Syracuse University
REL/JSP 215 
The Hebrew Bible
FALL 2001
MWF 11:45 - 12:40
HL 114

 Aaron & Tabernacle (Dura-Europus synagogue)

This course surveys the literature of the Hebrew Bible (= Tanak = Old Testament) within the historical and religious context of the ancient Near East. Its goals are to: 1) familiarize students with the contents of the Hebrew Bible in English translation; 2) enlarge students' understanding of the practice of interpreting biblical literature; 3) increase students awareness of Israel's religious heritage and its impact on modern culture. 

The course consists of class discussions, lectures, student projects, and, most of all, readings. This course is a reading course, and the students' completion of all reading assignments is essential for their success. Assignments, discussions, lectures and tests all presuppose that students have read carefully and on schedule the readings from the Bible and textbooks. 
 

Teaching Team:

  • Instructor: JIM WATTS (PhD)
  • Office: 505 HL 
  • Office Hours: MW 2-3 pm & by appointment
  • E-mail: jwwatts@syr.edu 
  • Office phone: 443-5713
  • T.A. Alyssa Beall
  • Office: 514 HL
  • Office Hours:
  • E-mail: ajbeall@syr.edu
  • Office phone: 443-5721
Evaluation: Students are evaluated on the basis of their performance on three quizzes (10% for all three), three exams (15% each), two papers (20% each), and class participation (including attendance and occasional written assignments - 5%). Late assignments receive a reduced grade. Incidents of plagiarism or cheating result in no credit (0) for the test or assignment and may result in further disciplinary action. 
Textbooks:
Required: 
  • Steven L. McKenzie & Patrick Graham, The Hebrew Bible Today: An Introduction to Critical Issues (WJK, 1998).
  • Victor H. Matthews & Don C. Benjamin, Old Testament Parallels: Laws and Stories from the Ancient Near East, 2nd ed. (Paulist, 1997)
  • Archibald MacLeish, J.B. (Houghton Mifflin, 1956)
Recommended:
  • Tanak (New Jewish Publication Society Version)
  • or New Oxford Annotated Bible (New Revised Standard 

Schedule of Topics and Assignments (also available at http://web.syr.edu/~jwwatts/REL215.htm):
(biblical books are underlined; textbooks are cited by short titles; internet assignments are marked WWW)
Click on underlined topic titles for printable PDF files of class presentations (must have Adobe Acrobat Reader; to download a free copy, go to http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html). Further resources for biblical studies and religion may be found by at http://web.syr.edu/~jwwatts/UsefulLinks.htm
Date Topic Assignment
Aug 27 INTRODUCTIONS Genesis 1:1
Aug 29 READING THE BIBLE Read Genesis 1:1-2:4; Parallels, pp. 3-18
Aug 31 HISTORY IN/OF THE BIBLE Read Genesis 2-5; Hebrew Bible, pp. 3-24, 38-41
Sep 3 Labor Day: NO CLASS  
Sep 5 HISTORICAL & OTHER METHODS Read Genesis 6-9; Parallels, pp. 18-40; Hebrew Bible, pp. 24-27
Sep 7 GEOGRAPHY & ARCHEOLOGY OF ISRAEL AND THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST Read Genesis 10-11; WWW assignment: Israel: Archaeology from the Air
Sep 10 HEBREW NARRATIVE Read Genesis 12-25; Parallels, pp. 129-133; Hebrew Bible, pp. 27-33, 42-43.
Sep 12 THE ANCESTORS' RELIGION  Read Genesis 26-50; Parallels, pp. 66-81.
Sep 14-26 Focus Section on Exodus (paper assignment)

