Prophecy and Teaching: Prophetic Authority, Form Problems, and the Use of Traditions in the Book of Malachi (Beihefte Zur Zeitschrift Fur Die alttest (Beihefte ... Die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, V. 288)

Application and re-Interpretation of biblical traditions in the Book of Malachi. A traditio-historical study. Six passages in Malachi, together with the superscription (Mal 1:1) and the additions (Mal 3:22‐24), are analyzed. The creative use of the traditions is demonstrated, including the prophet's exegetical techniques. Lines of connections are detected between Malachi and legal texts (Leviticus and Deuteronomy), earlier prophetic words, Chronicles, and Wisdom literature. Preface 5 Abbreviations and Signs 13 PART ONE: INTRODUCTION 19 1. The Problem 21 1.1 Introductory Remarks 21 1.2 The Significance of the Formulas Marking Divine Speech 22 1.3 The Quotations of the Addressees. The Question-and-Answer Structure 24 1.4 A Prophetic Monologue 27 1.5 Prophetic Monologue and Divine Speech 28 1.6 Summary. The Problem 30 2. Orientation in Previous Research 32 2.1 Introductory Remarks 32 2.2 The 19th Century: “Die dialogische Form”; “der Lehrvortrag” 32 2.3 Form-Criticism: “Disputationsworte”; “Disputation Speeches” 36 2.4 Recent Approaches 46 2.5 Summary 63 3. Remarks on Method 67 PART TWO: MALACHI AND THE TRADITIONS 73 4. Mal 1:1. Prophecy and Teaching: the Evidence from the Superscription 75 4.1 Introductory Remarks 75 4.2 The Phrase דּבר־יהוה בּיד 76 4.3 מלאכי: a Proper Name or a Title? 79 4.4 The First-Person Suffix 82 4.5 The Phrase משא דבר־יהוה 83 4.6 The Word of YHWH “to Israel” 85 4.7 Summary 86 5. Mal 1:2-5. YHWH’s Faithfulness Questioned. A Salvation Oracle 88 5.1 Introductory Remarks 88 5.2 A Salvation Oracle 90 5.3 YHWH’s Assertion, 1:2aa: the Election of the Addressees 99 5.4 Elaborating YHWH’s Assertion, 1:2b-4a 100 5.5 Edom as an Object-Lesson, 1:4b 119 5.6 Recognizing YHWH as Warrior, 1:5 123 5.7 Summary 125 6. Mal 1:6-2:9. Faithlessness in the Cult. An Announcement of Judgement Against the Priests 130 6.1 Introductory Remarks 130 6.2 An Accusation Motivated by a Proverb, 1:6 132 6.3 Elaborating the Accusation, 1:7-14 136 6.4 A Proof-Saying (Erweiswort) Against the Priests, 2:1-4 177 6.5 Motivating the Proof-Saying: the Antithesis in 2:5-8 204 6.6 A Final Announcement of Judgement Against the Priests, 2:9 224 6.7 Summary 227 7. Mal 2:10-16. Faithlessness in Marital Affairs. A Speech of Exhortation 233 7.1 Introductory Remarks 233 7.2 A Motivated Self-Reproach and Its Occasion, 2:10 237 7.3 Elaboration of the Self-Reproach: Motivated Accusations Against Judah, 2:11 243 7.4 A Formula of Punishment, 2:12 254 7.5 A Reference to a Lament and Its Occasion: YHWH Rejects the Offering, 2:13 267 7.6 Further Form-Critical Remarks on 2:13f 270 7.7 Why YHWH Rejects the Offering: the Accusation in 2:14b-15a 272 7.8 Motivated Exhortations and Admonitions, 2:15b-16 285 7.9 Summary 294 8. Mal 2:17-3:6. YHWH Fails to Appear. Announcements of Cultic Restoration and Judgement of Evildoers 298 8.1 Introductory Remarks 298 8.2 A Motivated Accusation, 2:17 299 8.3 The Announcement in 3:1-4 302 8.4 The Coming of YHWH, 3:5 322 8.5 A Delay of the Coming of YHWH? 329 8.6 Some Reflections on Mal 3:5 in the Light of Psalm 50 331 8.7 The Function of Mal 3:6 in the Literary Context 332 8.8 Summary 339 9. Mal 3:7-12. Lack of Supplies for the Temple. A Speech of Exhortation 343 9.1 Introductory Remarks 343 9.2 The Accusation, the Exhortation, and the Motivating Promise, 3:7a 346 9.3 Elaborating the Accusation: the Idea of Robbing God, 3:8-9 347 9.4 Elaborating the Exhortation, 3:10a 349 9.5 Elaborating the Motivating Promise, 3:10b-12 353 9.6 Summary 364 10. Mal 3:13-21. YHWH’s Justice Questioned. Announcements of Judgement and Salvation 367 10.1 Introductory Remarks 367 10.2 A Motivated Accusation, 3:13-15 368 10.3 A Narrative Report and Its Function, 3:16 372 10.4 Announcements of Salvation and Punishment, 3:17-21 380 10.5 Summary 402 11. The Editorial Additions. Remarks on Mal 3:22-24 406 11.1 Later Additions, but to What? 406 11.2 Prophetic Authority and the Significance of the Traditions in Mal 3:22-24 409 PART THREE: CONCLUSIONS AND SOME PERSPECTIVES 413 12. Prophecy and Teaching 415 12.1 The Prophetic Authority. The Use of Forms and Traditions 415 12.2 Exegetical Techniques 417 Bibliography 421 Index of Authors 439 Index of References 444 Index of Subjects and Names 468

The series Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft (BZAW) covers all areas of research into the Old Testament, focusing on the Hebrew Bible, its early and later forms in Ancient Judaism, as well as its branching into many neighboring cultures of the Ancient Near East and the Greco-Roman world.

BZAW welcomes submissions that make an original and significant contribution to the field; demonstrate sophisticated engagement with the relevant secondary literature; and are written in readable, logical, and engaging prose.

Der Autor analysiert sechs Textabschnitte aus dem Maleachibuch, die Überschrift (Mal 1,1) und die Zusätze (Mal 3, 22-24). Der schöpferische Umgang mit Traditionen wird ebenso aufgezeigt wie die Auslegungstechnik des Propheten. Es w When reading through Malachi,1 one recognizes some features which recur in the prophetic books of the Hebrew Bible.