Biblische Ausbildung

Free Unicode Typeface: “The Brill”

2012-02-03T07:32:00.001-05:00

Brill has taken the initiative of designing a pretty cool typeface. Named “the Brill,” it presents complete coverage of the Latin script with the full range of diacritics and linguistics (IPA) characters used to display any language from any period correctly, and Greek and Cyrillic are also covered. There are over 5,100 characters in all. I’ve downloaded the fonts and tested some Hebrew transliteration on my laptop this morning. All seems to work perfectly. Be sure to download the user-guide pdf to get the complete list of unicode characters. One way to enter a character in MS-Word is to type the Unicode value and immediately hit alt-x. To download the free fonts (which, in Windows 7, you then simply slide into your fonts folder), click here.

Happy Groundhog Day!

2012-02-02T12:25:00.001-05:00

The London Roman Brothel Token

2012-01-31T11:29:00.002-05:00

Here is an image of the brothel token found in London on the shore of the Thames earlier this month. An amateur archaeologist with a metal detector freed it from its muddy home of about 2,000 years. The numeral XIIII on the back side seems to indicate that the token was worth 14 small Roman coins called asses, the equivalent of seven loaves of bread. The token could have been turned in for the service depicted on the front side of the coin at one of the many London brothels.

BibleReader for Windows 7

2012-01-25T09:05:00.005-05:00

Being quite happy happy with OliveTree's Bible app on my iPhone, I recently downloaded the new BibleReader for Windows 7, available for free download at the Olive Tree Software Website. To access, click here. In the screenshot above (click image to greatly enlarge), you can see displayed the Hebrew text, a sample pop-up analysis of a Hebrew word, and the corresponding Jewish Study Bible notes on the right.

All of the biblical versions and resources that I've purchased for use on the iPhone downloaded easily for use on my laptop. The new program and the all the resources combined appear to take up less than 1 GB on my laptop's flashdrive. Although the software appears perfectly adequate for displaying the resources and the rather amazing hyper-smart Resource Guide appears fully functional, I've noticed a few features that are still works in progress on the PC version. Designating certain Bible versions and resources as "Favorites" does not seem yet to stick from one session to another. Although searches on English-text versions seem to work fine, trying original language searches seems to cause the program to freeze up.

3D Panoramas of the Two Monuments

2012-01-20T08:32:00.003-05:00

As a supplement to yesterday's post on the DC Memorial Monuments, here are two 3D Panoramas that I made. The first is of the World War II Monument and the second is of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial:

Sacrifice and Public Life

2012-01-19T22:40:00.001-05:00

In our Interdisciplinary Seminar on Sacrifice today we explored notions of sacrifice in common life in the United States, with one hour spent looking at some of the war memorials on the DC National Mall. Below is my daughter Rebecca at the World War II Memorial and at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

For more of the photos collected by the class, click here (large file: 2 MB pdf).

The WWII Memorial is very much a triumphal monument to sacrifice. For example, there are huge wreaths of victory at the tops of the north and south pavilions. The monument teaches the conflict as the “good war” that was fought by the “greatest generation.” There are touches that attempt to add personal elements and a consciousness of war’s tragic dimensions, but these are muted and often unclear if not specifically pointed out. For example, there are open rectangular slots and no formal tops in the pillars named with states, alluding to death and the grave, but I never caught the allusion on my visit.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial has a very different feel. To visit it is a much more subjective experience. It has little to “teach” objectively, but encourages a subjective interpretation and a journey of grappling with the meaning of war and the meaning of the huge sacrifices made by those who died. One makes a therapeutic journey down below ground-level, increasingly surrounded by the thousands of names of those who gave their lives. One sees one’s own reflection in the walls as one brings one’s own thoughts and questions to the memorial. Then one emerges back to ground level, often with some feeling of healing.

MAR-SBL Registration Now Live

2012-01-18T18:48:00.003-05:00

MAR-SBL registration is now live! To go ahead and get registered for the meetings, March 15-16, 2012, Hyatt Regency, New Brunswick, New Jersey, click here.

New NET Bible Study Environment

2012-01-16T21:15:00.001-05:00

The free, on-line NET Study Bible is worth checking out, especially for those working primarily with the English text but desiring plenty of notes illuminating the original Hebrew and Greek texts. To access the new study environment, click here.

January-Term Seminar: Religious Sacrifice

2012-01-14T10:24:00.004-05:00

Along with my faculty colleague Tim Sedgwick, I am teaching an intensive 2-week seminar at the moment (RCL 820) on "Sacrifice: History, Meaning, and Christian Faith." One of our faculty guest-presenters, A. Katherine Grieb, shared this painting at the start of her 3-hour discussion. It is Francisco de Zurbarán, "Agnus Dei (The Lamb of God)," 1635-1640. The image depicts Christ symbolically as the ultimate sacrifice, the lamb of God who sacrificed himself to take away the sins of the world and save humanity. The museum that has acquired it, the Museo Nacional del Prado, summarizes the painting as follows: "The straightforward composition consists exclusively of an image of the young animal with its legs bound, lying on a windowsill [or, is it an altar?] and brightly lit by a single light source." It's beauty, to me, lies in its simplicity, realism, and emotional power. There is a breathtaking naturalism to the image--is the wool really painted, or is it real?! The calm silence and meekness of the animal are striking, and its facial expression, which seems almost human, exudes an inner peace and tranquility in the face of death. The painting fits a 17th-century Spanish contemplative emphasis on finding God in all things, including seemingly insignificant created life-forms. An art-form known as the "divine still-life" developed, which celebrated the simple joy of God's creation and the power of the spiritual message discoverable there. Your comments and interpretations are welcome! For a nice, brief audio-guide to the painting, click here and scroll down (download the mp3--give it time to load).

My Homily Today on Isa 61:1-3

2012-01-09T20:21:00.002-05:00

I delivered a brief reflection today on Isaiah 61:1-3, one of the readings chosen for the day in the Episcopal Calendar commemorating Julia Chester Emery (d. 9 Jan 1922). To download the mp3 file, right click here.

