Kings

BIB 7350: Book of Kings

Bernard Revel Graduate School

Spring 2003: B. L. Eichler

Items in gray are optional

  Syllabus & Assignments

  I.   History and Historiography  

• Collingwood, R. G., “Historical Evidence,” The Idea of History, pp. 249-282 esp. “Who Killed John Doe,” pp. 266 ff.

• Berlin, I., “The Concept of Scientific History,” The Proper Study of Mankind: An Anthology of Essays, pp. 17-58.

• Halpern, B., The First Historians: The Hebrew Bible and History, pp. 3-13; 41-75 Eglon Narrative

• Brettler, M. Z., The Creation of History in Ancient Israel, 1-19; l35-144; 79-90.

• Yerushalmi, Y. H., Zakhor: Jewish History and Jewish Memory, pp. 5-26.

• Licht, J., “Biblical Historicism,” History, Historiography and Interpretation: Studies in Biblical and Cune Worm Literatures, (eds. H. Tadmor and M. Weinfeld), pp. 107-120.

II.  Sources for Mesopotamian History

• Pritchard, J. B., Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament (3rd ed), pp. 265-3 15; 556-567; 604-606.   
  OR
  Hallo, W. W., The Context of Scripture II: Monumental Inscriptions from the Biblical World (2000), pp. 243-3 14, esp. 261-3 14.

• Grayson, A. K., “Assyria and Babylonia,” Orientalia 49 (1980) 140-194.

• Grayson, A. K., Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles.

• Tadmor, H., “Propoganda, Literature, Historiography,” Assyria 1995 (S. Parpola & R. M. Whiting, eds.), pp. 325-338.

• Liverani: “Deeds of the Mesopotamian Kings”, CANE

• Hallo, W. W., “New Dimensions in Historiography,” dubsar anta-men (Willem Römer Festschrqi), pp. 109-122.  

Assignment One: 

I.  Peruse the text of the Book of Kings, noting the following information:  

1. outline the content and note the extent of coverage of particular sections of the book;

2. the different types of subject matter discussed in the book and possible sources of such data;

3. the various sources explicitly, mentioned in the book to which the reader’s attention is directed;

4. the length of reigns, the synchronization of the kings with each other and with foreign kings.  

III. Sources of the Book of Kings

• Montgomery, Kings (International Critical Commentary), pp. 24-44.

• Gray, I & II Kings (Old Testament Library), pp. 143.

• Bin-Nun, S. “Formulas from Royal Records of Israel and Judah,” Vetus Testamentum 18 (1968) 414-32.

• Cross, F. M., “The Themes of the Book of Kings and the Structure of Deuteronomistic History,” Canaanite Myth and Hebrew Epic, pp. 274-289.

• Avigad, “Hebrew Epigraphic Sources” WHJP Monarchy, Chapter 2

• McKenzie, S. L., “Deuteronomistic History,” Anchor Bible Dictionary, 2, pp. 160-167.

Assignment Two: 

1. On the basis of readings on chronology, present a comparative chart of the relative and absolute dates given for the kings of Judah. Explain reasons for the differences.

IV.  Chronology in the Book of Kings (Feb 17)

• Shulman, E., The Sequence of Events in the Old Testament, pp. 124-129; 140-146.

• Tadmor, H., “crwnwlwgyh,” Encyclopedia Miqra'it 4, pp. 252-304.

• De Vries, S. J. “Chronolgy of the OT,” Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible 1, pp. 584-599.

• Cogan M., “Chronology,” Anchor Bible Dictionary, pp.1005-1011.

• Hayes, J. and Hooker, P., A New Chronology for the Kings of Israel and Judah, pp. 68-98.

• Galil, G., The Chronology of the Kings of Israel and Judah, pp. 98-107. (Also, the introduction.) 

V.  Reign of Hezekiah (727-698 BCE)  

1. Prepare 

   • II K 18-20  

   • Makbilot biMikra  (Very Large Exe)

   • Tadmor, H., “Rab-saris and Rab-shakeh in 2 Kings 18,” The Word of the Lord Shall Go Forth: Essays in Honor of D. N Friedman, pp. 279-85.  

