7. The Old Testament As Literature

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7. THE OLD TESTAMENT AS LITERATURE

I. ANCIENT LEVANTINE CULTURE

1. When the Israelites entered Palestine they found an old and high level of culture. Their culture—aside from religion—was not much above the barbaric level.

2. Remember: Palestine lay athwart the high roads of ancient world travel and the armies of empire marched back and forth over its hills and valleys.

3. Nearby peoples—Egypt and Babylonia—had temples, palaces, and wealth— refinement.

4. The Hebrews were concerned with a national obsession—RELIGION. What is man?

5. The Canaanites were enjoying a high civilization. They had unusual ability. Their cities were well built.

6. They originated three systems of writing—two with alphabets. One of these supplanted the writing of Egypt and Babylonia.

7. One of these—Phoenician—became the written language of the entire Western world.

8. These Canaanite people had laws wisdom literature, and a vast religious ritual, as shown by the Ras Shamrah discoveries (1929) on the northern coast of Syria.

9. The Hebrews were quick to adopt this culture—and even some of their religion.

10. Also remember: The Hebrews did not destroy all these Canaanites as intimated in the Old Testament records.

II. EARLY HEBREW LITERATURE

1. Early Hebrew literature was largely poetry. Early fragments were:

Song of the Well.

Taunt of Heshbon.

Boundaries of Moab. (Num. 21)

Song of Miriam.

Balaam’s Oracles (Num. 23 and 24)

2. Stories about the patriarchs were among the early oral literature of the Jews. They were folk traditions.

3. Poetic tales of conquest—victories over the Philistines. The Song of Deborah. (Judg 5)

4. Samson’s exploits. (Judg 14 and 15) Stories in the lost Book of Jasher and the “wars of the Lord.”

5. Jotham’s Fable. (Judg 9:8-15)

6. Many of the Psalms show the influence of Canaanite religious philosophy.

7. Ezra’s reform was an attempt to get rid of many Canaanite infiltrations of the Hebrew religion.

8. Many shrines to Yahweh were established to combat Canaanite religions, such as at Shiloh, Gilgal, Gibeon, Bethel, and Beer-sheba.

9. Many rules and regulations were taken over from the Canaanite laws.

III. LITERATURE DURING THE MONARCHY

1. Israel’s first book of prose was a history—by an unknown historian. See II Sam.0 9-20. A pattern for all historians.

2. During the time of Solomon there appeared wisdom literature and many songs. (I King 4:32) 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs.

3. Isaiah the First carried on during these times. Some of the best of Hebrew literature appeared during these times.

4. The foundation of the books of Kings appeared. Israel was becoming penconscious.

5. The first book of Psalms was assembled.

IV. THE LITERARY PROPHETS

1. Amos and the Second Isaiah were among the first. Deutero-Isaiah represents the apex of prophetic literature.

2. Ranking high is the Second Zechariah—Zechariah 9-14. Most of the prophets were poets.

3. High in this list are to be found Joel and Habakkuk.

4. Both Jeremiah and Isaiah the Second saw to it that their spoken sermons were reduced to writing during their lifetime.

5. The book of Deuteronomy was rediscovered in the temple in 621 B.C. (II Kings 22) It is a strange blend of prophetic and legal literature. It expounds and explains.

6. Deuteronomy is Israel’s first homiletic literature—a book of sermons and laws, characterized by both eloquence and dignity.

7. Deuteronomy is the most polished and artistic of all Hebrew literature.

V. THE EXILE AND AFTER

1. The acme of all Hebrew literature—the Second Isaiah—belongs to this period. The basis of three great religions.

2. This is the epoch of great editorial activity—the rewriting of all of the Hebrew sacred literature.

3. Next appears the memoirs of Nehemiah. Still later the books of I and II Chronicles.

4. Psalms is enlarged. Job and the wisdom literature appear.

5. Hebrew books now constitute the greatest literature of all the East.

6. Hebrew writers were masters of the art of gaining and holding human attention. Examples:

The tragedy of Queen Jezebel. II Kings 9:30-35.

Abraham’s servant going to Mesopotamia for Isaac’s wife. Gen. 24.

Joseph’s story in Egypt. Gen. 39-41.

7. Not only did the Hebrews create the greatest literature of the ancient East, but at the same time it was the greatest religious literature of all time— up to the appearance of the New Testament.