The biblical Nazareth is chronologically the first important element of the historical picture of... more The biblical Nazareth is chronologically the first important element of the historical picture of Jesus, the credibility of which is constantly being questioned. The discussion around it carries a trace of debate between minimalists and maximalists. The presented outline of a holistic picture of the history of this settlement, which consists of information and conclusions obtained on the basis of archaeological and historical-literary research in confrontation with the evidence of religious tradition expressed in sacred architecture, facilitates a critical assessment of the credibility of this place.
Przegląd Religioznawczy [The Religious Studies Review], 2023
Already the early rabbinic tradition confirms the presence of the archetype of the prophets in th... more Already the early rabbinic tradition confirms the presence of the archetype of the prophets in the biblical image of Moses. In the collection of 'laws' for public offices (Dt 16:18−18:22) in the Deuteronomic Code (Dt 12−26), the central place is occupied by the 'Laws' of the King (Dt 17:14−20) and the Prophet (Dt 18:9−22). This legal recognition of the Office of the Prophet among other public offices, unprecedented in ancient Near Eastern legislation, expresses the uniqueness of Israelite prophecy. The importance of this phenomenon is noted in relation to the contemporary political structures and the Code of Canon Law.
Studi del settimo convegno RBS. International Studies on Biblical and Semitic Rhetoric 30, 2021
The poem ’ēšet-ḥayil «woman of valour» (Prov 31:10-31) is considered the key
to understanding th... more The poem ’ēšet-ḥayil «woman of valour» (Prov 31:10-31) is considered the key
to understanding the composition and content of the Book of Proverbs. At first
reading, the text of the poem seems to be quite simple and clear. Its content is
closely related to practical instructions from previous chapters containing
individual speeches and sayings. It would seem, therefore, that it is only a continuation
of the topics already discussed. However, more advanced literary studies
show much richer applications of this text in the context of the structure of the
entire book.
A popular and traditional interpretation of the poem sees it as a presentation of
the virtues of an ideal wife and mother, the hostess of a prominent man. Thus, its
protagonist is still considered by some contemporary commentators as a role
model for Israeli wives and mothers. However, some of the literary analyses of
this poem from a thematic and structural perspective suggest understanding the
picture of ’ēšet-ḥayil as a personification of wisdom. This opinion has also been
justified in earlier chapters of the book, where wisdom is represented through
a metaphor of a woman. From the popular point of view of the poetic language,
personifications are considered as a frequently occurring type of metaphors or
allegories. However, it is sometimes questioned because personification as
a classical rhetorical figure is closely related to sermocinatio, that can acquire
a special value through the fictio personae reaching a status similar to dramatis
persona.
The presented below attempt of the rhetorical analysis of this text, taking into
account its Semitic and biblical character, provides further arguments justifying
its metaphorical interpretation – not as the personification of wisdom but just
a complex metaphor.
F. Graziano & R. Meynet (eds), Studi del sesto convegno RBS. International Studies on Biblical & Semitic Rhetoric. Leuven: Peeters Pub., 2019. p. 23-43, 2019
The literary phenomenon known as «Janus parallelism» (the term coined by Cyrus H. Gordon) is a si... more The literary phenomenon known as «Janus parallelism» (the term coined by Cyrus H. Gordon) is a situation in which a middle line of poetry contains a pun, usually a single word, with two different meanings: one meaning parallels what it precedes, the other — what it follows. The list of known Janus parallels in the Hebrew Bible continues to grow. Moreover, the device has also been discovered in Ugaritic, Akkadian, Arabic and Sumerian literature, which shows that it is in no way bound to a specific language family. This paper deals with the presence of Janus parallelism in Genesis 2,1, where the Hebrew word wyklw could mean «they were completed», referring to the First Creation Account in Gen 1, or «they were destroyed», preparing the context for the Second Creation Account in Gen 2. Already Cyrus H. Gordon pointed out that the two creations in Genesis were interlocked by this polysemous word form. The broad perspective of Biblical and Semitic Rhetoric Analysis can determine interdependent phenomena in these texts, which could help to explain their composition and interpretation.
ABSTRACT The differences between the two Creation accounts (Gen 1 and 2) do not contradict each other, but are complementary. The two stories are in parallel and present views from their specific perspective: Genesis 1 is universal, while Genesis 2 is immanent. The second account adds more details that enrich the first account. In light of rhetorical analysis of these two Creation account’s the Gordon hypothesis of Janus parallelism in Gen 2:1 is not justified and cannot be further upheld.
RIASSUNTO Le differenze tra i due racconti di creazione (Gen 1 e 2) non si contraddicono a vicenda, ma sono complementari. Le due storie sono parallele e presentano punti di vista dalla loro specifica percezione: Genesi 1 è universale, mentre Genesi 2 è immanente. Il secondo racconto aggiunge ulteriori dettagli che arricchiscono il primo. Alla luce dell'analisi retorica di questi due resoconti della creazione, l'ipotesi di Gordon di un parallelismo di Giano in Gen 2,1 non è giustificata e non può essere ulteriormente confermata.
The category of “Biblical inspiration” dates back to the biblical period. Subsequently, the early... more The category of “Biblical inspiration” dates back to the biblical period. Subsequently, the early Jewish and Christian traditions made many attempts to describe it definitively. Over the centuries, many ways have emerged to understand the nature of the inspiration and to explain its relationship to the human author. One difficulty is the overly simple understanding of the inspiration model of the prophetic texts in the Bible.
Fernandes, Gavin, and Stefan Fischer, The Song of Songs Afresh: Perspectives On a Biblical Love Poem. Hebrew Bible Monographs 82, Sheffield, SHEFFIELD PHOENIX PRESS 2019, p. 215-243., 2019
The texts included in the biblical canon were evaluated based on specific criteria and a specific... more The texts included in the biblical canon were evaluated based on specific criteria and a specific interpretation assigned to them. In the case of the Song of Songs, the book might have been read as an allegory from the outset, which was crucial in maintaining the orthodox position of this interpretation in the Jewish as well as in the Christian traditions. The targumist followed the Hebrew text of the Song of Songs not only verse by verse, or sentence by sentence, but sometimes even word by word. Not all the methods and techniques of interpretation, such as the change in pointing, the use of similar-sounding consonant or consonant substitution and adjustment, can be clearly identified and classified. It can therefore be stated that the text of the Targum to the Song of Songs has a very complex character but nevertheless contains the whole biblical text and refers to the entire Song. Despite the fact that the primary method of interpretation used by the author of Targum to the Song of Songs is primarily an allegory, forming a highly developed paraphrase, the relationship between the Hebrew text of the Song of Songs and Aramaic text of Targum to the Song of Songs has not been lost. It is justified, therefore, to speak of the Targum to the Song of Songs as a version of the Song of Songs.
