Eschatology in Genesis (Forschungen Zum Alten Testament 2.Reihe)

In this study, Jonathan Huddleston examines Genesis as a rhetorical whole, addressing Persian-era Judean expectations. While some have contrasted Genesis' account of origins with prophetic accounts of the future, literary and historical evidence suggests that Genesis narrates Israel's origins precisely in order to ground Judea's hopes for an eschatological restoration. Promises to the ancestors semiotically apply to those who preserved, composed, and received the text of Genesis. Judea imagines its mythic destiny as a great nation exemplifying and spreading blessing among the families of the earth. Genesis' vision of Israel's destiny coheres with the postexilic prophetic eschatology, identifying Israel as a precious seed to carry forward promises of a yet-to-be-realized creation fruitfulness. Because this future requires a coming divine visitation, Genesis cannot be attributed to an anti-eschatological hierocracy. Rather, it reflects the same Persian-era Judean synthesis that produced the temple-oriented restoration eschatology of the prophetic corpus. The Question Of Genesis' Eschatology. Between Linguistic Semiotics And Biblical Studies; From Code Theorism To Situated Speech Acts; Combining Diachronic And Synchronic Approaches; Dynamic Usage And The History Of Effects; A Disclaimer ; Overview And Working Hypothesis; First Hypothesis : A Composite Pentateuch In The Persian Period; Second Hypothesis : Prophetic Eschatology In The Persian Period; Ending At The Beginning : Previewing My Arguments -- Future Orientation In Genesis. From Story-world Time To Users' Time ; Genre As A Guide To Genesis' Future Orientation; Genesis As Etiology; Genesis' Mythic Orientation; Genesis As Scripture ; Reading Through Genesis : Toledot And Naming; Genesis' Generation Of The Future; Naming Israel, Its Land, And Its Neighbors ; From Past To Present To Future; Past Fulfillment As Proleptic; Present Fulfillment As Partial; Genesis As Users' Future; Conclusion And Summary -- Genesis' Eschatology In Persian-era Judea. Overview Of Persian Judea; From Monarchic Judah To Provincial Judea; Temple And Empire; Hebrew Writing And Israelite Identity; Hebrew Literature In The Context Of Ancient Literacy ; Pentateuch And Empire; The Question Of Imperial Authorization; Genesis' Rhetoric Toward Empire; Subtle Construal Of Imperialism And Resistance ; The Pentateuch And Judean Institutions; Parties And Priests; Text As Institution; Pentateuch, Prophets, And Eschatology -- Genesis In The Context Of Prophetic Eschatology. Prophetic Eschatology In Persian-era Usage; Judgment, Salvation, Warning, And Cosmic Change; Restoration Eschatology In The Persian Period ; Eschatology Between Genesis And The Prophetic Corpus; Judgment And Uncreation: Flood: Sodom And Gomorrah: Famine, Barrenness, And Snakes: Summary Of Uncreation Images; Promise As Creation: Creation And Its Blessings: Ancestral Promises Of Blessing ; Conclusion : Everything Lost Will Be Restored -- Dynamics Of Genesis And Unfolding Eschatology. Dynamic Production : Future-oriented Compositional Development; Ancestral Stories Joined To The Exodus; National Origins Joined To Cosmogony; The Joining Of P And Pre-p Sources; Eschatological Implications Of Compositional Moves ; Dynamic Rereading : Future-oriented Audience Reflection; Rereading In Context; Genesis 2-3 : Rereading An Unlamented Past As An Ideal Future; Genesis 50:20 : Rereading Memory As Hope ; Dynamic Retelling : Eschatological Interpretations; God's Creative Purposes And The Origins Of Evil; Primeval Prophets And Eschatological Typologies; Ancestors As Promise And Example; Summary Of Late Second Temple Interpretations -- Rereading Genesis' Promise-eschatology. Genesis' Shape And The Narrative Prominence Of Promise ; Cursing, Toil : And A Seed (3:14-19); The Interpretive Framework : Genesis 2-3 And Israel's Story; Threats To The Blessing : Agricultural And Procreative Unfruitfulness; Dominion, Enmity, And The Victory Of The Woman's Seed ; Blessing Israel For The End Of Days (49:1-28); From Beginning (1:1) To Ending (49:1); Jacob's Testament For Persian-era Users; Judah's Victory (49:8-12) And Joseph's Fruitfulness (49:22-6); Summary : Genesis 49 And Israel's Trust ; Conclusion : Trusting The God Of Promise; Persian-era Judea, Genesis, And Trust; Trust As A Reading Strategy For The Book Of Genesis -- Epilogue. Bibliography ; Index Of Sources ; Index Of Names ; Index Of Subjects. Jonathan Huddleston. Revised Thesis (doctoral)--duke University, 2011. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. Hauptbeschreibung In this study, Jonathan Huddleston examines Genesis as a rhetorical whole, addressing Persian-era Judean expectations. While some have contrasted Genesis' account of origins with prophetic accounts of the future, literary and historical evidence suggests that Genesis narrates Israel's origins precisely in order to ground Judea's hopes for an eschatological restoration. Promises to the ancestors semiotically apply to those who preserved, composed, and received the text of Genesis. Judea imagines its mythic destiny as a great nation exemplifying and spreading blessin 1 The Question of Genesis’ Eschatology 2 Future Orientation in Genesis 3 Genesis’ Eschatology in Persian-Era Judea 4 Genesis in the Context of Prophetic Eschatology 5 Dynamics of Genesis and Unfolding Eschatology 6 Rereading Genesis’ Promise-Eschatology 7 Epilogue