Learning the POETICS of the TextLiterary Skills to read and Hebrew

History

VanderEnde

Johnson University – HIST 5033 Early Hebrew History

Literary Reading BasicsPresentation 1 – Reading Units

Overview: POETICS involves

1. Working in UNITS of Scripture1. Ways to READ UNITS of Scripture2. Basic shape of a UNIT3. Value and Necessity reading UNITS

2. Literary Analysis of the CONTENT of the unit 1. Understanding the GENRE of the unit2. Discovering the FORM (structure) of the Unit3. Discovering the MOVEMENT or Drama of the text

(narrativity)4. (Grammatical and Lexical Studies)

3. Applying LITERARY features of the text1. The impact of CONCRETENESS2. The dynamics of AMBIGUITY3. The implications of ANALOGY4. The emotion of FIGURES OF SPEECH

Working in UNITS of Scripture

1. Ways to READ UNITS of Scripture

2. Basic shape of a UNIT3. Value and Necessity reading

UNITS1. Literary Analysis of the CONTENT of the unit

1. Understanding the GENRE of the unit

2. (Grammatical and Lexical Studies)

3. Discovering the FORM (structure) of the Unit

4. Discovering the MOVEMENT or Drama of the text (narrativity)

2. Applying LITERARY features of the text

1. The impact of CONCRETENESS

2. The dynamics of AMBIGUITY

3. The implications of ANALOGY

4. The emotion of FIGURES OF SPEECH

From FRETHEIM Pentateuch

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Ways of Reading the Text1. The world BEHIND

1. diachronic reading1. tradition / evolution of the text2. historical background

2. The world WITHIN1. Synchronic reading

1. Form, Structure and strategies, grammar2. Content and Themes

3. The world IN FRONT OF1. The reader – response

1. Cultural influence

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Synchronic Reading

1. Find and know the GENRE of the text

2. Find and ‘see’ - the FORM = Structure

3. Find specifics1. Concreteness

2. Ambiguity

3. Analogy

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Why Literary Reading? To ‘Delight’ in the text

– It reveals the history of Israel in narrative– It calls out response – it influences / persuades /

questions– It does so with emotion and with beauty

To learn to think in UNITS of Scripture– Basic literary rule– To learn to read thematically (theologically)

To communicate better (we all love and remember good stories)

Gen 25:20-26 (20) Исаак был сорока лет, когда он взял себе в жену Ревекку, дочь Вафуила

Арамеянина из Месопотамии, сестру Лавана Арамеянина. (21) И молился Исаак Господу о жене своей, потому что она была неплодна;

и Господь услышал его, и зачала Ревекка, жена его. (22) Сыновья в утробе ее стали биться, и она сказала: если так будет, то для

чего мне это? И пошла вопросить Господа. (23) Господь сказал ей: два племени во чреве твоем, и два различных народа

произойдут из утробы твоей; один народ сделается сильнее другого, и больший будет служить меньшему.

(24) И настало время родить ей: и вот близнецы в утробе ее. (25) Первый вышел красный, весь, как кожа, косматый; и нарекли ему имя

Исав. (26) Потом вышел брат его, держась рукою своею за пяту Исава; и наречено

ему имя Иаков. Исаак же был шестидесяти лет, когда они родились.

Genesis 25:19-26Gen 25:19-26

(19) 亚伯拉罕的儿子以撒的後代记在下面。亚伯拉罕生以撒。(20) 以撒娶利百加为妻的时候正四十岁。利百加是巴但亚兰地的亚兰人彼土利的女儿，是亚兰人拉班的妹子。(21) 以撒因他妻子不生育，就为他祈求耶和华；耶和华应允他的祈求，他的妻子利百加就怀了孕。(22) 孩子们在他腹中彼此相争，他就说：「若是这样，我为什麽活著呢（或作：我为什麽如此呢）？」他就去求问耶和华。(23) 耶和华对他说：两国在你腹内；两族要从你身上出来。这族必强於那族；将来大的要服事小的。(24) 生产的日子到了，腹中果然是双子。(25) 先产的身体发红，浑身有毛，如同皮衣，他们就给他起名叫以扫（就是有毛的意思）。(26) 随後又生了以扫的兄弟，手抓住以扫的脚跟，因此给他起名叫雅各（就是抓住的意思）。利百加生下两个儿子的时候，以撒年正六十岁。

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The Unit: The Birth of the TwinsGenesis 25:20-26(8)

20 Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian. 21 Now Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, "If all is well, why am I like this?" So she went to inquire of the LORD. 23 And the LORD said to her:"Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger." 24 So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb. 25 And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took

hold of Esau's heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

INCLUSIO

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Principle of ENCLOSUREAs A Rule:

It marks the Unit – enclosure - completion

It defines the tone of the unit–General Content– Implies the drama of the content

It suggest a more complex structure It connects with previous and

following unit

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UNIT – Gen. 25:20-26

Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebecca

Isaac was sixty years old when they were born

(21)Because Rebecca had no children, Isaac prayed to the LORD for her. The LORD answered his prayer, and Rebecca became pregnant. (22) She was going to have twins, and before they were born, they struggled against each other in her womb. She said, "Why should something like this happen to me?" So she went to ask the LORD for an answer. (23) The LORD said to her, "Two nations are within you; You will give birth to two rival peoples. One will be stronger than the other; The older will serve the younger."(24)The time came for her to give birth, and she had twin sons. (25) The first one was reddish, and his skin was like a hairy robe, so he was named Esau.(26)The second one was born holding on tightly to the heel of Esau, (27)so he was named Jacob.

19: This is the story of Abraham’s son Isaac

27-28 The boys grew up . . . .

PENTATEUCH – First 5 Books

PENTATEUCH – First 5 Books

THE BOOK OF GENESIS

Patriarchal

Cycle of Stories

No story stands alone

ISAAC

Stories

BirthStory

Exercise: Find the inclusio

1. I Samuel 3 – the call of Samuel1. GNB pg. 236

2. Genesis 11:1-9 – the tower of Babel1. GNB pg. 8

3. Psalm 150 – concluding Psalm1. GNB pg. 573

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Further Study – ask your teacher

Chapters in Amit’s book

See also Robert Alter – Art of Biblical Narrative

Bar-Ephrat – Narrative Art

Berlin – Poetics of Biblical Narrative

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