Art Project for Epiphany 1

2012-01-08T21:25:00.001-05:00

“The Spirit descending like a dove on him” (from Mark 1:4-11)

Three Kings Day 2012

2012-01-06T10:32:00.001-05:00

HT: Susan Shillinglaw

GodSnap.com

2012-01-05T22:01:00.002-05:00

Received a nice email from an alum, the Very Rev. Philip M. Dinwiddie, who is developing a website he calls GodSnap.com. It contains all manner of links and resources of interest for members of the wider church. To check it out, click on the screen shot below:

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-02T11:36:00.001-05:00

Neat photo find:

Painting: Jesse's Root

2011-12-22T09:25:00.003-05:00

I just received from Izaak de Hulster in Germany this amazing Christmas image, which I have not seen before: "Jesse's Root" by S. Köder. Izaak's family is using it on their Christmas cards this year.

2011 Holiday Card from the Yale Library!

2011-12-21T20:54:00.002-05:00

For the online card, go to http://goo.gl/EcSgS

(click photo to enlarge)

Agate with Cuneiform Script Discovered in Malta

2011-12-19T15:02:00.001-05:00

The precious stone dedicated to the moon-god Sin traces to the 13th century BCE and the city of Nippur, in Mesopotamia. It was likely looted from the temple of Nippur and brought to Malta by seafaring merchants…

Prof. Judith McDaniel Retirement Dinner Last Night

2011-12-17T08:40:00.001-05:00

The Planned New VTS Chapel

2011-12-12T17:38:00.001-05:00

Rendering by the architect, Robert A. M. Stern, as it appears on Dean Ian Markham’s Christmas Card this year:

My Homily Today on Isaiah 41:13-20

2011-12-08T15:24:00.004-05:00

At the Seminary's Noonday service today I delivered a 12-minute homily on Isaiah 41:13-20. I'm posting it here as an mp3 audio-file for any who would like to give it a listen. Just right click on the link, and choose "save as" (click here). The file is about 7 MB, so some patience may be required.

VTS Football Victory Over General Seminary

2011-12-04T08:41:00.001-05:00

“Testaments” in the Bible?

2011-12-02T16:22:00.001-05:00

I recently had a neat question about the Christian term “testament.” The question concerned the validity of a position taken by Martin Luther in “Babylonian Captivity,” where Luther says that the word “testament” implies a coming death, that is, that the one making the testament is about to die. He says the OT covenants foreshadow the death of Christ because of this connotation. What would a biblical scholar say about this argument?

My response was along the following lines. This argument of Luther relies on the common meaning of “testament” (in English and Latin) as having to do with a legal-will or last-testament. However, the use of the word “testament” to translate the Hebrew word bĕrīth (which means treaty; agreement sworn by oath) in Christian Latin is rather misleading. The Oxford English Dictionary describes it as a misuse of the word, arising from the fact that Greek διαθήκη, ‘disposition, arrangement,’ was applied both to a covenant (pactum, fœdus) between parties, and to a testament or will (testamentum). The Septuagint consistently rendered the Hebrew bĕrīth with the Greek term διαθήκη allowing for the confusion to arise. The Christian Latin preference for the term “testament” was probably fueled by the use of διαθήκη (in the sense of ‘covenant’) in the account of the Last Supper immediately before Christ’s death, and its consequent association with the notion of a last will or testament. The Bible actually has rather few if any “testaments” in the common sense of the word that Luther is picking up on. More common is a patriarch’s final “blessing” of his progeny when death is imminent (see Deut 33; Gen 27:27-29; 48:15-16; 49:1-28).

3D Panorama of Union Square, San Francisco

2011-11-23T14:42:00.002-05:00

Union Square, San Francisco

2011-11-22T13:44:00.003-05:00

Last day at the SBL...

SBL Panel Review of Schipper

2011-11-21T13:59:00.001-05:00

I am currently enjoying the Panel Review of Jeremy Schipper, _Disability and Isaiah's Suffering Servant_ (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011).

Common English Bible at SBL

2011-11-20T20:08:00.001-05:00

One of today's SBL highlights for me was being treated to a lovely lunch by the CEB translation. The photo shows David Petersen speaking at the luncheon. Later there was an excellent panel review of the CEB.

Panel Review of Leong Seow, Job Commentary

2011-11-19T21:52:00.001-05:00

Just came from a seven-scholar review of Dr. Seow's initial volume in the new Illuminations series, which will emphasize the history of Scripture's "consequences." A very high powered session!

View from my Room at SBL

2011-11-18T19:17:00.001-05:00

I've arrived at the Hilton San Francisco at Union Square, and have a room on the 41st floor. Here's the view out my window.

At Dulles Airport

2011-11-18T09:11:00.001-05:00

SBL 2011 Begins!

2011-11-17T09:55:00.003-05:00

Early tomorrow morning I fly off to San Francisco for the 2011 Annual Meeting of the SBL. I hope to make several blog posts from the meetings here in this web-space. This year my main presentation is tomorrow (Friday) night, when a biblical colloquium discusses a draft of the first part of my current project of a Deuteronomy commentary.

My Homily on Psalm 119:89-96

2011-11-11T13:04:00.002-05:00

Here is the homily I preached on the central stanza of Psalm 119 this week. Enjoy!

To download the sound file (mp3 format), just right-click here.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T09:24:00.001-05:00

SBL Conference iPhone App!

2011-10-30T13:42:00.001-05:00

The first-time ever iPhone App for the SBL Annual Meeting is now available in the iPhone App store. To access and download the free application, click here. I’ve been testing the app a bit, and it appears to have onboard the program, a list of presenters, maps, and a module for creating your own schedule. My first impression is that this is a good piece of work and well worth getting. Comments welcome…

Psalm 1 by Earnest Graham

2011-10-23T07:59:00.001-05:00

One of the possible lectionary psalm readings for this morning is Psalm 1. Earnest Graham is sharing his graphic-art presentation of the text (click the pages to enlarge). Earnest writes, “This is the first in a series of comic translations of the Psalms that I have started to work on. The Psalms speak to all of life's experiences, and as I enter this project, I look forward to illustrating how God is present to us in the length and width and breadth of life- in the ancient world and today.” Be sure to visit Earnest’s website at www.earnestillustrations.com

The iPhone in Space (Video)

2011-10-18T08:43:00.001-05:00

Overview of iOS5 for iPhone

2011-10-14T08:36:00.001-05:00

Here is a neet, short overview (from AppAdvice) of the new operating system for the iPhone, available free from Apple:

Neat Llink:

2011-10-12T08:08:00.002-05:00

Catherine Elson writes articles for a website dedicated to providing students with the information and tools needed in order to pursue a Masters in Divinity. Recently, she has a post on 25 free online resources for biblical studies. To check it out, click here.

