United Methodist Course of Study
Buffalo, New York Extension
COS-221 Bible II: Torah and Israel's History
Rabbi Drorah Setel
dsetel@gmail.com
716-876-5874 (no calls on Friday evenings or Saturdays, please)
Session 1: October 16-17, 2016; Session 2: November 20-21, 2015
Course Description and Learning Goals
This course interprets the critical events, developing institutions, and traditions of
Israel. Attention is given to the earliest Covenants, to the Exodus, to the rise of
the monarchy, and to other events up to the eighth century prophets.
Students will be able to:
1. Articulate a historical overview of the experience and faith of ancient Israel.
2. Exegete selected passages that illustrate crucial turning points in the history of Israel.
3. Apply exegesis to preaching, other pastoral responsibilities, and issues of the present
day.
Assessment
Grades will reflect your progress towards the course goals, rather than any value
judgment about you or your ideas.
You will do well in this course if you prepare the assignments and take part in
discussions. It will be difficult for you to succeed if it is apparent you are unprepared. If
there are any personal circumstances which might affect your attendance or
participation please discuss them with me so that we may make the appropriate
accommodations. I want you to succeed in this class and am happy to offer support for
you to do so.
I grade on a point (rather than percentage) system, which allows for greater flexibility
and extra credit work. The more points you have, the higher your grade will be. At the
same time, the number of points given for each assignment will depend upon the quality
of your work. “A” grades will be in the top tenth percentile of total possible points, “B”
grades in the second tenth, etc.
Assignments will assess your mastery of the course goals on six skill levels, ranging from
simple to complex:
1. Memorization
2. Understanding
3. Application
4. Analysis
Bible II Syllabus
5. Evaluation
6. Original Thought
To achieve the highest grades, students must demonstrate an ability to think and express
their thoughts on all these levels.
*I strongly recommend that you take notes on your reading and review materials on
expository writing. The following websites may be useful:
notetaking:
http://www.wikihow.com/Take-Cornell-Notes
https://shp.utmb.edu/asa/Forms/cornell%20note%20taking%20system.pdf
expository essay writing:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/685/02/
http://www.cambridge.org/download_file/586172/0/
http://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-Expository-Essay
Assignments (see below) have the following points:
Essays - 20 points each (120 total)
Definitions - 1 point each (36 total)
Exegesis - 50 points
Required Texts
Coogan, Michael, The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha: New Revised
Standard Version, 4th Edition, Oxford University Press, 2010 (hardcover or paperback).
Coogan, Michael, The Old Testament: A Historical & Literary Introduction to the
Hebrew Scriptures, 3rd Edition, Oxford University Press, 2013; ISBN-13:9780199946617.
Fretheim, Terence, The Pentateuch (Interpreting Biblical Texts Series), Abingdon Press,
1996; ISBN-13: 978-0687008421.
Reference Texts (also required)
Brueggemann, Walter et al, A Theological Introduction to the Old Testament 2nd Edition,
Abingdon Press, 2005; ISBN-13: 978-0687066766.
Page 2
Bible II Syllabus
Curtis, Adrian, Oxford Bible Atlas 4th Edition, Oxford University Press, 2009; ISBN13: 978-0199560462.
Supplemental Texts (optional)
* I highly recommend that you watch a 2 hour PBS documentary called “The Bible’s
Buried Secrets.” It’s currently available for free at the following website:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/bibles-buried-secrets.html
If it becomes unavailable there I suggest looking for it on YouTube
(www.youtube.com).
Berlin, Adele and Marc Zvi Brettler, eds., The Jewish Study Bible 2nd Edition, Oxford
University Press, 2014.
Friedman, Richard Elliott, Who Wrote the Bible?, HarperOne, 1987.
Newsom, Carol A. and Sharon H. Ringe, eds., The Women’s Bible Commentary 3rd
Edition, Westminster John Knox, 2012.
