Jean Louis Ska, «Old and New in the Book of Numbers», Vol. 95 (2014) 102-116
Among the numerous questions raised by the Book of Numbers, this article treats three of them: (1) The unique complexity of the Book of Numbers; (2) The four main types of solutions proposed by scholars, namely different versions of the documentary hypothesis; two main and three secondary redactional layers (R. Achenbach); a series of Fortschreibungen; a mere synchronic reading of Numbers; (3) The presence or absence of the Priestly Writer in Numbers.
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OLD AND NEW IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS
II. Some recent attempts to solve the problem 13
In recent years, the Book of Numbers has become the new battleground
of Pentateuchal research. Usually, studies on the Pentateuch start with Gen-
esis. This was already the case with H.B. Witter (1711), J. Astruc (1753)
and K.D. Ilgen (1798) and remains true for many recent attempts 14. A
change occurred with some theses and basic works on the fourth book of
the Torah. Let me mention a few of them, namely the work by Mary Doug-
las, and the theses of T.D. Olson, O. Artus, R. Achenbach, and W.W.
Lee 15. Some important commentaries have also appeared in the past ten
years (L. Schmidt, H. Seebass, B.A. Levine, R.P. Knierim – G.W. Coats,
I. Cardellini) 16.
13
My main source is RÖMER, “De la périphérie au centreâ€, 28-32.
14
R. Rendtorff and E. Blum started their study with Genesis 28,10-22;
see R. RENDTORFF, “Jakob in Bethel. Beobachtungen zum Aufbau und zur
Quellenfrage in Gen 28,10-22â€, ZAW 94 (1982) 511-523; E. BLUM, Die Kom-
position der Vätergeschichte (WMANT 57; Neukirchen-Vluyn 1984) 7-45.
See also J. VAN SETERS, Abraham in History and Tradition (New Haven, CT
– London 1975); C. LEVIN, Der Jahwist (FRLANT 157; Göttingen 1993),
whose starting point is Genesis 39; D.M. CARR, Reading the Fractures of
Genesis. Historical and Literary Approaches (Louisville, KY 1996).
15
M. DOUGLAS, In the Wilderness. The Doctrine of Defilement in the Book
of Numbers (JSOTSS 158; Sheffield 1993); D.T. OLSON, The Death of the Old
and the Birth of the New. The Framework of the Book of Numbers and the
Pentateuch (Chico, CA 1985); O. ARTUS, Études sur le livre des Nombres. Récit,
histoire et loi en Nombres 13,1 – 20,13 (OBO 157; Fribourg Suisse – Göttingen
1997); R. ACHENBACH, Die Vollendung der Tora. Studien zur Redaktions-
geschichte des Numeribuches im Kontext von Hexateuch und Pentateuch
(BZAR 3; Wiesbaden 2003); W.W. LEE, Punishment and Forgiveness in Israel’s
Migratory Campaign (Grand Rapids, MI – Cambridge 2003); see also C. FREVEL
– T. POLA – A. SCHART (eds.), Torah and the Book of Numbers (FAT 2.62; Tübin-
gen 2013); I had no access to the latter volume when writing this article.
16
B.A. LEVINE, Numbers 1–20. A New Translation with Introduction and
Commentary (AB 4; Garden City, NY 1993); ID., Numbers 21-36. A New
Translation with Introduction and Commentary (AB 4B; Garden City, NY
2000); J. SCHARBERT, Numeri (DNEB 27; Würzburg 1992); L. SCHMIDT, Das
4. Buch Mose Numeri: Kapitel 1,1–10,10. Übersetzt und erklärt (ATD 7.1; Göt-
tingen 2004); ID., Das 4. Buch Mose Numeri: Kapitel 10,11–36,13. Übersetzt
und erklärt (ATD 7.2; Göttingen 2004); H. SEEBASS, Numeri 10,11–22,1 (BKAT
4,2; Neukirchen-Vluyn 2003); ID., Numeri 22,2–36,13 (BKAT 4,3; Neukir-
chen-Vluyn 2007); R.P. KNIERIM – G.W. COATS, Numbers (FOTL 4; Grand Ra-
pids, MI 2005); I. CARDELLINI, Numeri 1,1–10,10. Nuova versione,
introduzione e commento (I libri biblici. Primo Testamento 4.1; Milano 2013).
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