Introductions & Joshua
ENG 235 – Literature of the Bible – Dr. James Lacey
guest speaker for Dr. Lacey, Dr. David Stoloff, Professor and Chair, Education Department, Webb Hall 129, 860 – 465 – 5501, stoloffd@easternct.edu
These notes are posted at http://stoloffd.edublogs.org/category/bible-as-literature/.
Agenda for session on Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Introductions (and attendance taking) – who am I?, why am I here?
Some notes of this part of the Bible
Before the Common Era, Common Era – a bit more inclusive way of historic dating
Tanach – Torah, Prophets, Writings
The acronym is based on the initial Hebrew letters of each of the text’s three parts:
- Torah תורה meaning “Instruction.” It is also called the Chumash חומש, meaning “the five” or “the five books of Moses.” In Greek, it is called the Pentateuch. The Torah is often referred to as the law of the Jewish people.
- Nevi’im נביאים, meaning “Prophets.” This term is associated with anything to do with the prophets.
- Ketuvim כתובים, meaning “Writings.” The Greek word being “Hagiographa.”
Introducing Joshua
|
| Joshua |
| Son of Nun, descendant of a prince of the tribe of Ephraim, originally called Hoshea. Assistant to Moses and his divinely-appointed successor as leader of Israel (Deuteronomy 34:9). Joshua led the defence against the Amalekites at Rephidim (Exodus 17:8-16). He attended on Moses at God’s Mountain (Exodus 24:13, Exodus 32:17) and at the Tent of Meeting (Exodus 33:11, Numbers 11:28). Moses changed his name from Hoshea (salvation) to Joshua (God is salvation) (Numbers 13:16). One of the 12 spies sent by Moses to enter Canaan, he and Caleb alone gave a favourable description, and were the only ones allowed to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 14:7,8,30,38). His exploits as leader of the Israelites after Moses’ death are described in the Book of Joshua. |
|
http://bible.ort.org/books/glosd1.asp?action=displayanchor&glosid=G347#G347
The 12 spies story – http://bible.ort.org/books/torahd5.asp?action=displayid&id=4074
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2013&version=31
spies and Rahav – http://bible.ort.org/books/haftarotd4.asp?action=displayid&id=889
Joshua 2 and Joshua 2 in Hebrew – http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0602.htm
http://bible.ort.org/books/haftarotd4.asp?action=displayid&id=889
Homework readings – Joshua 1, 6, 19, 24; Judges, 6-8 – Gideon, 13-16 – Samson;
1 Samuel, 15-17 - Saul, Amalekites, David’s annointing, Goliath, 28 - Saul and witch of Endor; 31 - Saul’s end;
11 Samuel, 11-12 – David and Bathsheba ,
1 Kings, 3, 9-11 – Solomon’s wisdom, building Temple, Queen of Sheba, wives, end
extra readings – Joshua 5:13-15 - a reflection of what other stories?, Judges 4 -5 – song of Deborah; Women and the Bible in Gabel et.al., The Bible as Literature
Project #1 assigned; quiz #3 on readings above on 9/25
Archaeology confirms: they really DID come a-tumblin’ down
http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v21/i2/jericho.asp
Joshua Fit the Battle Of Jericho-Mahalia Jackson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPZuWzZvoYQ&mode=related&search=
lyrics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyB7TlzhtY0
Elvis Presley – Joshua Fit The Battle & He Touched Me
Some references that might be mentioned in the discussion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truthiness - Truthiness
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanach - Tanach
http://www.bibles.net/ - Online Bibles and search engines, links to online readings
http://bible.ort.org/ - navigating the bible
http://www.mechon-mamre.org/ - Mechon Mamre in Jerusalem – Hebrew and English online bible – “Most of us belong to the mainstream “Baladi” Yemenite Jewish community.”
