EZEKIEL syllabus: Hebrew 513 and 641. Professor M. V. Fox
web site for course: http://palimpsest.lss.wisc.edu/~mfox/Ezekiel/
Fall 2008
Prof. M. V. Fox (mvfox@wisc.edu)
For the differences of Heb 513, see below
A philological, literary, ideological
study of the book of Ezekiel. The emphasis in this course is on the prophet as
thinker: his understanding of history, his perception of the present, his
vision of the future. The inner goal of the course is to learn the methodology
of critical Bible study.
Special themes: Text Criticis
Three sessions: #1, Tuesday at
Requirements:
1. Read the Hebrew and be able to
translate chapters 1‑12 for the midterm exam and 13‑24 for the
final. Note: we will do chap. 23 in conjunction with chap. 16. Read along with
Zimmerli's and Greenberg’s commentaries. At a few points, we will read both and
compare their methodology.
2. Class preparation:
Until notified otherwise, read the book
sequentially, staying at least 20 verses ahead of where we ended the last class
session. We will read through chap. 5 together then skip some material. We will
read the LXX in conjunction with the Hebrew.
3. How to read.
a. Ask: What does the text say and How
does it say it?
b. Specific questions, that contribute to
the answering of the above:
c. Philological: the meanings of words
and sentences
d. Textual: What is the best text? Have
errors crept into the text, and are there different textual traditions for this
unit? See http://palimpsest.lss.wisc.edu/~mfox/Ezekiel/Tanselle.htm
e. Composition-history: Are there signs
of revisions or additions?
f.. Structural: What is the scope of the
unit and its subsections?
g. Conceptual: What problem is Ezekiel addressing
in this unit and what is his answer. How does this message fit in with what he
says elsewhere?
h. Social: What is the socio-historical
situation to which Ezek is responding and how is he trying to shape it?
i. Rhetorical: To what the audience is
the text implicitly or explicitly addressed? What techniques of persuasion does
he use?
j. Historical: What is the historical
setting of the unit? Has his message been evoked by a particular historical
crisis?
Note: A solid competence in Greek is
required for this course, except for undergrads and Track III MAs. The latter
may, on request, receive individual assignments for session 3.
- Some Peshitta; in the second semester
we will read some Targum.
- Septuagint: 513: 15 vpw;
651: 20 vpw; nothing on 8th week.
for Midterm (but read in conjunction with
the units studied in class) 7x20 vpw
1:1-28 28
2:1-10 10
3:12-16 5
4:1-17 17
5:1-17 17
6:2-14 14
7:2-19 20
8:1-18 18
9:1-11 11
total 140
for Final (but read in conjunction with
the units studied in class) 7x20 vpw
10:1-21 21
11:1-25 25
13:2-23 22
16:2-17 16
17:2-24 24
20:1-10 10
20:25-44 12
21:13-22 10
total 140
-Note significant LXX variants from MT. We
will evaluate variants in class, concentrating on the LXX.
-Greenberg's and Zimmerli's explanations
of the LXX are helpful in this regard.
The examinations will require translating
and using the Greek in identifying and evaluating variants.
3. READINGS FOR HEB 641
To Buy:
1. W. Zimmerli, Ezekiel (Hermeneia
Fortress Press) (read introduction (pp. 1-77) and use commentary.
513 too.
2. M. Greenberg, Ezekiel 1-20
(Anchor Bible, Doubleday). Use commentary
3. Margaret S. Odell & John T.
Strong, eds., The Book of Ezekiel: Theological and Anthropological
Perspectives; SBL 2000. (for use in 642/514 as well). = BETAP.
Other readings are available in
photocopy.
TEXT CRITICISM
Moshe Greenberg, The use of the ancient versions for interpreting the Hebrew text. VTSup 29 (1977). mid
T. M. Law, "A History of Research on
Origen's Hexapla." BIOSCS 40 (2007): 30-48. before Prof. Gentry's
visit on September 22.
Johan Lust, “Major Divergences between LXX and MT in Ezekiel,” in A. Schenker,
ed. The Earliest Text of the Hebrew Bible. SBL 2003, pp.83-92.
E. Tov. Recensional Differences between MT and LXX of Ezek. ETL 62
(1986).
FEMINIST ISSUES
N. R. Bowen, "The Daughters of Your
People: Female Prophets in Ezekiel 13:17-23." JBL 118 (1999)
417-33. 513 too. mid
Linda Day, "Rhetoric and Domestic
Violence in Ezek 16," BibInt 8 (2000) 205-30. 513 too. mid
Peggy Day, "The Bitch Had It Coming
to Her" Rhetoric and Interpretation in Ezekiel 16." BibInt 8
(2000) 231-53. 513 too mid
J. Cheryl Exum, "Prophetic
Pornography," in idem, Plotted, Shot,
and painted : cultural representations of biblical women, 102-128. 513 too. mid
C. Patton, "Should Our Sister Be
Treated Like a Whore?" A Response to Feminist Critiques of Ezekiel
23." BETAP 221-38. 513 too. mid
INTRODUCTORY MATTERS
M. Greenberg, Prologemenon to Pseudo‑Ezekiel
and the Original Prophecy by C. C. Torrey (KTAV). mid
Margeret Odell, "Genre and Persona
in Ezekiel 24:15-24." BETAP 195-220. mid
W. Zimmerli, "The Special Form and
Traditio-Historical Character of Ezekiel's Prophecy." VT 15 (1965) 513-27.
