Samuel stands out in many important biblical texts as the figure who facilitated ancient Israel's transition from a tribal league to a monarchic state. On the surface of the text, this transition appears clear and linear, as does Samuel's role in bringing Israel together as a nation and selecting its first kings. Beneath this surface, however, is a far more complicated network of memories, sources and agendas, each presenting a very different picture of Samuel and his social, religious and ideological function. In some sources, Samuel serves as a symbol of Israel's developing priesthood and its system of social ethics, demonstrating the tensions within the priestly ranks. In others, Samuel's prophetic status is utilized to periodize Israel's history into distinct categories, positioning prophets over monarchs as national authorities. Elsewhere, Samuel is recruited to qualify - and disqualify - different forms of political organization in pre-monarchic Israel and systems of social hierarchy. Finally, the Jewish and Christian exegetical traditions return to the figure of Samuel and mine the texts in which he appears to re-structure Israel's national identity and the later communities that claimed descent from it. Mark Leuchter explores how the Samuel of these sources differs from the Samuel of the final form of the text, how the different writers used him to shape their ideas and transmit their messages, and how Samuel functions as a vehicle for the creation of a more elaborate literary superstructure drawn from discreet sources.
The Levites and the Boundaries of Israelite Identity brings renewed attention to the place of the Levites in the definition of Israelite concepts and myths of identity, from the early Iron Age through the late Persian period
History has an inescapable centrality in the Hebrew Bible, and biblical narratives are for many readers the best recognized and most memorable parts of the Bible. Yet the history of ancient Israel and the nature of Hebrew historiography remain hotly contested topics in contemporary scholarship. The Historical Writings introduces students to the character of the Deuteronomistic History (Joshua through Kings) and other historical writings (Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1 and 2 Chronicles); to the different roles history-writing plays throughout the Hebrew Bible; to the key historical questions and methods shaping contemporary scholarly debate in light of archaeological research; and to the literary and theological contours of the biblical narratives themselves. An introduction presents issues in the historical and literary interpretation of these writings. Subsequent chapters on the books Joshua through Kings, Ezra-Nehemiah, and Chronicles each discuss literary concerns, historical issues, and theological themes relevant to each book, then offer succinct and informative commentary on the book. Pedagogical features include maps, photographs, primary sources from the ancient Near East, reading lists, and a glossary.
This exciting new study of the prophet Jeremiah attributes to him a pivotal significance in the historical period of Josiah's reign. He was, so Leuchter argues, one of the central agents of Josiah's propaganda machine and was intimately involved with the king's political agenda. Jeremiah, himself originally a member of the scribal school that composed the Deuteronomistic literature, encouraged the Shilonites of Anathoth to become active in Josiah's programme in the North following the waning of Assyrian power. Dismayed by the Shilonites' rejection of him and Josiah, and by the king's death at Megiddo, Jeremiah came to a radically new understanding of the divine purpose, encapsulated in the famous Temple sermon of Jeremiah 7 and evidenced in the prophet's debates with the political establishment in Jerusalem in the years that followed. In his thoroughgoing historical reconstruction, Leuchter outlines a very specific sequence of events that took their rise from the Shilonite rejection of Deuteronomic policy, and on that basis carefully demarcates the texts that would have been included in Jeremiah's first scroll (the Urrolle). Leuchter's monograph will make an important contribution to the study of the history and the literature of the late seventh century BCE.
Scholars typically view Jeremiah 26-45 as a collection of episodes constructed during the Babylonian exile that attempts to prove the authenticity of Jeremiah's prophetic status. But Jeremiah's prophetic legitimacy was already widely accepted during the period of the Babylonian exile. These chapters serve a different purpose, namely, to provide a response by the Deuteronomistic scribes to the rise of the Ezekiel tradition and the Zadokite priesthood that threatened their influence among the exilic population.
At the time of Christ, world politics was an ebb and flow of colliding empires and forces. The world knew only dynastic succession and rule by force. Israel was swept up in this world. Her expectations of deliverance, while diverse, had in common the anticipation of violent liberation by an alliance of God, the expected one (Theo), and Israel's forces. Her vision included the subjugation of the world to Yahweh. Any messianic claimant would be expected to fulfill this hope. Mark's story of Jesus must be read against such expectations of military power. Mark knows that Jesus' plan of salvation differed radically from this. Rather than liberation through revolution, it involved deliverance through humble, loving service and cross-bearing. However, the disciples follow Jesus but do not understand Jesus' purpose. They constantly expect war. So, the Gospel is then read from Mark's full understanding and the disciples' flawed perspective. In this first volume of Jesus in a World of Colliding Empires, Keown backgrounds Mark and the political situations of the world at the time. He then unpacks Mark 1:1--8:29 as Jesus seeks to show the disciples he is Messiah while drawing out the deep irony of their incomprehension.