Judges and Kings
Agenda for sixth session (second for guest speaker)
on Thursday, September 20, 2007
ENG 235 – Literature of the Bible – Dr. James Lacey
guest speaker for Dr. Lacey, Dr. David Stoloff, Professor and Chair, Education Department, Webb Hall 129, 860 – 465 – 5501, stoloffd@easternct.edu
These notes are posted at http://stoloffd.edublogs.org/category/bible-as-literature/.
Opening song – http://youtube.com/watch?v=G0pKAL3_2RE
Bob Dylan – Kennedy Center Honors – Gotta Serve Somebody sung by Shirley Ceaser
lyrics - Ms. Ceaser mentioned about Joshua 24:15
Resources for questions from last session -
The Noble Qur’an – http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/
Q. What’s the Difference Between Shia and Sunni Muslims? – http://islam.about.com/cs/divisions/f/shia_sunni.htm
Clarification on project – please do not use Sistine Chapel image -
http://arthistory.about.com/od/famous_paintings/a/sischap_ceiling.htm
Studying Judges and Kings – small group discussions and presentations
1) Joshua 1, 6, 19, 24 - Joshua
2) Judges 4 -5 – song of Deborah
3) Judges, 6-8 – Gideon,
4) Judges, 13-16 – Samson;
5) 1 Samuel, 15 - Saul, Amalekites, 28 - Saul and witch of Endor; 31 - Saul’s end;
6) 1 Samuel, 16-17 - annointing David, David & Goliath; 11 Samuel, 11-12 – David and Bathsheba ,
7) 1 Kings, 3, 9-11 – Solomon’s wisdom, building Temple, Queen of Sheba, wives, end
Please respond to these five discussion prompts -
1) Introduce the main character(s).
2) Review his/her/their human qualities? What is their relationship with the divine? With other people?
3) What methods do they use to solve their own problems and the problems of others?
4) What are the conclusions of their actions?
5) What are the future, long-term implications of their actions?
(These questions follow the format of a doctoral dissertation – an introductory chapter, a review of the literature, a discussion of methods, a report on the conclusions, and a discussion of the long-term implications of the actions.)
Each member of the group should take notes in the spaces above and be prepared to participate equally in the 3-4 minute presentation.
20 minutes for answering these questions in small groups, each individual in each group will share in the reporting of their responses
Other discussion points from first session -
1) Walter Lippman – http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAlippmann.htm
2) Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, 438 U.S. 265 (1978) was a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of the United States on affirmative action. It bars quota systems in college admissions but affirms the constitutionality of affirmative action programs giving an advantage to minorities.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regents_of_the_University_of_California_v._Bakke
connections to this session -
1) Rastafari belief follows that the last emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I (know as Ras Tafari) is the living black messiah on Earth. … He came about his Imperial blood through his paternal grandmother, Tenagnework Sahle Selassie, who was an aunt of Emperor Menelik II and a claimed direct decendant of Makeda, Queen of Sheba and King Solomon of ancient Israel.
http://www.bobmarleyfoundation.org/roots_HIM.html
2) Imperial Ethiopia Royal Anthem [before 1974] -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIy2KuMcCzE
3) Names of G-d (the Divine)
El – Israel means – striving with the Divine
YHVH – not pronounced – when we see it, we say in Hebrew – my Lord – Adonai
Yahoo – the V letter is sometimes pronounced as an O or OO sound, the H at the end is silent
Yah
Adon Olam – a popular, well-known name – Lord of the Universe – title of a song that closes many services – this version from http://www.nevehshalom.org/music/ - Cantor Linda Shivers, Neve Shalom synagogue, Portland, Oregon
Elohim – a plural noun, like committee in English, that we use as singular – G-ds -
Elohainu – our G-d
Shekinah – the holy presence
Religious Jews will avoid the conflicts of saying or writing the Divine Name by saying baruch hashem – the blessed name
Not used – Baal – master, a husband is baal habayit – master of the house; the founder of the Hassid movement was known as Baal Shem Tov – Master of the Good Name
3) Leonard Cohen Hallelujah
(Cohen – priest, priestly blessing – http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Synagogue_Blessings/Priestly_Blessing/priestly_blessing.html
http://www.tvacres.com/greetings_spock.htm )
A version of these blessings are said to one’s children at the Shabbat dinner on Friday evening. Fiddler on the Roof romantized this Shabbat prayer custom -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnaZqHy2ZHE&mode=related&search=
(current tribes – Cohen, Levi, Israel; the people is called Jews for
the connection to the tribe of Judah and the land Judea. I prefer Bnei Israel.