Sep 14 EXODUS Read all of Exodus at one sitting; Content Quiz
Sep 17 MOSES Parallels, pp. 85
Sep 19 COVENANT Parallels, pp. 86-90
Sep 21 LAW & RELIGION Parallels, pp. 101-123; Hebrew Bible, pp. 45-49
Sep 24 RITUAL & LAW Leviticus 1-2, 9-11, 16, 25. 
Exodus paper DUE
Sep 26 ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS Numbers 22-24, Deuteronomy 1, 5-6, 27, 31-34
Sep 28 JOSHUA AND JUDGES Read Deuteronomy 20; Joshua 1-6, 23-24; Judges 4-5, 15-16, 19-21; Hebrew Bible, pp. 53-63.
Oct 1 Test #1 STUDY! (study guide)
Oct 3 SETTLEMENT Read Joshua 11:16-23; Judges 1:1-2:5; Parallels, pp. 91-93, 134-144, 323-330.
Oct 5 THE UNITED KINGDOM 1 Samuel 8:1-18:16; 2 Samuel 1-2, 7, 11:1-12:24; WWW assignment: Biblical Jerusalem
Oct 8 THE DIVIDED KINGDOMS Read 1 Kings 11:41-12:33; Parallels, pp. 155-176; Hebrew Bible, pp. 63-68.
Oct 10 THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 2 Kings 17:1-14; 24:1-25:30; Parallels, pp. 177-190
Oct 12 Autumn Break: No Class  
Oct 15 PROPHECY 1 Kings 13, 17-21; Parallels, pp. 124-126, 244-256.
Oct 17 LITERARY PROPHECY Isaiah 6:1-13, 9:1-7, 11:1-9; Jeremiah 1:1-10, 5:1-6:30, 31:31-34; Amos 4:1-5, 5:14-24, 7:1-9; Parallels, pp. 312-322, 331-332; Hebrew Bible, pp. 69-75, 81-88;
Oct 19 CLASS CANCELLED CLASS CANCELLED
Oct 22-Nov 7 Focus Section on Hosea (paper assignment)

Oct 22 POETRY, PROPHECY & PSYCHOLOGY  Read Hosea in one sitting; Content QUIZ
Oct 24 HISTORY AND COMPOSITION Hebrew Bible, pp. 95-126.
Oct 26 MARRIAGE AS RELIGIOUS METAPHOR  Reread Hosea 1-3 and Parallels, pp.305-311 and prepare worksheet for class discussion 
Oct 29 POETRY AND RELIGIOUS RHETORIC Prepare list of ten metaphors.
Oct 31 LOVE, ANGER, AND GOD  
 
Nov 2 TEST #2 STUDY! (study guide)
Nov 5 THE BABYLONIAN EXILE Esther (all); Hebrew Bible, pp. 185-191
Nov 7 THE EXILIC PROPHETS Ezekiel 1:1-5:12 37:1-14; 40:1-47; Isaiah 40:1-31; 42:1-4; 46:1-13; 52:13-53:12; Hebrew Bible, pp. 75-81, 88-94
Nov 9 THE PERSIAN PERIOD Read Ezra 1:1-4, 9:1-10:43; Jonah (all); Ruth (all); Parallels, pp. 193-200; Hebrew Bible, pp. 173-179, 201-215. Hosea paper due.
Nov 12 HYMNS, LAMENTS, AND LOVE SONGS Read Psalms 8, 22, 32, 80, 110; Lamentations 1-2; Song of Solomon 1, 5; Parallels, pp. 231-242, 257-261, 297-301; Hebrew Bible, pp. 153-171, 179-185
Nov 14 WISDOM LITERATURE Read Proverbs 1:1-33; 7:1-27; 10:1-32; Ecclesiastes 1:1-3:22; 12:1-14; Parallels, pp. 274-288; Hebrew Bible, pp. 129-151
Nov 16-Dec 3 Focus Section on Job (paper assignment)

Nov 16 .  THE PROBLEM OF INNOCENT SUFFERING Read Job at one sitting. Content Quiz. Prepare for debate.
Nov 19 Detour: THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS  
Nov 21-25 Thanksgiving Break: No Class  
Nov 26 GOD'S SPEECHES FROM THE WHIRLWIND.  Start reading MacLeish, J.B
Nov 28 THE PROLOGUE AND EPILOGUE Reread Job 1-2, 42
Nov 30 MACLEISH ON JOB.  Finish reading MacLeish, J.B.
Dec 3 THE PROBLEM OF EVIL   
 
Dec 5 THE HELLENISTIC PERIOD AND APOCALYPTIC Read 1 Maccabees 1:1-5:68; Daniel 1-3, 7, 10-12; Hebrew Bible, pp. 191-198
Dec 7 THE IDEA OF SCRIPTURE Job paper DUE
Dec 19 10:15-12:15 Final Exam STUDY! (study guide)
 
http://www-hl.syr.edu/depts/judaic/default.html