RS 210 A  Old Testament                                                        Prof. Jeffrey Trumbower             

Fall Semester 2003

The goal of this course is to introduce the student to the critical study of the Hebrew Bible and the history of the nations that produced it, ancient Israel and Judah.  The Hebrew Bible, called by Christians the "Old Testament," and by Jews the "Tanakh," is not a single book, but is a library of texts mostly written in Hebrew, produced in ancient Israel and Judah from roughly 1000 BCE down to 150 BCE.  Different religious communities have slightly different lists of books which make up this library called the Hebrew Bible.  These books are our principal source, along with archaeological data, for understanding the history and religion of ancient Israel and Judah.  The Hebrew Bible is also a major foundation text for western civilization, since the religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all look to the Hebrew Bible as a source that reveals truths about the nature of God, human beings, history, and other religious questions.  None of these religions simply takes the Hebrew Bible by itself as authoritative, but all three interpret it by means of later authoritative traditions: the Mishnah and Talmud for Jews, the New Testament and church tradition for Christians, and the Qur'an and Hadith for Muslims.  In this class we will try to understand the most likely meanings of the Hebrew Bible texts in their original settings, as we explore the complex history of Israel and Judah that led to the production of these texts.  We will also be interested in the later interpretations. 

Required Books

The HarperCollins Study Bible: New Revised Standard Version

(HarperCollins, 1993).  You must have this version of the Bible, since we will make extensive use of the introductory articles, notes, and maps, as well as the translation itself.

Abbreviated: HCSB

Victor H. Matthews and Don C. Benjamin, Old Testament Parallels: Laws and Stories from the Ancient Near East (Paulist Press, 1997). You must have the revised and expanded edition.

Abbreviated: M/B

(Always bring these two books to class with you)

Course Requirements

I. Class participation, periodic pop-quizzes on the readings, other short assignments, and group presentation (cumulatively, 20% of the grade).  If a student misses a quiz for an unexcused reason, that quiz is recorded as a zero. .  If you are ill, you must let me know, since unexcused zeroes are the largest contributor to poor performance on this grade. Enthusiastic class participation will enhance this grade in the form of extra points added at the end.

II. One short paper on an assigned topic, due Sept. 26 (10%)

III. One group project (included in the class participation grade).  The class will be divided into 5 groups of roughly 6 students each.  Each group will be responsible for two class sessions in November.  On the first day, each group must devise a quiz for the rest of the class based on that day's readings and present some type of dramatic performance summarizing the biblical stories for that day.

IV. Oral presentation. (10% of the grade). On the day following the dramatic performance, each student will give a 7-8 min. oral presentation of his or her research into some aspect of the assigned story.

V. Research paper. (20% of the grade). Each student will also write a 6-7 page paper on a topic of interest related to the course material that reflects consultation of secondary sources with proper citations. These papers are due on December 8 .  In most cases, the topic for this paper will be the same as the topic for the oral presentation connected with the group project.  Each student must discuss the topic for this paper with me beforehand, and must turn in, along with the paper, research notes and copies of xeroxed materials used in the preparation of the paper.

V. One midterm exam, given on October 10 (20% of the grade). No provision will be made to take this exam on a different day except in the case of documented illness.

VI. Final Exam.  (20% of the grade). Given on Monday, December 15, 9:00-11:30 am   

Academic Integrity

Consistent with the policies of St. Michael's College, each student is to do his or her own work.  Of course, studying together for exams is encouraged, but anyone cheating on an exam will receive a zero on that exam.  Cheating includes (but is not limited to) giving or receiving answers on an exam, or using unauthorized notes during an exam.  Once an exam begins, no one will be allowed to leave the room except in dire emergency.  In any research paper, all ideas from, references to, and citations of others' works must by properly acknowledged in the paper.  Procedures for doing so will be discussed in class.  Plagiarism will result in a zero on the paper, meaning probable course failure. In the last several years, I have given zeroes on papers to four students who were guilty of various types of plagiarism.  As a result, each student failed the course and now has a notation of plagiarism on file in the Dean’s office.  DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!  Assignments are due at the BEGINNING OF CLASS on the due date.  Late assignments will be accepted for up to one week after the due date at a penalty of one full letter grade.

Grading Scale

A = 92-100;  A- = 90-91;  B+ = 88-89;  B = 82-87;  B- = 80-81;  C+ = 78-79;  C = 72-77;  C- = 70-71;  D+ = 68-69;  D = 60-67;  F = 59 or below.

Office Hours

My office is in St. Edmund's Hall, Room 246, phone 654-2373.  I will keep office hours MWF 10:30-12:00, and I am available at most other times.  See me before or after class to make an appointment. 

Course Schedule

M Sep 1 Introductory remarks. What is the Hebrew Bible? How have these texts been passed down from ancient times?

W Sep 3 Introduction continued. Readings: HCSB, pp. xvii-xl; study maps 1 & 2 in HCSB; M/B xi-xiv and pp. 137-140 (El Amarna Letters) and 91-93 (Annals of Merneptah).

F Sep 5  Literary/Historical Survey--Down to the Period of the Judges.  Readings: Genesis 1-6, 10-12; Exodus 1, 14, 19-20; Deuteronomy 34; Joshua 1, 6, 10; Judges 3.  Make an outline of key characters and events as you read.

