Marc Brettler
Duke University, Religious Studies, Faculty Member
- Hebrew Bible, Hebrew Language, Biblical Studies, Ancient Near East, Ancient Religion, Assyriology, and 21 moreSecond Temple Judaism, Ritual Theory, Mesopotamian Religions, Pentateuchal Theory, Language Ideology, Ugaritic Language, Anthropology and Religion, North-West Semitic Epigraphy, Religion and cognition, Northwest Semitic Epigraphy, Comparative Semitic Linguistics, Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, Torah/Pentateuch, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Dead Sea Scrolls, Biblical Hebrew (Languages And Linguistics), Dead Sea Scrolls (Religion), Jewish Law, Semitic languages, Old Testament Textual Criticism, and Northwest Semiticsedit
The Origin of »Historical-Critical« in Biblical Studies: Some Common Errors Given the recent debates concerning the validity of the historical-critical method,1 we looked in vain for a discussion of the origin and early uses of this term.... more
The Origin of »Historical-Critical« in Biblical Studies: Some Common Errors Given the recent debates concerning the validity of the historical-critical method,1 we looked in vain for a discussion of the origin and early uses of this term. This article attempts to fill this lacuna with respect to the study of the Hebrew Bible. The term »historical-critical« is often misused by modern scholars in reference to figures who never employ the term, but are considered to be the founders of modern biblical studies, such as Baruch/Benedict Spinoza and Richard Simon,2 or
Master Bible scholar and teacher Marc Brettler argues that today's contemporary readers can only understand the ancient Hebrew Scripture by knowing more about the culture that produced it. And so Brettler unpacks the literary... more
Master Bible scholar and teacher Marc Brettler argues that today's contemporary readers can only understand the ancient Hebrew Scripture by knowing more about the culture that produced it. And so Brettler unpacks the literary conventions, ideological assumptions, and historical conditions that inform the biblical text and demonstrates how modern critical scholarship and archaeological discoveries shed light on this fascinating and complex literature. Brettler surveys representative biblical texts from different genres to illustrate how modern can read these texts. He guides us in reading the Bible as it was read in the biblical period, independent of later religious norms and interpretive traditions. Understanding the Bible this way lets us appreciate it as an interesting text that speaks in multiple voices on profound issues. Although the emphasis of How to Read the Jewish Bible is on showing contemporary Jews, as well as Christians, how they can relate to the Bible in a more meaningful way, readers at any level of religious faith can benefit greatly from this comprehensive but remarkably clear guide to interpreting the Jewish Bible.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This essay discusses how biblical texts that may reflect events of the ninth pre-Christian century may be used to reconstruct select ‘real’ events of that century. Using several examples, it reflects on method, namely, the problems that... more
This essay discusses how biblical texts that may reflect events of the ninth pre-Christian century may be used to reconstruct select ‘real’ events of that century. Using several examples, it reflects on method, namely, the problems that these texts present to the modern historian of ancient Israel. The modern historian of ancient history should approach the texts dealing with the ninth century in the same way he or she would approach earlier or later periods. This essay considers two types of texts: those that explicitly mark themselves as primarily didactic, and those that are marked as symbolic. The texts from the first group are from the Psalms, while Jonah, Job, and Ruth comprise the second group. There may be other sources beyond Kings that need to be considered for reconstructing the history of the ninth century, including Chronicles and the Pentateuch. Different Mesopotamian sources mention kings of Israel and Judah, usually in the context of the offering of tribute.
Research Interests:
... LAWRENCE J. KAPLAN AND DAVID SHATZ The Americanization of the Jews EDITED BY ROBERT M. SELTZER AND NORMAN J. COHEN Russia's First ... First, I want to thank my daughter Deb-orah Lewis Sperling who came home from Temple Israel... more
... LAWRENCE J. KAPLAN AND DAVID SHATZ The Americanization of the Jews EDITED BY ROBERT M. SELTZER AND NORMAN J. COHEN Russia's First ... First, I want to thank my daughter Deb-orah Lewis Sperling who came home from Temple Israel Religious School one day ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
... 1. See for example I. Benzinger, Die Bücher der Könige (KHAT; Freiburg: JCB Mohr [Paul Siebeck], 1899), p. 76; JA Montgomery and HS Gehman, The Book of Kings (ICC; Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1951), p. 231; B.... more
... 1. See for example I. Benzinger, Die Bücher der Könige (KHAT; Freiburg: JCB Mohr [Paul Siebeck], 1899), p. 76; JA Montgomery and HS Gehman, The Book of Kings (ICC; Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1951), p. 231; B. Porten, 'The Structure and Theme of the Solomon ...