   • Cohen,  Ch., “Neo-Assyrian Elements in the First Speech of the Biblical Rab­Shaqeh,” Israel Oriental Studies) (1979) 32-48.  
     
     

2. Compare II Chr 29-32 and Isaiah 36-39 with the above text from Kings    
   
   

3. Read history of period in 

   • Bright, Hayes & Miller 
     or 

   • WFIJP; D. Redford, Egypt, Canaan, and Israel in Ancient Times, pp. 35 1-364.  
     

4. Extra-biblical textual sources:

   • Sennacherib’s Inscriptions: Third Campaign: D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria & Babylonia, sees. 23940, 309-12, 326-27, 347; ANET, pp. 287-88; Context of Scripture, pp. 302-304; 

   • D. Ussishkin, IEJ3O (1980) 174-95; 

   • Na’aman, BASOR 214 (1974) 25-39. [MacMillan Biblical Atlas, Nos. 152-54]. 

   • L. Levine, “Inscriptions of Sennacherib,” in History, Historiography, and Interpretation (eds. H. Tadmor and M. Weinfeld), 5 8-75.

   • Herodotus II 141

   • Merodach-Baladan: J. Brinkman, “Merodach-Baladan II,” Studies Presented to A. Leo Oppenheim, pp. 6-53 and “Sennacherib’s Babylonian Problem,” JCS 25 (1973) 89-95.

   • Death of Sennacherib: S. Parpola, “Murder of Sennacherib,” Death in Mesopotmia (Mesopotamia, 8)171-82.

   • 5. Siloam Tunnel Inscription (ANET, p. 321; Context of Scripture, p. 145;

   • J. Gibson ,Text book of Syrian Semitic Inscriptions I, No. 7; H. Dormer-  

   • W. Rollig, Kanaanaische und Aramaische Inschrj/ien, No. 189); Amiran, Jerusalem Revealed, pp. 75-78. H. Shanks, “Everything You Ever Knew About Jerusalem is Wrong (Well, Almost),” BAR 25 (1999) 20-29.   
     
     

5. Historical Studies

• L. Honor, The Sennacherib Invasion of Palestine.

• S. Childs, Isaiah and the Assyrian Crisis.

• J. Bright, A History of Israel (3rd ed), pp. 298-309 (with bibliography).

• N.Na’aman, “Sennacherib’s Campaign to Judah and the Date for the LMLK Stamps,” VT29 (1979) 61-86.

• M.Elat, “The Political Status of the Kingdom of Judah Within the

• Assyrian Empire in the 7th Century B.C.E,” Lachish V, pp. 6 1-70.

• D. Ussishkin, The Conquest of Lachish by Sennacherib, pp. 13-5 8.

• OR

• A. Rainey, “The Fate of Lachish During the Campaigns of Sennacherib and Nebuehadrezzar,” Lachish V, pp. 47-60.

• F. Yurco, “Sennacherib’s Third Campaign and the Coregency of Shabaka and Shebitku,” Serapis 6 (1980) 22 1-240.

• H. Tadmor, “m1chamt snchryb byhwdh,” Zion 50 (1985), 65-80.

• Galil, G., “ms• snhryb lm•rb: hystwryh vhystwrywgrpyh,” Zion 53 (1988), 1-12.

• Borowski, 0., “Hezekiah’s Reforms and the Revolt against Assyria,” BA 58 (1995) 148-155.

• J. Goldberg, “Two Assyrian Campaigns against Sennacherib and Later 8th Century Biblical Chronology,” Biblica 80 (1999) 360-390.

• W.Shea,”Jerusalem Under Siege: Did Sennacherib Attack Twice?”BAR 25 (1999) 36-45. Cogan, M., “Sennacherib’s Siege of Jerusalem,” BAR 27 (2001) 40-45, 69.

• Brinkman, Merodach Beladan II

• Oded, "Sippur Mishlachat Hababli liTzidkiyahu”, Shnaton 9

• Gallagher, W. R., Sennacherib ‘s Campaign to Judah .~ New Studies (Leiden: Brill, 1999).

