Understanding the Pentateuch as a Scripture

JAMES W. WATTS is Professor of Hebrew Bible in the Department of Religion at Syracuse University. His research involves the overlaps between rhetoric, ritual and scriptures, with a particular focus on the Pentateuch.

• List of Boxes ixList of Tables xiList of Figures xiiAbbreviations xvPreface xviiAcknowledgements xxii1 Ritualized Text: The Pentateuch as a Scripture 1Torah and Pentateuch 2Scripture and Ritual 3The Three Dimensions of Written Texts 6Ritualizing Scriptures in Three Dimensions 8The Pentateuch in Three Dimensions 10Scripturalizing Torah in the Time of Ezra 13Reading the Pentateuch as a Scripture 172 Textual Rhetoric: The Persuasive Shaping of the Pentateuch 19The Pentateuch as Literature 20The Pentateuch as Rhetoric 23Logos: The Story‐List‐Sanction Rhetorical Strategy 25Ethos and Pathos in Pentateuchal Rhetoric 593 Scroll, Tablet, and Codex: Ritualizing the Pentateuch’s Iconic Dimension 68The Iconic Dimension of Scriptures 69The Pentateuch’s Iconic Dimension After Ezra 70Ezra’s Scroll 70Torah Scrolls in the Late Second Temple Period 71Textual Amulets 74Torah Arks 77Synagogue Scrolls 80Desecrated Torah Scrolls 84Relic Torah Scrolls 85Torah Myths 89Scroll and Codex 92Ritualizing Gospels and Bible instead of Torah 95Publishing Torahs and Bibles 99Decalogue Tablets 105Summary 107The Pentateuch’s Iconic Dimension Before Ezra 107The Tablets of the Commandments 108The Ark of the Covenant as Torah Shrine 110The Priestly Blessing Amulets 113The Torah as Monumental Inscription 115Josiah’s Torah Scroll 116The Pentateuch as Replacement for Tablets and Ark 1204 Reading, Performance, and Art: Ritualizing the Pentateuch’s Performative Dimension 123The Performative Dimension of Scriptures 124The Pentateuch’s Performative Dimension After Ezra 126Ezra’s Torah Reading 126Reading Torah in Later Second Temple Judaism 128Reading Torah in Synagogues 131Reading the Pentateuch in Churches 133The Languages of Jewish Public Readings 135The Languages of Christian Oral Readings 138Recitation, Cantillation, and Song 141Art, Illustrations, and Maps 144Theater and Film 152Biblical Art, Film, and Music beyond Scripture 154The Pentateuch’s Performative Dimension Before Ezra 155Performing Texts in Ancient Cultures 156The Pentateuch’s Instructions for Ritual Readings 158Biblical Stories of Torah Readings 159Composing Torah for a Listening Audience 163Composing Torah for Scribal Readers 170Evolving Torah through Oral Performance 1735 Textual Interpretation: Ritualizing the Pentateuch’s Semantic Dimension 175The Semantic Dimension of Scriptures 176The Pentateuch’s Semantic Dimension After Ezra 177The Rhetoric of Scholarly Expertise After Ezra 177The Rhetoric of Communal Identity and Priesthood After Ezra 189The Rhetoric of Promise and Threat After Ezra 198The Rhetoric of Law After Ezra 200The Rhetoric of Origins After Ezra 209The Pentateuch’s Semantic Dimension Before Ezra 224Scribal Expertise in the Ancient Middle East and in the Pentateuch 224The Rhetoric of Communal Identity and Priesthood Before Ezra 229The Rhetoric of Promise and Threat Before Ezra 235The Rhetoric of Law Before Ezra 239The Rhetoric of Origins Before Ezra 2436 Scriptures: From Torah to Bible 251Scripturalization and Canonization 251In the Time of Judah Maccabee 253Understanding the Tanak as a Scripture 255In the Time of Judah Ha‐Nasi 260In the Time of Irenaeus 262Understanding the Bible as a Scripture 265Cited Works and Further Reading 268Index of Quotations and Citations of Biblical and Rabbinic Texts 286Index of Subjects and Authors 291