The State of the Pentateuch: A Comparison of the Approaches of M. Noth and E. Blum (Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft Book 249)

This dissertation at the Melbourne College of Divinity (1996) was supervised by A.F. Campbell. Its purpose is “to evaluate R. Rendtorf's claim that, once the implications of the form-critical and traditio-historical method are properly appreciated and the method consistendy applied, a division of the Pentateuch into continuous “sources” can no longer be justified or considered useful as a model by which to understand the process of transmission” (p. v), and this is done by examining the contrasted treatments by Martin Noth and Erhard Blum of the story of Jacob and Laban in Gen. xxv 19-xxxiii 17. Part 1. The State Of The Pentateuch -- 1. Rendtorff's Challenge To The Documentary Hypothesis -- Part 2. Noth's Analysis Of Gen 25:19-33:17 -- 2. Three Parallel Sources -- Part 3. Blum's Analysis Of Gen 25:19-33:17 -- 3. The Early Jacob Story -- 4. Gen 28:*11-19 As An Independent Unit -- 5. The Expanded Jacob-esau Story -- 6. Additions To The Early Jacob Story -- Part 4. Noth's And Blum's Interpretative Models Compared -- 7. Underlying Assumptions And Relative Strengths And Weaknesses -- 8. Summary And Conclusions. Damian J. Wynn-williams. Originally Presented As The Author's Thesis (d. Theol.)--melbourne College Of Divinity, 1996. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. 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.

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.

The series Beihefte zur Zeitschrift fur 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. Preface 5 Table of Contents 7 Part 1. The State of the Pentateuch 15 Part 2. Noth's analysis of Gen 25:19-33:17 41 Part 3. Blum's analysis of Gen 25:19-33:17 95 Part 4. Noth's and Blum's interpretative models compared 207 Bibliography of works cited 265 Index of authors and citations 273 The Documentary Hypothesis, which has played such a major role in penta-teuchal criticism during the past one hundred years, has in recent decades been under increasing attack.