B7220
Course Unit Outline
Unit Code
B7220
Unit Name
Old Testament Historical Books
Unit Weighting
9 cps
Type of Unit
Intermediate
Prerequisites
9 credit points in Biblical Studies
Academic Staff
Mark Kenney: MA (Catholic University of America 1978), MA (CUA 1989), STL (CUA 1991),
STD (Angelicum 1998)
The Faculty Register lists all faculty accredited to teach this course unit.
Curriculum Objectives
This Course Unit builds on any Biblical Studies Introductory Course Unit and contributes towards
the sub-major sequence in Biblical Studies. It examines the background and content of the
historical books, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings, comparing them with the books of
Chronicles.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit students will be able to:
1) examine the background, content, and theological motifs of the Old Testament historical
books.
2) employ the exegetical methods applied to the study of these books
3) identify different literary forms found in these books
4) display the ability to exegete selected passages
5) demonstrate the application of a theme or text to a contemporary audience or community
Threshold concept to be acquired in this unit
Ancient historiography: In approaching the historical books of the Old Testament, the student
needs to realise that these books cannot be assessed according to contemporary standards of
history writing. The historical books were not written for the purpose of conveying a detailed
history of ancient Israel but to present a religious interpretation of these events using the
techniques of history writing common to the ancient Near East.
Content
1. Presentation and discussion of the exegetical methods used in the unit
2. The historical, geographical, social and religious background of these books
3. Theological motifs in these books
4. Identification and evaluation of different literary forms
5. Exegetical study of selected texts.
Learning Activities
Lectures, tutorials, field work, student presentations, seminars – in class and/or online.
Assessment Profile
Assessments tasks are designed both to help students attain the unit outcomes and to enable
teachers to assess student attainment. In this unit, the required assessment tasks will be based on:
1. Review of a scholarly work on historical literature. [Outcome 1]
2. Exegesis of a passage from the historical literature using an accepted methodology. [Outcomes
1, 2, 3 and 4]
3. Essay on a theological theme found in the historical literature. [Outcomes 1 and 5]
Representative References
Brueggemann, Walter. First and Second Samuel. Louisville: John Knox Press, 1990.
Campbell, Antony F. and Mark A. O’Brien. Unfolding the Deuteronomistic History. Origins, Upgrades,
Present Text. Minneapolis, 2000.
Gunn, David M. Judges. Malden/Oxford: Blackwell, 2005.
Hawk, L. Daniel. Joshua. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2000.
Kalimi, Isaac. The Reshaping of Ancient Israelite History in Chronicles. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 2005
Leuchter, Mark and Klause-Peter Adam, eds. Soundings in Kings: Perspectives and Methods in
Contemporary Scholarship. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2010.
Mills, Mary E. Historical Israel: Biblical Israel: Studying Joshua to 2 Kings. London: Cassell, 1999.
Noth, Martin. The Deuteronomistic History. Sheffield, JSOT, 1991.
Organ, Barbara E. Is the Bible Fact or Fiction? An Introduction to Biblical Historiography. New York:
Paulist Press, 2004.
Person, Raymond F. Jr. The Deuteronomistic School. History, Social Setting and Literature. Atlanta: SBL,
2002.
Seibert, Eric A. Disturbing Divine Behavior: Troubling Old Testament Images of God. Minneapolis:
Fortress Press, 2009.
Walsh, Jerome. Style and Structure in Biblical Hebrew Narrative. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2001.