Journal for the Study of the Old Testament

The recent article in this journal by I. Finkelstein and N. Silberman ( JSOT 30 [2006]: 259-85), in which the authors attempted to establish the historicity of Hezekiah's religious centralization by linking it with archaeological evidence for the closing of shrines at Arad, Beersheba, and Lachish, highlights the need for historians to reconsider this issue. Finkelstein and Silberman's article lacks the mandatory critical evaluation of the biblical text and inappropriately dates selected archaeological evidence to the reign of a specific king. A re-examination of the highly charged issue of cult centralization in the late eighth century BCE is overdue, and this study offers some needed corrections to the analysis of Finkelstein and Silberman and proposes what is considered to be a more cogent understanding of the reality underlying the biblical claim of a cultic centralization undertaken by Hezekiah. This study does not deal with the separate issue of Hezekiah's alleged cultic reform.

Using Lyle Eslinger's work on the text as a stepping stone, this article contends that—in contrast to general opinion—Gen. 6.1-8 is a carefully structured, unified section which was consciously inserted to inform the reader about the developments that led to the flood. The Genesis passage is preceded by the depiction of two opposing groups of humanity, one of which is almost lost in the verses immediately following the pericope. Through textual and contextual analysis, this article tries to show that the sons of God passage serves to clarify this disappearance. A non-mythological reading of the text is proposed, one which integrates Gen. 6.1-8 into the narrative of Genesis 1-11.

In Gen. 6.2 the sons of God see that the daughters of humankind are 'beautiful', yet the adjective used in 6.2 is not ‭הפי‬, 'beautiful, handsome', but ‭בוט‬, 'good'. An examination of the adjective ‭בוט‬ in the present study leads to the conclusion that ‭בוט‬ in Gen. 6.2 does not mean 'beautiful', but 'good'. This study proposes that 6.2 is not connected to the 'beauty' motif found in the ensuing chapters of Genesis, but to the 'seeing...good' motif in the preceding creation story (Gen. 1-3). The conclusion is reached that what sets the story in motion is not the attractive appearance of the women, but the false judgment by the sons of God whose actions recall Eve's in Gen. 3.6.

In both Genesis and early prophecy, Jacob, the father of the chosen people of Israel, is harshly criticized for the shrewd trickery that he employs to supplant his brother Esau. The role reversal of the twins thus challenges later biblical authors. It is argued in this study that, from the way this tradition is used for purposes of communication in Obadiah and Malachi, two alternative interpretations may be discerned. While Obadiah explains the role reversal as a result of Esau's misconduct, Malachi interprets it as an inscrutable act of divine election. Tracing the latter approach in Paul's letter to the Romans, both the bearing of these actualizing interpretations on the tradition itself and the way different communities used it as common story are observed.

For the past half-century, many scholars have argued that the Israelites viewed dogs with contempt. They point to passages in the Old Testament that depict dogs as despicable creatures who should be avoided. Such a sentiment is puzzling in light of the widespread utilization and enjoyment of canines throughout the ancient Near East. A closer examination of these Old Testament texts reveals that, although the word ‭כבל‬ was often used pejoratively, dogs were not contemptible in Israelite society. In fact, Job 30.1 and Tob. 6.2 and 11.4 illustrate that they were valued for their services as sheepdogs, travel companions, guardians, and possibly pets.

Knowledge of the archaeology of Jerusalem in the Persian (and Early Hellenistic) period—the size of the settlement and whether it was fortified—is crucial to understanding the history of the province of Yehud, the reality behind the book of Nehemiah and the process of compilation and redaction of certain biblical texts. It is therefore essential to look at the finds free of preconceptions (which may stem from the account in the book of Nehemiah) and only then attempt to merge archaeology and text.