Word in the Cultures of the East sound, language, book, 2016
The Greek term tetragrámmaton “four letters” refers to the Hebrew theonym written as the four con... more The Greek term tetragrámmaton “four letters” refers to the Hebrew theonym written as the four consonants transliterated to the Latin letters as YHWH (JHWH), which are considered to be a proper name of the God used in the Hebrew Bible. Although it is not certain when the Tetragrammaton ceased to be pronounced, ultimately lack of its use resulted in uncertainty over the tradition of vowel sounds in the name and hence in its meaning. Even Van der Toorn in analyzing potential sources for the name YHWH, has pointed out that the significance of the name Yahweh used to be “a subject of a staggering amount of publications” – including the story from Exodus. The magic-letter theory developed by J.M. Hoffman accounts for lack of etymological derivation for YHWH by specifically claiming that the Hebrews appreciated the value of their newly-found vowel letters [waw, he, yod] so much that they used them to define membership in their group, as it was with the names Abraham (from Abram), Sarah (from Saray), and one name for God. The Hebrews took the letters yod, he, and waw, which had already been used to represent consonantal sounds, and used them to represent vowel sounds as well. In doing so, they paved the way not only for the preservation of their own writings, but also the widespread use of alphabets throughout the world. These vowel letters were destined to play a pivotal role in all of Hebrew’s various stages. The Hebrew writers by the connection between the name of God and the vowel letters seem to tie the idea of (heno)monotheism to their works. It must have been overlooked that the names had meaning, just as words do. But a name is primarily used to refer to a person, and therefore it contains the identity of a particular person whose name is heard or seen. When the Israelites saw the Tetragrammaton YHWH they saw it as a reference to their God. In some contexts certain connotations of YHWH are essential to the meaning of the text, while in other contexts YHWH should be transliterated as a sign, but elsewhere only the word for ‘God’ could be substituted without any loss of meaning. The Tetragrammaton YHWH, regardless of its pronunciation or lack thereof, even in form seems anomalous in Hebrew. There is an evident asymmetry between the Tetragrammaton and other appellatives for God; this fact supports the view that YHWH was not simply another name for God. There is no conclusive early evidence that this form was ever pronounced “Yahweh” but there are plenty of evidences for similar theophoric elements in proper names in the Hebrew Bible and in early Hebrew epigraphic, thus indicating that the Tetragrammaton YHWH had its own vocalized form which religious tradition has preserved. Additionally some ancient extra biblical occurrences of the Tetragrammaton testify that it is impossible that the Moabite or Hebrew scribe could use the form YHWH without any knowledge of its pronunciation (e.g. the Moabite Stone, Pithoi A and B from Kuntillet ‘Ajrud, ostraca from Lachish, etc.). Similarly the phonetic transcriptions of the Tetragrammaton presented in some Greek text from the premassoretic period witness not only to the equivalents of the sacred Name (i.e. Kyrios, ‘o ’΄ôn) but also to pronunciation strictly associated with the letter of the Tetragramaton (i.e. ’Ieuô, ’Iabe ). Already Clement of Alexandria, at the end of II c., spelt the shortened name as Iau(e), using the vowel sounds corresponding to Hebrew mater lectionis letters Y-H-W. In conclusion it is posible to propose the understanding of the Tetragrammaton as the word for the sign describing God’s character but not necessarily his proper name.
R. Meynet & J. Oniszczuk [red.], Studi del quinto convegno RBS. International Studies on Biblical & Semitic Rhetoric. Leuven: PEETERS, 2017. p. 231–250., 2017
The composition of 11QPs 151A has the form of a narrative poem divided into seven parts, which fo... more The composition of 11QPs 151A has the form of a narrative poem divided into seven parts, which form a concentric construction (similar to the so-called 'Menorah Psalm' Ps 67). They praise David’s selection as king by the prophet Samuel from among the sons of Jesse in Bethlehem (1Sam 16). The fragment 11QPs 151B stands apart as the beginning of the next Psalm belonging to the same Davidic collection. Similarly the composition of the LXX Ps 151,1-5 is concentric and divided into five parts (similar to the Torah composition), and the remaining fragment of LXX Ps 151,6-7 stands apart as the beginning of a new episode in the Davidic cycle. It exalts David’s victory over Goliath (1Sam 17), which is probably also the theme of 11QPs 151B in the Psalms Scroll. It can be assumed, on the grounds of rhetorical analysis of the Greek and Hebrew versions, that both poems are derived from the same Hebrew Vorlage, with the preserved textual evidences coming from different stages of its textual development. The Greek translation seems to be corrupt and made from the shorter Hebrew version, whose subsequent full form is the version from Qumran.
Il testo di 11QPs 151A ha la forma di un poema narrativo suddiviso in sette parti, che formano una struttura concentrica (come il cosiddetto «Salmo-menorah», 67). Lodano la scelta di David come re dal profeta Samuele tra i figli di Jesse a Betlemme (1Sam 16). Il frammento 11QPs 151B si distingue come un inizio del Salmo successivo, appartenente alla stessa collezione davidica. Analogamente, la composizione della LXX Ps 151,1-5 è concentrica e divisa in cinque parti (schema della composizione della Torah), e l’altro frammento della LXX Ps 151,6-7 pone come l’inizio di un nuovo episodio nello stesso ciclo davidico. Là si esalta la vittoria di Davide su Golia (1Sam 17), che è probabilmente anche il tema di 11QPs 151B. Si può ipotizzare, sulla base dell’analisi retorica delle versioni in greco ed ebraico, che questi due testi siano derivati dalla stessa Vorlage ebraica, ma le evidenze testuali provengono da diverse fasi del suo sviluppo testuale. La traduzione greca sembra essere corrotta, ed è stata sviluppata dalla versione ebraica più breve, la cui successiva piena forma è la versione di Qumran.
Summary
The motif of “the city” in the Song of Songs is marginal. However, it should be noted, th... more Summary The motif of “the city” in the Song of Songs is marginal. However, it should be noted, that the phenomenon of urbanization characterized the historical transformation of the ancient society of Israel, and the term h‘yr “the city” as a toponym for Jerusalem – gained a significant place in Hebrew epic and also is present in poetry. Taking into consideration the context and the way in which the image of the City emerges in the two poetic episodes of the Song of Songs (Song 3 and 5) it has to be noticed that: the way of treatment of the wandering woman by the guards of the city in the second poem recalls the Assyrian customs, but in the first fragment seems to illustrate much earlier period; the intentional use only of the unbound form of the noun “the City” without any complements, in place of the toponym for Jerusalem is characteristic for the First Temple period. These facts indicate the late preexilic period and the territory of the Kingdom of Judah as the editorial time and environment for at least part of the songs contained in the Song of Songs.
Studi del quarto convegno RBS: International Studies on Biblical & Semitic Rhetoric, 2015
It is generally considered that the understanding of the Poem about Human Toil (Qoh 1,3-11) depen... more It is generally considered that the understanding of the Poem about Human Toil (Qoh 1,3-11) depends in large part on the general construal placed upon verses and groups of verses within it. The opening words in verse 6: «Going to the south, and turning to the north» (1,6a) in some ancient versions (LXX, Vg) referred to the sun (v. 5) and not to the wind (v. 6b), as suggested by the pointing of the MT and confirmed by modern translations. The other question involves the possible ties of the text of Qoheleth with other texts of the Bible in general, and with first four chapters of Genesis in particular. The rhetorical analysis seems to be an adequate tool to resolve some of these questions. In this task the LXX may be helpful, because it retains the integrity of Qoheleth’s message as well as that Vorlage at its disposal. Therefore, it seems to be possible to retrovert from the Greek the variants having equal status with the Massoretic Text.
The Wroclaw Code M1106 originating from the first half of the thirteenth century, distinctive for... more The Wroclaw Code M1106 originating from the first half of the thirteenth century, distinctive for its careful writing and clear signs of vocalization, is not only an important monument of the Jewish literature, but also of medieval art of illumination. Although it has been mentioned in the library and bibliographical studies even since the eighteenth century and lived to see a large monograph by Th. Metzger devoted mainly to the art of decorating contained in it, it is still too little appreciated for the values of the text. It is hardly known in the community of scholars involved in textual criticism of both the Hebrew Bible and Targums as well as exegetes themselves. Certainly attracting to it attention of a wider community of scholars can contribute not only to revival of the memory of an important document of the Jewish literature tradition, but also can make a valuable contribution to the study of the transmission of the Bible text and the targums, as well as the phenomenon of targumisation.