Assignments
for Session 1:
1. In Coogan, The Old Testament, please read Chapters 1-9.
2. In The Oxford Annotated Bible, please read:
in the section on “The Pentateuch”
- “Introduction” p. 3
- Introduction to the Book of Genesis p. 7
- Introduction to the Book of Exodus p 81
in the section on “General Essays, Tables”
- “The Canons of the Bible” p. 2185
- “Textual Criticism” p. 2192
- “Translation of the Bible into English” p. 2197
- “The Ancient Near East” p. 2236
- “Parallel Texts” p. 2264
Also look over the material (but don’t worry about the details) in
- “Timeline” p. 2254
- “Weights and Measures” p. 2262
- “Calendar” p. 2263
- “Parallel Texts” p. 2264
3. After reading the material, please answer the following questions. Each answer
should be about 750 words in length. You should use Times New Roman font size 12,
double spaced, with standard margins. Include your name and essay number in the
Page 3
Bible II Syllabus
header and staple each essay separately. You may give them to me in a folder with
pockets if that is easier for you but do not place the papers in a three hole binder. Please
bring your essays to the first session. If you have questions about the reading and/or
essays please feel free to email or call me before the first class.
(1) Scholars refer to the first part of the Christian Bible as “The Hebrew Bible.” What is
the difference between using the term “Hebrew Bible” and the term “Old Testament”?
Why do Jews, Protestants and Roman Catholics have different versions of the Bible?
What are the major differences? How critical is the concept of canon?
(2) What is the Documentary Hypothesis? What are the perspectives and themes of the
major sources (J, E, D, and P)? What are their respective dates?
(3) There are differing theories to describe the emergence of ancient Israel in Canaan.
Describe them and the evidence for each.
(4) How do biblical narratives and poetry draw on ancient Near Eastern mythology?
Please give specific examples from Genesis and Exodus.
4. Please define the following terms in 1-2 complete sentences:
Asherah
Israel
Baal
Israelite
Canaan
mythology
canon
parallelism
Code of Hammurapi
Tanakh
cosmology
Tetragrammaton
El
theophany
Elohim
Torah
Exodus
Yahweh
Hebrew
for Session 2:
1. In Coogan, The Old Testament, please read Chapters 10-18.
2. In The Oxford Annotated Bible, please read:
in the section on “The Pentateuch”
- Introduction to the Book of Leviticus p. 141
- Introduction to the Book of Numbers p. 185
- Introduction to the Book of Deuteronomy p. 247
in the section on “The Historical Books”
- “Introduction” p. 313
- Introduction to the Book of Joshua p. 318
- Introduction to the Book of Judges p. 355
- Introduction to the Book of I Samuel p. 399
- Introduction to the Book of II Samuel. p. 445
- Introduction to the Book of I Kings p. 485
Also look over the material (but don’t worry about the details) in
Page 4
--
Bible II Syllabus
- “Chronological Table of Rulers” p. 2258
3. After reading the material, please answer the following questions. Each answer
should be about 750 words in length. You should use Times New Roman font size 12,
double spaced, with standard margins. Include your name and essay number in the
header and staple each essay separately. You may give them to me in a folder with
pockets if that is easier for you but do not place the papers in a three hole binder. Please
bring your essays to the first session. If you have questions about the reading and/or
essays please feel free to email or call me before the first class.
(1) What are the issues involved in determining the historicity of biblical traditions such
as the patriarchs and matriarchs, the Exodus and the wilderness narratives? How have
archaeological discoveries affected scholarly understanding of those traditions?
(2) The concept of covenant is central to the Hebrew Bible. What are some of the ancient
Near Eastern sources for biblical ideas of covenant? What did ancient Israelites mean
when they described their relationship with God as a covenant?
4. Please define the following terms in 1-2 complete sentences:
Apocrypha
Levite
Aramaic
sacrifice
Code of Hammurapi
scapegoat
Cohen
Shema
Covenant Code
suzerainty treaty
Dead Sea Scrolls
Tabernacle
Holiness Code
Temple
Judah
Zion
judge
5. In the second session you will be asked to present a short (10 minute) exegesis on a
text of your choice from the Torah (first five books of the Hebrew Bible). I will go over
the rubric for your presentation with you during the first session.
Page 5