Menahem Haran, “Observations on Ezekiel
as a Book Prophet.” Pp. 3-20 in Seeking Out the Wisdom of the Ancients,
ed. R. L. Troxel et al. (
SPECIFIC UNITS
chapter 1
John Strong, "God's Kabod."
BETAP 69-96. mid
chapter 3
Margaret Odell, “You Are What You Eat,” JBL
117 (1998) 229-48. 513 too. mid
chapter 10
David Halperin, "The Exegetical
Character of Ezek. x 9-17." VT 26 (1976) 129-41. 513 too. mid
chapter 10
Kelvin G. Friebel, “The Decrees of Yahweh
that are ‘Not Good’”. Pp. 21-36 in Seeking Out the Wisdom of the Ancients,
ed. R. L. Troxel et al. (
Important: Read articles before the relevant
passages are discussed in class. There will be extensive discussion of the
feminist and social-psychological approaches to Ezek 16.
4. Paper. A twelve page essay (double
spaced) on a theme or problem of your choosing. 513: see below
Good writing, and correct punction is
important. Use this resource:
http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/GramPunct.html
Procedure and Schedule for all. READ THIS
CAREFULLY
Thursday class, 12th week: Everyone
submits a finished, polished essay.
I will immediately distribute them, and
you will edit the papers you receive, making stylistic and substantive
comments. Syntax;. Word Choice;. Spelling;. Structure; Punctuation. Unnecessary
and superfluous repetitions. Padding. Unnecessary and superfluous words.
Thursday class, 13th week: Editors return
papers. I will not see papers at this stage. Authors will then revise
their own papers.
Thursday class, 14th week: Submit your
papers to me.
Thursday class, 15th week: I'll return
your papers to you.
Test hour, 16th week (or before) give me
your papers with any further required revisions. (Final exam in 1351 VH at time
indicated in time table.)
5. No class on Tuesday Sept. 30
(Rosh Hashanah) or Tuesday Oct. 9 (Yom Kippur) or Tuesday Nov. 25 (SBL
meeting). We have to find a way to make up a couple of these losses, perhaps by
a double session some Friday. On October 9, Dr John Cook (a UW Phd) will be
speaking on "Time and the Biblical Hebrew Verb " in 1334 VH. Don't
miss it!
HEBREW 513
This course is attached to 541. Students
in 513 will basically do the Hebrew readings as those in 641, but will be
evaluated separately, with consideration given to the different level. There will
be less emphasis on text criticism and more on biblical poetics, even though
most of Ezekiel is not poetry. You will have to study the theory of Hebrew
poetry on your own, but we can meet as a group to discuss the readings. Certain adjustments will be made for undergraduates and MA
students in Track 3. These will be discussed in a special meeting.
ESSAY
Same as for 641, but write a literary
analysis of a poetic passage in Ezekiel. The first step will be to find a
poem, or a fairly self-contained section of about 10 verses, and explain why it
is poetic. BHS's stichography will help, but you still have to make the case.
The essay must include a translation and
description of the relations between the stichs ("versets") of five
verses, using Alter's typographical system with additions; see below. The
object is to show graphically the structural network of interconnections. Then
you should discuss the significance of this structure, the function of other
poetic features, such as metaphors and allusions, and the overall meaning of
the unit.
≈ synonymity
synonymity with verbal repetition
{ }complementarity
> heightening, intensification
< lowering of intensity, etc.
* specification
‑‑‑>
consequentiality or sequentiality
+ supplementary clause; extends image by
relative oradverbial clause.
# explanatory, epexegetical clause
~ reversal or antithesis
You may make up others as necessary.
Color coding may also be effective.
ENGLISH READINGS for 513:
Items in the 641 list marked ‘513; plus
Robert Alter, The Art of Biblical
Poetry. mid
James Kugel, The Idea of Biblical
Poetry. Yale. final
An Ode to the Spelling Chequer
Prays the lord for the
spelling chequer
That came with hour pea sea!
Its sew easy to ewes, you sea.
I never used too no, was it e before eye?
(Four some times its eye be four e.)
But now I've discovered the quay to success
It's as simple as won, too, free!
Sew watt if you lose a letter or two,
The whirled wont come two an end!
Can't yew sea? Its as plane as the knows on ewer face
S. Chequer's my very best friend
I've all ways had trubble with letters that double
"Is it won or to S's?" I'd wine
Butt now, as I've tolled you this chequer is grate
And its hi thyme you got won, like mine.
—Janet E. Byford