The Seminary’s New Heating and Cooling Plant

2011-10-10T20:49:00.002-05:00

Over the summer, much of the VTS campus was dug up to run underground piping for the new campus heating and cooling system. In addition, a major expansion was added to the maintenance building to house the new boilers, coolers, and pumps. Here are some snapshots and a 3-D virtual panorama of the new plant:

Dr. Steve Wiggins Joins Routledge Publishing

2011-10-03T10:38:00.002-05:00

My friend and fellow Hebrew Bible Scholar and Episcopalian Steve Wiggins has taken a new position as Religious Studies Editor with Routledge. Hearty Congratulations to Steve. If you have book proposal in the area of Religion, he is now the one to contact:

Steve Wiggins, Editor, Religious Studies, 711 3rd Ave., 8th Fl., New York, NY 10017

Steve.Wiggins@taylorandfrancis.com

MAR-SBL 2012: Call For Papers

2011-10-01T15:13:00.002-05:00

CALL FOR PAPERS
2012 SBL Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting
Hyatt Regency New Brunswick
March 15-16, 2012
Proposal Due Date: December 5, 2011

Dear Colleagues,
The Executive Committee for the Mid-Atlantic Region of the Society of Biblical Literature (MAR-SBL) cordially invites you to submit proposals for the 2012 MAR-SBL Meeting. The meeting will be held jointly with the Mid-Atlantic and New England/Maritimes Regions of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) on March 15-16, 2012 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

We are excited to announce that Dr. P. Kyle McCarter, William Foxwell Albright Professor of Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies of the Department of Near Eastern Studies at Johns Hopkins University, will serve as our plenary speaker and Dr. Stephen Cook, Catherine N. McBurney Professor of Old Testament Language and Literature at Virginia Theological Seminary, will deliver our presidential address.

Please consider offering a paper proposal in any area of biblical studies. Any SBL member may submit a proposal regardless of his or her region. This year’s MAR-AAR/SBL theme is "Interpreting Pluralism and Multiculturalism" (defined broadly). Proposals related to the theme of interpreting pluralism in the biblical text and ancient society and of interpretive pluralism and multiculturalism today are encouraged but not required.

Proposal Guidelines and Submissions
The proposal should state the paper's topic and purpose and give some indication as to how the argument will proceed. Provide enough context to show that you are aware of the basic literature in the field and summarize the argument of your presentation. You may submit only one proposal for the MAR-SBL meeting.

To submit a proposal, find the section that you feel best fits your presentation. See the list at the end of this document. Then, email a 150-250 word proposal (250 words maximum) to the section head for the appropriate section. When sending your email, you MUST title the subject line of your email: “2012 MAR-SBL PAPER PROPOSAL” (use all capital letters). Proposals must include your full name, title, institution (or location), email address, and, as available, your phone number, mobile number, and mailing address. Also, it is very important that you indicate any date or time restrictions that you have when you send your proposal. While we try to accommodate all requests, we cannot guarantee that everyone will present during his or her preferred date/time slot. In general, we assume that those submitting proposals will keep March 17-18 open. Proposals are due on MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2011, but we encourage you to submit as soon as possible. Proposals that do not conform to these guidelines may be disregarded. You should be notified by the section head regarding the status your proposal by mid-January 2012.

Each section head will determine the time allotted for each paper presentation. Presentations will generally last 20-25 minutes, although presenters are encouraged to set aside a few minutes of this time to allow for questions. Usually, your final paper to be presented should be about 10 double-spaced, single-sided pages. Please do not exceed your allotted time out of respect for your fellow presenters.

Also, we sincerely regret that we cannot supply any audio-visual equipment due to prohibitive rental costs. So please plan accordingly.

Important Pre-Registration Information
Online preregistration will be available in January through the AAR website (NOT THE SBL WEBSITE). If you are an SBL member, you may still register for the meeting through the AAR website even if you are not an AAR member. Simply check the SBL member box on the online pre-registration form. You will be notified by email when the online preregistration is live. Please utilize the AAR website for registration as it saves paper and helps the region advance the efforts of SBL to foster not only biblical scholarship but also environmental stewardship and fulfill the national AAR mandate to promote environmentally sustainable gatherings.
Presenters are REQUIRED to pre-register for the conference to appear in the program book.

Important Hotel Information
The Hyatt Regency offers online hotel room registration for the regional meeting: click here. In order to receive the discounted conference rate of $119 when booking online, you must reserve your room through this website and NOT through the general Hyatt website.

Alternatively you may call Hyatt Central Reservations at 888-421-1442 to reserve rooms. Please indicate that you are attending the AAR/SBL conference so that you can receive the conference rate. Discounted single and double-occupant hotel rooms ($109 plus state and local taxes) will be held until March 1, 2012. After that date, normal hotel rates will apply. Since only fifty discounted rooms have been reserved for Wednesday, March 14, and Thursday, March 15, and fifteen discounted rooms have been reserved for Friday, March 16, we strongly encourage you to reserve your room early. Parking is available at the Hyatt for conference participants at a discounted rate of $6 a day.
Hyatt Regency New Brunswick
Two Albany Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901Phone: 732-873-1234
Fax: 732-873-1382
http://newbrunswick.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp
The New Brunswick Hyatt is three blocks from the local Amtrak/New Jersey Transit station, with trains running from Newark Liberty International Airport, New York City, and Philadelphia (via Trenton).
SBL Conference Awards
MAR-SBL will confer the Howard Clark Kee Award of $100 for the best student paper by an SBL student from the region. We will also participate in the SBL Regional Scholars Program, sponsored by the society-wide conference of Regional Coordinators. Our region's nominee for this honor will receive a $100 prize upfront, in addition to whatever awards and recognition she or he may receive in the society-wide program. To qualify for the SBL Regional Scholars Program scholars should be at least ABD and no more than four years past the receipt of their Ph.D. Women and underrepresented minorities are encouraged to apply. Those interested in either of these prizes should copy their full paper to Robert Miller (millerb@cua.edu) when submitting a proposal to the appropriate section head by December 5, 2011. Please clearly indicate: (1) for which prize or prizes you would like to be considered and (2) your exact student status (Kee Award) and/or your exact status between ABD and when you received your Ph.D. (Regional Scholars Program).