Artykuł stanowi krótki opis jednego z najcenniejszych manuskryptów żydowskich znajdujących się w zbiorach Biblioteki Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego. Pochodzący z pierwszej połowy trzynastego wieku Kodeks Wrocławski M1106, wyróżniający się starannym pismem i wyraźnymi znakami wokalizacji, jest nie tylko ważnym zabytkiem piśmiennictwa żydowskiego ale i średniowiecznej sztuki iluminacyjnej. Zawiera on tekst masorecki Biblii hebrajskiej: Tora, haftarot, pięć megillot i inne księgi hagiograficzne (Ps, Hi, Prz, Dn, Ezdr, Neh, 1-2 Krn). Pięcioksiąg, megillot oraz Księga Psalmów, Hioba i Przysłów są zapisane na przemian werset po wersecie z targumem. Chociaż manuskrypt ten był wymieniany w opracowaniach bibliotecznych i bibliograficznych już od XVIII i doczekał się sporej monografii autorstwa Th. Metzger poświęconej głównie zawartej w nim sztuce dekoratorskiej, to wciąż mało są doceniane walory zawartego w nim tekstu.
Signs, Wonders and Mighty Works. God's Activity in the History of Salvation (Red. Krzysztof Mielcarek; Wydawnictwo KUl), 2021
Idea proroka "jak Mojżesz" (Pwt 18,15.18) w historii deuteronomistycznej a cudowne dzieła Eliasza... more Idea proroka "jak Mojżesz" (Pwt 18,15.18) w historii deuteronomistycznej a cudowne dzieła Eliasza i Elizeusza [The idea of a prophet 'like Moses' (Dt 18:15.18) in the Deuteronomistic History and the miraculous works of Elijah and Elisha Abstract]:
The Deuteronomistic History (Josh-2 Kgs) shows different forms of the prophetic activity. Although Elijah and Elisha (1 Kgs 17-2 Kgs 13) are portrayed as the miracle workers, it does not mean that the editor accepted this trait as the main character of the Israelite prophecy. Researchers have long pointed out that the image of the prophets is associated with the figure of Moses, most likely in relation to the law of the prophet (Deut 18:22-22). The further studies of this text exclude the hypothesis that the deuteronomistic editor would insert the announcement of the prophet "like Moses" in the Deuteronomic Code in order to harmonize the image of Moses in the deuteronomic tradition with the Deuteronomistic History.
Diachronic reading of the Jewish authoritative texts clearly confirms that at the center of the m... more Diachronic reading of the Jewish authoritative texts clearly confirms that at the center of the main principles of Judaism is the faith in the Torah revealed by God and transmitted to Israel by Moses in Sinai – in other words historically understood revelation and its human intermediary. The popular recently theological theories of the “unfolding revelation”, which marginalizes or excludes from the principles of Judaism the faith in the figure of Moses and the events at Sinai, refutes the biblical and rabbinical understanding of the Revelation. They offer in that place a description of a hypothetical reality that from the perspective of the actual synthesis of Judaism is unacceptable.
R. Jasnos, M. Baraniak, A. Mrozek (red.), W kregu dyskursów biblijnych: Różne wymiary identyfikacji - analiza w ujęciu kulturowym i edukacyjnym. Kraków: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Akademii IGNATIANUM w Krakowie, 2018. s. 47–112., 2018
Part II. Song of Songs in the Targumic Discourse
The history of the interpretation of the Song o... more Part II. Song of Songs in the Targumic Discourse
The history of the interpretation of the Song of Songs shows that it was not until Christian times that its full allegorical interpretation in Jewish literature was revealed, but there is no evidence proving clearly its presence in the earlier formation of the canon of the Hebrew Bible. If, however, during editing of Talmuds, midrashes and targumim, rabbinic exegesis had already widely interpreted in the book the history of God’s unchanging love for Israel, it is likely that such allegorising was the original and earliest method of interpretation of the Song of Songs. The texts included in the canon were evaluated based on specific criteria and interpretation assigned to them. In the case of the Song of Songs it might be an allegory from the outset, which was crucial in maintaining the orthodox position of this interpretation in the Jewish (God and Israel) as well as in the Christian (Jesus and the Church) traditions. The reading of the Bible reveals many examples of problematic texts being updated – the older ones were re-interpreted in a new context and adapted to a new reality. This process could not omit the Song of Songs, but reached its literary expression just outside the canon in the form of targumic discourse, which was developed in accordance with hermeneutics approved in the Jewish and Christian religious communities
The names of Saul’s descendants appear in a different form in the books of Chronicles (1 Chr 8:33... more The names of Saul’s descendants appear in a different form in the books of Chronicles (1 Chr 8:33-34; 9:39-40) as compared to those in the books of Samuel (2 Sam 2-4; 9; 19; 21). In Chronicles the name Eshbaal is used instead of Ishbosheth, and Meribaal instead of Mephibosheth. This article describes the differences between these names in the context of early Hebrew epigraphy. The recalling of the original names of the first Judaean royal dynasty in the books of Chronicles could be explained not only with reference to the original version of the books of Samuel, but also from the oral tradition of Judea or from some documents of the royal archives that survived the Babylonian conquest.
JEZUS I CHRZEŚCIJANIE W ŹRÓDŁACH RABINICZNYCH Perspektywa historyczna, społeczna, religijna i dialogowa, 2012
Most of the books of the New Testament, as well as the Palestinian Targums have the authors from ... more Most of the books of the New Testament, as well as the Palestinian Targums have the authors from the same religious environment. They have referred to the common tradition mostly by the similar exegesis of the Scripture (OT). In some measure they have known the other theological and doctrinal concepts, and were sharing or arguing with them. This is also visible in the further edition and re-edition of their texts. Presented in this article comparative reading of some texts from the rabbinic targums and the NT has shown clear examples of their correlation. Their authors have used not only common
tradition of messianic interpretation of the Scripture, but sometimes present also quite a disguised polemic, which especially in the later targums turned, according to some researchers, almost into an “anti-Christian” apology.
For many years now the fragmentary Aramaic texts found in the forth cave in Qumran [4Q534-536] ha... more For many years now the fragmentary Aramaic texts found in the forth cave in Qumran [4Q534-536] have been inspiring researchers of the New Testament history and intertestamental literature. First they were given a messianic interpretation and sometimes were even considered a horoscope. Later the histories of Melchisedech or Neo were read in them and finally there even rose an interpretation of an ancient testimony of the UFO lending.
The expression ‘chosen by God’ interpreted as the messianic title has turned attention of the scholars towards tittles of Jesus found in the New Testament – particularly to some manuscripts with Geek recensions of Jn 1,34. Yet it is impossible to find some clear arguments which will allow for such messianic interpretation of these Aramaic texts. In this fragments we deal with small fragment of para-Biblical literature from Qumran. The Biblical history serves as a background for an apocryphal presentation of the ancient Jewish heroes.
We cannot deny that in the New Testament times the term ‘chosen by God’ (sg.) – in similar form as in 4Q534 – received in some circles messianic meaning. Eventually the discussed fragmentary texts from Qumran fill only a certain gap in the reconstruction of the evolution of meaning of the word ‘chosen’ in Jewish literature at the end of the second temple period.
The biblical Nazareth is chronologically the first important element of the historical picture of... more The biblical Nazareth is chronologically the first important element of the historical picture of Jesus, the credibility of which is constantly being questioned. The discussion around it carries a trace of debate between minimalists and maximalists. The presented outline of a holistic picture of the history of this settlement, which consists of information and conclusions obtained on the basis of archaeological and historical-literary research in confrontation with the evidence of religious tradition expressed in sacred architecture, facilitates a critical assessment of the credibility of this place.