The Levites and the Boundaries of Israelite Identity brings renewed attention to the place of the Levites in the definition of Israelite concepts and myths of identity, from the early Iron Age through the late Persian period
Developments in the understanding and treatment of genocide through the twentieth century have involved a combination of politics, public opinion, social trends, and economic development, and led to the substantive law of genocide and the assumption of international jurisdiction. This book analyzes incidences of genocide and mass atrocities, focusing on the political factors involved in modern counter-genocide efforts. Drawing on incidences of genocide and mass atrocity such as the Holocaust, the Rwandan genocide, and the Armenian genocide, Mark Kielsgard adopts a conceptual model that reveals the political factors which impact the international law of genocide, such as barriers and catalysts to transitional justice and the politics of genocide denial. As a work which provides a focused picture of those influences and their significance to genocide studies, this book will be of great use and interest to students and researchers in international criminal law, conflict studies, and conflict resolution.
Leuchter explores the biblical texts revolving around the figure of Samuel, and considers how the authors utilize him as a symbol to address the cultural memories and contemporary politics of their audiences. Samuel's role as a priest, a prophet, a judge, a warrior, a lawgiver and a kingmaker are examined in light of the origins of ancient Israel.
NAMED BEST MARKETING BOOK OF 2011 BY THE AMERICAN MARKETING ASSOCIATION How organizations can deliver significant performance gains through strategic investment in marketing In the new era of tight marketing budgets, no organization can continue to spend on marketing without knowing what's working and what's wasted. Data-driven marketing improves efficiency and effectiveness of marketing expenditures across the spectrum of marketing activities from branding and awareness, trail and loyalty, to new product launch and Internet marketing. Based on new research from the Kellogg School of Management, this book is a clear and convincing guide to using a more rigorous, data-driven strategic approach to deliver significant performance gains from your marketing. Explains how to use data-driven marketing to deliver return on marketing investment (ROMI) in any organization In-depth discussion of the fifteen key metrics every marketer should know Based on original research from America's leading marketing business school, complemented by experience teaching ROMI to executives at Microsoft, DuPont, Nisan, Philips, Sony and many other firms Uses data from a rigorous survey on strategic marketing performance management of 252 Fortune 1000 firms, capturing $53 billion of annual marketing spending In-depth examples of how to apply the principles in small and large organizations Free downloadable ROMI templates for all examples given in the book With every department under the microscope looking for results, those who properly use data to optimize their marketing are going to come out on top every time.
This groundbreaking volume presents a new translation of the text and detailed interpretation of almost every word or phrase in the book of Judges, drawing from archaeology and iconography, textual versions, biblical parallels, and extrabiblical texts, many never noted before. Archaeology also serves to show how a story of the Iron II period employed visible ruins to narrate supposedly early events from the so-called "period of the Judges." The synchronic analysis for each unit sketches its characters and main themes, as well as other literary dynamics. The diachronic, redactional analysis shows the shifting settings of units as well as their development, commonly due to their inner-textual reception and reinterpretation. The result is a remarkably fresh historical-critical treatment of 1:1-10:5.
Over the centuries, the prophetic book of Zechariah has suffered from accusations of obscurity and has frustrated readers seeking to unlock its treasures. This work by Mark Boda provides insightful commentary on Zechariah, with great sensitivity to its historical, literary, and theological dimensions. Including a fresh translation of Zechariah from the original Hebrew, Boda delivers deep and thorough reflection on a too-often-neglected book of the Old Testament.
The book known as the Old Testament is actually a collection of stories, songs, prophetic addresses, wise sayings, and other bits of literature composed over centuries and compiled for the use of worshiping communities. These texts appeared in ancient Israel, reflecting its traumas and less frequent triumphs. Far from being comfortable texts that sedate over-stimulated readers, they offer critique of the powerful for the sake of those for whom the only tool of overcoming oppression is language itself. Because of the distance in time and cultural experience, the Old Testament is often inaccessible to modern readers. This introduction bridges that distance and makes the connections across time and culture come alive. The Bible assembles a wide range of literary types because of the needs of the communities first using it as they preserved the legacy of their past, good and bad, for the sake of a viable future. Their legacy continues as relevant as ever. This introduction, then, seeks to help readers make sense of the variety and hear within it points of commonality as well. The Old Testament is a book readers look to for meaning. Christian readers, especially, have difficulty connecting with the theological meanings of the texts. Mark Hamilton offers an introduction that addresses theological issues directly and sensitively. Considering the massive sweep of literary types and ways of expressing ideas about God, A Theological Introduction to the Old Testament offers an alternative to introductions based solely on historical or literary themes.