List of Sections with Section Head Email

Pentateuch/Law
James Getz, Temple University, jimgetz@temple.edu

Deuteronomistic History/Former Prophets
David Lamb, Biblical Theological Seminary, dlamb@biblical.edu

Latter Prophets
Mark Leuchter, Temple University, mark.leuchter@temple.edu

Wisdom Literature/Writings
John Herbst, Union Presbyterian Seminary, John.Herbst@upsem.edu

Second Temple/Apocalyptic Literature
Matthew Gordley, Regent University, mgordley@regent.edu

Gospels/Acts
Kim Paffenroth, Iona College, kimpaffenroth@msn.com

Epistles
Robert Seesengood, Albright College, rseesengood@alb.edu
and Jason Coker Jason@wiltonbaptist.org

If you are unsure which section best fits your proposal, you may contact our regional coordinator, Robert Miller (millerb@cua.edu). Priority will be given, however, to proposals that best fit with the sections listed above. You may also direct general inquires about the meeting to Robert Miller. All other inquires regarding your proposal should be sent to the appropriate section head.

Regards,
Robert Miller
Mid-Atlantic Region SBL Regional Coordinator

My Hebrew Students Preparing for Class Today…

2011-09-29T19:52:00.001-05:00

Bathsheba Goes to the Movies

2011-09-13T09:41:00.002-05:00

This five-minute movie was produced by students here at the seminary last year, as a class project for a course on the Bible and the Movies taught by my colleague Prof. Judy Fentress-Williams. The video, set to music, tells the famous David and Bathsheba story. Enjoy!

Blogger Releases an iPhone App

2011-09-09T07:19:00.001-05:00

Until now updating this blog on the go, from the iPhone, required using the BlogPress app, an unofficial Blogger application. Now, finally, Google has launched an official app for Blogger. I tested it last night, and it successfully posted text and a photo. I have yet to test the geotagging function. Unlike BlogPress, the app does not yet appear to be able to post video directly from the phone's library, nor does it allow you to organize your text around your pictures. I imagine such improvements and updates must be under consideration or in the works.

Photos and Songs from the Rotunda Sing

2011-09-08T11:33:00.001-05:00

At the end of August term, Hebrew students, Greek students, and International students gathered in the Addison Academic Building’s Rotunda to serenade each other. Check out the photos and play the music recordings at Josh Hosler’s blog: click here.

Eugene A. Nida, 1914 – 2011

2011-09-06T08:24:00.001-05:00

Eugene A. Nida, a giant of Bible translation in the twentieth century, has died at his home in Madrid on August 25. He was 96. For more than 50 years Nida was the leader of the translation program of the American Bible Society, and subsequently the intellectual leader of the global program of the United Bible Societies, as well as consultant to that organization.

For more from the UBS website, click here.

For the NYTimes article, click here.

New Butterfly House at the Seminary

2011-09-03T21:53:00.001-05:00

I created this 3D panorama today of the new Butterfly House preschool at the seminary:

Forthcoming: Oxford Encyclopedia of the Books of the Bible

2011-08-30T20:48:00.001-05:00

I contributed three articles, on the books of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi to this major new resource from Oxford. The two-volume (1,280 page) work is now slated to become available in just a few months, in November 2011 (in time for the SBL meetings). It is now posted on both the Amazon (click here) and Barnes & Noble (click here) WebSites.

Here is the brief description:

Books of the Bible provides a single source for authoritative reference overviews of scholarship on some of the most important topics of study in the field of biblical studies. The Encyclopedia contains almost 120 in-depth entries, ranging in length from 500 to 10,000 words, on each of the canonical books of the Bible, major apocryphal books of the New and Old Testaments, important noncanonical texts, and thematic essays on topics such as canonicity, textual criticism, and translation.

Hurricane Irene at VTS

2011-08-28T13:09:00.001-05:00

The damage from the hurricane last night does not seem too severe around campus. We lost power for a few hours the middle of last night, but we woke up to full electricity. Several trees are down at VTS, most unfortunately the beautiful cherry try dedicated to Jane Morse in front of Aspinwall Hall (top photo; it was planted by her family in 1995).

New Recording of Kol HaN'shamah (Ps 150:6)

2011-08-24T20:48:00.004-05:00

About 10 members of my August Hebrew class have recorded a new rendition of Kol HaN'shamah, Psalm 150:6. Josh Hosler led the singing and edited the recording. He is calling the little singing group "Hag'Goyim" for the time being. I'm posting his recording here for easy download. Enjoy! Many thanks, Josh!

To download the music file, right click here and "save as."

כֹּל הַנְּשָׁמָה תְּהַלֵּל יָהּ הַלְלוּ־יָהּ

Free Virtual Hebrew FlashCards

2011-08-23T12:05:00.004-05:00

As August Beginning-Hebrew continues, some of the students are finding helpful the Biblical Hebrew flashcards available free on Flashcard Exchange.com. The site already contains good flashcards of the Weingreen Hebrew Vocabulary lists that we are presently learning in class. To save the card sets under "My Stuff" --> "Saved Flashcards," you do have to register and get a password (I use the free version of the site). To get the flashcard sets into "My Stuff" you first have to search for them using the name Weingreen. We have found that these cards work great on a smartphone as well as on a laptop or tablet. The system is web-based, and the cards work right in the browser. No special app need be downloaded, although an app like mental-case more be good for use in "airplane mode."

"Shewa Fight" Revisited

2011-08-22T15:14:00.002-05:00

Today in August Hebrew we learned the wonderful "rule of shewa"! Of course this gave us the occasion to view the computer animation, "Shewa Fight." The URL had changed a bit from when I first posted this link, so I've corrected the web-address and it should be easily accessible to all. Enjoy!

Chris had a straightforward objective: "Create a simple animation illustrating a shewa fight. When two shewas are found at the beginning of a word (Hebrew is read right to left), the first shewa becomes a hirriq." His achievement is brilliant (click here to view).

HT: Kyle Stillings; Mary Thorpe (Thanks, Mary and Kyle!)

This Sunday's Reading: Isaiah 51:1-6

2011-08-19T16:42:00.007-05:00

Several folks have emailed saying they are preaching on Isaiah 51:1–6 this Sunday, and have enjoyed my exegetical commentary in Feasting on the Word, Year A, Volume 3. THANK YOU! In this electronic era, you can be reading the Kindle edition in under a minute from right now! (click here).

