Structure and structural elements: Old Testament - Research Paper Example

Structure and structural elements: Old Testament The book ed by Joshua belongs to the narrative genus. As a narrative, it explores the story of the Israelites, during the time that Joshua was the leader, and the passage under review formed part of the saga narrated by the writer. For that reason, it is important to explore the content and the events that led to the passage that tells the reader “to be strong and to have courage”. The context leading to the passage included that God had chosen Moses to guide the Israelites to the Promised Land. At one instance, they had reached close to the land, and Moses sent out 12 spies to the land that they were supposed to occupy. Out of the 12 spies, only 2 came back with a positive feedback, and one of the two was Joshua.1 Afterwards, God showed Moses the land, but informed him that he would not enter it, Joshua was appointed to lead the people, and that was the context that led to the writing of the book of Joshua. After the conclusion of the passage, the reader encounters the narration of the events that followed their entry into the land of promise, victory over the people of the land and the division of the land among the Israelites.2 The distinctiveness of the passage The distinctiveness of the passage includes that Joshua, despite being the leader of the people of Israel, was the one being encouraged. He is commanded to “be strong and of a good courage”, and the phrase is repeated in the same passage, as it encloses the theme of the passage.3 Apart from being given the command to be strong and courageous, the passage went ahead to restate the promise of God, which is the purpose for obeying the command just given earlier.4 The purpose statement that give the command social appeal emphasized that Joshua would lead his people to the point of inheriting the land, which had been promised to their ancestors, including Abraham and their other fathers. Building on that promise, and the responsibility of leading the people called for the development of courage and strength. The verb “to be strong” is translated from “hzq” in Hebrew and is referred more than 300 times. In contrast, “to be courageous”, is translated from (Hebrew), which is used only 40 times.5 The context of the passage builds on the reference made in verse 5, where there was the declaration that there would not be any enemies to stand against the Israelites.6 After the promise of prosperity and success has been stated, the passage shifted back to the warnings underlying it. Further, the importance of resoluteness is emphasized, as it is the force that would allow Joshua and the people to stay committed to God and his instructions.7 In verse 9, Joshua is addressed using a question, which reminded him that he was God’s chosen and that shying away from his responsibility was not an option.8 Coherence and boundaries of the passage 6. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them (Josh. 1: 6 NIV). At the beginning of the passage, Joshua is being encouraged to become courageous and strong, so that he could meet the responsibility of leading the people to the land and the promises made by God. The phrase made in the verse, relating to courage and strength forms the theme of the passage, based on which the verse continued to restate the promise that would restore his strength, whenever he felt weak.9 After making the command, God retraced the promise to the ancestors of the Israelites, including Abraham, reminding Joshua that the promise was not made idly; it was built on a long-established relationship between him and the Israelites. After highlighting the responsibility that he had bestowed upon Joshua, he emphasized the importance of developing the virtues of courage and strength. In the passage, the meaning of courage can be clearly understood by considering the context explained in Josh. 1: 5 (NIV), where God declared that there would not be any enemies to stand against them or to overpower them (Howard 84). Building on the declaration of victory, Joshua was being encouraged to lead without the loss of faith and strength. The context developed in verse six leads to that developed in verses 7 and 8.10 7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest (Josh. 1: 7 NIV). 8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success (Josh. 1: 8 NIV). After communicating to Joshua and prosperity, verses 7 and 8 communicated the conditions that his leadership and the people needed to meet and the warnings that they needed to know, so as to enjoy the benefits. However, before starting with the warnings, the values of becoming strong were repeated, as an emphasis of the need to develop the strength that would enable them to meet the conditions set for them. In the context of observing the conditions and the warnings that would qualify them for prosperity, courage was used to refer to the resolute nature that was needed from Joshua and his people.11 The verses laid out the conditions of determination, which would maintain the commitment made to god, and to obey his commands. Both verses (7 and 8) communicated the commands, including those of obeying, meditating and not departing from the book of law. In particular, for Joshua, he is being given the formula that would make him a successful leader, which were the values to guarantee him success and prosperity in leading the people, and capturing the promises made.12 In the two verses, figures of speech are used to highlight the messages that Joshua needed