Deuteronomistic Sermons

1
Deuteronomistic Sermons

• Deuteronomy 4 29
• Joshua 1 and 23
• Judg 211ff
• 1 Samuel 12
• 1 Kings 8
• 2 Kings 17

2
Deut 2929

• The secret things belong to the LORD our God
• but the revealed things belong to us and to our
  children forever
• to observe all the words of this law

3
Theology in Joshua

• Deut 317 Moses promise of land to be carried
  out through Joshua
• Joshua 2-12 fulfilled to a T
• Josh 2145 None of the promises failed (see also
  2314)
• Josh 2315-16 Judgment certain if covenant
  transgressed or if Israel would serve other gods

4
Theology in Joshua

• 2431 Israel served Yahweh all days of Joshua
• Judg 210-11 The next generation did what was
  evil in eyes of Yahweh

5
Joshua the Conquest Model

• apparently faithful to the Bible
• archaeological confirmation Lachish, Bethel,
  Hazor, Tell Beit Mirsim, Eglon
• Israelites? Philistines? natural catastrophes?

6
Conquest Model Problems

• Jericho--no city from 1300-1100
• Ai--gap between 2400-1200
• Gibeon--no LB city
• also Hebron, Heshbon, Dibon, Hormah (Num 213),
  and Arad did not exist at the time of Joshua

7
Conquest Model Presuppositions

• Radical discontinuity between Israel and its
  Canaanite neighbors
• Cultural change is caused by invasion of new
  people
• Relationship between theory and imperialism?
• Problems Yahweh as warrior land taken from
  Canaanites. If Jericho was not razed, is your
  faith vain?

8
Peaceful Immigration Model

• Israel settled in area between older cities
• Little continuity with biblical tradition
  stories of conquest are etiological (Ai ruin)
• Move into land without theological significance
  emphasis on promise of land to matriarchs and
  patriarchs
• Embarrassing Holy Wars were not fought

9
Immigration Model Presuppositions

• Nomadism but early Israelites raised crops and
  livestock sophisticated ceramics
• camel not domesticated until 1200
• Hence those who entered the land were not true
  nomads.

10
Peasants Revolt

• Amarna (14c) Palestine ruled by city kings in
  class conscious society
• These kings complained about lawless Apiru or
  habiru
• Israelites in Exodus described as mixed
  multitude

11
Peasants Revolt

• Fugitives from Egypt galvinized peasants into
  full-scale revolt (70 families became 250,000
  people)
• archaeological continuity between LB and Iron
  ages
• Rahab the prostitute (lower class) cf. Judg
  122-26 (informer from Bethel)

12
Results of Revolt Model

• democratization of housing
• equality of land distribution
• hostility to kingship and hierarchy of every
  kind harboring of runaway slaves encouraged
  (Deut 2315-16)
• but least like biblical picture

13
Theological implications of Revolt Model

• Conquest was not imperialism but a mighty blow
  for justice
• Connection of Yahweh with justice is central and
  original
• unity of Israel is ideological or theological

14
More Theological Implications of Revolt Model

• Yahweh is the one who puts down the mighty from
  their thrones
• Conquest was more political than religious
• Crimes against property are not capital crimes in
  the Bible no class distinctions in law

15
Revolt Model Weaknesses

• Was covenant unity so early?
• Why does the Bible indicate that majority came
  from outside the land
• Are the Apiru really Hebrews?
• Israel settled in hill country because they were
  unable to beat royal strongholds ruralization
  and decline of city-states in LB
• Egalitarian villages also outside the confines of
  premonarchic Israel

16
Dtr Scheme in time of Othniel

• Sin 37
• Punishment 38
• Cry to the LORD 39a
• Deliverance 39b-10
• Rest 311

17
Judges

• Ehud
• Deborah
• Gideon
• Jephthah
• Samson
• Minor judges in 101-5 127-15

18
Judg 106-16

• Yahweh refuses to act until they actually dispose
  of other gods
• They put away gods Yahweh could no longer bear
  to see Israel suffer
• Climactic sin choice of king (1 Sam 1219)