• Vaughn, A. G., Theology, History, and Archaeology in the Chronicler’sAccount of Hezekiah (Atlanta, Ga.: Scholars Press, c1999).  

• [Ussishkin, David, "Ussishkin The Lachiesh Reliefs and the City of Lachish," IEJ, 30 (1980), pp. 174 - 195]

• [Tadmor and Cohen - Examining Year 14 Events of Hezekiah]

  VI. Reign of Manasseh (698-642 BCE) -  

1. Prepare II K 21:1-18    
   
   

2. Compare II Chr 33:1-20 with above text from Kings 
   
   

3. Read history of period in Bright, Hayes & Miller, or WHJPL D. Redford, Egypt & Canaan and Israel in Ancient Times, pp.430441.    
   
   

4. Extra-biblical sources:  
   

   • Esarhaddon’s Inscriptions (ANET, pp. 289’-284): especial1y p. 291(4) which commemorates building of Ekal palace (Iraq32 [1970] 68-85).

   • Ashurbanipal’s Inscriptions (ANET, pp. 294-301) especially (a, 1) i 24- 46, comparing list of kings with those in (4) above; (ii) third campaign; (b) with Eph’al, The Ancient Arabs, 143-169; and (c). [Spalinger, “Esarhaddon and Egypt,” Oriëntalia 43 (1974) 295- 326; “Assurbanipal and Egypt,” JAOS 94 (1974) 316-28.

   • Grayson, Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles, p. 811. 34-p. 87 1.43; p. 125 1.1-p. 128 1. 44; pp. 208-209, 217-219. Millard, “Another Babylonian Chronicle Text,” Iraq 26 (1964) 14-35.

   • Grayson, “Chronology of the Reign of Ashuranipal,”ZA 70 (1980) 227-45.

   • R. A. Macalister, The Excavations at Gezer (London, 1912) p. 25.

   • From Ashurbanipal’s inscriptions, note treatment of Necho of Egypt, and Ba’al of Tyre.

   • Pritchard, ANE Pictures, no. 447.
     
        

5. E. Archaeological Sources:

   • 1. D. Bahat, IEJ31 (1981) 235-36.

   • 2. N. Avigad, BAR June 1978; Biblical Archaeology Today, 435-78.    
     
     

6. F. Menasseh’s Apostacy

   • Cult in Ancient Israel: W. G. Dever, “Material Remains and the Cult in Ancient Israel,” The Word of the Lord Shall Go Forth (C. L.Meyers­ M. O’Connor, eds.), pp. 571-587; “Archaeology Reconstructs the Lost Background of the Israelite Cult,” Recent Archaeological Discoveries and Biblical Research, pp. 119-166.  

   • R. Hestrin, “The Cult Stand From Ta’anach and its Religious Background,” Studia Phoenicia V, pp. 61-77. 

   • A. Biran, “To the God who is in Dan,” Temples and High Places in Biblical Times (A. Biran, ed.) pp. 142-51.

   • Appraisal: M. Cogan, Imperialism and Religion, pp. 42-61; 65-96.    
     
     

7. Historical Studies

   • Tatum,  L. W., From Text to Tell: King Manasseh in the Biblical and Archaeological Record (1988).

   • Keulen, P. S. F. van, Manasseh Through the Eyes of the Deuteronomists: The Manasseh Account (2 Kings 21:1-1 8) and the Final Chapters of the Deuteronomistic History (Leiden ; New York: E.J. Brill, 1996.).    
     

VII. Reign of Amon (641-640 BCE)  

1. A. Prepare II K 21:19-26    
   
   

2. B. Compare above text with II Chr 33:21-25    
   
   

3. C. Read historical background  

   1. A. Malamat, “The Historical Background of the Assassination of Amon King of Judah,” IEJ3 (1953) 26-29.

   2. E. Nielsen, “Political Conditions and Cultural Developments in Israel and Judah During the Reign of Menasseh,” Proceedings of the Fourth WCJS, Papers (1967) 103-6   
      

4.  Define the terms:

   • 1. ‘abdey hammelekh:  

     • F.  V’attioni, Biblica 50 (1969) 3 57-88. 