Przegląd Religioznawczy [The Religious Studies Review], 2023
Already the early rabbinic tradition confirms the presence of the archetype of the prophets in th... more Already the early rabbinic tradition confirms the presence of the archetype of the prophets in the biblical image of Moses. In the collection of 'laws' for public offices (Dt 16:18−18:22) in the Deuteronomic Code (Dt 12−26), the central place is occupied by the 'Laws' of the King (Dt 17:14−20) and the Prophet (Dt 18:9−22). This legal recognition of the Office of the Prophet among other public offices, unprecedented in ancient Near Eastern legislation, expresses the uniqueness of Israelite prophecy. The importance of this phenomenon is noted in relation to the contemporary political structures and the Code of Canon Law.
Studi del settimo convegno RBS. International Studies on Biblical and Semitic Rhetoric 30, 2021
The poem ’ēšet-ḥayil «woman of valour» (Prov 31:10-31) is considered the key
to understanding th... more The poem ’ēšet-ḥayil «woman of valour» (Prov 31:10-31) is considered the key
to understanding the composition and content of the Book of Proverbs. At first
reading, the text of the poem seems to be quite simple and clear. Its content is
closely related to practical instructions from previous chapters containing
individual speeches and sayings. It would seem, therefore, that it is only a continuation
of the topics already discussed. However, more advanced literary studies
show much richer applications of this text in the context of the structure of the
entire book.
A popular and traditional interpretation of the poem sees it as a presentation of
the virtues of an ideal wife and mother, the hostess of a prominent man. Thus, its
protagonist is still considered by some contemporary commentators as a role
model for Israeli wives and mothers. However, some of the literary analyses of
this poem from a thematic and structural perspective suggest understanding the
picture of ’ēšet-ḥayil as a personification of wisdom. This opinion has also been
justified in earlier chapters of the book, where wisdom is represented through
a metaphor of a woman. From the popular point of view of the poetic language,
personifications are considered as a frequently occurring type of metaphors or
allegories. However, it is sometimes questioned because personification as
a classical rhetorical figure is closely related to sermocinatio, that can acquire
a special value through the fictio personae reaching a status similar to dramatis
persona.
The presented below attempt of the rhetorical analysis of this text, taking into
account its Semitic and biblical character, provides further arguments justifying
its metaphorical interpretation – not as the personification of wisdom but just
a complex metaphor.
F. Graziano & R. Meynet (eds), Studi del sesto convegno RBS. International Studies on Biblical & Semitic Rhetoric. Leuven: Peeters Pub., 2019. p. 23-43, 2019
The literary phenomenon known as «Janus parallelism» (the term coined by Cyrus H. Gordon) is a si... more The literary phenomenon known as «Janus parallelism» (the term coined by Cyrus H. Gordon) is a situation in which a middle line of poetry contains a pun, usually a single word, with two different meanings: one meaning parallels what it precedes, the other — what it follows. The list of known Janus parallels in the Hebrew Bible continues to grow. Moreover, the device has also been discovered in Ugaritic, Akkadian, Arabic and Sumerian literature, which shows that it is in no way bound to a specific language family. This paper deals with the presence of Janus parallelism in Genesis 2,1, where the Hebrew word wyklw could mean «they were completed», referring to the First Creation Account in Gen 1, or «they were destroyed», preparing the context for the Second Creation Account in Gen 2. Already Cyrus H. Gordon pointed out that the two creations in Genesis were interlocked by this polysemous word form. The broad perspective of Biblical and Semitic Rhetoric Analysis can determine interdependent phenomena in these texts, which could help to explain their composition and interpretation.
ABSTRACT The differences between the two Creation accounts (Gen 1 and 2) do not contradict each other, but are complementary. The two stories are in parallel and present views from their specific perspective: Genesis 1 is universal, while Genesis 2 is immanent. The second account adds more details that enrich the first account. In light of rhetorical analysis of these two Creation account’s the Gordon hypothesis of Janus parallelism in Gen 2:1 is not justified and cannot be further upheld.
RIASSUNTO Le differenze tra i due racconti di creazione (Gen 1 e 2) non si contraddicono a vicenda, ma sono complementari. Le due storie sono parallele e presentano punti di vista dalla loro specifica percezione: Genesi 1 è universale, mentre Genesi 2 è immanente. Il secondo racconto aggiunge ulteriori dettagli che arricchiscono il primo. Alla luce dell'analisi retorica di questi due resoconti della creazione, l'ipotesi di Gordon di un parallelismo di Giano in Gen 2,1 non è giustificata e non può essere ulteriormente confermata.
The category of “Biblical inspiration” dates back to the biblical period. Subsequently, the early... more The category of “Biblical inspiration” dates back to the biblical period. Subsequently, the early Jewish and Christian traditions made many attempts to describe it definitively. Over the centuries, many ways have emerged to understand the nature of the inspiration and to explain its relationship to the human author. One difficulty is the overly simple understanding of the inspiration model of the prophetic texts in the Bible.
Fernandes, Gavin, and Stefan Fischer, The Song of Songs Afresh: Perspectives On a Biblical Love Poem. Hebrew Bible Monographs 82, Sheffield, SHEFFIELD PHOENIX PRESS 2019, p. 215-243., 2019
The texts included in the biblical canon were evaluated based on specific criteria and a specific... more The texts included in the biblical canon were evaluated based on specific criteria and a specific interpretation assigned to them. In the case of the Song of Songs, the book might have been read as an allegory from the outset, which was crucial in maintaining the orthodox position of this interpretation in the Jewish as well as in the Christian traditions. The targumist followed the Hebrew text of the Song of Songs not only verse by verse, or sentence by sentence, but sometimes even word by word. Not all the methods and techniques of interpretation, such as the change in pointing, the use of similar-sounding consonant or consonant substitution and adjustment, can be clearly identified and classified. It can therefore be stated that the text of the Targum to the Song of Songs has a very complex character but nevertheless contains the whole biblical text and refers to the entire Song. Despite the fact that the primary method of interpretation used by the author of Targum to the Song of Songs is primarily an allegory, forming a highly developed paraphrase, the relationship between the Hebrew text of the Song of Songs and Aramaic text of Targum to the Song of Songs has not been lost. It is justified, therefore, to speak of the Targum to the Song of Songs as a version of the Song of Songs.