Research Interests:
... 235 D. Arad and Other Judean Inscriptions 242 Systems of Accounting: Hieratic Numerals and Other Symbols 250 7. CONCLUSIONS Royal Functionaries and the State-Organization 269 Foreign Influence on the Israelite Bureaucracy 276 Tables... more
... 235 D. Arad and Other Judean Inscriptions 242 Systems of Accounting: Hieratic Numerals and Other Symbols 250 7. CONCLUSIONS Royal Functionaries and the State-Organization 269 Foreign Influence on the Israelite Bureaucracy 276 Tables A. 1. A Chronological Index of ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The expression "Those who pray together stay together" highlights an important function of prayer in many religions: fostering and reinforcing social cohesion.' For this reason, certain prayers are not addressed... more
The expression "Those who pray together stay together" highlights an important function of prayer in many religions: fostering and reinforcing social cohesion.' For this reason, certain prayers are not addressed to the deity but to members of the community, and help to bind the community together. This function of prayer has not received the attention it deserves in relation to the book of Psalms; this article attempts to begin to redress this gap. It is suggestive, rather than compre hensive in nature, and I hope that others will explore, extend, and nuance the following observations.
Research Interests: History and De Gruyter
Research Interests:
The so-called “Suffering Servant” of Isaiah 52:15–53:12 takes on new meaning in each of his settings, from the exilic or early post-exilic community of Deutero-Isaiah, to the repurposing of this figure by the author of Daniel, mid-second... more
The so-called “Suffering Servant” of Isaiah 52:15–53:12 takes on new meaning in each of his settings, from the exilic or early post-exilic community of Deutero-Isaiah, to the repurposing of this figure by the author of Daniel, mid-second century BCE during the persecutions of Jews by Antiochus IV Epiphanes, through the numerous New Testament citations of and allusions to Jesus as fulfilling Isaiah’s predictions concerning this servant, and on to several post-biblical Jewish understandings of this enigmatic figure. In showing how and why the servant receives such numerous readings, we demonstrate both how readers across the centuries and within different traditions understand Isaiah through their own circumstances, and why Jews and Christians should respect each other’s readings rather than attempt to “prove” the truth of one tradition on the basis of a specific understanding of prophecy.
Research Interests:
A Jewish Historical-Critical Commentary on Psalms: Psalm 114 as an Example This article explores what a Jewish historical-critical psalms commentary might look like, using Psalm 114 as an example. After offering a brief survey of general... more
A Jewish Historical-Critical Commentary on Psalms: Psalm 114 as an Example This article explores what a Jewish historical-critical psalms commentary might look like, using Psalm 114 as an example. After offering a brief survey of general issues that arise in writing any biblical commentary, and specific issues relating the Jewish Bible commentary, it offers a sample commen... Full description Published in: Hebrew bible and ancient Israel Main Author: Brettler, Marc Zvi 1958Format: Electronic Article Language: English Check availability: HBZ Gateway Journals Online & Print: Drawer... Published: [2016] In: Hebrew bible and ancient Israel Year: 2016, Volume: 5, Issue: 4, Pages: 401-434 Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: B Einheitsübersetzung der Heiligen Schrift. Psalmen 114 / Jewish literature / Exegesis Online Access: Volltext (Verlag) doi
Research Interests: History and Mohr Siebeck
L'A. se propose de montrer que Juges 1 : 1-2 : 10 servait originellement de conclusion au livre de Josue
Research Interests:
I have been using various versions of Accordance for three years; it is a superlative program that has become an indispensable part ofmy primary tools as a Bible scholar, and is of broader interest to any student of Hebrew literature who... more
I have been using various versions of Accordance for three years; it is a superlative program that has become an indispensable part ofmy primary tools as a Bible scholar, and is of broader interest to any student of Hebrew literature who might want to see biblical allusions or influences on later material. The current version, available on floppies or a CD-ROM, is for the Macintosh; a PC-compatible program that will be run via an emulator for PC/Windows is under construction. The core of the program is a grammatically tagged text of the Hebrew Bible, based on the manuscript most scholars use, Leningrad B19a (the text of Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia). The grammatical tagging refers to the fact that each word of the text has been analyzed; its part of speech has been