REL/JSP 114 THE BIBLE

Study Guide for Exam # 2

1. Be familiar with the contents of the biblical readings and be able to summarize the contents and story lines of Joshua, Judges, 1& 2 Samuel, 1& 2 Kings, Hosea, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Ezra, Nehemiah, Jonah, and Ruth.

2. Be familiar with the readings from the textbook.

3. Be familiar with the main themes and concerns of the Deuteronomistic History. Why does it criticize most of Israel’s and Judah’s kings?

4. Be able to describe the social, political and religious roles of prophets in ancient Israel, and the kinds of religious conflicts which biblical prophets were most concerned with.

5. Be able to describe the formal features of Hebrew poetry and the contents of books such as Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job, Song of Songs and Lamentations..

6. Be familiar with the structures and messages of Ezekiel and Isaiah.

7. Be able to describe the views of the books of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, 2 Isaiah, Jonah, Ruth, Ezra and Nehemiah on the political and religious issues facing Jews in the exilic and early post-exilic periods.

8. Be familiar with the roles and careers of Ezra and Nehemiah.

Essay Questions for Exam # 2

TWO of the following questions will appear on the exam, and you will be expected to choose ONE to answer. Prepare your answers in advance to all four questions. Your answer should use relevant biblical and textbook readings, lecture material, and discussion material, and should also conclude with an argument for your own personal analysis of the issue. I suggest you develop short outlines of your answers which can be easily memorized. Notes or other aides may NOT be used during the test.

1. Discuss the institution, development, and understandings of the monarchy in Ancient Israel (Israel/Judah). Who thought Israel should not have a king? Why? What religious consequences flowed from the institution of the monarchy?

2. Provide a literary analysis of 2 Samuel 11-19, including its principle themes, plots, and characters as well as the literary merits of the section as a whole.

3. Discuss the use of metaphor in Hosea. What are the dominant metaphors in each of the sections we read for discussion? What do these metaphors seek to illustrate about the relationship between God and Israel? Why does the author make use of such metaphors?

4. Describe the nature of prophecy and the role of prophets in the Deuteronomistic History. What religious practices do the prophets attack? Why?