Questions Flashcards
Why was the Northern Kingdom destroyed? (Political reason and theological reason?
The last king, Hoshea ben Reila rebells against Assyria. Assyria invades & takes over Northern Kingdom. Hosea aligns w/Egypt. Assyrians invade, win, exile peoples & import new peoples. Theological reason - Idolotry.
Why was the Southern Kingdom destroyed? (Political reason and theological reason?
Political Reason- they rebelled agaisnt Babylon. Religious Reason– Menashe was a bad king and worshipped Baal
Which two southern kings does the narrator of II Kings consider great, and why?
1) Jehoash - because he does what is pleasing to the lord, as the priest Jehoiada instructed him 12:3 2) King Hezekiah, he does what is pleasing to the lord. He smashes foreign pillars & shrines.
What is the narrator’s view of King David in the “Court History” of II Samuel? How does this differ from the narrator’s view of David’s ascent to the throne in I Samuel?
David is comparatively flawed- we see a much more balanced depiction of David’s court, warts and all.
What is the Narrator’s point of view about Saul’s character, David’s character, David’s rise to power, and the conflict between Saul and David?
The narrator assumes that Saul is paranoid, David is noble and nigh perfect as a man and future king, David’s rise to power comes justly and without any attempt to grab power on David’s part, and that in all ways David is in the right in his conflict with Saul.
How is the political, national, and religious situation in the Book of Judges different from the description in Book of Joshua?
The tribes are fractured, working independently from each other. No centralized authority. There are Canaanites and Philistines and all manner of non-Israelite active in the Land, often conquering the Israelites.
Where are the various chieftans from? What is the geographic area of each one’s activity?
Almost all Judges come from the Northern tribes. They primarily work in the North.
What generalizations about this period and type of leadership emerge from the Book as a whole?
leaders are charismatic, temporary, non-dynastic, and non-normative (they do not act as a the Deuteronomic religious system says they should)
How do the stories carry different levels of meaning depending on the various levels of redaction- episodes, story cycles, the book as a whole?
On the episodic/story cycle level, we see a cycle of sin, punishment, outcry, chieftan rising to deliver the people, and a peaceful period. Taken as a whole, the pattern shows a chaotic cycle in which a decentralized Israelite population keeps falling into trouble without a centralized authority to lead them.
What editorial viewpoint emerges from the inclusion of the last two stories, that of Micah’s priest and the rape of the concubine at Gilbeah?
The way in which worship of God is being practiced is flawed, and a lack of central leadership (political and religious) leads to barbarism and potentially pagan religious practices.
- What is the overall view of the Israelite conquest of Canaan depicted in the Book of Joshua?
Complete, total, miraculous, shock and awe. Lightening strike with God on our side.
- In what ways is Joshua depicted as being “like Moses”?
*He sends out spies to scout the land (chpt 2)
*Joshua leads people on a miraculous crossing, causing the waters of the Jordan River to stand still “while all of Israel crossed over on dry land”(3:17)
*Encounters the “captain of the Lord’s army (Ch 7) who tells Joshua exactly what God said to Moses at the burning bush “Take your shoes from off your feet , for the place that you are standing is holy ground.” (Exod. 3.5, Josh 5:15)
*Able to work miracles. He prays to God for more daylight when fighting the Amorites, the sun stops mid day.
==> Joshuah is the second moses.
- What plot lines from Numbers and Deuteronomy are brought to a conclusion in the Book of Joshua?
The Reubenites, Gadites, and half Menasheh inherit the land to the east of the Jordan
The circumcision of Israel was necessary after the incident with the spies, the next 40 years saw
all of the men finally die off, and apparently no circumcision was carried out in the desert during
that time. Israel was finally circumcised in preparation for the battle of Jericho.
Mana ceased to come on the after the passover offering at Gilgal.
Caleb claiming his inheritance as promised by Moses because of his forthright report. Hebron.
The establishment of the cities of refuge.
Daughters of Zlofekhad. Burying Joseph’s bones. Covenant ceremony at Shechem
- What are the geographic areas where events are taking place? Note how
schematic/representative are the locations and types of battles specified
Entered centrally.
1 lightening-strike southern campaign.
1 lightening-strike northern campaign.
