HISTORICAL BOOKS BY REV. SR. PROF.

MARYSYLVIA NWACHUKWU

2ND SEMESTER

07/03/2024

Historical Books

It is the name of a group of books found in the Alexandrian Canon.

How many canons of the two Testament do we have? Two: Palestinian Canon and
Alexandrian canon. Canon are list of accepted books as inspired. It is accepted by a
community of faith.

Historical books are found in the Alexandrian Canon. The Alexandrian canons are
Pentateuch, Historical Books, Poetical and Prophets.

What are the Historical books and how many books are in the Historical Books?

The event described in the Historical books happened within a context known as the
late bronze age and the beginning of the iron age. What are the events of the late
bronze age? And what are the event of early iron age in the Ancient Near East?

The historical books begin from the book of Joshua “and the story we are about to
hear happened at the time…” Joshua 1:1 says ‘after the death of Moses’ whatever
story it want to tell happened after the death of Moses and one is no longer in the era
of Moses. It started from after the death of Moses till the Exile (Babylonian exile).
During this period… because many kingdoms have developed and others were
collapsing… historical existence. What was happening…?

The historical book will include the former prophets and other historical books.

Israel has no history during Moses because they are still slave. Their history started
when they entered the land.

There is also a canonical context or theological context within which we will study
the historical books. It is the Deuteronomistic history. In scholarship, no where, in
which the historical books are studied is Deuteronomistic history not mentioned.
Earlier sources existed which the real authors of these books used to write the story
from the time of the exile.

Viewing the history backward to pick pieces of information to explain why we

ended like this. The Deuteronomistic history is a very important context to study
because the final redaction of these books was done by Deuteronomistic historians.

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Bronze Age

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The Hittites were good in wars / making weapons / riding horses.

It is called bronze because it saw the use of bronze for weapons for wars and
agricultural equipment. Certain factors might have led to the collapse of empires in
the late bronze age. Such factors might be environmental factors or human factors.

1. Environmental Factors: Drought, Climate change, disease, earthquake and

other environmental disasters.
2. Human Factors: Sea people (e.g the Philistines who settled… Hittites suffered
full collapse. And may have to live in other countries – Uriah the Hittite.

The Assyrians, Babylonians

The Bandits (The Israelites fall under peasant revolutions).

Iron Age

Phoenician – Trade organized through the sea (strength). There were need for
transportation by sea.

Assyrian – militarianism (conquered almost all the known cities, except Egypt), often
mutilates the bodies of conquered state if they offer resistance; manufactured iron
weapons in large numbers; all conquered territory paid tribute and gift; they breed
special species of horses for fighting.

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Deuteronomistic History

DH is a literature we must understand when studying the historical books. These

books were written to be part of this context.

Questions to be considered

1. What is the DH (DtrH)

2. Who invented the Theory?
3. Who is the author of this history?
4. What is the place of Deuteronomy in this history?
5. What is this history’s view of Moses, the Law, kingship and the prophet?
6. Describe the two editions of this history

What is the DH?

The scope of this history is after the death of Moses to Babylonian exile. The author
was in Babylonian exile when he started writing. How was this history written?
Some questions spur this write-up. Why the exile? Where is our God? what
happened to the promises he made to David?

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The DH is the history of Israel which was composed during the exile from various
sources; and which receives more than one revision after the exile around 550 BC. It
covers historical events concerning Israel from the time after the death of Moses till
the Babylonian exile.

The man who invented this theory of DH is Martin Noth. According to him, the DH
draws its theology and themes from the book of Deuteronomy and for this reason, it
is called Deuteronomistic History. It was written by an anonymous author whom he
called Deuteronomist.

Prophetic legends of Samuel, Elijah and Elisha, stories about the kingdom – stories of
David, Solomon, the kings; it includes stories of the heroes – the judges. He used all
these older materials to composed the DH. (The canons were written by members of
a community of faith, who wrote down oral stories). They existed earlier in small
fragment of texts. How come we ended in exile after the glorious time of David, was
the question of the Deuteronomist? No ancient king recorded an account of conquest
or defeat, they only recorded the success. What Israel discussed in Exodus is not
what happened but what they understood from what happened – the meaning of
what happened. The Torah has been canonized before the Deuteronomist author
started their composition.

