This dissertation examines the consensus view that is based on Hans-Peter Müller's 1969 and 1972 articles: Daniel was a mantic wise man in the Mesopotamian ASA court, and this was the self-understanding or aspiration of the maskilim of Dan 11:33, 35, 12:3, 10, who wrote the book. Chapter 1 reviews the arguments that make the mantic connection and Chapter 2 concludes that a direct connection with the Danes of Aqht, Ezek, and Jub, and with the angel in 1 Enoch should be rejected. There is evidence that the tradition of a priest in Ezra 8: 2 and Neh 10: 7, and found also in the superscription to the Old Greek of Bel, and 4 Ezra 12:10-11, and suggested the name. Chapter 3 concludes that the portrayal of the court diviners in Dan 1-6 is wholly negative and includes both the diviners, and the essence of the professions, i. e., the ability to interpret a divine revelation. The critique is conveyed through the story line, explicit criticisms, irony, and humour. Chapter 4 concludes that Daniel, the interpreter of dreams and the writing on the wall, is distinguished from every other character and role. In the final form of Dan, Daniel as the divinely assisted each time he interprets, just as when he receives help from an interpreting angel in Dan 7-12. Chapter 5 demonstrates that the portrayal of Daniel as the divinely assisted interpreter makes sense of the reinterpretation of old prophecies against the Assyrians as prophecies against Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Hab 2:2-4 and Isa 52-53 were also understood as predictions about the maskilim themselves. Comparisons are then made with the Teacher of Righteousness, the writers of the Hodayot, and with three Essenes portrayed by Josephus. These too were portrayed as divinely assisted interpreters.

M.A. (Semitic Languages) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. (Biblical Studies) / The aim of this study was to investigate on the one hand Second Isaiah's employment of the creation tradition and monotheism motif and to establish whether a relation exists between them, and, on the other hand, whether in the use of these themes one can speak of a re-creation that Second Isaiah announces ...

This dissertation examines the function of subject-before-finite-verb clauses in the book of Genesis based on traditional, understanding. Chapter 1 presents an introduction, thesis, and methodology of the project. The research of this dissertation, following the understanding of traditional grammarians concerning subject-before-finite-verb clauses, furnishes the following thesis: all subject-before-finite-verb clauses render the subject prominent by both emphasis and description. Chapter 2 presents traditional grammarians' view concerning verbal and nominal clauses, including subject-before-finite-verb clauses in particular. They analyze the initial subject as the subject of the entire sentence and the following verb (the predicate) as a verbal clause. Chapter 3 explains that in narrative statements, the subject is usually more described than emphasized (rarely, more emphasized than described), though both description and emphasis are always present. Subject-before-finite-verb clauses may begin, transition/resume, or end a narrative, or they may give general descriptive statements. Emphasis appears stronger than description in some contrastive constructions, emphasis and description are more or less equal in other contrastive constructions, emphasis appears stronger than description with addition of certain particles and/or independent pronouns, after certain introductory formulas, with multiple subjects with modification, and when they continue a narrative. Chapter 4 offers the examination of subject-before-finite-verb clauses in non-narrative statements. The discussion in this chapter follows the same structure as Chapter Three. In non-narrative statements, the subject is usually emphasized (very rarely, more described than emphasized), though again both description and emphasis are always present. Description is stronger when the speaker narrates. Chapter 5 discusses modern attempts to redefine subject-before-finite-verb clauses, as Kautzsch, have confused the distinction between verbal and nominal clauses, which in turn, have perplexed many concerning the proper meaning of verbal and nominal clauses. Moreover, the traditional approach of subject-before-finite-verb clauses assumed a verb-subject for normal word order in Biblical Hebrew. Although Holmstedt has attempted to prove subject-verb as the "basic" word order in Biblical Hebrew, his argument has failed. Hebrew (and Arabic) is a verb-subject language. The traditional approach, therefore, represents the simplest, clearest, most accurate method for analyzing subject-before-finite-verb clauses. / This item is only available to students and faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. If you are not associated with SBTS, this dissertation may be purchased from <a href="http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb">http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb</a> or downloaded through ProQuest's Dissertation and Theses database if your institution subscribes to that service.

This chapter contains a survey of historiographioal theory from the time of the Greeks up to the work of Sorokin and Mandelbaum. It is descriptive rather than critical. [...]

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

A large part of this thesis consists of an examination of Judges ch. 5 in the light of the Versions, Rashi and Kimchi. In addition, the tribal situation, religious cohesiveness of Israel, as well as the historical context and date of the battle against Sisera, are examined. The Song of Deborah presents a unique situation in the period of the Judges in which an alliance of many tribes participated in a concerted action. These tribes are designated by the name 'Israel'. The God of Israel is known as Yahweh, Israel is the people of Yahweh, and the religious unity of Israel is based upon a common religious faith in Yahweh. The Song does not represent Israel as a system of twelve tribes or as having its cohesiveness in an amphictyony. This historical battle against Sisera depicted in the Song probably occurred at a time late in the period of the Judges, at the end of the 12th century B.C. or early in the 11th century B.C.

Biblical and Ancient Studies / M. Th. (Old Testament)

The tension between the all-sufficient atonement of the cross and a socalled "final" atonement during the pre-Advent judgment, prophecied in Daniel and Revelation., are resolved when the nature of these two moments of atonement are seen in their biblical settings. The death of Messiah is clearly portrayed as the primary fulfilment of the Day of Atonement typology in not only the gospels and in Hebrews, but also in Daniel and Revelation. However, this once-for-all atonement is an infinite act of God that eclipses all time and space. As such it asserts itself dynamically in all the spheres of human experience and history. The pre-Advent judgment is therefore not another, complementary act of atonement, but the cosmic ·manifestation of the atonement of the cross that finally demonstrates and irrevocably confirms the Lordship of Christ over all who retained the faith by which they were justified. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

M.Th.(Old Testament)