The Pentateuch As Torah : New Models for Understanding Its Promulgation and Acceptance

Since antiquity, the five books of Moses have served as a sacred constitution, foundational for both Jews and Samaritans. However long the process of accepting the Pentateuch as authoritative tôrâ ("instruction") took, this was by all accounts a monumental achievement in the history of these peoples and indeed an important moment in the history of the ancient world. In the long development of Western societies, the Pentateuch has served as a major influence on the development of law, political philosophy, and social thought. The question is: how, where, and why did this process of acceptance occur, when did it occur, and how long did it take? The Pentateuch as Torah: New Models for Understanding Its Promulgation and Acceptance 4 Contents 8 Abbreviations 10 Gary N. Knoppers and Bernard M. Levinson: How, When, Where, and Why Did the Pentateuch Become the Torah? 18 Introduction 18 Ratifying Local Law Codes in an International Age 25 Prophets, Polemics, and Publishers: The Growing Importance of Writing in Persian-Period Judalt 28 The Torah as a Foundational Text in Judah and Samaria 30 The Translation, Interpretation, and Application of the Torah 33 Concluding Thanks 35 Part 1: Ratifying Local Law Codes in an International Age 38 Konrad Schmid: The Persian Imperial Authorization as a Historical Problem and as a Biblical Construct: A Plea for Distinctions in the Current Debate 40 I. The Current Debate 40 II. What Peter Frei Originally Meant by “Imperial Authorization” and How His Critics Understood His Theory 44 III. The Imperial Authorization of the Torah as a Historical Problem and as a Biblical Construct 50 IV. Conclusions 54 David M. Carr: The Rise of Torah 56 I. The Question of the Rise of Torah 56 II. When and How Did the Torah Rise to Prominence? 63 1. Preexilic Beginnings 63 2. The Formation and Rise of Pentateuchal Corpora in the Diaspora 65 3. Ezra Traditions and the Gradual Rise of the Torah to Dominance 67 III. Conclusion 73 Anselm C. Hagedorn: Local Law in an Imperial Context: The Role of Torah in the (Imagined) Persian Period 74 I. Introduction 74 II. Persia: Mixing Imperial and Colonial Rule 76 III. Local Law and Global Law 82 Reinhard G. Kratz: Temple and Torah: Reflections on the Legal Status of the Pentateuch between Elephantine and Qumran 94 1. The Problem 94 2. The Situation at Elephantine 99 3. The Situation at Qumran 106 4. The Situation in Between 110 Gary N. Knoppers and Paul B. Harvey Jr.: The Pentateuch in Ancient Mediterranean Context: The Publication of Local Lawcodes 122 I. The Growing Popularity of Written Legislation in the Greco-Roman World in the Late Archaic and Classical Periods 123 A. Solon’s Reforms in Athens 125 B. Gortyn 128 C. Rome: The Twelve Tables 131 D. Some Common Factors and Themes 135 II. The Rise of Written Legislation: An Assessment of Some Current Theories 137 A. Near Eastern Influence 137 B. Trade and Colonization 138 C. The Rise of Law as a Key Factor in the Growth of the Polis 139 D. Written Law as a Catalyst for Social Reform 140 E. “Put That in Writing”: A New Function for a Valued Technology 142 F. Common Factors and Themes 145 III. The Rise of Written Legislation in Judah and Samaria 146 Conclusion 156 Part 2: Prophets, Polemics, and Publishers: The Growing Importance of Writing in Persian Period Judah 160 Jean-Louis Ska: From History Writing to Library Building: The End of History and the Birth of the Book 162 1. Persian Imperial Authorization 163 2. The Birth of the Torah 164 2.1. The End of History Writing 164 2.2. Library Building 167 2.2.1. The Reasons for Collecting Ancient Documents 167 2.2.2. Books and Libraries in