Jewish names – may be any name for Jews belong to all races and ethnic groups. And those with Jewish names may not be Jews, but may have Jewish ancestry. Common Jewish names in the US – Cohen, Katz, Kaplan; Levi, Levine, Levin, Lebowitz, Lieberman; names ending in of, ov, owitz; Schwartz; names ending in berg, stein; Sephardic names – those descendants of Jews from Spain and the Mediterranean regions)
Hallelujah – Leonard Cohen
(from Leonard Cohen Live in Concert)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf36v0epfmI
lyrics - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FC4bJl_X9M
A review of Judges & Kings
ENG 235 – Literature of the Bible – Dr. James Lacey guest speaker for Dr. Lacey, Dr. David Stoloff, Professor and Chair, Education Department, Webb Hall 129, 860 – 465 – 5501, stoloffd@easternct.edu
Agenda for seventh session (third with this guest speaker)
on Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Opening song -
David Melek Israel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEIZrzr2QoI) -
David Melek Israel Hai Hai v’kayom.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvr8AjT0aD0&mode=related&search=
David King of Israel lives forever.
the importance of the Lion of Judah, Bethlehem
1) stories of Solomon
2) reviewing Tribes – Joshua, Deborah, Gideon, Samson,
3) Golden Age of the United Kingdom - stories of Saul, David & Goliath, David & Batsheva, Solomon
4) quiz – why have these characters and stories been remembered?, who are they?, what lessons have they taught you?
Quiz on judges and kings
Prophets
ENG 235 – Literature of the Bible – Dr. James Lacey guest speaker for Dr. Lacey, Dr. David Stoloff, Professor and Chair, Education Department, Webb Hall 129, 860 – 465 – 5501, stoloffd@easternct.edu
Agenda for 8th session (4th with this guest speaker)
on Thursday, September 27, 2007
Opening song -
Sister Rosetta Tharpe – Down By the Riverside
Introducing Prophets
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nviim
The book Twelve “Minor” Prophets includes:
- Hosea or Hoshea [הושע]
- Joel or Yo’el [יואל]
- Amos [עמוס]
- Obadiah or Ovadyah [עבדיה]
- Jonah or Yonah [יונה]
- Micah or Mikhah [מיכה]
- Nahum or Nachum [נחום]
- Habakkuk or Habaquq [חבקוק]
- Zephaniah or Tsefania [צפניה]
- Haggai or Haggai [חגי]
- Zechariah Zekharia [זכריה]
- Malachi or Malakhi [מלאכי]
“Minor” in this context refers to the length of the books, not the importance of the prophets themselves.
Some examples of passages from the prophets:
Amos, 5;
Amos 5:24 But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!
“No, no we are not satisfied and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.” – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, in his “I have a dream” speech – http://www.holidays.net/mlk/speech.htm
Isaiah 2, 3, 6, 11, 31;
Isaiah 2:4
“4 He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.”
Ezekiel 1, 2, 3, 37,
Ezekiel 37:11-14 – dry bones image
11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’ ”
Ernie Haase & Signature Sound – Dem Bones
Isaiah 40; 45.1-7, 49. 1-6; 50.4-11; 52.11-15; 53
Isaiah 58:6-10 - Isaiah 58, Covenant Soup Kitchen is in Willimantic, CT
6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness [a] will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
Micah 6:8 -
8 He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
help us have mercy
Homework – select a total of 5 passages – one or more phrases –
from at least 3 prophets. List the phrases by prophet, chapter, verse.
Explain why you chose the passages. What does each mean to you?
