Before the Decalogue: In Search of the Oldest Written Torah

Taking its cue from the earliest reference to written torah (Hos 8:12), this article seeks to identify the content and purpose of the oldest written tôrôt. I focus on quotations from "temple-entry liturgies" or temple tôrôt (Hos 4:2; Jer 7:9; Ps 50:18- 19; 81:9-11) and compare them with th...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Toorn, Karel van der 1956- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Fernleihe:Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste
Published: Catholic Biblical Association of America 2023
In: The catholic biblical quarterly
Year: 2023, Volume: 85, Issue: 3, Pages: 385-401
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B tôrah / Decalog / Writing / Bible / Authority / Inscribed monument / Hammurapi, Babylonien, König 1728 BC-1686 BC / Torah / Literalness / Torah scroll
IxTheo Classification:BC Ancient Orient; religion
HA Bible
HB Old Testament
Further subjects:B law codes
B Hosea
B Psalms of Asaph
B entry torah
B written torah
B Decalogue
B Torah
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:Taking its cue from the earliest reference to written torah (Hos 8:12), this article seeks to identify the content and purpose of the oldest written tôrôt. I focus on quotations from "temple-entry liturgies" or temple tôrôt (Hos 4:2; Jer 7:9; Ps 50:18- 19; 81:9-11) and compare them with the Decalogue (Deut 5:17; Exod 20:13). It turns out that the Decalogue had a forerunner consisting of a small set of apodictic rules about individual social behavior. This prequel to the Decalogue had its origins in the sanctuaries of the Northern Kingdom. Though the various instances of temple torah were in origin oral performances, they had a material counterpart in written copies of a proto-Decalogue. These were monumental texts on display in several Israelite temples. In some respects they compare to the Balaam text from Deir ‘Alla and the theophany text from Kuntillet ‘Ajrud; in other respects they compare to the copies of Hammurabi’s Code present in the temples of Babylon and Sippar. What distinsguishes them from these texts, however, is their terseness and their claim to be copies of an original that was handwritten by God.
ISSN:2163-2529
Contains:Enthalten in: The catholic biblical quarterly