to know, and in simple words, the one in verse 7 is “not to turn from it to the right or to the left”. The figure of speech allowed God to demonstrate the ways of obedience or not remaining obedient, as obedience was the straight direction.13 After making the conditions known to Joshua, the passage shifted to verse nine, where God started with a question, reminding him that he was chosen by divinely to take the responsibility of leading.14 After reminding Joshua that he was the one that had chosen him, he went ahead to inform him that he could not shy away from the responsibility.15 Further, instead of restating Joshua’s responsibility and leaving it at that, he was given a final encouragement, which he needed to develop strength and courage, so as not to fail after discouragement.16 In capping the promise, God clarified that he would stay with him, no matter what would happen, so that Joshua could develop the anchoring needed to overcome the difficulties he could encounter. Structure and structural elements of the passage Josh 1: 6, 7, 8, and 9 used the structure of a divine assurance, as evident from the employment of languages that replicate the assurances that were given to Moses, before he started the work in question. The reference is made in Exodus 3:12, 15. Further, parallels are drawn between the work and the responsibilities of Moses and Joshua, including that there is reference made to the his duties in Joshua 1: 6-9, as was laid out to Moses in Exodus 3 and 4 and Exodus 3: 12. Main logic of the flow of the verses By starting with a word of encouragement and command for Joshua, he was informed of his responsibility of leading the people to gain the promise made to their ancestors, which called for him to develop courage and strength.17 The highlight of his responsibility was followed by the conditions that were to be observed, so as to enjoy the benefits laid out in the earlier verse. At last, in closing there is the reminder that the work was given by God, and that he could not shy away from the responsibility, as God would be with him.18 The logic of the flow was to inform Joshua about his responsibility, to restate the conditions that he needed to observe with his people, and to inform him that it would not be his will to push the responsibility through, as he would be with God all through. The role of the passage within the framework The passage played the role of signaling that the leadership that was the responsibility of Moses before, including that of capturing the Promised Land, whose people were intimidating. Building on that context of a coming conquest, so as to occupy the land, God highlighted the responsibility of Joshua, which called for the values of strength and courage.19 As a leader, Joshua was told the conditions he needed to meet, but then was not left on his own, as he was given courage and strength, through the promise that God would be with him at all times. Conclusion The book of Joshua belongs to the narrative genre, and it explores the story of the Israelites, during the time of leadership change. After the mantle of leadership moved to Joshua, the passage takes on the responsibility of communicating the responsibility that he was given by God, which called for the values of strength and courage. The passage is distinct as it communicated his duty, the conditions to observe and the guarantee of God’s help, as he pushed on with his responsibility. The logic of the passage was communicating the responsibility and to empower the leadership needed by the Israelites, following the change of leadership, and with the challenge of capturing the Promised Land, which was a task ahead of them. Bibliography Birch, Bruce, Walter, Brueggemann and Terence, Fretheim. A Theological Interpretation to the Old Testament. 2nd ed. Nashville: Abingdon, 2005. Chisholm, Robert, Jr. "Divine Hardening in the Old Testament," Bibliotheca Sacra, 153, no. 612 (1996), 429-30. Fabian, Dapila. "Prophetic fulfillment: An examination of 'true' and 'false' prophecy in the Deuteronomistic Works." Old Testament Essays, 13, no. 1 (2000): 926. Gerstenberger, Erhard. Theologies in the Old Testament. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2002. Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 2003. Hess, Richard. Joshua. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, Ill: Intervarsity, 1996. Howard, David. Jr. Joshua. New American Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 1998. Longman, Tremper III and Raymond B. Dillard. An Introduction to the Old Testament. Michigan: Zondervan, 2006. McConville, Gordon. Grace in the End: A Study in Deuteronomic Theology. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1993. 73. Nelson Richard. Joshua. Old Testament Library. Louisville: Westminster/ John Knox, 1997. Petrovich, Douglas. "The Dating of Hazor's Destruction in Joshua 11 by Way of Biblical, Archaeological and Epigraphical Evidence." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 51, no. 3 (2008):489-512. Rogerson, John. An Introduction to the Bible. London: Equinox, 2005. Römer, Thomas. The So-called Deuteronomistic History: A Sociological, Historical and Literary Introduction. London: T&T Cark, 2007. Van der Woude, Adam. Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament, Vol 1, ed. Ernst Jenni and Claus Westermann, 157‑159. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1997. Youngblood, Roland, Frederick, Bruce and Roland, Harrison. Nelson's Student Bible Dictionary. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005. Read More