identified, and when appropriate, further analyzed. For example, the program has been "taught" the gender and number of each noun in the Bible, and whether it is in the construct state. Complete information for each verb is encoded, as well; this includes the root, binyan, "tense," person, number, gender, and any suffixes. The availability of this information to various well-constructed search windows offers this program tremendous power and usefulness. Of course, the program is only as good as its grammatical tagging, which is generally reliable. Though the tagging has been checked and continues to be refined, no scholar will totally agree with every judgment that it incorporates; there are, for example, cases where verbs such as bvil are fundamentally ambiguous, analyzable as either a qal or a hifil, or where ?? may be understood either as a preposition ("with") or as a direct-object marker. Like most other databases, this one does not allow for ambiguity, and all such cases are resolved. The decisions made are typically sound, though not foolproof, and in using this program, such ambiguities must be kept in mind. The simplest types of searches are for particular roots and phrases. This is extremely easy; the program allows both lexical forms ("roots") and inflected forms ("words") to be inserted at the main window. Searches are fast; Accordance listed all 430 cases of nvr» in less than ten seconds, and discovered all 3,577 cases of conjugated ??p in any binyan in about thirty seconds. (These searches were conducted on a Performa 6115CD with 8MB of RAM.) The word that you are
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: History and Hebrew Bible
... 37 beydd6 in v. 2 is ambiguous; it can either mean that Judah is the agent for the land-conquest (buydd = "via") or that it is the recipient of the land (beyad = "to"). In either... more
... 37 beydd6 in v. 2 is ambiguous; it can either mean that Judah is the agent for the land-conquest (buydd = "via") or that it is the recipient of the land (beyad = "to"). In either case, Judah plays a central role. ... Page 9. Brettler: Literature as Politics 403 II. ...
Research Interests:
Marc Zvi Brettler examines the way the Bible is taught in Introduction to Judaism courses, and suggests that presenting the Bible in its final form as background for the development of Judaism is insufficient. Many aspects of modern... more
Marc Zvi Brettler examines the way the Bible is taught in Introduction to Judaism courses, and suggests that presenting the Bible in its final form as background for the development of Judaism is insufficient. Many aspects of modern Judaism are not scripturally based; moreover, Jewish scripture developed and evolved over time: canon formation was a process. Thus, teaching Judaism as if today's Bible always existed, was always authoritative, and was the only canon that existed is historically inaccurate. Among other advantages, a historical-critical approach assists students in understanding rabbinic texts, which become easier if students realize that the Torah is not a single, unified text, but a polyphonic one. The academic teaching of religion involves, or at least includes, teaching texts in their historical contexts, and each text should be open to all questions. Brettler also argues for the place of the New Testament in Introduction courses.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
... the central question of John Barton's Reading the Old Testament: Method in Biblical Study.9 The essays collected by Jeffrey Tigay under the title Empirical Models for Biblical Criticism"' and the work of Michael... more
... the central question of John Barton's Reading the Old Testament: Method in Biblical Study.9 The essays collected by Jeffrey Tigay under the title Empirical Models for Biblical Criticism"' and the work of Michael Fishbane"1 ... which is not followed by what Ham told his two brothers. ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
... Vetus Testamentum Supplements 16 (1967): 30-37; J. Philip Hyatt, "Were There an AncientHistorical Credo in Israel and an Independent Sinai Tradition?" in Translating and Understanding the Old Testament:... more
... Vetus Testamentum Supplements 16 (1967): 30-37; J. Philip Hyatt, "Were There an AncientHistorical Credo in Israel and an Independent Sinai Tradition?" in Translating and Understanding the Old Testament: Essays in Honor of Herbert Gordon May, ed. Harry Thomas Frank ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
... Lang in 2000. 9. In Robert P. Scharlemann and Gilbert EM Ogutu (eds.), God in Language (New York: Paragon House, 1987), pp. 182-93. 10. 'In Praise of Anthropomorphism', p. 188; italics in original.... more
... Lang in 2000. 9. In Robert P. Scharlemann and Gilbert EM Ogutu (eds.), God in Language (New York: Paragon House, 1987), pp. 182-93. 10. 'In Praise of Anthropomorphism', p. 188; italics in original. 11. There is considerable ...
