L-35 Biblical Hebrw 385D/585

Dr. Pamela Barmash

Office: Busch 223

Office Hours: Wed 8am-10am

Email: pbarmash@wustl.edu

Topics in Biblical Hebrew Texts: Biblical Poetry

We will read selections of biblical poetry, including the love poetry of Song of Songs and the religious poetry of the Psalms, in the original Hebrew, and will explore their connection to the culture of Ancient Israel. We will analyze theories about biblical poetry and their consequences for interpreting biblical texts. Special attention will be paid to strategies of biblical interpretation in order to acquire literary competence in biblical Hebrw and to be free from the authority of translations and commentaries.

Course Goals:

1. To polish students' Hebrew ad to enable them to read Biblical Hebrew poetry and prophetic texts.

2. To read the Song of Songs and selected psalms adn to assess major issues that arise for its study: the characteristics of biblical poetry, the nature of Israelite social life, Israelite religion and cult, the influence of foreign cultures on ancient Israel.

3. To free students from the authority of translations and commentaries. We will learn to use the standard ciritcal Bible edition, Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, the standard dictionaries, grammars, and concordances used in biblical studies in order to make independent judgments about what a biblical text might mean.

Books:

Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (BHS)

Mowinckel, The Psalms in Israel's Worship

Pope, The Song of Songs

Other readings will be put on ARes as the occasion demands.

(Course requirements: class participation, 15%; exercises, 15%; 10-page paper, 25%; quizzes, 15%; hour test, 20%)