A leading biblical scholar, Hans Heinrich Schmid, believes that righteousness, or the right order of the world, is 'the fundamental problem of our human existence'. It is a key theme in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament's theology of creation and salvation, along with associated themes such as justice, steadfast love/loyalty, truth/ fidelity, compassion/mercy, sin and disorder/chaos. A number of studies of righteousness have been undertaken but most have tended to focus on Israel's call to be righteous, as voiced in particular in the Prophetic Books and the Psalter. In contrast, this book focuses on divine righteousness as the basis for all other notions of righteousness, as this is outlined in the foundational teaching or revelation of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament- namely, the Torah or Pentateuch. It then undertakes a study of how righteousness in the Prophetic Books, the Psalter and the Book of Job relates to this foundational teaching.
A review of the past century of research on the biblical books of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, with detailed analysis of the past two decades of key scholarly research and a classified bibliography of over 1200 studies. The bibliography is helpfully arranged according to topic, under more than 100 rubrics. There is a full listing of available resources for study. Altogether an extremely useful tool for all students and scholars of the Old Testament.
Here, both therapist and client will learn the causes of depression, how to recognize and diagnose the different iterations of depression, the wide variety of psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacological treatment options available, and how to get the most out of those treatments. Zetin, Hoepner, and Kurth explain the causes of depression, how to recognize and diagnose the different iterations of depression, and the wide variety of psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacological treatment options available. Even more important, they show patients how to best work with their clinicians and clinicians how to best help their patients. The book is liberally sprinkled with case discussions, which demystify the treatment protocols and show the various ways that clients respond to treatment. In this book, medical professionals have a go-to desk reference for their questions about depression, and consumers have a friendly, accessible introduction to an otherwise intimidating disorder.
What difference would it make for Old Testament theology if we turned our attention from the more dramatic, forceful "mighty acts of God" to the more subdued, but more realistic themes of later writings in the Hebrew Bible? The result, Mark McEntire argues, would be a more mature theology that would enable us to respond more realistically and creatively to the unprecedented challenges of the present age.
The image on the cover of this book represents the idea that brain state alterations at sacred sites allow us to re-experience memories that are woven into the morphogenetic fields of that place, an idea that originates with Paul Devereux's empirical enquiry into dreams at sacred sites in Wales and England. This books examines how this investigation provides us with a new way of understanding consciousness, and a new direction toward a reconciliation of the divorce between matter and spirit. We explore the work of David Lukoff, and Stanislav and Christina Grof, the connections between the varieties of transformative experience in dream studies, ecopsychology, transpesonal psychology, and the anthropology of consciousness, as well as the overlap between David Bohm's interpretation of quantum theory and Rupert Sheldrake's hypothesis of formative causation.
Completely updated, the Fifth Edition of this standard-setting two-volume reference presents the most advanced diagnostic techniques and the latest information on all currently known disease entities. More than 90 preeminent surgical pathologists offer expert advice on the diagnostic evaluation of every type of specimen from every anatomic site. The Fifth Edition contains over 4,400 full-color photographs. This edition provides detailed coverage of the latest developments in the field, including new molecular and immunohistochemical markers for diagnosis and prognosis of neoplasia, improved classification systems for diagnosis and prognosis, the role of pathology in new diagnostic and therapeutic techniques, and the recognition of new entities or variants of entities. All full-color illustrations have been color-balanced to dramatically improve image quality.
Biological psychiatry has dominated psychiatric thinking for the past 40 years, but the knowledge base of the discipline has increased substantially more recently, particularly with advances in genetics and neuroimaging. The third edition of Biological Psychiatry has been thoroughly updated taking into account these developments. As in the earlier editions of the book, there are comprehensive reviews and explanations of the latest advances in neurochemistry, neuroanatomy, genetics and brain imaging— descriptions not only of methodologies but also of the application of these in clinical settings. It is within this context that there is a considerable emphasis in the book on brain–behaviour relationships both within and without the clinical setting. This edition has been enhanced by the inclusion of new chapters, one on anxiety and another on motivation and the addictions. The chapter that relates to treatments has been extended to include the latest information on brain stimulation techniques. The overall book is well illustrated in order to help with an understanding of the text. For the third edition, Professor Michael Trimble has been joined by Professor Mark George as co-author. These are two of the world's leading biological psychiatrists who both have considerable clinical as well as research experience which they have brought to the book. Unlike multiauthored texts, it has a continuity running through it which aids understanding and prevents repetition. This book is strongly recommended for all practising psychiatrists and trainees wishing for an up-to-date, authoritative, easy to digest and acessible review of the latest advances and conceptualizations in the field. It will also appeal to neurologists interested in neuropsychiatry and biological psychiatry or the psychiatric aspects of neurological disorders, as well as other practising clinicians (psychologists, social workers, nurses) in the mental health field.
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