[No special Kindle device required. For a free Kindle Reading app, click here.]

Spectacular Arial Journey: Jerusalem and the Holy Land

2011-08-16T18:28:00.002-05:00

Be sure to switch to full-screen mode to view this clip: it really feels like 3D footage, even on a laptop screen. The actual imax 3D film is scheduled for release in 2013.

Jerusalem | Filmed in Imax 3D from JerusalemGiantScreen on Vimeo.

The "Wicked Bible"

2011-08-13T09:56:00.001-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

From MSNBC: A book collector in San Francisco, CA has a rare copy of the notorious "wicked bible" which shocked British readers in 1631 and was immediately recalled by King Charles 1.

Panorama of New Interim Chapel

2011-08-12T08:52:00.002-05:00

Here is a 3D Panorama that I just shot of the just-completed Interim Chapel at VTS, built in the Addison Academic Building, in the area of the old Lettie Pate Evans Auditorium. Most here feel that it is a worthy space to use while we await the construction of a new chapel in the wake of the fiery destruction of the old VTS chapel last academic year. I just talked with our professor of music, Bill Roberts, who is delighted with the acoustics of the new space. You will notice that the chapel space is still somewhat incomplete. There is a frame for a small organ, but no pipes yet installed. The chairs are not yet the kind with kneelers. The space, however, appears fully usable and I'll be in their again in the mornings next week before my August Hebrew class begins at 9am just upstairs in Addison 101.

University Students and Technology

2011-08-11T14:18:00.003-05:00

Just saw this fascinating info-graphic, linked to on AppAdvice (click here). (Click image to enlarge.)

Review of John Day (ed.), Prophecy and Prophets in Ancient Israel

2011-07-26T21:14:00.003-05:00

Just out in CBQ: My review of John Day (ed.), Prophecy and Prophets in Ancient Israel: Proceedings of the Oxford Old Testament Seminar (LHBOTS 531; London/New York: Clark, 2010), in CBQ 73 (2011) 643-45.

Neat Link: Manifold Greatness

2011-07-24T20:39:00.002-05:00

A friend of our family’s has been centrally involved in the creation of a very helpful website on the creation and afterlife of the King James Bible. To visit the site, called “Manifold Greatness,” click here. The site, of course, was created to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the 1611 KJV. It is jointly produced by the Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, DC, and the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, with assistance from the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin. The title Manifold Greatness, referring to the multi-faceted or “manifold” influence of the KJV, is taken from the version’s dedication to King James, which begins, “Great and manifold were the blessings” when God made James the king of England.

Rare Ancient Gold Bell Discovered

2011-07-22T21:26:00.003-05:00

A rare gold bell from the late Second Temple era has been discovered in Jerusalem. The bell has a loop on top for tying on a garment, and some have suggested it may be one of the golden bells that high priests used to hang on the edges of their coats. Be this as it may, the bell likely did fall off the outfit of some eminent person walking the streets of Jerusalem in the area of Robinson’s Arch, making its way into the drain beneath the street. The bell was found in a main drainage channel of Jerusalem in the era in question.

A YouTube video is available that actually has the sound of the bell:

Khirbet Qeiyafa and the Kingdom of David

2011-07-19T07:54:00.003-05:00

Khirbet Qeiyafa in the Elah Valley, Israel, is turning out to be quite an important site in current discussions of the nature of Judah in the early monarchic period. For some of my earlier blog posts on the site, click here and here. CNN now has a short video on the site, with interviews with Yosef Garfinkel, of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (click here). "What people try to do is say that the Kingdom of Judah didn't exist," he said. "What I am saying is that it existed."

Disability and Isaiah's Suffering Servant

2011-07-16T20:26:00.004-05:00

Now in Print and Recommended: Dr. Jeremy Schipper's new book with OUP entitled Disability and Isaiah's Suffering Servant (Oxford/New York:Oxford University Press, 2011). To check out the details on Oxford's WebSite, click here.

Free Online: The Liddell-Scott Jones Lexicon

2011-07-13T12:39:00.002-05:00

There is now a new online version of Liddell-Scott-Jones (LSJ), the premier lexicon for classical Greek. The TLG version represents five years of intensive work to produce a fully edited and searchable version of LSJ with links to the TLG corpus. This is excellent news. To use the LSJ, click here.

New Entries in Feasting on the Word

2011-07-11T21:21:00.003-05:00

I noticed today that three more of my contributions to the Feasting on the Word volumes were now in print:

• “Isaiah 51:1–6, Exegetical Perspective,” in Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Year A, Volume 3 (ed. Barbara Brown Taylor and David L. Bartlett; Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 2011) 362-67

• “Jeremiah 15:15–21, Exegetical Perspective,” and “Ezekiel 33:7–11, Exegetical Perspective,” in Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Year A, Volume 4 (ed. Barbara Brown Taylor and David L. Bartlett; Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 2011) 2–7, 26–31

Sidon

2011-07-10T20:59:00.001-05:00

A British Museum team in Lebanon is reporting new findings in Sidon, including the above head of a Phoenician figurine. The Frères’ archaeological site in the old city of Sidon contains burials, temples, and large buildings for feasts and ceremonies.

Video: The Hurrian Hymn from Ugarit

2011-07-08T20:50:00.003-05:00

Michael Levy playing "Hurrian Hymn # 6," the oldest written melody in history, from his CD "An Ancient Lyre." To check the entire album out on iTunes, click here.

THE OLDEST WRITTEN MELODY IN HISTORY c.1400 BC!!!
- Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

Functional Noah's Ark Replica

2011-07-07T20:50:00.003-05:00

Johan, the head of a construction company in the western Netherlands has constructed this 100-yard long, four-story tall ship:

New Version 9 BibleWorks Announced

2011-06-30T14:00:00.002-05:00

I learned today that the new version 9 of BibleWorks is now available to order, for shipping next month. Among the new features is a fourth analysis column in the work space, a "verse tab" that tracks text and bible-study notes (the ESV notes are available as a $20 add-on), and a second added Bible atlas. The new Common English Bible is included free.

To learn more, go to the BibleWorks site by clicking here.
For a pdf of the version 9 brochure, click here.