Word in the Cultures of the East sound, language, book, 2016
The Greek term tetragrámmaton “four letters” refers to the Hebrew theonym written as the four con... more The Greek term tetragrámmaton “four letters” refers to the Hebrew theonym written as the four consonants transliterated to the Latin letters as YHWH (JHWH), which are considered to be a proper name of the God used in the Hebrew Bible. Although it is not certain when the Tetragrammaton ceased to be pronounced, ultimately lack of its use resulted in uncertainty over the tradition of vowel sounds in the name and hence in its meaning. Even Van der Toorn in analyzing potential sources for the name YHWH, has pointed out that the significance of the name Yahweh used to be “a subject of a staggering amount of publications” – including the story from Exodus. The magic-letter theory developed by J.M. Hoffman accounts for lack of etymological derivation for YHWH by specifically claiming that the Hebrews appreciated the value of their newly-found vowel letters [waw, he, yod] so much that they used them to define membership in their group, as it was with the names Abraham (from Abram), Sarah (from Saray), and one name for God. The Hebrews took the letters yod, he, and waw, which had already been used to represent consonantal sounds, and used them to represent vowel sounds as well. In doing so, they paved the way not only for the preservation of their own writings, but also the widespread use of alphabets throughout the world. These vowel letters were destined to play a pivotal role in all of Hebrew’s various stages. The Hebrew writers by the connection between the name of God and the vowel letters seem to tie the idea of (heno)monotheism to their works. It must have been overlooked that the names had meaning, just as words do. But a name is primarily used to refer to a person, and therefore it contains the identity of a particular person whose name is heard or seen. When the Israelites saw the Tetragrammaton YHWH they saw it as a reference to their God. In some contexts certain connotations of YHWH are essential to the meaning of the text, while in other contexts YHWH should be transliterated as a sign, but elsewhere only the word for ‘God’ could be substituted without any loss of meaning. The Tetragrammaton YHWH, regardless of its pronunciation or lack thereof, even in form seems anomalous in Hebrew. There is an evident asymmetry between the Tetragrammaton and other appellatives for God; this fact supports the view that YHWH was not simply another name for God. There is no conclusive early evidence that this form was ever pronounced “Yahweh” but there are plenty of evidences for similar theophoric elements in proper names in the Hebrew Bible and in early Hebrew epigraphic, thus indicating that the Tetragrammaton YHWH had its own vocalized form which religious tradition has preserved. Additionally some ancient extra biblical occurrences of the Tetragrammaton testify that it is impossible that the Moabite or Hebrew scribe could use the form YHWH without any knowledge of its pronunciation (e.g. the Moabite Stone, Pithoi A and B from Kuntillet ‘Ajrud, ostraca from Lachish, etc.). Similarly the phonetic transcriptions of the Tetragrammaton presented in some Greek text from the premassoretic period witness not only to the equivalents of the sacred Name (i.e. Kyrios, ‘o ’΄ôn) but also to pronunciation strictly associated with the letter of the Tetragramaton (i.e. ’Ieuô, ’Iabe ). Already Clement of Alexandria, at the end of II c., spelt the shortened name as Iau(e), using the vowel sounds corresponding to Hebrew mater lectionis letters Y-H-W. In conclusion it is posible to propose the understanding of the Tetragrammaton as the word for the sign describing God’s character but not necessarily his proper name.
R. Meynet & J. Oniszczuk [red.], Studi del quinto convegno RBS. International Studies on Biblical & Semitic Rhetoric. Leuven: PEETERS, 2017. p. 231–250., 2017
The composition of 11QPs 151A has the form of a narrative poem divided into seven parts, which fo... more The composition of 11QPs 151A has the form of a narrative poem divided into seven parts, which form a concentric construction (similar to the so-called 'Menorah Psalm' Ps 67). They praise David’s selection as king by the prophet Samuel from among the sons of Jesse in Bethlehem (1Sam 16). The fragment 11QPs 151B stands apart as the beginning of the next Psalm belonging to the same Davidic collection. Similarly the composition of the LXX Ps 151,1-5 is concentric and divided into five parts (similar to the Torah composition), and the remaining fragment of LXX Ps 151,6-7 stands apart as the beginning of a new episode in the Davidic cycle. It exalts David’s victory over Goliath (1Sam 17), which is probably also the theme of 11QPs 151B in the Psalms Scroll. It can be assumed, on the grounds of rhetorical analysis of the Greek and Hebrew versions, that both poems are derived from the same Hebrew Vorlage, with the preserved textual evidences coming from different stages of its textual development. The Greek translation seems to be corrupt and made from the shorter Hebrew version, whose subsequent full form is the version from Qumran.
Il testo di 11QPs 151A ha la forma di un poema narrativo suddiviso in sette parti, che formano una struttura concentrica (come il cosiddetto «Salmo-menorah», 67). Lodano la scelta di David come re dal profeta Samuele tra i figli di Jesse a Betlemme (1Sam 16). Il frammento 11QPs 151B si distingue come un inizio del Salmo successivo, appartenente alla stessa collezione davidica. Analogamente, la composizione della LXX Ps 151,1-5 è concentrica e divisa in cinque parti (schema della composizione della Torah), e l’altro frammento della LXX Ps 151,6-7 pone come l’inizio di un nuovo episodio nello stesso ciclo davidico. Là si esalta la vittoria di Davide su Golia (1Sam 17), che è probabilmente anche il tema di 11QPs 151B. Si può ipotizzare, sulla base dell’analisi retorica delle versioni in greco ed ebraico, che questi due testi siano derivati dalla stessa Vorlage ebraica, ma le evidenze testuali provengono da diverse fasi del suo sviluppo testuale. La traduzione greca sembra essere corrotta, ed è stata sviluppata dalla versione ebraica più breve, la cui successiva piena forma è la versione di Qumran.
Summary
The motif of “the city” in the Song of Songs is marginal. However, it should be noted, th... more Summary The motif of “the city” in the Song of Songs is marginal. However, it should be noted, that the phenomenon of urbanization characterized the historical transformation of the ancient society of Israel, and the term h‘yr “the city” as a toponym for Jerusalem – gained a significant place in Hebrew epic and also is present in poetry. Taking into consideration the context and the way in which the image of the City emerges in the two poetic episodes of the Song of Songs (Song 3 and 5) it has to be noticed that: the way of treatment of the wandering woman by the guards of the city in the second poem recalls the Assyrian customs, but in the first fragment seems to illustrate much earlier period; the intentional use only of the unbound form of the noun “the City” without any complements, in place of the toponym for Jerusalem is characteristic for the First Temple period. These facts indicate the late preexilic period and the territory of the Kingdom of Judah as the editorial time and environment for at least part of the songs contained in the Song of Songs.
Studi del quarto convegno RBS: International Studies on Biblical & Semitic Rhetoric, 2015
It is generally considered that the understanding of the Poem about Human Toil (Qoh 1,3-11) depen... more It is generally considered that the understanding of the Poem about Human Toil (Qoh 1,3-11) depends in large part on the general construal placed upon verses and groups of verses within it. The opening words in verse 6: «Going to the south, and turning to the north» (1,6a) in some ancient versions (LXX, Vg) referred to the sun (v. 5) and not to the wind (v. 6b), as suggested by the pointing of the MT and confirmed by modern translations. The other question involves the possible ties of the text of Qoheleth with other texts of the Bible in general, and with first four chapters of Genesis in particular. The rhetorical analysis seems to be an adequate tool to resolve some of these questions. In this task the LXX may be helpful, because it retains the integrity of Qoheleth’s message as well as that Vorlage at its disposal. Therefore, it seems to be possible to retrovert from the Greek the variants having equal status with the Massoretic Text.
The Wroclaw Code M1106 originating from the first half of the thirteenth century, distinctive for... more The Wroclaw Code M1106 originating from the first half of the thirteenth century, distinctive for its careful writing and clear signs of vocalization, is not only an important monument of the Jewish literature, but also of medieval art of illumination. Although it has been mentioned in the library and bibliographical studies even since the eighteenth century and lived to see a large monograph by Th. Metzger devoted mainly to the art of decorating contained in it, it is still too little appreciated for the values of the text. It is hardly known in the community of scholars involved in textual criticism of both the Hebrew Bible and Targums as well as exegetes themselves. Certainly attracting to it attention of a wider community of scholars can contribute not only to revival of the memory of an important document of the Jewish literature tradition, but also can make a valuable contribution to the study of the transmission of the Bible text and the targums, as well as the phenomenon of targumisation.
Artykuł stanowi krótki opis jednego z najcenniejszych manuskryptów żydowskich znajdujących się w zbiorach Biblioteki Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego. Pochodzący z pierwszej połowy trzynastego wieku Kodeks Wrocławski M1106, wyróżniający się starannym pismem i wyraźnymi znakami wokalizacji, jest nie tylko ważnym zabytkiem piśmiennictwa żydowskiego ale i średniowiecznej sztuki iluminacyjnej. Zawiera on tekst masorecki Biblii hebrajskiej: Tora, haftarot, pięć megillot i inne księgi hagiograficzne (Ps, Hi, Prz, Dn, Ezdr, Neh, 1-2 Krn). Pięcioksiąg, megillot oraz Księga Psalmów, Hioba i Przysłów są zapisane na przemian werset po wersecie z targumem. Chociaż manuskrypt ten był wymieniany w opracowaniach bibliotecznych i bibliograficznych już od XVIII i doczekał się sporej monografii autorstwa Th. Metzger poświęconej głównie zawartej w nim sztuce dekoratorskiej, to wciąż mało są doceniane walory zawartego w nim tekstu.
