Table of Contents.

PROLEGOMENA.

INTRODUCTION—

1

Is the Law the starting-point for the history of ancient Israel or for that of Judaism? The latter possibility is not precluded a priori by the history of the Canon. Reasons for considering it. De Wette, George, Vatke, Reuss, Graf

1

2

The three strata of the Pentateuch: Deuteronomy, Priestly Code, Jehovist

6

3

The question is as to the Priestly Code and its historical position. Method of the investigation

10

I. HISTORY OF WORSHIP.

CHAP.

I.

THE PLACE OF WORSHIP—

1

The historical and prophetical books show no trace in Hebrew antiquity of a sanctuary of exclusive legitimacy

17

2

Polemic of the prophets against the sanctuaries. Fall of Samaria. Reformation of Josiah

23

3

Influence of the Babylonian exile

27

II

1

The Jehovist (JE) sanctions a multiplicity of altars

28

2

Deuteronomy (D) demands local unity of worship

32

3

The Priestly Code (RQ) presupposes that unity, and transfers it, by means of the Tabernacle, to primitive times

34

III

1

The tabernacle, as a central sanctuary and dwelling for the ark, can nowhere be found in the historical tradition

45

2

Nöldeke's view untenable

CHAP.

II

SACRIFICE—

I

1

The ritual is according to RQ the main subject of the Mosaic legislation, according to JE it is pre-Mosaic usage; in RQ the point is How, according to JE and D To Whom, it is offered

52

2

The historical books agree with JE; the prophets down to Ezekiel contradict RQ

55

p. xii

II

1

Material innovations in RQ. Preliminary remarks on the notion, contents, mode of offering, and propitiatory effects of sacrifice.

59

2

Material and ideal refinement of the offerings in RQ

61

3

The sacrificial meal gives way to holocausts

63

4

Development of the trespass-offering.

72

III

1

The centralisation of worship at Jerusalem destroyed the connection of sacrifice with the natural occasions of life, so that it lost its original character

76

CHAP.

III

THE SACRED FEASTS—

I

1

In JE and D there is a rotation of three festivals. Easter and Pentecost mark the beginning and the end of the corn-harvest, and the autumn feast the vintage and the bringing home the corn from the threshing-floor. With the feast of unleavened bread (Maççoth) is conjoined, especially in D, the feast of the sacrifice of the male firstborn of cattle (Pesah)

83

2

The feasts based on the offering of firstlings of the field and of the herd. Significance of the land and of agriculture for religion

89

II

1

In the historical and prophetical books, the autumn feast only is distinctly attested, and it is the most important in JE and D also: of the others there are only faint traces

92

2

But the nature of the festivals is the same as in JE and D

95

III

1

In RQ the feasts have lost their reference to harvest and the first fruits; and this essentially changes their nature

99

2

The metamorphosis was due to the centralisation of worship, and may he traced down through Deuteronomy and Ezekiel to RQ

104

3

To the three festivals RQ adds the great day of atonement, which arose out of the fast-days of the exile

108

IV

1

The Sabbath, which is connected with the new moon, was originally a lunar festival

112

Exaggeration of the Sabbath rest in the Priestly Code

115

2

Sabbatical year, and year of Jubilee

CHAP.

IV

THE PRIESTS AND THE LEVITES—

I

1

According to Ezek. xliv., only the Levites of Jerusalem, the sons of Zadok, are to continue priests in the new Jerusalem; the other Levites are to be degraded to their servants and denuded of their priestly rights. According to RQ the Levites never possessed the priestly right, but only the sons of Aaron

121

2

These answer to the sons of Zadok

125

p. xiii

II

1

In the earliest period of the history of Israel there is no distinction between clergy and laity. Every one may slaughter and sacrifice; there are professional priests only at the great sanctuaries. Priestly families at Shiloh and Dan

127

No setting apart of what is holy

131

2

Royal temples of the kings; priests at them as royal officials

131

3

Importance of the North-Israelite priesthood in the time of the kings

133

4

The family of Zadok at Jerusalem

138

III

1

In the oldest part of JE there are no priests; no Aaron by the side of Moses

141

2

In D the Levites are priests. They occur in that character, not to speak of Judges xviii. seq., only in the literature of the exile. Their descent from Moses or Aaron. The spiritual and the secular tribe of Levi. Difficulty of bringing them together

141

3

Consolidation of the spiritual tribe in RQ; separation of priests and Levites. Further development of the clergy after the exile. The high priest as head of the theocracy

145

CHAP.

V

THE ENDOWMENT OF THE CLERGY—

I

1

The sacrificial dues raised in RQ

153

2

The firstlings were turned into contributions to the priests, and doubled in amount

155

II

1

Levitical towns

159

2

The historical situation underlying the priestly pretensions in RQ

164

II. HISTORY OF TRADITION.

CHAP.

