the larger (serif) and the smaller (sans serif) print. As you know, even the "small print" is imp ort ant , but i n our case secondary, namely to be used for clos er scrutiny, for exphcation and differentiation. T h e shaded sidebars are a second help. They einphasige in print the concrete procedural directions for the individual methods. I n exegetical w o r k with tliis book I wish yo u joy, courage, con cen tra tio n, and th ro ug h i t all, the discover y o f how rieh a biblical text is, and how rieh i t can still make us.
Foreword to the i2th Edition
Λ decade lies between the 8di edition o f this book , which H e r m a n n Barth and I undertook, and the currently revised 12th edition. A revision has thus become necessary i n l i g h t o f the li te rat ur e references alone. A t the same time one mu st consider nu mer ous changes i n the specific dev elo pme nt o f the discussion, at least briefly and selectively. Gr eat er eng age men t and expan sions have been un dert aken in § 1 , i n ord er to facilitate cntry an d orientation, and in §6 , i n order to properly convey the blo sso min g o f the redaction-historical questions in recent years. Kurther, there is an introduction to the inter-r elated methodological steps o f § § 4 - 6 an d § § 7 - 9 respeetively. Finally, the formulation of conerete procedural direetions for the individual methods should faciJitate the practical utilization of the workbook. A number of places have be en shortened i n order to kee p the siže and cost of a student book manageable. Above al i, extensive dialogue w i d i other methodological positions has been reduced. It is sufficient i f our position f r o m the 8th edition is documented. T h e overall strueture and, to a large extent, even the t o r m u l a t i o n ot the workbook, have not been ehanged for the 12th edition. Feedback f r o m assistants and students indicates these elements have proven effective i n practical terms to those who use the book. Reesons o f continuity in the essential outlook enable this, and reasons o f cost re qui re it . Dr. H e r m a n n Barth asked me to undertake and to be responsible for the revision by myself. For some time, he has not been involved in academic education, but in the pastorate. He is now employed by the Evangelical Church of Germany in Hanover. W i t h a heavy heart ΐnow follow his request to take his name off of the title page of the workbook. I n c o n t i n u i n g thankfulness an d afíìliation 1 emphas ize the extensive c o n t r i b u t i o n which he provided i n
XX
Foreword to the 12th Edition
the preparation and f o r m a ü o n of this book during an extraordinarily fruitful and pleasant coll abora tion . H i s co nt ri bu ti on remains preserved directJy or i n directly even in this new edition. T h e purpose of this workbook remains unehanged. In this regard, what we said in the foreword of the 8th edition can only be repeated. The wor kb oo k, "now as before, proceeds from the supposition that the goal of the discipline o f O l d Testament studies not only ineludes the acquisition of certain factual knowledge, but also ineludes the adoption of exegetical m e t h o d s for deter m i n i n g the original meaning of Old Testament transmissions. Only thus can one achieve discemment w i t h the results o f research and I n s t r u c t i o n in proce dure which transcends nierc recep tion . Therefore, as b e t ö r e , the workbook is conceived primarilv for use by teacher an d student as a S y n o p s i s of the individual methods: their dennition, their procedural steps, and their significanec for the total historical under standing of an Old Testament text. This is done without detriment to die book s claim ot c on t r i b u t i n g to the preselit discussion o f met hod i n O l d Testa m e n t research. W i t h this decision about the purpose, the book docs not wish to be, indeed cannot be, an introduetion to sclf-study. Rather, it is designed for use in academic I n s t r u c t i o n . It is related to, indeed dependent upon, the pr oc es se s of the demonstration and utilization of the methods w h i c h take pl ace there. It would like to provide a w r i t t e n basis for this position. For the mo men t, i f we disregard the wor kbo ok' s approach and the adop t i o n o f its perspectives concerning the purpose o f O l d Testament research, the following reasons present themselves for using the book during one's coursc o f study and oceu pati onal practice: 1.
2.
3.
As a wor kbo ok , its pr im ar y fune tio n lies in classroom sessions and the pr ocesses of exegetical education. Specifically, it is used to aecompany die S t u d e n t in several areas: b e g i n n i n g exegesis courses and papers; d e m o n strating and practicing a transparent process i n exegetical lec tures and Seminars; advanced seminar papers and exegesis papers in the discipline of O l d Testament. As fo r the purpose, we envision that using this book during one 's edu cation w i l l aid the user in acquiring basic exegetical capabilities. Among diese capabilities, we inelude die m ä s t e n " of die approaches and the padis toward Solutions which are essential for exegetically determining mean ing. Relatedly, the capabilities inelude the competency to detennine whi ch results the specific methodological approach to the problem produces when determining exegetical meaning. Learning and practicing these capabilities aids discemment when prepari ng Ol d Testament texts exe getically and when sifting th ro ug h commen tarie s, etc. I n the exegetical practi ce o f pastors and teachers o f religion, it is impor tant that onc master th e basic capabilities acquired in one 's study. This
Foreword to the 12th Edition
xxi
mastery protects one from un di sc er ni ng surr ender to available second ary literature, and aids one in the critical use of this literature. It also enables one to pursue exegetical questions reasonably as they ariše i n p r a c ü c e . Be cause of the preparation time available, the workbook itself no longer serves, i n its enti ret v, as a gui de in man y theolo gica l vocations. Th er ef or e, the basic capabilities acquired w i t h its help during one's stu dy become even mor e i mp or ta nt . Nat ur all y, one can freely consult the wor kb oo k for Information and as a reminder, even in one's practice." M y heartfelt thanks go to the Z ü r i c h assistants, Dr. R.G. Kratz and E. Bosshard, who bave allowed mc to learn from th ei r tea chi ng experiences w i t h the wor kb ook , and who have aided me w i t h advice and deed in the re vision. Hea rtf elt thanks also go to Dr . H . Bar th, wh o prov id ed me w i t h critical insight s for the r evis ion , and to Brigitta Rotach, who helped me w i t h the editorial work, and who, together w i t h students N ico le Char mil lot and M a r t i n Riwar, very conscientiously helped ine correet the galleys. I am no less grateful to M r s . R . Ftuik for all her care i n t y p i n g the manuscript, and to Ne/t kirehener Vertagter their deten nined effort to produec a elcar and econotnical
teaching book for students. 1 hope this book, even in its revised f o r m , aids the understanding and the
awe o f the O l d testament.
1
Z ü r i c h , November 1988 Odil Hannes Steck
The mono of the book is taken from A. Brendel. Musical Tbtmgbts miti Afttrtbmghts (Princeton Univcrsity Press. 1976), 37. i