Signs, Wonders and Mighty Works. God's Activity in the History of Salvation (Red. Krzysztof Mielcarek; Wydawnictwo KUl), 2021
Idea proroka "jak Mojżesz" (Pwt 18,15.18) w historii deuteronomistycznej a cudowne dzieła Eliasza... more Idea proroka "jak Mojżesz" (Pwt 18,15.18) w historii deuteronomistycznej a cudowne dzieła Eliasza i Elizeusza [The idea of a prophet 'like Moses' (Dt 18:15.18) in the Deuteronomistic History and the miraculous works of Elijah and Elisha Abstract]:
The Deuteronomistic History (Josh-2 Kgs) shows different forms of the prophetic activity. Although Elijah and Elisha (1 Kgs 17-2 Kgs 13) are portrayed as the miracle workers, it does not mean that the editor accepted this trait as the main character of the Israelite prophecy. Researchers have long pointed out that the image of the prophets is associated with the figure of Moses, most likely in relation to the law of the prophet (Deut 18:22-22). The further studies of this text exclude the hypothesis that the deuteronomistic editor would insert the announcement of the prophet "like Moses" in the Deuteronomic Code in order to harmonize the image of Moses in the deuteronomic tradition with the Deuteronomistic History.
Diachronic reading of the Jewish authoritative texts clearly confirms that at the center of the m... more Diachronic reading of the Jewish authoritative texts clearly confirms that at the center of the main principles of Judaism is the faith in the Torah revealed by God and transmitted to Israel by Moses in Sinai – in other words historically understood revelation and its human intermediary. The popular recently theological theories of the “unfolding revelation”, which marginalizes or excludes from the principles of Judaism the faith in the figure of Moses and the events at Sinai, refutes the biblical and rabbinical understanding of the Revelation. They offer in that place a description of a hypothetical reality that from the perspective of the actual synthesis of Judaism is unacceptable.
R. Jasnos, M. Baraniak, A. Mrozek (red.), W kregu dyskursów biblijnych: Różne wymiary identyfikacji - analiza w ujęciu kulturowym i edukacyjnym. Kraków: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Akademii IGNATIANUM w Krakowie, 2018. s. 47–112., 2018
Part II. Song of Songs in the Targumic Discourse
The history of the interpretation of the Song o... more Part II. Song of Songs in the Targumic Discourse
The history of the interpretation of the Song of Songs shows that it was not until Christian times that its full allegorical interpretation in Jewish literature was revealed, but there is no evidence proving clearly its presence in the earlier formation of the canon of the Hebrew Bible. If, however, during editing of Talmuds, midrashes and targumim, rabbinic exegesis had already widely interpreted in the book the history of God’s unchanging love for Israel, it is likely that such allegorising was the original and earliest method of interpretation of the Song of Songs. The texts included in the canon were evaluated based on specific criteria and interpretation assigned to them. In the case of the Song of Songs it might be an allegory from the outset, which was crucial in maintaining the orthodox position of this interpretation in the Jewish (God and Israel) as well as in the Christian (Jesus and the Church) traditions. The reading of the Bible reveals many examples of problematic texts being updated – the older ones were re-interpreted in a new context and adapted to a new reality. This process could not omit the Song of Songs, but reached its literary expression just outside the canon in the form of targumic discourse, which was developed in accordance with hermeneutics approved in the Jewish and Christian religious communities
The names of Saul’s descendants appear in a different form in the books of Chronicles (1 Chr 8:33... more The names of Saul’s descendants appear in a different form in the books of Chronicles (1 Chr 8:33-34; 9:39-40) as compared to those in the books of Samuel (2 Sam 2-4; 9; 19; 21). In Chronicles the name Eshbaal is used instead of Ishbosheth, and Meribaal instead of Mephibosheth. This article describes the differences between these names in the context of early Hebrew epigraphy. The recalling of the original names of the first Judaean royal dynasty in the books of Chronicles could be explained not only with reference to the original version of the books of Samuel, but also from the oral tradition of Judea or from some documents of the royal archives that survived the Babylonian conquest.
JEZUS I CHRZEŚCIJANIE W ŹRÓDŁACH RABINICZNYCH Perspektywa historyczna, społeczna, religijna i dialogowa, 2012
Most of the books of the New Testament, as well as the Palestinian Targums have the authors from ... more Most of the books of the New Testament, as well as the Palestinian Targums have the authors from the same religious environment. They have referred to the common tradition mostly by the similar exegesis of the Scripture (OT). In some measure they have known the other theological and doctrinal concepts, and were sharing or arguing with them. This is also visible in the further edition and re-edition of their texts. Presented in this article comparative reading of some texts from the rabbinic targums and the NT has shown clear examples of their correlation. Their authors have used not only common
tradition of messianic interpretation of the Scripture, but sometimes present also quite a disguised polemic, which especially in the later targums turned, according to some researchers, almost into an “anti-Christian” apology.
For many years now the fragmentary Aramaic texts found in the forth cave in Qumran [4Q534-536] ha... more For many years now the fragmentary Aramaic texts found in the forth cave in Qumran [4Q534-536] have been inspiring researchers of the New Testament history and intertestamental literature. First they were given a messianic interpretation and sometimes were even considered a horoscope. Later the histories of Melchisedech or Neo were read in them and finally there even rose an interpretation of an ancient testimony of the UFO lending.
The expression ‘chosen by God’ interpreted as the messianic title has turned attention of the scholars towards tittles of Jesus found in the New Testament – particularly to some manuscripts with Geek recensions of Jn 1,34. Yet it is impossible to find some clear arguments which will allow for such messianic interpretation of these Aramaic texts. In this fragments we deal with small fragment of para-Biblical literature from Qumran. The Biblical history serves as a background for an apocryphal presentation of the ancient Jewish heroes.
We cannot deny that in the New Testament times the term ‘chosen by God’ (sg.) – in similar form as in 4Q534 – received in some circles messianic meaning. Eventually the discussed fragmentary texts from Qumran fill only a certain gap in the reconstruction of the evolution of meaning of the word ‘chosen’ in Jewish literature at the end of the second temple period.
The phenomenon of targumization based on the Targum to the Song of Songs
– a critical edition of ... more The phenomenon of targumization based on the Targum to the Song of Songs – a critical edition of the manuscript M 1106 (Wrocław, 13th c.) with exegetical and hermeneutical analysis and translation
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to understanding the composition and content of the Book of Proverbs. At first
reading, the text of the poem seems to be quite simple and clear. Its content is
closely related to practical instructions from previous chapters containing
individual speeches and sayings. It would seem, therefore, that it is only a continuation
of the topics already discussed. However, more advanced literary studies
show much richer applications of this text in the context of the structure of the
entire book.
A popular and traditional interpretation of the poem sees it as a presentation of
the virtues of an ideal wife and mother, the hostess of a prominent man. Thus, its
protagonist is still considered by some contemporary commentators as a role
model for Israeli wives and mothers. However, some of the literary analyses of
this poem from a thematic and structural perspective suggest understanding the
picture of ’ēšet-ḥayil as a personification of wisdom. This opinion has also been
justified in earlier chapters of the book, where wisdom is represented through
a metaphor of a woman. From the popular point of view of the poetic language,
personifications are considered as a frequently occurring type of metaphors or
allegories. However, it is sometimes questioned because personification as
a classical rhetorical figure is closely related to sermocinatio, that can acquire
a special value through the fictio personae reaching a status similar to dramatis
persona.