This history can be understood against the background of the Babylonian exile and
its aftermaths. The Babylonian exile happened about 120 years after the Assyrian
exile 721 BC, 597/598 BC for Babylonian exile. In the Assyrian exile, northern
kingdom was destroyed – Read these exiles in the bible. In the Babylonian exile…
they cannot sing the Lord’s song in a strange nation. This exile was explained as
punishment test for idolatry… the entire city was destroyed; the temple was
destroyed. Israelites were humiliated. (The temple of the Lord is not a hypothesis, it
exists – Jer. 7:1-15, only on the condition that your ways are upright; Psalm 132;
Psalm 89 – how long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?). This was the
situation of the Israelite after the Babylonian conquest. The priests and the prophets
provided answers to these questions. Those answers are found in the DH. It can be
guessed… 538 BC when Persia conquered Babylon. The first King of Persia was
Cyrus. The Babylonian exile ended when King Cyrus of Persia conquered the
Babylonians and allowed Israelites to return back and rebuild their city and temple.

Objectives of the History

What are the objectives of this history, what did the Deuteronomist aim to achieve?
In the midst of the crises of faith that befell Israelites during the exile. Looking at the
Israel’s covenant history from Abraham, Sinai and how God has been faithful. The
experience has grown in such a way that God has been a rock that cannot be shaken

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and then at the moment, they were destroyed. Psalm 89 and the book of lamentation
expresses their wrath. The DH provides an answer to the cause of the exile. They
look back to see where the blame is. They discovered that the primary course of
Israel’s blame is kingship. They discovered that there were laws that guided the
activities of the kings which were disobeyed. Deut. 17 and 18 describes these laws. It
is also said there that a King must allow himself to be directed by a prophetic word.
Each period of Israel’s history is accessed to King’s obedience to these laws. Failure
to obey these laws bring disaster.

The Deuteronomist also recognized that Yahweh had spoken to Israel through a
succession of prophets from Moses onward; prophets whose words were not obeyed.
Who were these prophets: Samuel, Nathan, Gad, Ahijah, Elkiah, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah
of Jerusalem. Yahweh has successively address Israel to be upright through these
prophets. Deut. 29 – 34 speaks of consequences of unfaithfulness. These where
prophet whose works enriched this history and through which God spoke to Israel –
that is why they are called former prophet. They were not writing prophet; they did
not write down their oracle. They existed before the classical time of writing.

The DH also showed that Israel prospered when the people are loyal to the covenant
and Israel suffered when the people disregarded prophetic warnings. One can see
then, that the book of Joshua represents the golden time of obedience of great
success among Israel, while the book of Judges shows a pattern of disobedience and
punishment.

18/04/2024

What led to the Babylonian exile? Which chapter of the bible discussed these crises?

Discuss the crises that led to the Babylonian Exile? – Primary source is the Bible –
Reflect historical book, prophetic book and the psalm.

The second objective is to presents prophets as bearers of God’s word. Before the
exile, God has spoken to Israel through a succession of prophets. From Moses
through Joshua, Samuel, Ahijah, Elisha, Elijah etc. They spoke to Israel to repent or
doom will befall them.

The Third objective: The Deuteronomistic aims to observe that Israel prospered
when it was loyal to the covenant and Israel suffered when she disregards prophetic
warning and is disobedient. This objective is behind the presentation.

The first objective is to respond to the crises. The Deuteronomist were telling the
Israelite that it is not because Babylonian were more powerful but because God
handed them over because of their disobedient.

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It is a work in two editions. The first edition was written in support of King Josiah –
2 Kings 23:1-30. Josiah was seen as another David, that he will restore the glory of
the temple.

How is Manasseh related to Josiah? Manasseh ruled before Josiah. Manasseh was
Josiah’s grandfather. Josiah righteousness and reform was not enough to abdicate the
Lord’s anger on Manasseh and Israel. No prophet rose up during the time of
Manasseh because his sin drove away the Holy Spirit. His age was called the dark
age. Even that of Josiah did not atone it. Israel still has to go to Exile.

Read 2 Kings 22:14-

The second edition, the first draft was upgraded to include the reason for the exile.

The nation suffers the mistake of the King.

The Figure of Joshua

Exo. 17:9-13 – Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed… One of the
inheritance, Joshua inherited from Moses.

Deut. 25:17-19 – Remember what Amalek did to you… Amalek were the descendants
of Esau. The Amalekites were cousin in relation to the Israelite. Israel-Amalekite war
was very historical.

1 Sam. 14 and 15 – The defeat of the Amalekite – When Samuel defeated the
Amalekite, he did not carry out the bann. This is one of the reasons why he lost his
kingship.

1 Sam 30 – David’s war; 2 Sam. 8:12-14 – All the Edomite under Israel were subjected.

Enoch, Moses and Elijah are three figures whose graves are unknown in the OT.

Exodus 24:13, 33:11; Numbers 11:38 – all describe Joshua as the servant of Moses

Assignment

How does the book describe the conquest, there are three campaigns. Find out the
details of the campaign, that the different stage. What was achieve at each stage?