Here is one of their new video introductions:

Jacobikirche

2011-06-25T08:24:00.002-05:00

Göttingen's Jacobikirche (St. James's Church), was built 1361-1461. It has a rather interesting interior with both traditional and ultramodern stained glass. The WikiTravel WebSite describes the original paintwork as “not unlike that of a barbershop.” The Ott organ in the church is also impressive. Don’t forget to check out the panorama (final frame, below) that I made with my iPhone Photosynth app!

Göttingen Synagogue Memorial

2011-06-22T21:16:00.001-05:00

The Synagogue Memorial was designed by Corrado Cagli in 1973 and stands on the site of a synagogue that was destroyed during World War II in 1938. The names of Göttingen's Jewish residents who were murdered during the "dark time" are listed below an abstraction of the Star of David. In the final photo, I’ve used red ink to highlight the star outline.

Around the Old Town

2011-06-20T13:39:00.002-05:00

Here are a few more photos taken around the old city of Göttingen, all within the old walls.

This panorama (below) shows an old inner courtyard, still extant not far from the Göttingen town centre, giving a nice feel for what it would have been like centuries ago to live amid half-timbered houses:

Protestation der Göttinger Sieben

2011-06-13T21:01:00.005-05:00

Inside the Great Assembly Hall of the University shown in the previous post is a room and the above plaque commemorating the "Göttingen Seven," seven faculty members who, in 1837, signed a formal protest against the action of King Ernst August in abolishing the liberal constitution of 1833. This "Protestation" quickly got all seven professors expelled from the university (on December 14). So much for academic freedom...

One the the "Göttinger Sieben" was noted exegete and Hebrew Bible critic, Heinrich Ewald (November 16, 1803 – May 4, 1875). Ewald has been called one of the founders of the science of the Hebrew language; his Geschichte des Volkes Israel is still considered a work of rare genius.

Ewald's connection with Göttingen did not end permanently in 1837. He was invited back in 1847 and gladly returned.

Wilhelmsplatz

2011-06-12T22:06:00.002-05:00

Here are a few shots, including a panorama, of the Wilhelmsplatz square with the main building of the University, the Georg-August-University. The Great Assembly Hall (Alte Aula, first photo) has reliefs at the top showing various figures representing the branches of learning. The photo at the bottom is a detention cell in the student prison, used to incarcerate students for such offenses as laziness and dueling.

Paulinerkirche Library

2011-05-31T20:36:00.002-05:00

Here is a panorama and some photos of the Paulinerkirche Library, where we held the second half of our colloquium. Below the panorama is the seminar room where our papers were delivered and discussed. The next photo is the inner courtyard of the complex. Below that are two shots of the rare book area, which is the converted sanctuary of the old church. One of the manuscript pages on display pictures the sin of the golden calf in the wilderness (final photo).

Altes Rathaus

2011-05-23T20:48:00.002-05:00

The Old Town Hall, built in the 13th to 15th centuries, is remarkable for its sturdy, stone construction. The building served multiple purposes, including a site for weddings, court proceedings, a jail, a merchant’s guild hall, a site for trading linen, etc. The décor of the main hall includes many engaging frescos stemming from the 19th century.

Here is a Photosynth panorama of the interior of the Town Hall. Use your mouse to pan around the entire space, including the ceiling:

Outside the Town Hall is the Gänseliesel fountain. The figure is a young girl bringing her geese to market. The university custom is for those receiving their doctoral degrees to be wheeled to the statue in a cart covered with flowers and to kiss the figure’s bronze cheek.

An Historic University House

2011-05-20T12:07:00.001-05:00

In the photos below, I am standing at the house where Julius Wellhausen had an encounter that would markedly influence his monumental research on the Hebrew Bible. Wellhausen reported that here during a casual visit to Göttingen in the summer of 1867 he learned from Albrecht Ritschl that Karl Heinrich Graf dated the Bible’s books of Law later in time than the Prophets, overturning all traditional assumptions. Wellhausen later wrote, “Almost without knowing his reasons for the hypothesis, I was prepared to accept it; I readily acknowledged to myself the possibility of understanding Hebrew antiquity without the book of the Torah.”

Photos from around the Town

2011-05-19T14:21:00.001-05:00

First, below is a typical German pharmacy (a bit different from those in the US; e.g., the pharmacists can actually prescribe some helpful drugs):

Below is a photo of the German offices of Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, an academic publishing house for more than 275 years that is well known to biblical scholars. Apparently the monarch brought the publisher to the city just a few years prior to the starting of the university:

Third, below is the Deutsches Theater, a cultural center within the city:

Group Photo of Participants

2011-05-18T07:21:00.003-05:00

Nathan MacDonald, the convener and organizer of the “Divine Presence and Divine Absence” colloquium just emailed our group photo, taken outside the Paulinerkirche Library and meeting rooms. In the first row, with some seated, we have Izaak de Hulster (Göttingen University), myself, Stephen Cook (Virginia Theological Seminary), Joel Burnett (Baylor University), Angelika Berlejung (Leipzig University), Lisbeth Fried (University of Michigan), and Jill Middlemas (Zurich University). In the second row, we have Bob Becking (Utrecht University), Robert Barrett (Göttingen University), Trevor Hart (St. Andrew’s University), Claus Ambos (Heidelberg University), Nathan MacDonald (Göttingen University / St. Andrew’s University), Ben Sommer (Jewish Theological Seminary), Kenneth Brown (Göttingen University), Lydia Lee (Göttingen University), and Roberto Piani (Göttingen University). It was a terrific group, and the talks and discussion were excellent. The papers are to be published in a forthcoming volume from Mohr Siebeck, most likely in the series Forschungen zum Alten Testament II.

Platz der Göttinger

2011-05-17T14:03:00.002-05:00

Safe back at home from the colloquy in Göttingen and able to use my computers and not just my iPhone, I can post some better images and discussion from the trip. Our first round of papers and discussions took place in the Theologicum building (the lower photo shows the entrance) at the Platz der Göttinger, right near the big university library, the Niedersächsische Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek, Göttingen. I’m including a panorama of the whole area that I took standing right below the circular tower of the library (shown in the upper photo). Enjoy!

An original house in Göttingen

2011-05-15T14:10:00.001-05:00

Here is one of the original, old half-timbered houses of Göttingen, the 15th century Junkernschänke (corner of Jüdenstr. and Barfüßerstr.)

Here is the couple who lived here:

YouTube Video

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At Eichhorn's Grave

2011-05-14T16:25:00.001-05:00

Eichhorn was Hebrew Bible professor here at Göttingen. He's often credited as "the founder of modern Old Testament criticism."