M Sep 8  Judges Deborah and Samson. Readings: HCSB 367-369; Judges 4-5, 13-16

W Sep 10  16 King Saul. Readings: HCSB 416-18; 1 Samuel 1-10, 15-18, 28, 31.

F Sep 12  King David.  Readings: 2 Samuel 1-12; Psalms 2, 89; M/B 318-322 (Mari Letters) and 162-165 (Karatepe Annals of Azitawada).

M Sep 15  King Solomon. HCSB 509-511; 1 Kings 1-5; 8-13; also study the hypothetical drawings of Solomon’s Temple on HCSB pp. 524-525.

W Sep 17  Elijah/Elisha. Readings: 1 Kings 16:29 - 2 Kings 10. Begin at 1 Kings 16:29 and continue all the way through to 2 Kings 10.  This is a very long reading!

F Sep 19  History of the Northern Kingdom (Israel). Readings: M/B 157-159 (Annals of Mesha, also known as the Moabite Stone or the Mesha stele); 2 Kings 3 (review) and 14:23-15:31.

M Sep 22  Amos.  Readings: Amos (entire book, including HCSB intro.). M/B 166-176.  When reading Amos, begin with chapter 7, then go back to chapter 1 and read all the way through.

W Sep 24  Hosea. Readings: Hosea (entire book, plus HCSB intro.); 2 Kings 17; M/B 244-256 (stories of Baal and Anat) 

F Sep 26  “First” Isaiah.  Readings: HSCB 1011-1013; Isaiah 1-11.  Read chapters 6-8 first, then read 1-5 and 9-11.  First written assignment Due!

M Sep 29  “First” Isaiah. Readings: Isaiah 36-39 (=2 Kings 18-20); M/B 177-181 (Siloam Inscription and Annals of Sennacherib).

W Oct 1 Jeremiah.  Readings: HCSB 1110-1113; 2 Kings 21-25; Jeremiah 1-4, 7, 26, 36

F Oct 3  Jeremiah.  Readings: Jeremiah 10-16, 21-23, 27-35, 37-45; M/B 182-184 (Annals of Nebuchadnezzar).

M  Oct 6 "Second" Isaiah.  Readings: Isaiah 40-51; M/B 193-95 (Decree of Cyrus).

W Oct 8 “Second” Isaiah. Readings: Isaiah 52-55.

F Oct 10  Midterm Exam.  No provision will be made to take this exam on a different day except in the case of documented illness.

M Oct 13  NO CLASS—FALL BREAK

W Oct 15 Post-exilic prophecy.  Readings: Haggai (entire book, including HCSB intro.); “Third” Isaiah, Isaiah 65-66.

F Oct 17  Apocalyptic eschatology. Readings: Zechariah 9, 14; Malachi 3-4; Daniel 7, 11-12

M Oct 20  Introduction to the Pentateuch.  Readings: Ezra 7, Nehemiah 8, and Ezra 9-10; HCSB xix-xxi (review) and 3-5.

W Oct 22  Genesis: Creation.  Readings: Genesis 1-3.

F Oct 24 Creation and Flood Stories from the Ancient Near East. M/B 3-40.

M Oct 27 Genesis: Primordial History.  Readings: Genesis 4-11; M/B 61-65 (Story of Anubis and Bata).

W Oct 29 Genesis: Abraham. Readings: Gen. 12:1-25:18 (Group 1)

F Oct 31 Genesis: Abraham.

M Nov 3 Genesis: Jacob. Readings: Gen. 25:19-36:43 (Group 2)

W Nov 5 Genesis: Jacob.

F Nov 7 Genesis: Joseph. Readings: Gen. 37-50 (Group 3)

M Nov 10 Genesis: Joseph.

W Nov 12 Exodus. Readings: Exodus 1-15; M/B 85 (Group 4)

F Nov 14 Exodus 1-15.

M Nov 17 Exodus. Readings: Exodus 16-25 and 32-34 (Group 5) 

W Nov 19 Exodus 16-25 and 32-34.

F Nov 21  Biblical Law.  Readings: HCSB 151-153; Leviticus 11-12, 15-26.

M Nov 24 NO CLASS!  I will be at the American Academy of Religion Convention in Atlanta.  Use the extra time to work on your papers.

W Nov 26 and F Nov 28 NO CLASS! Thanksgiving Holiday.

M Dec 1 More Biblical Law. Readings: HCSB 198-200; Numbers 5-6; HCSB 266-268;  Deuteronomy 6, 34; M/B 97-109.  

W Dec 3  Proverbs/Wisdom. Readings: HCSB 938-940; Proverbs 1, 8, 31

F Dec 5  . Job. Readings: HCSB 749-751; Job 1-14, 19, 38-42; M/B 223-228.

M Dec 8 Ecclesiastes. No new readings; we will read selections from Ecclesiastes in class. Research papers DUE!

W Dec 10  Later interpretations of the Hebrew Bible.  Reading: 1QpHab from the Dead Sea Scrolls (handout or on reserve); Galatians 4:21-30 (New Testament)

F Dec 12  Later interpretations of the Hebrew Bible.  Reading: Selection from the Testimony of Truth (handout); selection from the Qur’an (handout)

Final Exam: Monday, December 15, 9:00-11:30 am

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!