What is the view of the Deuteronomistic historian in the book of Joshua

How does it defer from the book of the Judges

02/05/2024

Deuteronomistic History

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Who made the proposal? Martin Noth proposed the theory of the Deuteronomistic
history. He says that the Deuteronomy is part and parcel of Deuteronomistic history.

Before the DH, there was no comprehensive story that embraces all the stages of
Israel’s life (from after the death of Moses to the exile). But there were small pocket
of stories and it was the Deuteronomist that brought these stories together.

What was the Deuteronomist doing in…? He brought all these earlier stories
together, about Elijah, Elisha and the heroes of Israel. He did that by introducing
statement that will join two stories together. It might be a speech or formulary
statement or explanatory statement. Connecting pieces resembling sermons.

Theological Intentions

Who was the author that discovered two types of law in the OT? Albrecht Albs – one
is casuistic, another one is apodictic. Casuistic laws are conditional laws. For
instance, if a seminarian destroys the seat of another seminarian, He will take the
seat to a carpenter and repair it for the seminarian; If a man loses a property of
another, he will pay for the property in cash. It is a conditional law and gave a way
how that particular case will be resolved. How Israel distinguished itself is that they
have the one called Apodictic – it just states the law – You shall obey your father and
mother. It is not conditional. There is nothing like if a man serves another God, he
shall not… by the community.

Making a distinction between the time of the judges and the time of the King. An age
of the people, but later the entire focus…

Why was the Northern kingdom condemned? Because they separated from
Jerusalem and prevented people from coming there to worship. While tradition says
Yahweh chose Jerusalem as his dwelling place. Even the separation of David was
seen as a problem. The tradition has made that separation faulty. It was not because
they did any thing sinful but because they belong to a sinful state.

The DH is based on the word of God.

The 6 books were written in the context of Deuteronomy. What Martin Noth did was
to check how these stories were written. There is no where you will find DH in the
history, but when you are reading the 6 books you will be finding the context of
Deuteronomy in them. The 6 books were written from the perspectives of the book
of Deuteronomy, they have connection to the book of Deuteronomy. And it is on the
bit to explain why Israel was in exile.

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The beginning of the 5th century before the historical book, the Pentateuch has
already been canonized. What happened to God? Why did God abandon us? Is it
our fault or that of God? This DH answers the question.

The composer of the theory of Hexateuch is… The theory of Hexateuch, which posits
that the original compilation of books pertaining to the early background and
establishment of the commonwealth of Israel included the Book of Joshua, was first
set forth by Alexander Geddes in 1792. The term "Hexateuch" itself, which means
"six scrolls," was coined by Julius Wellhausen in the late 19th century.

You cannot study the Historical books without making recourse to DH.

What do you understand by open confusion? When the King was released, where
was he? He was brought into the King of Babylon’s house, but he was not sent back
to reign in his country.

The entire religion collapse… so that Yahweh will hear their prayer, forgive their
sins.

It is a story that goes with many questions unanswered.

1. The figure of Joshua, who was Joshua?

2. The division of the book
3. The campaign, the military campaign
4. The Theology of the book – it will relate to the Deuteronomistic theologian
5. Literary type of writing in the book and composition of it

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The person of Joshua

Chapters 3 -12 is divided into… there are three campaigns, first one is in the western
side – the border of the promise land which is river Jordan. The cities conquered
were Jericho and Ai.

The second campaign was done at the southern hill… the conquered a coalition
(many cities forming an ally to fight Israel). There are many cities that were taken
during the second campaign like Hesbron…

The third campaign is in the northern hill country. Joshua worn a decisive victory
against the city of Hazer. With this, Joshua has taken a good possession of them –
fortified cities were all burn to the ground. With all the cities taken, what was left in
chapter 12 is the division of the land. Allotting the land to the people of Israel.
Chapter 12 outlines all the kings that were conquered.

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Chapter 23 is the great convocation at Shechem. Joshua asked them to choose the
God whom they will serve – Joshua 23. The making of a last speech is the end of an
era – Joshua 24.

The Theological theme in the book of Joshua

1. Holy War: It is called holy war because God is the fighter of the war with the
gods of other people. It is a war between gods. Any divinity that wins
becomes sovereign. The trumpet was a sign of God’s victory that was why the
war was fought with trumpet. God demands that it is few persons that fight
the war so that they will know that it was God who fought the war. Acham is
under the theme of Holy war.
2. The fulfillment of God’s promise: The promise made to Abraham by God
was fulfilled.
3. The Idea of Sovereignty: God demonstrated greater power over other cities.
4. Obedience to God: How do you discuss obedience within the text of Joshua?
Obedience leads to victory and success. The time of Joshua was a golden era.
Israel was obedient to God.
5. Covenant Renewal in Chapter 24 – passing on the faith to the next
generation.
6. Land as gift

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