INTRODUCTION TO THE HEBREW BIBLE Professor Ashley Tate

INTRODUCTION TO THE HEBREW BIBLE Professor Ashley Tate 8/21/17

WHAT SHOULD WE CALL IT? Tanak Torah Old Testament Hebrew Bible

TANAK T (Torah; lit “teaching” or “instruction”; the first 5 books associated with Moses; the Pentateuch) a N (Nevi’im; the books of the prophets) a K (Ketuvim; the writings)

✘ B. C. (“BEFORE CHRIST”) ✔ B. C. E. (“BEFORE THE COMMON ERA”)

GENESIS 1: 1 -2 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.

ANCIENT HEBREW MANUSCRIPT

GENESIS 1: 1 -2 NRSV (NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION) In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. JPS (JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY) KJV (KING JAMES VERSION) When God began to create heaven and earth – the earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and a wind from God sweeping over the water – God said … In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

TWO VIEWS OF CREATION OUT OF CHAOS CREATION OUT OF NOTHING Watery chaos existed before God began to create No matter existed before God began to create “In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep…” (NRSV) “In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth. ” “When God began to create…” (JPS) Latin: creatio ex nihilo

GENESIS 1: 26 -28 Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over…every creeping that creeps upon the earth. ’

VOCABULARY B. C. vs. B. C. E. Tanak Torah Nevi’im Ketuvim Hebrew Bible Pentateuch Creatio ex nihilo