12/21/2024 7:09:02 PM	HUMAN 10.1 Course Outline as of Fall 2008	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  HUMAN 10.1	Title:  THE HEBREW BIBLE
Full Title:  The Hebrew Bible
Last Reviewed:4/22/2019

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	0		6 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00			Contact Total	52.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly:  HUMAN 10A

Catalog Description:

A critical survey of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) which traces its historical development in the context of Ancient Near Eastern cultures. The course explores its great stories, personalities, themes, and their global impact on civilizations.  

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

A critical survey of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) which traces its historical development in the context of Ancient Near Eastern cultures. The course explores its great stories, personalities, themes, and their global impact on civilizations.  

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;UC.
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:
Area:	E	Humanities
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
	C2	Humanities		Fall 1981
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
	3B	Humanities		Fall 1981
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:
UC Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Major Applicable Course

COURSE CONTENT

Outcomes and Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

Upon completion of this course the student will be able to:

1.  Acquire the skills to read and discuss the biblical text with

   reasonable ease and comprehension.

2.  Name the genre and describe the generic features of a passage from the Hebrew Bible.  

3.  Distinguish among the assumptions of traditional biblical

   interpretation and the methodology and conclusions of modern biblical

   criticism.

4.  Distinguish between the assumptions and techniques of traditional

   biblical exegesis and the theory and methodology of modern biblical

   criticism.

5.  Describe historical origins and redaction of biblical literature.

6.  Distinguish the salient features of various biblical genres such as:

   myth, saga, genealogy, legal code, poetry, prophecy.

7.  Discern the major literary and religious themes and recount their

   dynamic development.

8.  Identify the major personalities, events and political geography

   of Ancient Israel and become familiar with the unfolding story line

   of the biblical narrative.

9.  Discuss the biblical text as the classical literature

   of an ancient culture, which has helped to shape the development of

   the western world.  

Topics and Scope

1.  Introduction to traditional understandings of the Hebrew scripture.

2.  Modern methods of biblical research.

   a.  Documentary Theory

   b.  Comparative Near Eastern literature

   c.  The theory of the original matriarchy, the nature of patriarchy

       and its literary heritage

   d.  Midrash and biblical literary style compared with other narrative

       styles

   e.  Contemporary historiographic and hermeneutic criticism

3.  The Convenant -- tracing its literary presence in the creation story.

   a.  The flood and Abraham

   b.  Abraham as ancestor of the Israelite and Ishmaelite traditions

4.  The Akedah

   a.  Its literary history, traditional interpretations

   b.  Its connections to the sacrificial cult

   c.  Its centrality in the history of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

5.  Machpelah -- the burial of Sarah and narratives concerning claim to the

   land of Canaan.

6.  The story of Sodom and the code of hospitality.

7.  The Jacob Tradition: Tribal history and legend.

8.  The Rape of Dinah and the Levitical origins.

9.  Judah and Tamar and the beginnings of the Judean Davidic traditions.

10. Joseph and the Northern Israelite traditions.

11. The Exodus Story

   a.  Testing the historical reality of the story

   b.  Testing the durability and thematic credibility of the story

   c.  Miracles, historiography and literary style

   d.  The nature of prophecy and Yahwist understanding

   e.  The evolutionary reality of the "Mosaic" traditions

12. The Book of Joshua: the Tribes of Yahweh and the period of the

   conquest/rebellion.

13. The Book of Judges

   a.  The period of the Settlement

   b.  Israel facing the external threat of Canaanite and

       Philistine domination -- Deborah as prophetess and military

       leader

   c.  Israel facing the internal threat of assimilation and

       and acculturation -- the story of Samson and Delilah

14. The Monarchy:

   a.  the tradition from Samuel to Saul with emphasis on the literary

       characteristics of these figures as they interact

   b.  the beginnings of prophetic criticism of the monarchy

   c.  the advent of David, his rise and reign

   d.  the accession of Solomon

   e.  the transformation of Israel from an agrarian, egalitarian,

       tribal confederation to an urban, military aristocracy

15. The monarchies of David and Solomon.

16. The divided kingdoms and the rise of the literary prophets: (Elijah),

   Hosea, Amos and Isaiah through the Assyrian invasion  and the

   destruction of Israel.

17. The nature and content of prophecy: Yahwist social criticism, the

   Yahwist hermeneutic.

18. The Deuteronomists and the reform of Josiah.

19. The Babylonian Exile.

20. Yahwism vs. Zoroastrian dualism.

21. Isaiah and the coming of Cyrus and the Persian conquest.

22. Job.

23. Ezra and Nehemiah--the restoration of Judah and the canonization of the Torah.

24. Yahwist Wisdom literature: Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes,

   Lamentations and the Song of Solomon.  

Assignments:

1.  5-7 regular reading assignments between 25-50 pages per week from

   the course texts.

2.  Up to 3 exegetical essays explicating select biblical texts using

   critical methods acquired in lecture and reading.

3.  1-3 thematic essays which build a conceptual synthesis out of

   related narratives and aphorisms.

4.  A short answer midterm exam which will include map identification

   questions.

5.  A similar short answer final examination.

6.  Oral presentation of research.  

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 25 - 70%
Reading reports and essays
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 10 - 25%
Analytical interpretations
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 10 - 25%
Class performances, Performance exams, Oral presentations.
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 10 - 30%
Multiple choice, True/false, Matching items, TEXT ANALYSIS
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 5%
Class and participation

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

The  Bible Unearthed: Archaelogy's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of its Sacred Texts.  Finkelstein, Israel and  Silberman, Neil Asher.  Touchstone:  2002.

 

The Hebrew Bible: New Insights and Scholarship.   Greenspahn, Frederick.  New York University Press:  2008.

 

A Short Introduction to the Hebrew Bible.  Collins, John J.  Fortress Press: 2007.  

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