Postexilic Israel 170 2.3. The Book of the Torah 171 2.3. Exodus 24:3—8 and the Signature of the “Writers” of the Law of Moses 177 2.3.1. The Basic Literary Unity of Exodus 24:3–8 177 2.3.2. The Late Date of Exodus 24:3–8 180 2.3.3. Exodus 24:3–8 and the Custodians of Israel’s Library 182 Conclusion 186 Eckart Otto: Scribal Scholarship in the Formation of Torah and Prophets: A Postexilic Scribal Debate between Priestly Scholarship and Literary Prophecy— The Example of the Book of Jeremiah and Its Relation to the Pentateuch 188 I. The Formation of the Pentateuch: Beyond the “Compromise Hypothesis” of an Imperial Authorization of the Torah by the Persian Government 189 II. The Hermeneutics of Revelation in the Postexilic Formation of the Pentateuch and the Book of Jeremiah 193 Part 3: The Torah as a Foundational Document in Judah and Samaria 202 Christophe Nihan: The Torah between Samaria and Judah: Shechem and Gerizim in Deuteronomy and Joshua 204 1. Introduction: The Place of Samaria in New Models for the Acceptance of the Pentateuch as “Torah” 204 2. Reconsidering Samaria’s Role in the Composition of the Pentateuch and Its Adoption as “Torah”: The Case of the So-Called Shechemite Covenant Tradition 208 3. Joshua 24: The Shechem Covenant Ceremony and the Finale of the Post-Priestly Hexateuch 210 4. Deuteronomy 21 and the Acknowledgment of the Gerizim Sanctuary in the Context of the Redaction of the Pentateuch 216 4.1. Redaction Criticism of Deuteronomy 27 217 4.2. The Origin and Purpose of the Two Redactions in Deuteronomy 27 223 4.3. Mount Gerizim in the Postdeuteronomistic Pentateuchal Revision of Deuteronomy 27 230 5. Joshua 8:30-35 MT (Josh 9:2a-f LXX; 4QJosha) and the Antti-Samarian Reception of Deuteronomy 21 234 6. Conclusion: Samaria and the Reception of the Pentateuch as “Torah” 240 Joachim Schaper: The “Publication” of Legal Texts in Ancient Judah 242 I. The Problem Addressed and the Methodology Used to Solve It 242 II. Biblical Passages 242 1. Deuteronomy 1:5 and 27:3, 8 242 2. Habakkuk 2:2 248 III. Greek and Ancient Near Eastern Material 250 IV. Conclusion 252 Reinhard Pummer: The Samaritans and Their Pentateuch 254 1. Terminology 255 2. The Samaritan Pentateuch 256 3. The Origin of the Samaritans 264 4. The Pentateuch among the Samaritans 269 a. Nehemiah 13:28 and Josephus, Ant. 11.306-312 270 b. Ezra in the Samaritan Tradition 272 c. The Population of the Former Northern Kingdom and the Pentateuch 274 d. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Persian Reichsautorisation 283 5. Conclusion 285 Part 4: The Translation, Interpretation, and Application of the Torah in Early Jewish Literature 288 Sebastian Grätz: The Second Temple and the Legal Status of the Torah: The Hermeneutics of the Torah in the Books of Ruth and Ezra 290 I. Observations on the Use of the Torah in the Book of Ezra 290 II. Observations on the Use of the Torah in the Book of Ruth 294 III. Historical Conclusions 301 Arie van der Kooij: The Septuagint of the Pentateuch and Ptolemaic Rule 306 I. A Return to the Letter of Aristeas 306 II. The “Trigger” for the Translation of the Torah into Greek: Four Hypotheses 312 Hypothesis 1: Jerusalem Takes the Initiative with Alexandria’s Approval 312 Hypothesis 2: The Ptolemaic Court Takes the Initiative for the Translation 313 Hypothesis 3: Priests in Jerusalem Solicit the Translation to Gain Prestige 314 Hypothesis 4: The Role Played by Demetrius of Phaleron 315 III. Conclusion 316 Sidnie White Crawford: The Use of the Pentateuch in the Temple Scroll and the Damascus Document in the Second Century b.c.e. 318 The Beginning of the Essene Movement 323 The Temple Scroll 324 The Damascus Document 329 Conclusion 333 James W. Watts: The Torah