Prepare to present one of your passages at our next session and to turn in your notes with five passages as a homework assignment.
Homework on prophets
Three biblical short stories
ENG 235 – Literature of the Bible – Dr. James Lacey guest speaker for Dr. Lacey, Dr. David Stoloff, Professor and Chair, Education Department, Webb Hall 129, 860 – 465 – 5501, stoloffd@easternct.edu
Continuation of Agenda for 8th session (4th with this guest speaker)
on Thursday, September 27, 2007
Three biblical short stories – megilot, scrolls, (1 megilah)
1) Book of Jonah – read on the afternoon of Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement, 10th day of repentance, around the autumnal equinox, Jonah (dove), a reluctant prophet tries to escape for the divine command to go to Nineveh, outside of land. After casting lots, he is cast into the sea and swallowed by a whale. Nineveh repents after his message. Jonah mourns death of gourd. Suggests that belief in one god is international.
2) Book of Esther – celebrated around the first full moon in sprng – celebrated with mardi gras like parades, comic plays called Purim Spiel, in which there is cross dressing, masks, and costumes, and drinking so that one does not know the difference between blessed Mordechai and wicked Haman – http://www.aish.com/purimfamily/purimfamilydefault/The_Purim_Story.asp
main characters – King Achashverosh, Queen Vashti, Esther – new queen – whose name is related to Ashtara, mid-East divinity, her Hebrew name was Hadassah, myrtle, Mordechai (Marduk lives), Haman, descendant from Amalekite king that Saul did not kill, eunuchs, harem women, Haman’s family
3) Book of Ruth – read on Shavuot, the first fruit harvest festival, 50 days after Passover, Pentecost, agricultural tale, celebrating converts, acceptance of religion - Moabite daughter-in-law returns to Israel with widow, Naomi, harvests from the corner of the fields, marries Boaz, ancestors of David – http://www.d.umn.edu/~jbelote/bible2.html
Homework on Books due on October 2 -
1) provide about a 100-word summary of the short story that you selected in class.
2) list the main characters in the story.
3) describe in a short essay the story’s introduction, conflict, climax, and resolution of the story.
4) what is the moral of the story/play?
5) participate in the planning and retelling of the story in class on October 2 and turn in your notes.
“A traditional play follows the structural pattern of a traditional short story or novel. It has an introduction (exposition), conflict, climax, and a resolution (denouement).”
from http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/literature/drama.html#structure
Bible short on Jonah – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT9jx-jh7Tw&mode=related&search=
Preview for One Night with the King 3 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lbt1j8rq6hI&mode=related&search=
Project #1 due
Take home exam #1 assigned
take home midterm exam due on October 18, 2007
Psalms
October 2 – Project #1 due. Sharing of project #1; Retelling of short stories; discussion of poetry – Psalms 8, 22, 23, 29, 44, 97, 104, 137, 148; The Song of Songs
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm
23rd Psalms – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCU5Rh7xvE4
lyrics – http://www.interviewwithgod.com/psalm23.htm
homework assignment – selecting 2 psalms or sections of Song of Songs, explaining what they mean to you, explain how they differ and how they are similar
homework on Psalms
Mid-term take home project assigned.
Wisdom literature
October 4 -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNopQq5lWqQ
opening song – Byrds – “Turn Turn Turn”
lyrics – http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/byrds/turn+turn+turn_20026419.html
Pete Seeger tells how he came to write “Turn Turn Turn.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WT6-BIav2I
sharing psalms, discussion of wisdom literature – Job 1-7, 14, 29-30, 38, 42, Ecclesiastes, homework – select 4 passages of wisdom, explain why you selected them, present one in class at next session
Book of Job short version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3HmHlTTz_A
Book of Proverbs
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=24&chapter=1&version=31
Woman of Valor – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverb%2031;&version=65; – Proverbs 31
homework on wisdom
Concluding discussion on the Hebrew Scriptures
October 18 – discussion of take-home exam and conclusions on the Hebrew Scriptures.