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First Day in Göttingen

2011-05-13T15:40:00.001-05:00

Our hotel, Hotel Central:

Johanniskirche:

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Safe Arrival in Germany

2011-05-12T07:06:00.000-05:00

Our plane had a smooth landing in Frankfurt.

Then, it was straight to the train for the 2 hour trip to Göttingen.

By happy coincidence, Benjamin Sommer and I had seats right by each other.

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About to Board my Flight to Germany

2011-05-11T16:45:00.000-05:00

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Location:Willard Rd,Sterling,United States

Scholarly Meeting in Göttingen

2011-05-10T10:12:00.001-05:00

Today, I’m making last minute preparations for my trip to Germany. I’ll be part of a small colloquy-conference on the topic of “Divine Presence and Absence”: Göttliche Anwesenheit und Abwesenheit Tagung, Göttingen, Germany. If all the technology works, I plan to post updates and pictures from Germany here in this blog.

Graduating International Student Dinner

2011-05-06T21:06:00.001-05:00

Here is a photo tonight with Wisnel Dejardin, who will graduate in two weeks and go back to Haiti to teach Hebrew Bible / Old Testament.

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Saturday's Picnic at the VTS Deanery

2011-05-01T21:19:00.001-05:00

Use mouse and arrows to move and drag the panorama:

Our Daughter’s Easter Diorama

2011-04-25T07:56:00.001-05:00

Happy Easter 2011!

2011-04-24T12:32:00.001-05:00

I'm on iTunes...

2011-04-21T14:23:00.002-05:00

Good news: The video series that I did with Yale's Dr. Robert Wilson is available free on iTunes. To check it out, search for "Stephen Cook" on iTunes and then scroll down to iTunes U; or simply click here.

Passover Fun: "What if Moses had Facebook?"

2011-04-16T15:13:00.003-05:00

Apocalypse against Empire, by Anathea E. Portier-Young

2011-04-12T20:50:00.002-05:00

Hearty congratulations to Thea Portier-Young of Duke University on the appearance of her new book, Apocalypse Against Empire: Theologies of Resistance in Early Judaism (click here). In this significant work of scholarship, Thea has demonstrated that the apocalyptic writings aimed to reveal a hidden transcendent reality with the power to overturn empire providing a basis for visible and heroic audience action. In Apocalypse and Empire she writes, “The early apocalyptic visionaries numbered among Judea’s elite. During the persecution they did not hide.” The device of pseudonymity was no cloaking device but asserted the “givenness” of their traditions. It was one of multiple dimensions of the apocalypses that aimed to expose the contingency of the imperial domination system. Empire imposed “a program of de-creation and recreation,” assigned to itself the roles of “creator and provider”; the apocalypses resolutely resisted. They offered up “a different totalizing narrative,” which long perdured, transcending their originating crisis.

“The Love Within Anger,” by Gary Taylor

2011-04-08T21:55:00.001-05:00

Exodus 32:7–14

The Love Within Anger

Sermon preached April 7, 2011 at Virginia Theological Seminary

Gary Taylor

The Lord said to Moses, "I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are.

Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them."

This is a troubling passage. It is hard to imagine God getting so angry that he decides to obliterate his chosen people and start over, hard to swallow that without Moses' intervention, God's anger would result in the end of the Israelites. This is not petty irritation or constant grumpiness. This is wrath burning hot. This is passion.

Frankly, I think a lot of us have a hard time imagining God angry at all. This does fit our Sunday school image of God as the smiling shepherd with the lamb held gently across his shoulders. In fact, somehow getting angry seems like a mistake, like losing control of one's emotions, like getting carried away where cooler heads should prevail. After all, blessed are the peacemakers, not the hot heads. If you were like me, you were taught ladies and gentlemen don't get mad. If you were like me, you learned to distrust any emotions that might carry you away.

But I think there is something important in our story about the meaning of anger in the context of real relationship. Consider the context of this exchange in Exodus. First of all, this is a dialogue between God and Moses. This is a conversation between two "old friends" with an awful lot of history together. One sign of this is that Moses is able to talk God down from his passionate rage, can persuade God to “change his mind” which is expressed in the Hebrew by the word נחם, a word which includes connotations of being consoled, comforted. After all they’ve been through together, Moses and God have a complex and intimate relationship.

Do you remember how it all started? God speaks to Moses out of the burning bush and calls him to lead God’s people out of Egypt. Like many of the other prophets, Moses is reluctant. For almost two chapters in Exodus, God tries to persuade Moses, but Moses continues to resist. Even after God reveals to Moses his holy name "I am", promises to give Moses the words he needs before Pharaoh, and gives him three different signs (turning his rod-to-a -snake and back, turning his hand leprous and back, and the changing Nile water-to-blood) Moses still declines God's summons, "Lord, send someone else."

Now, I'm not sure if that's humility, stubbornness, or Chutzpah, but it seems awfully presumptuous to me. Who are we to argue with God??

And do you remember what happened next? Exodus 4:14: “¹⁴Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses.” Here it comes! Moses has gone too far! God's really going to let him have it! “And God says…. ‘What of your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he can speak fluently.’ I'll send you both.” God is angry AND God continues to work with the one he has chosen. God really wants Moses to join his team, and that matters enough to him that he gets riled up about it.

This scene from today's reading has its own wry humor. God says, "Moses, YOUR people have acted perversely!" Moses replies, "Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against YOUR people?" With his brief retelling of the salvation narrative, Moses ironically "reminds" God of the relationship God has with his people, a relationship that transcends human frailty, a relationship that makes all of God's frustrations worthwhile.

It's no coincidence that this moment of God's extreme anger comes right when the 10 commandments are about to be delivered, on the very day when God is going to specify what it means for humanity to live in right relationship with their Lord and Maker. It's the climax of a relationship God has been cultivating for generations. And now, at the crucial moment when the relationship will be solidified with a covenant literally written in stone, the people decide 40 days is too long to wait for Moses to come down from Sinai, forgot what God has done for them, and set off spiritually in search of a other things to worship.

And God gets mad. Blazing mad. On-fire mad like a bush ablaze - but the bush is not consumed, it is not destroyed. God is mad - but like in the call of Moses, God's anger doesn't keep Him from continuing in relationship to work to put things right. In fact His anger is a sign of how very much human fidelity to God matters, how important mutual trust must be in our covenantal relationship with God.