The presented below attempt of the rhetorical analysis of this text, taking into
account its Semitic and biblical character, provides further arguments justifying
its metaphorical interpretation – not as the personification of wisdom but just
a complex metaphor.
ABSTRACT
The differences between the two Creation accounts (Gen 1 and 2) do not contradict each other, but are complementary. The two stories are in parallel and present views from their specific perspective: Genesis 1 is universal, while Genesis 2 is immanent. The second account adds more details that enrich the first account. In light of rhetorical analysis of these two Creation account’s the Gordon hypothesis of Janus parallelism in
Gen 2:1 is not justified and cannot be further upheld.
RIASSUNTO
Le differenze tra i due racconti di creazione (Gen 1 e 2) non si contraddicono a vicenda, ma sono complementari. Le due storie sono parallele e presentano punti di vista dalla loro specifica percezione: Genesi 1 è universale, mentre Genesi 2 è immanente. Il secondo racconto aggiunge ulteriori dettagli che arricchiscono il primo. Alla luce
dell'analisi retorica di questi due resoconti della creazione, l'ipotesi di Gordon di un parallelismo di Giano in Gen 2,1 non è giustificata e non può essere ulteriormente confermata.
Il testo di 11QPs 151A ha la forma di un poema narrativo suddiviso in sette parti, che formano una struttura concentrica (come il cosiddetto «Salmo-menorah», 67). Lodano la scelta di David come re dal profeta Samuele tra i figli di Jesse a Betlemme (1Sam 16). Il frammento 11QPs 151B si distingue come un inizio del Salmo successivo, appartenente alla stessa collezione davidica. Analogamente, la composizione della LXX Ps 151,1-5 è concentrica e divisa in cinque parti (schema della composizione della Torah), e l’altro frammento della LXX Ps 151,6-7 pone come l’inizio di un nuovo episodio nello stesso ciclo davidico. Là si esalta la vittoria di Davide su Golia (1Sam 17), che è probabilmente anche il tema di 11QPs 151B. Si può ipotizzare, sulla base dell’analisi retorica delle versioni in greco ed ebraico, che questi due testi siano derivati dalla stessa Vorlage ebraica, ma le evidenze testuali provengono da diverse fasi del suo sviluppo testuale. La traduzione greca sembra essere corrotta, ed è stata sviluppata dalla versione ebraica più breve, la cui successiva piena forma è la versione di Qumran.
The motif of “the city” in the Song of Songs is marginal. However, it should be noted, that the phenomenon of urbanization characterized the historical transformation of the ancient society of Israel, and the term h‘yr “the city” as a toponym for Jerusalem – gained a significant place in Hebrew epic and also is present in poetry. Taking into consideration the context and the way in which the image of the City emerges in the two poetic episodes of the Song of Songs (Song 3 and 5) it has to be noticed that: the way of treatment of the wandering woman by the guards of the city in the second poem recalls the Assyrian customs, but in the first fragment seems to illustrate much earlier period; the intentional use only of the unbound form of the noun “the City” without any complements, in place of the toponym for Jerusalem is characteristic for the First Temple period. These facts indicate the late preexilic period and the territory of the Kingdom of Judah as the editorial time and environment for at least part of the songs contained in the Song of Songs.
Artykuł stanowi krótki opis jednego z najcenniejszych manuskryptów żydowskich znajdujących się w zbiorach Biblioteki Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego. Pochodzący z pierwszej połowy trzynastego wieku Kodeks Wrocławski M1106, wyróżniający się starannym pismem i wyraźnymi znakami wokalizacji, jest nie tylko ważnym zabytkiem piśmiennictwa żydowskiego ale i średniowiecznej sztuki iluminacyjnej. Zawiera on tekst masorecki Biblii hebrajskiej: Tora, haftarot, pięć megillot i inne księgi hagiograficzne (Ps, Hi, Prz, Dn, Ezdr, Neh, 1-2 Krn). Pięcioksiąg, megillot oraz Księga Psalmów, Hioba i Przysłów są zapisane na przemian werset po wersecie z targumem. Chociaż manuskrypt ten był wymieniany w opracowaniach bibliotecznych i bibliograficznych już od XVIII i doczekał się sporej monografii autorstwa Th. Metzger poświęconej głównie zawartej w nim sztuce dekoratorskiej, to wciąż mało są doceniane walory zawartego w nim tekstu.
The Deuteronomistic History (Josh-2 Kgs) shows different forms of the prophetic activity. Although Elijah and Elisha (1 Kgs 17-2 Kgs 13) are portrayed as the miracle workers, it does not mean that the editor accepted this trait as the main character of the Israelite prophecy. Researchers have long pointed out that the image of the prophets is associated with the figure of Moses, most likely in relation to the law of the prophet (Deut 18:22-22). The further studies of this text exclude the hypothesis that the deuteronomistic editor would insert the announcement of the prophet "like Moses" in the Deuteronomic Code in order to harmonize the image of Moses in the deuteronomic tradition with the Deuteronomistic History.
The history of the interpretation of the Song of Songs shows that it was not until Christian times that its full allegorical interpretation in Jewish literature was revealed, but there is no evidence proving clearly its presence in the earlier formation of the canon of the Hebrew Bible. If, however, during editing of Talmuds, midrashes and targumim, rabbinic exegesis had already widely interpreted in the book the history of God’s unchanging love for Israel, it is likely that such allegorising was the original and earliest method of interpretation of the Song of Songs. The texts included in the canon were evaluated based on specific criteria
and interpretation assigned to them. In the case of the Song of Songs it might be an allegory from the outset, which was crucial in maintaining the orthodox position of this interpretation in the Jewish (God and Israel) as well as in the Christian (Jesus and the Church) traditions.
The reading of the Bible reveals many examples of problematic texts being updated – the older ones were re-interpreted in a new context and adapted to a new reality. This process could not omit the Song of Songs, but reached its literary expression just outside the canon in the form of targumic discourse, which was developed in accordance with hermeneutics approved in the Jewish and Christian religious communities
tradition of messianic interpretation of the Scripture, but sometimes present also quite a disguised polemic, which especially in the later targums turned, according to some researchers, almost into an “anti-Christian” apology.
The expression ‘chosen by God’ interpreted as the messianic title has turned attention of the scholars towards tittles of Jesus found in the New Testament – particularly to some manuscripts with Geek recensions of Jn 1,34. Yet it is impossible to find some clear arguments which will allow for such messianic interpretation of these Aramaic texts. In this fragments we deal with small fragment of para-Biblical literature from Qumran. The Biblical history serves as a background for an apocryphal presentation of the ancient Jewish heroes.
We cannot deny that in the New Testament times the term ‘chosen by God’ (sg.) – in similar form as in 4Q534 – received in some circles messianic meaning. Eventually the discussed fragmentary texts from Qumran fill only a certain gap in the reconstruction of the evolution of meaning of the word ‘chosen’ in Jewish literature at the end of the second temple period.
to understanding the composition and content of the Book of Proverbs. At first
reading, the text of the poem seems to be quite simple and clear. Its content is
closely related to practical instructions from previous chapters containing
individual speeches and sayings. It would seem, therefore, that it is only a continuation
of the topics already discussed. However, more advanced literary studies
show much richer applications of this text in the context of the structure of the
entire book.