Research Interests:
This volume is part of the series Fortress Classics in Biblical Studies, inaugurated in 2001; previous volumes include works by Gunkel and Jeremias, and Schweitzer’s The Quest of the Historical Jesus. Each volume also includes updated... more
This volume is part of the series Fortress Classics in Biblical Studies, inaugurated in 2001; previous volumes include works by Gunkel and Jeremias, and Schweitzer’s The Quest of the Historical Jesus. Each volume also includes updated notes and bibliographies. The current volume is especially unusual in that it brings together Mowinckel’s 1946 book, The Prophetic Books in the Light of the Study of the Growth and History of the Tradition (The Prophetic Books), and two articles, one from JBL, the other originally published as part of the classic work Psalmenstudien. Thus, given the nature of the book and the series, it seems best to evaluate The Spirit and the Word by asking the following questions: Is it really a classic? Has it been updated properly? Does the volume cohere as a whole? It is difficult to define a classic, though I am partial to the definition once offered in class by the late Moshe Goshen-Gottstein, who defined a classic as a work you must read even though it is wrong. Though Mowinckel’s English and German books on Psalms would clearly be classified as classics under this definition, The Prophetic Books is probably too obscure to qualify—though the 1934 JBL essay reprinted as ‘‘The Spirit and the Word in the Prophets’’ may qualify. In addition, there are parts of this book that are clearly wrong, such as the reference to a fully developed ‘‘enthronement festival’’ (p. 75), one of Mowinckel’s main contributions to biblical scholarship, and an idea rejected more often that it is accepted. Yet, even if not a full-fledged classic, there is much in The Prophetic Books that is worth recalling, even now. In terms of the history of biblical scholarship, it offers insight into an era in which form criticism and tradition history were new, and these are represented in an unusually clear and interesting fashion. But the importance of this book is not merely historical. Mowinckel points out time and time again that oral and literary models need to be considered together, simultaneously—they are not ‘‘either/ or’’ models (e.g., pp. 4, 27, 28, 59); this point is as underappreciated today as it was more than half a century ago. His articulation of the goal of biblical scholarship is also relevant for now: ‘‘to understand from all aspects the final result of the history of tradition represented by the existing form of the books’’ (p. 9). (My only quibble is that in some cases we might understand the existing forms (pl.) of books, especially in cases
Research Interests:
... 6Aramaic Iwd'y, literally "Lydians." The medieval tradition understood these "Lydians" as cannibals (so Ha-Arukh, completed 1101; [Lublin 1874 edition ... 1876-89] 2.... more
... 6Aramaic Iwd'y, literally "Lydians." The medieval tradition understood these "Lydians" as cannibals (so Ha-Arukh, completed 1101; [Lublin 1874 edition ... 1876-89] 2. 479), but modern lexicographers have correctly understood the term as lanistae, or other personnel of the arena. ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
... In reconstructing the history of ancient Israel, it is important to remember that history does not write itself: The people who write history3 decide what did or I would like to thank the Mandel Foundation for its hospitality and... more
... In reconstructing the history of ancient Israel, it is important to remember that history does not write itself: The people who write history3 decide what did or I would like to thank the Mandel Foundation for its hospitality and support during my term as a visiting scholar at the Mandel ...