In his book God' s Tapestry, Understanding and Celebrating Differences, William Kondrath describes feelings as messengers, signals to us of what is really going on in a relationship. Anger is often suppressed because we are fear that such a feeling might come between us and those we love, might separate us from what we hold dear. But a different way to look at anger is as an indicator that something really important is going on, something that needs our concerted attention. God gets angry because fidelity really matters.

In other words, the hottest anger only burns between those most deeply connected, who mean the most to one another and are doing the important and difficult work of figuring out what that relationship should look like - learning affectively, rather than intellectually, what it will take to walk together with commitment and love.

In the mid nineties I was the school advisor for two boys I’ll call Tony and Sam. Now, we have a saying in our family: one teenager, one brain; two teenagers, half-a-brain; three teenagers, a third of a brain. Well, Tony and Sam, along with several friends had acted with their collective one-sixth of a brain and gotten into some serious trouble with the school disciplinary system. If you have ever been in these situations you know that they are times of intense fear, sadness, and (usually) some anger on the part of the families involved. Some days after the dust had settled, I was at lunch with both of my advisees and Tony was lamenting how angry his parents had been at him and how he was grounded for months. Sam was strangely quiet, but I could tell he was deeply troubled. Later when we talked privately I asked him if his punishment from home was even more severe. He shrugged and looked away, "My Dad took my cell phone away for the rest of the week. We hardly talked about it. It's like it never happened...." He paused and then continued, with a hitch in his voice. "I should be glad he didn't get mad .... right?"

Anger is not the opposite of love. Apathy is. Anger and love are two sides of the most precious coin. God's Anger says: this matters to me deeply. You matter to me deeply. I am going to lean on you to make this right because our relationship is too important to let this slide.

Strange as it may sound, my hope for all of us is that we will encounter some genuine, passionate anger once in a while from those we will serve in our ministries - and that we will experience some periods of passionate anger with them. I’m not talking about petty irritation or constant grumpiness. I’m talking about a fire which ignites us but which does not consume.

For it will be in those moments that we will come to know viscerally, beyond intellectually, what is really important.

It will be in those moments that we will know in our core that our relationships truly matter.

It will be in then that we will know that we and those on the journey with us are invested with our whole selves in the complex and passionate work of God.

April Fools Day at Eisenbrauns Publishers

2011-04-01T21:52:00.003-05:00

Check out the Eisenbrauns site for its special April 1 offerings. Among the specials:

cTablet Clay Tablet and MP3 player Winged Bull Press, Forthcoming Fall 2011 Clay Tablet www.eisenbrauns.com/item/APRIL012011D

Cymbals and Symbology Gold Records of the Bronze Age: A Tribute to Nuzi and the Hurrians Edited by Karen Oh and Seems Wright Winged Bull Press, Forthcoming, April 2011 1024 pages + full color illustrations, English and Hurrian Cloth, 8 x 10 in www.eisenbrauns.com/item/APRIL012011B

Upcoming Murphy Lecture at CUA

2011-03-30T11:07:00.001-05:00

The Catholic University of America, Washington DC

Annual Roland E. Murphy Lecture with:

Dr. Beverly Gaventa

Helen H.P. Manson Professor of New Testament Literature and Exegesis, Princeton Theological Seminary

“The Rhetoric of Violence and the God of Peace in Paul's Letter to the Romans”

Wednesday April 13th, 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Caldwell Hall, The Msgr. Stephen Happel Room

All are Welcome to Attend

Reception to Follow

Christ Episcopal Church, Cambridge, MD

2011-03-21T22:16:00.002-05:00

A Talk on Deuteronomy for the Diocese of Easton Theology Forum, at Christ Episcopal Church, Cambridge, MD, on the Eastern Shore.

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Location:High St,Cambridge,United States

A Tip'el in Jer 25:34

2011-03-17T12:52:00.001-05:00

Here is Jeremy Hutton presenting on Jer 25:34 this morning.

Other Gt, Tip'el, verbal forms may appear in Jer 12:5; 22:15; and Hos 11:3. The texts are Northern, which is quite fascinating.

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Location:Albany Street 08901

Arrived at the 2011 MAR-SBL

2011-03-16T19:45:00.001-05:00

I'll be here at the regional SBL through the next two days...

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Location:Morris St,New Brunswick,United States

Zahi Hawass Under Fire

2011-02-15T22:03:00.004-05:00

In the News: Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s antiquities chief, is now being criticized for underplaying the damage and loss to the Egyptian Museum after a break-in on January 28. In contrast to his statements at that time, a number of high-profile artifacts are now declared missing. Archaeology graduates chanted "get out" outside Hawass’ office earlier this week. They have called him a “showman” who seeks publicity and plays with the truth.

Click here for the link to this report.

Update (2/16/2011): Three items recovered--a heart-shaped amulet of Tutankhamun’s grandfather, as well as his ushabti figurine were found at the back of the museum earlier this week.

New Israeli Stamp Featuring the Hebrew Language

2011-02-09T10:51:00.002-05:00

In the news: Israel is issuing a new postage stamp dedicated to the Hebrew langauge. The center of the stamp features a seedling whose leaves spell the Hebrew word Ivrit (= "Hebrew"). Its roots consist of all the earlier layers of modern Hebrew found in four principal sources – the Bible, rabbinic literature, medieval writings, and Modern Hebrew. Biblical Hebrew is represented by an ostracon dating from the 7th century BCE and inscribed in ancient Hebrew script. The seedling’s root that derives from it (third from left) features the words: mishpaha (family), ahava (brotherhood), nefesh (soul, spirit, throat), mafteah (key), tsedek (justice), merkava (chariot), deror (liberty), kazav (untruth), ra’am (thunder) and kefir (lion cub).

“An Interpretation of the Death of Isaiah’s Servant”

2011-02-07T16:34:00.002-05:00

Now in Print; Check it out:

Stephen L. Cook, “An Interpretation of the Death of Isaiah’s Servant” in The Bible as a Human Witness to Divine Revelation: Hearing the Word of God through Historically Dissimilar Traditions (ed. R. Heskett and B. Irwin; Gerald Sheppard Festschrift; Library of Hebrew Bible / Old Testament Studies 469; London and New York: T&T Clark, 2010), pp. 108-24.