The present study investigates the methodological presuppositions inherent in a relative dating of Old Testament texts. Using Gen 1-3 as a test case, this study examines one of the most crucial texts in classical Pentateuchal scholarship. Recently, European scholars have tended to assume a late dating for the non-Priestly Eden narrative, an evaluation yielded through comparison with Priestly, Deuteronomic-Deuteronomistic, and late wisdom texts. However, given the lack of distinct textual reference to Priestly texts, the investigation argues that Gen 2-3 constitutes a pre-Priestly composition. In addition, no conclusive evidence indicates either Deuteronomic-Deuteronomistic or late wisdom texts influenced Gen 2-3; in fact, the lexical comparisons commonly adduced are not as conclusive as often believed.
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Cf. Blum, “Gottesunmittelbarkeit”, p. 15, who calls this “an atomization of lexemes”.
Versus Otto, “Paradieserzählung”, pp. 189-191. Only the canonical shape of the text can be read in this way.
Cf. Carr, Fractures, pp. 74-75; J.C. Gertz, “The Formation of the Primeval History”, in C.A. Evans et al. (ed.), The Book of Genesis. Composition, Reception, and Interpretation (vts 152; Leiden/Boston, 2012), pp. 107-135, pp. 114-118; Bührer, Anfang, pp. 142-152.
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The present study investigates the methodological presuppositions inherent in a relative dating of Old Testament texts. Using Gen 1-3 as a test case, this study examines one of the most crucial texts in classical Pentateuchal scholarship. Recently, European scholars have tended to assume a late dating for the non-Priestly Eden narrative, an evaluation yielded through comparison with Priestly, Deuteronomic-Deuteronomistic, and late wisdom texts. However, given the lack of distinct textual reference to Priestly texts, the investigation argues that Gen 2-3 constitutes a pre-Priestly composition. In addition, no conclusive evidence indicates either Deuteronomic-Deuteronomistic or late wisdom texts influenced Gen 2-3; in fact, the lexical comparisons commonly adduced are not as conclusive as often believed.
All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
---|---|---|---|
Abstract Views | 242 | 45 | 3 |
Full Text Views | 223 | 13 | 8 |
PDF Views & Downloads | 86 | 46 | 22 |