VI

CHRONICLES—

I

1

David becomes Saul's successor without any exertion, all Israel being already on his side, namely, the priests and Levites

171

Distortion of the original story of the bringing of the ark to Jerusalem. Omission of unedifying incidents in David's life

175

2

Preparation for the building of the temple. Delight of the narrator in numbers and names. Inconsistency with 1 Kings i, ii.

178

Picture of David in Chronicles

181

I

3

Solomon's sacrifice at the tabernacle at Gibeah. Building of the temple. Retouching of the original narrative

182

p. xiv

II

1

Estimate of the relation between Judah and Israel; the Israelites do not belong to the temple, nor, consequently, to the theocracy

187

2

Levitical idealising of Judah. View taken of those acts of rulers in the temple-worship which the books of Kings condemn or approve. Inconsistencies with the narrative of the sources; importation of priests and Levites

190

3

Divine pragmatism of the sacred history, and its results

203

4

The books of Kings obviously present throughout

210

III

1

The genealogical registers of 1 Chron. i-ix The ten tribes

211

2

Judah and Levi

215

3

Chronicles had no other sources for the period before the exile than the historical books preserved to us in the Canon. The diversity of historical view is due to the influence of the law, especially the Priestly Code. The Midrash

222

CHAP.

VII.

JUDGES, SAMUEL, AND KINGS—

I

1

The formula on which the book of Judges is constructed in point of chronology and of religion

228

2

Its relation to the stem of the tradition. Judg. xix.-xxi.

232

3

Occasional additions to the original narratives

237

4

Difference of religious attitude in the latter

240

II

1

Chronological and religious formulas in the books of Samuel

245

2

The stories of the rise of the monarchy and the elevation of Saul entirely recast

247

3

Saul's relation to Samuel

256

4

The narrative of David's youth

262

The view taken of Samuel may be regarded as a measure of the growth of the tradition

267

Saul and David

271

III

1

The last religious chronological revision of the books of Kings. Similar in kind to that of Judges and Samuel Its standpoint Judæan and Deuteronomistic

272

2

 Its relation to the materials received from tradition

279

3

Differences of sentiment in the sources

286

4

In Chronicles the history of ancient Israel is recast in accordance with the ideas of the Priestly Code; in the older historical books it is judged according to the standard of Deuteronomy

293

p. xv

CHAP.

VIII

THE NARRATIVE OF THE HEXATEUCH—

I

1

Genesis i. and Genesis ii. iii.

297

2

Genesis iv.-xi.

308

3

The primitive world-history in JE and in Q

314

II

1

The history of the patriarchs in JE

318

2

     „              „         in Q

327

3

Periods, numbers, covenants, sacrifices in the patriarchal age in Q

336

III

1

The Mosaic history in JE and in Q

342

2

Comparison of the various narratives

351

3

Conclusion

360

III. ISRAEL AND JUDAISM.

CHAP.

IX

CONCLUSION OF THE CRITICISM OF THE LAW—

I

1

The veto of critical analysis

368

2

The historical presuppositions of Deuteronomy

369

3

The Deuteronomistic revision does not extend over the Priestly Code

374

II

1

The final revision of the Hexateuch proceeds from the Priestly Code, as we see from Leviticus xvii. seq.

376

2

Examination of Leviticus xxvi.

380

3

R cannot be separated from RQ

384

III

The language of the Priestly Code

385

CHAP.

X

 THE ORAL AND THE WRITTEN TORAH—

I

1

No written law in ancient Israel. The Decalogue

392

2

The Torah of Jehovah in the mouth of priests and prophets

393

3

View of revelation in Jeremiah, Zechariah, and the writer of Isa. xl.-lxvi.

399

II

1

Deuteronomy was the first law in our sense of the word. It obtains authority during the exile. End of prophecy

402

2

The reforming legislation supplemented by that of the restoration. The usages of worship codified and systematised by Ezekiel and his successors. The Priestly Code—its introduction by Ezra

404

3

The Torah the basis of the Canon. Extension of the notion originally attached to the Torah to the other books

409

p. xvi

CHAP.

XI

THE THEOCRACY AS IDEA AND AS INSTITUTION—

I

1

Freshness and naturalness of early Israelite history

411

2

Rise of the state. Relation of Religion and of the Deity to the life of state and nation.

412

3

The Messianic theocracy of the older prophets is built up on the foundations afforded by the actual community of their time

414

4

The idea of the covenant

417

II

1

Foundation of the theocratic constitution under the foreign domination

419

2

The law and the prophets.

422

ISRAEL

1

The beginnings of the nation

429

2

The settlement in Palestine

441

3

The foundation of the kingdom, and the first three kings

448

4

From Jeroboam I. to Jeroboam II.

457

5

God, the world, and the life of men in Old Israel

464

6

The fall of Samaria

470

7

The deliverance of Judah

477

8

The prophetic reformation

484

9

Jeremiah and the destruction of Jerusalem

488

10

The captivity and the restoration

492

11

Judaism and Christianity

499

12

The Hellenistic period

513

13

The Hasmonæans

518

14

Herod and the Romans

527

15

The Rabbins

538

16

The Jewish Dispersion

542