By the Irrigation Canals of Babylon

Approaches to the Study of the Exile

John J. Ahn, Jill Middlemas, John J. Ahn, Jill Middlemas

• Publisher: T&T Clark
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN:
  9780567202468
• eBook ISBN:
  9780567197757
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Ancient Religion

This work assembles some of the finest scholars who have contributed to study and examination of the impact of the exile in biblical literature. Past, present, and future scholars examining the 6th century B.C.E. through historical and archeological (including paleoclimatology), literary, and the social sciences have been assembled. Approximately twelve papers from among the twenty papers presented over the four sessions (parallel to a sizable conference on the exile) will be represented in this volume.

The book will be organized in a traditional history of scholarship manner, i.e., moving from historical to sociological. It should be noted that within each subcategory, there is a forward progressive movement from a traditional starting point (Klein, Olson, Wilson) ending at the progressive or cutting edge (Beck, Ahn). Jill Middlemas will open the volume with and introductory essay. John Ahn will close off the volume by pointing to the field of "forced migration studies" as a way to help better define and demarcate the import of 597, 587, and 582.

Table of contents

• CONTENTS
• Abbreviations
• List of Contributors
• INTRODUCTION -- Jill Middlemas and John J. Ahn
• Part I. HISTORICAL DISCUSSIONS
• ISRAEL IN EXILE AFTER THIRTY YEARS -- Ralph W. Klein
• MORE AND LESS THAN A MYTH: REALITY AND SIGNIFICANCE OF EXILE FOR THE POLITICAL, SOCIAL, AND RELIGIOUS HISTORY OF JUDAH -- Rainer Albertz
• THE CITY STATE OF JERUSALEM IN THE NEO-BABYLONIAN EMPIRE: EVIDENCE FROM THE SURROUNDING STATES -- Hans M. Barstad
• GLOBAL WARMING AND THE BABYLONIAN EXILE -- Bob Becking
• Part II. LITERARY DISCUSSIONS
• THE FUTURE OF THE “EXILE” -- Jill Middlemas
• FROM HOREB TO NEBO: EXILE, THE PENTATEUCH, AND THE PROMISE OF HOME IN EXODUS 2:1–3:6 AND DEUTERONOMY 34:1–12 -- Dennis T. Olson
• REIMAGINING EXILE THROUGH THE LENS OF THE EXODUS: TURNING POINTS IN ISRAELITE HISTORY AND TEXTS -- Pamela Barmash
• “THERE IS NO ONE!”: THE REDACTION OF EXILE IN JEREMIAH’S BOOK OF CONSOLATION (31:15–22) -- Martien A. Halvorson-Taylor
• Part III. SOCIOLOGICAL DISCUSSIONS
• FORCED MIGRATION AND THE FORMATION OF THE PROPHETIC LITERATURE -- Robert R. Wilson
• READING EXILE THEN: RECONSIDERING THE METHODOLOGICAL DEBATES FOR BIBLICAL ANALYSIS IN DIALOGUE WITH SOCIOLOGICAL AND LITERARY ANALYSIS -- Daniel L. Smith-Christopher
• “THEY NEVER RETURNED”: WERE THE BABYLONIANS JEWISH SETTLERS EXILES OR PIONEERS? -- Lester L. Grabbe
• FORCED MIGRATIONS GUIDING THE EXILE: DEMARCATING 597, 587, AND 582 B.C.E. -- John J. Ahn
• Index of References
• Index of Authors