A popular and traditional interpretation of the poem sees it as a presentation of
the virtues of an ideal wife and mother, the hostess of a prominent man. Thus, its
protagonist is still considered by some contemporary commentators as a role
model for Israeli wives and mothers. However, some of the literary analyses of
this poem from a thematic and structural perspective suggest understanding the
picture of ’ēšet-ḥayil as a personification of wisdom. This opinion has also been
justified in earlier chapters of the book, where wisdom is represented through
a metaphor of a woman. From the popular point of view of the poetic language,
personifications are considered as a frequently occurring type of metaphors or
allegories. However, it is sometimes questioned because personification as
a classical rhetorical figure is closely related to sermocinatio, that can acquire
a special value through the fictio personae reaching a status similar to dramatis
persona.
The presented below attempt of the rhetorical analysis of this text, taking into
account its Semitic and biblical character, provides further arguments justifying
its metaphorical interpretation – not as the personification of wisdom but just
a complex metaphor.
ABSTRACT
The differences between the two Creation accounts (Gen 1 and 2) do not contradict each other, but are complementary. The two stories are in parallel and present views from their specific perspective: Genesis 1 is universal, while Genesis 2 is immanent. The second account adds more details that enrich the first account. In light of rhetorical analysis of these two Creation account’s the Gordon hypothesis of Janus parallelism in
Gen 2:1 is not justified and cannot be further upheld.
RIASSUNTO
Le differenze tra i due racconti di creazione (Gen 1 e 2) non si contraddicono a vicenda, ma sono complementari. Le due storie sono parallele e presentano punti di vista dalla loro specifica percezione: Genesi 1 è universale, mentre Genesi 2 è immanente. Il secondo racconto aggiunge ulteriori dettagli che arricchiscono il primo. Alla luce
dell'analisi retorica di questi due resoconti della creazione, l'ipotesi di Gordon di un parallelismo di Giano in Gen 2,1 non è giustificata e non può essere ulteriormente confermata.
Il testo di 11QPs 151A ha la forma di un poema narrativo suddiviso in sette parti, che formano una struttura concentrica (come il cosiddetto «Salmo-menorah», 67). Lodano la scelta di David come re dal profeta Samuele tra i figli di Jesse a Betlemme (1Sam 16). Il frammento 11QPs 151B si distingue come un inizio del Salmo successivo, appartenente alla stessa collezione davidica. Analogamente, la composizione della LXX Ps 151,1-5 è concentrica e divisa in cinque parti (schema della composizione della Torah), e l’altro frammento della LXX Ps 151,6-7 pone come l’inizio di un nuovo episodio nello stesso ciclo davidico. Là si esalta la vittoria di Davide su Golia (1Sam 17), che è probabilmente anche il tema di 11QPs 151B. Si può ipotizzare, sulla base dell’analisi retorica delle versioni in greco ed ebraico, che questi due testi siano derivati dalla stessa Vorlage ebraica, ma le evidenze testuali provengono da diverse fasi del suo sviluppo testuale. La traduzione greca sembra essere corrotta, ed è stata sviluppata dalla versione ebraica più breve, la cui successiva piena forma è la versione di Qumran.
The motif of “the city” in the Song of Songs is marginal. However, it should be noted, that the phenomenon of urbanization characterized the historical transformation of the ancient society of Israel, and the term h‘yr “the city” as a toponym for Jerusalem – gained a significant place in Hebrew epic and also is present in poetry. Taking into consideration the context and the way in which the image of the City emerges in the two poetic episodes of the Song of Songs (Song 3 and 5) it has to be noticed that: the way of treatment of the wandering woman by the guards of the city in the second poem recalls the Assyrian customs, but in the first fragment seems to illustrate much earlier period; the intentional use only of the unbound form of the noun “the City” without any complements, in place of the toponym for Jerusalem is characteristic for the First Temple period. These facts indicate the late preexilic period and the territory of the Kingdom of Judah as the editorial time and environment for at least part of the songs contained in the Song of Songs.
Artykuł stanowi krótki opis jednego z najcenniejszych manuskryptów żydowskich znajdujących się w zbiorach Biblioteki Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego. Pochodzący z pierwszej połowy trzynastego wieku Kodeks Wrocławski M1106, wyróżniający się starannym pismem i wyraźnymi znakami wokalizacji, jest nie tylko ważnym zabytkiem piśmiennictwa żydowskiego ale i średniowiecznej sztuki iluminacyjnej. Zawiera on tekst masorecki Biblii hebrajskiej: Tora, haftarot, pięć megillot i inne księgi hagiograficzne (Ps, Hi, Prz, Dn, Ezdr, Neh, 1-2 Krn). Pięcioksiąg, megillot oraz Księga Psalmów, Hioba i Przysłów są zapisane na przemian werset po wersecie z targumem. Chociaż manuskrypt ten był wymieniany w opracowaniach bibliotecznych i bibliograficznych już od XVIII i doczekał się sporej monografii autorstwa Th. Metzger poświęconej głównie zawartej w nim sztuce dekoratorskiej, to wciąż mało są doceniane walory zawartego w nim tekstu.
The Deuteronomistic History (Josh-2 Kgs) shows different forms of the prophetic activity. Although Elijah and Elisha (1 Kgs 17-2 Kgs 13) are portrayed as the miracle workers, it does not mean that the editor accepted this trait as the main character of the Israelite prophecy. Researchers have long pointed out that the image of the prophets is associated with the figure of Moses, most likely in relation to the law of the prophet (Deut 18:22-22). The further studies of this text exclude the hypothesis that the deuteronomistic editor would insert the announcement of the prophet "like Moses" in the Deuteronomic Code in order to harmonize the image of Moses in the deuteronomic tradition with the Deuteronomistic History.
The history of the interpretation of the Song of Songs shows that it was not until Christian times that its full allegorical interpretation in Jewish literature was revealed, but there is no evidence proving clearly its presence in the earlier formation of the canon of the Hebrew Bible. If, however, during editing of Talmuds, midrashes and targumim, rabbinic exegesis had already widely interpreted in the book the history of God’s unchanging love for Israel, it is likely that such allegorising was the original and earliest method of interpretation of the Song of Songs. The texts included in the canon were evaluated based on specific criteria
and interpretation assigned to them. In the case of the Song of Songs it might be an allegory from the outset, which was crucial in maintaining the orthodox position of this interpretation in the Jewish (God and Israel) as well as in the Christian (Jesus and the Church) traditions.
The reading of the Bible reveals many examples of problematic texts being updated – the older ones were re-interpreted in a new context and adapted to a new reality. This process could not omit the Song of Songs, but reached its literary expression just outside the canon in the form of targumic discourse, which was developed in accordance with hermeneutics approved in the Jewish and Christian religious communities
tradition of messianic interpretation of the Scripture, but sometimes present also quite a disguised polemic, which especially in the later targums turned, according to some researchers, almost into an “anti-Christian” apology.
The expression ‘chosen by God’ interpreted as the messianic title has turned attention of the scholars towards tittles of Jesus found in the New Testament – particularly to some manuscripts with Geek recensions of Jn 1,34. Yet it is impossible to find some clear arguments which will allow for such messianic interpretation of these Aramaic texts. In this fragments we deal with small fragment of para-Biblical literature from Qumran. The Biblical history serves as a background for an apocryphal presentation of the ancient Jewish heroes.
We cannot deny that in the New Testament times the term ‘chosen by God’ (sg.) – in similar form as in 4Q534 – received in some circles messianic meaning. Eventually the discussed fragmentary texts from Qumran fill only a certain gap in the reconstruction of the evolution of meaning of the word ‘chosen’ in Jewish literature at the end of the second temple period.
– a critical edition of the manuscript M 1106 (Wrocław, 13th c.) with exegetical and hermeneutical analysis and translation