   • 2. ‘am ha’arez’:

     • Nicholson, “The Meaning of the Expression ‘am ha’are’ in the Old Testament,” JSS 10 (1965) 59-66.

     • S. Talmon, “The Judaean ‘Am-ha’aretz’ in Historical Perspective,” Proceedings of the Fourth WC.JS (1967) 7 1-76. 

     • H. Tadmor, “‘The People’ and the Kingship in Israel,” JWFI 11(1968) 46-68. 

     • T.Ishida, “‘The People of the Land’ and the Political Crises in Judah,” AJBI 1(1975) 23-38. 

     • Gibson, Textbook of Syrian Semitic Inscriptions, vol. 3, 94-99.  
       

5. Assignment Three:

VIII.     Reign of Josiah (63 9-609 BCE)

1. Prepare II Kings 22:1-23:30    
   

2. Compare the above text with II Chr 34:1-35:27  
   

3. Compare above texts with Hezekiah’s Reform (II Kings 18:3,4 and II Chr 29 -31) and Manasseh’s apostasy (II Kings 2 1:3-7)    
   

4. Political, historical and geographical considerations:

   • N. Na’aman, “The Kingdom of Judah Under Josiah,” Tel-Aviv 18/1 (1991) 3-60 with major bibliography 60-71.

   • C. T. Begg, ““The Death of Josiah in Chronicles: Another View,” VT37 (1987) 1-8.

   • A. Malamat, ““The Twilight of Judah in the Egyptian-Babylonian Maelstrom,” VT Supplement 28 (1975) 123-145.

   • A. Malamat, “Josiah’s Bid for Armageddon,” Journal of the Ancient Near Eastern Society of Columbia University 5 (1973) 267-78.

   • B. Frost, “The Death of Josiah,” JBL 87 (1968) 369-382.

   • J. Naveh, “Excavations at Mead Hashevyahu,” Israel Exploration Journal 12 (1962) 89-113; 27-32.

   • F. M. Cross & D. N. Freedman, “Josiah’s Revolt against Assyria,” JNES 12 (1953) 56-58.

   • Chronicles 2, 3, 4, 5: K. Grayson, Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles, pp. 87-104.

   • D. Redford, Egypt, Canaan, and Israel in Ancient Times, pp.441-450.  

   • [Gray, J. I & II Kings (Old Testament Library), 3rd ed, (1979), pp 711-748]

  Bibliography

Biblical Historiography

Ishida, T., History and Historical Writing in Ancient Israel .~ Studies in Biblical Historiography (Leiden: Brill, 1999).

Amit, Y., History and Ideology: An Introduction to Historiography in the Hebrew Bible (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1999).

Kraus C. S., ed., The Limits of Historiography .~ Genre and Narrative in Ancient Historical Texts (Leiden: Brill, 1999).  

II.    Book of Kings

Migra’ot Gedolot (Rashi, Ralbag, Radaq).

Abarbanel, D. I., Perush ‘al Nevz7im Rishonim.

Malbim, Sefer Miqra ‘e Qodesh, vol. 3.

Kil, Y., Sefer Melakhim, Mosad ha-Ray Kook, 1989.

Cogan, M. and Tadmor, H., II Kings (Anchor Bible), 1988.

Robinson, J., The Second Book of Kings (Cambridge: Cambridge Univ Press, 1976).

Provan, I. W., 1 and 2 Kings ( Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1997).

Gray, J. I & II Kings (Old Testament Library), 3rd ed, 1979.  

Montgomery, J. A., The Book of Kings (ICC), 1951.

Bendavid, A. Maqbilot Bammiqra’.

Endres, J. C., Millar, W. R., Burns, J. B., eds., Chronicles and its Synoptic Parallels in Samuel, Kings, and Related Biblical Texts (Collegeville, Minn. : Liturgical Press, 1998).  

III.   Chronicles

Japhet, S., I & II Chronicles .~ A Commentary (Louisville, Ky. : Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993).