as the Rhetoric of Priesthood 336 Index of Authors 350 Index of Scripture 358 Index of Other Ancient Sources 366 This Interdisciplinary Collection Of Essays On The Promulgation Of The Pentateuch And Its Acceptance As Authoritative Torah Includes Contributions From International Specialists On The Hebrew Bible, Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint, Samaritan History, Colonial Theory, Mediterranean Studies, The Elephantine Island Texts, And Comparative Legal History. The Material Gathered Here Is A State-of-the-art Presentation Of The Issues, Raising New Questions And Seeking New Answers. The Book Includes A Substantive Introduction That Pulls The Various Contributions Together And Places Them In The Broader Context Of Recent Work On The Propagation And Acceptance Of The Pentateuch As A Prestigious Writing In The Late Persian And Early Hellenistic Periods.--book Jacket. How, When, Where, And Why Did The Pentateuch Become The Torah? / Gary N. Knoppers, Bernard M. Levinson -- The Persian Imperial Authorization As A Historical Problem And As A Biblical Construct : A Plea For Distinctions In The Current Debate / Konrad Schmid -- The Rise Of Torah / David M. Carr -- Local Law In An Imperial Context : The Role Of Torah In The (imagined) Persian Period / Anselm C. Hagedorn -- Temple And Torah : Reflections On The Legal Status Of The Pentateuch Between Elephantine And Qumran / Reinhard G. Kratz -- The Pentateuch In Ancient Mediterranean Context : The Publication Of Local Lawcodes / Gary N. Knoppers And Paul B. Harvey Jr. -- From History Writing To Library Building : The End Of History And The Birth Of The Book / Jean-louis Ska -- Scribal Scholarship In The Formation Of Torah And Prophets : A Postexilic Scribal Debate Between Priestly Scholarship And Literary Prophecy : The Example Of The Book Of Jeremiah And Its Relation To The Pentateuch / Eckart Otto -- The Torah Between Samaria And Judah : Shechem And Gerizim In Deuteronomy And Joshua / Christophe Nihan -- The Publication Of Legal Texts In Ancient Judah / Joachim Schaper -- The Samaritans And Their Pentateuch / Reinhard Pummer -- The Second Temple And The Legal Status Of The Torah : The Hermeneutics Of The Torah In The Books Of Ruth And Ezra / Sebastian Grätz -- The Septuagint Of The Pentateuch And Ptolemaic Rule / Arie Van Der Kooij -- The Use Of The Pentateuch In The Temple Scroll And The Damascus Document In The Second Century B.c.e. / Sidnie White Crawford -- The Torah As The Rhetoric Of Priesthood / James W. Watts. Edited By Gary N. Knoppers And Bernard M. Levinson. The Origins Of This Volume Lie In The Four Special Panels On Biblical And Ancient Near Eastern Law That Convened At The 2006 International Meeting Of The Society Of Biblical Literature In Edinburgh ... --p. 1. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. Since antiquity, the five books of Moses have served as a sacred constitution, foundational for both Jews and Samaritans. However long the process of accepting the Pentateuch as authoritative tōrâ (“instruction”) took, this was by all accounts a monumental achievement in the history of these peoples and indeed an important moment in the history of the ancient world. In the long development of Western societies, the Pentateuch has served as a major influence on the development of law, political philosophy, and social thought. The question is: how, where, and why did this process of acceptance occur, when did it occur, and how long did it take? In the long development of Western societies, the Pentateuch has served as a major influence on the development of law, political philosophy, and social thought. The question is: when, how, where, and why did the rise of the Torah occur?