Ian Young - Linguistic Dating of Biblical Texts: An Introduction to Approaches and Problems , vol 1

Linguistic Dating of Biblical Texts

Linguistic Dating of Biblical Texts

VOLUME 1

AN INTRODUCTION TO APPROACHES AND PROBLEMS

IAN YOUNG

ROBERT REZETKO

WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF MARTIN EHRENSVRD

First published 2008 by Equinox, an imprint of Acumen

Published 2014 by Routledge

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Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

Ian Young, Robert Rezetko, and Martin Ehrensvard

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Notices

Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility.

To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein.

Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the Library of Congress

ISBN 13: 978-1-84553-081-5 (hbk)

ISBN 13: 978-1-84553-082-2 (pbk)

Typeset by Forthcoming Publications Ltd

For Our Families

Karyn and Samantha Mirna, Daniel Gabriela, Talya and Camila

CONTENTS

VOLUME 1:
AN INTRODUCTION TO APPROACHES AND PROBLEMS

VOLUME 2: A
SURVEY OF SCHOLARSHIP, A NEW SYNTHESIS AND A COMPREHENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY

Abbreviations

Chapter 1

SURVEY OF SCHOLARSHIP ON THE DATING OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE

Chapter 2

SYNTHESIS OF THE ARGUMENT: EBH AND LBH AS CO-EXISTING STYLES

Chapter 3

LINGUISTIC CASE STUDIES

Chapter 4

TABLES OF LINGUISTIC FEATURES SUGGESTED TO BE LBH IN MAJOR PUBLICATIONS

Bibliography

Analytical Outline of Subjects

Index of Hebrew and Aramaic Words

Index of Biblical Literature and References

Index of Authors

Despite its yawn-invoking title (Zevit 2004) considerable interest in the question of using language to date biblical texts was generated by the publication of Biblical Hebrew: Studies in Chronology and Typology (Young 2003a). This was confirmed by the large attendance at a session on the topic organised by Ziony Zevit at the Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas in 2004. That evening, Rezetko and Young ended up, purely by accident (Ehrensvard has a better sense of direction), at a reception for Equinox Publishers hosted by Philip Davies and Janet Joyce. It had been Philips brilliant idea that had led to the earlier book (the title only shows that you cant be brilliant all of the time). In San Antonio he had another one: You guys (Young and Rezetko figured he was talking to them) should write an introduction to linguistic dating of biblical texts. It should be easy: I mean, you already know all the stuff.

Over three years later we may look back on those inspiring, but not very prescient, words. As we delved deep into the literature and in particular, the masses (and masses!) of data, our unease with the current chronological model grew until we arrived at a new model to comprehend the linguistic diversity of the Hebrew Bible. Thus, the first volume contains a lot more argument than we first planned, and an unexpected second volume has grown out of the first.

On the way, we decided that having a good sense of direction is no excuse to avoid hard work and so Ehrensvard was drawn deeper and deeper into the web. Working together has been fun and the resulting volumes are evidence of a true team effort, usually on three different continents, but occasionally together in person, most notably in Vienna in July 2007. We have encouraged, learned from and pushed each other, and still ended up better friends than ever.

Many people have helped in many different ways in this team effort. George Athas, Robert Holmstedt, Sren Holst and Mark Leuchter read the completed manuscript for us. Of the many others who helped us along the way, we mention especially Matthew Anstey, Brian Aucker, Ehud Ben Zvi, Shani Berrin, Lucy Davey, Philip Davies, Greg Doudna, Diana Edelman, Cynthia Edenburg, Michael Fox, Manfred Hutter, Jan Joosten, Alan Lenzi, Timothy Lim, Raymond Person, Frank Polak, Gary Rendsburg, Martin Shields, Luis Siddall, Mark Smith, Robyn Vern, Noel Weeks, and students in the Classical Hebrew program at the University of Sydney who worked with earlier drafts of the material. None of them can of course be held accountable for the final product, which is solely our responsibility.

Finally, we thank Duncan Burns for his expertise in the production of the manuscript for publication.

Ian Young (Sydney)

Robert Rezetko (Guadalajara)

Martin Ehrensvard (Aarhus)