De Vries, S. J., 1-2 Chronicles (Grand Rapids, Mich. : W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1989). Kil, Y., Sefer Divre ha-Yamim (Yerushalayim: Mosad ha-Ray Kuk, 1986).

Graham, M. P., Hoglund, K. G., and McKenzie. S. L., The Chronicler as Historian (Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press, 1997).

Japhet, S., The Ideology of the Book of Chronicles and its Place in Biblical Thought [Emunot ve-de ‘ot le-sefer divre ha-yamimyu mekoman le-’ Olamuha-mahashavat ha-mukra’ it. English translation] (Frankfurt am Main:

New York: P. Lang, 1997).

Dyck, J. E., The Theocratic Ideology of the Chronicler (Leiden: Brill, 1998). Peltonen, K., History Debated .~ The Historical Reliability of Chronicles in Pre-critical and Critical Research (Helsinki : Finnish Exegetical Society. Göttingen : Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1996).

McKenzie, S. L., The Chronicler~ Use of the Deuteronomistic History (Atlanta, Ga.: Scholars Press, 1985).

Noth, M. The Chronicler’s History [Uberlieferungsgeschichtliche Studien. Ch. 14-25  translated by H.G.M. Williamson with an introduction], (Sheffield : JSOT Press, 1987).

Kalimi, I., Sefer Divre ha-yamim: bibliyografyah memuyenet (Yerushalayim, 1990).

IV.       General Historical and Geographical Background

Bright, J., A History of Israel (3rd ed, 1981), Chapter 8, pp. 310-39.

Hallo, W. W., and Simpson, W. K., The Ancient Near East: A History, pp. 138-149.

Hayes, J. H., and Miller, J. M., Israelite and Judean History, Chapter 8, pp. 435488 (435-441, 452476).

Malamat, A. The Age of the Monarchies: Political History (WHIP 4) Chapters 9 & lO,pp. 193- 221.

Coogan, M., The Oxford History of the Biblical World, Chapter 7, pp. 32 1-365.

Hallo, W. W., BiblicalArchaeologist 23 (1960) 34-61 (esp. pp. 59-61).

Malamat, A., “The Twilight of Judah in the Egyptian-Babylonian Maelstrom,” Vetus Testamentum Supplement 28 (1975) 123-145.

Kitchen, K. A., The Third Intermediate Period in Egypt (1100-650 B. C) 2nd ed. with supplement (Warminster : Aris & Phillips, 1986).

Redford, D. B., Egypt, Canaan, and Israel in Ancient Times (Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press, 1992).

Spalinger, A., “Esarhaddon and Egypt,” Orientalia 43 (1974) 295-326.

Spalinger, A., “Assurbanipal and Egypt,” Journal of the American Oriental Society 94 (1974) 3 16-328.

Spalinger, A. , “Egypt and Babylonia: A Survey (c.620 -550 BC),” Studien zur aegyptischen Kultur 5 (1977) 22144.

Aharoni, Y. and Avi-Yonah, M., The Macmillan Bible Atlas [Completely rev. 3rd ed. by Rainey, A.F. and Safrai Z.], (Toronto : Maxwell Macmillan Canada, 1993).

V. Chronology

Shulman, E., Seder ha-korot ba-Tanakh, pp. 124-129; 140-146; ;[translated by Lederhendler S., The Sequence of Events in the Old Testament, 1987].

Tadmor, H.,”Chronology of the First Temple Period,” WHJP 4, pp. 44-60.

De Vries, S. J. “Chronology of the OT,” Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible 1, pp. 584-599.

Cogan M., “Chronology,” Anchor Bible Dictionary 1, pp.1005-lOll. Tadmor, H., “crwnwlwgyh,” Encyclopedia Miqra ‘it 4, pp. 252-304;

Hayes, J. and Hooker, P., A New Chronology for the Kings of Israel and Judah, pp. 68-98.

Barnes, W. H., Studies in the Chronology of the Divided Monarchy of Israeh (HSM 48), pp. 137-58.

Thiele, E., Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings (3rd ed, 1983). Gaul, G., The Chronology of the Kings of Israel and Judah (1996).

Yeshiva University BRGS, Spring 2003, Dr. Barry Eichler