JOURNAL FOR THE STUDY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT SUPPLEMENT SERIES 413 Editors Claudia V. Camp, Texas Christian University and Andrew Mein, Westcott House, Cambridge Founding Editors David J. A. Clines, Philip R. Davies and David M. Gunn Editorial Board Richard J. Coggins, Alan Cooper, John Goldingay, Robert P. Gordon, Norman K. Gottwald, John Jarick, Andrew D. H. Mayes, Carol Meyers, Patrick D. Miller This page intentionally left blank From Noah to Israel Realization of the Primaeval Blessing After the Flood Carol M. Kaminski T&.T CLARK INTERNATIONAL A Continuum imprint LONDON • NEW YORK Copyright © 2004 T&T Clark International A Continuum imprint Published by T&T Clark International The Tower Building, 11 York Road, London SE1 7NX 15 East 26th Street, Suite 1703, New York, NY 10010 www.tandtclark.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress Typeset by ISB Typesetting, Sheffield Printed on acid-free paper in Great Britain by Cromwell Press, Trowbridge, Wilts. ISBN 0-567-08358-6 (hardback) This page intentionally left blank CONTENTS Preface vii Abbreviations ix INTRODUCTION 1 Chapter 1 Is THE DISPERSAL IN GENESIS 9.19 TO BE INTERPRETED POSITIVELY? 10 Chapter 2 ARE THE BABELITES REJECTING THE COMMAND TO FILL THE EARTH? 22 Chapter 3 DOES YHWH's SCATTERING NOAH'S DESCENDANTS FULFIL THE PRIMAEVAL BLESSING? 30 Chapter 4 Is THE PRIMAEVAL BLESSING FULFILLED IN THE TABLE OF NATIONS? 43 Chapter 5 THE PRIMAEVAL BLESSING AND THE SHEMITE GENEALOGY 60 Chapter 6 DOES THE PRIMAEVAL HISTORY END ON A NOTE OF JUDGMENT? 80 Chapter 7 DOES THE PROMISE OF INCREASE TO THE PATRIARCHS CONTRIBUTE TO THE REALIZATION OF THE PRIMAEVAL BLESSING AFTER THE FLOOD? 92 Chapter 8 REALIZATION OF THE PRIMAEVAL BLESSING THROUGH ISRAEL 111 Chapter 9 FULFILMENT OF THE PRIMAEVAL BLESSING IN EGYPT (Exoous 1.1-7) 124 CONCLUSION 139 Bibliography and Further Reading 147 Index of References 154 Index of Authors 156 PREFACE My interest in the book of Genesis began many years ago. Doctoral studies at St. Catharine's College, Cambridge, provided me the opportunity to pursue this interest in a way not possible previously. This book is essentially my doctoral dissertation with minor revisions, submitted to Cambridge University in 2002.1 am keenly aware that this work would not have come to fruition without the generous support of a number of institutions. I am grateful for the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust Bursary, along with the ORS Scholarship awarded by the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals, which enabled me as an international student to study abroad. The Australian College of Theology kindly granted me a Faculty Research Scholarship while on study leave from the Bible College of Victoria in Australia. Tyndale House in Cambridge provided a welcoming and stimulating context in which to study. Even with the generous support of these institutions, my research would not have been possible without the love and encouragement of friends, family and Bulleen Baptist Church. I am deeply thankful for my husband, Matthew, for his love and commitment to me throughout this project. I also wish to acknowledge Michaela Eyl, for her helpful comments with regard to German translation, and Elizabeth Robar, for her assistance in preparing this manuscript for publication. I am especially grateful to my doctoral supervisor, Regius Professor of Hebrew, Robert Gordon, whose insightful and critical comments have been invaluable to me. His patience, kindness and encouragement over the years enabled me to press on, especially when the task at hand seemed overwhelming. While any faults in this book are my own responsibility, the careful scrutiny and editing of my disser- tation by Professor Gordon have, in no small measure, left an indelible mark throughout the pages of my work. In recognition that learning takes place in the context of community, I am thankful to a number of scholars who have contributed to my understanding of the biblical text. While I was studying at the Bible College of Victoria, Dr. Rikk Watts, who first introduced me to biblical theology and exegesis, inspired me to do graduate work in biblical studies. Other faculty members at the College, notably Drs. David Price and Ted Woods, provided further encouragement along the way. Subsequent study abroad at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Massachusetts, contributed significantly to my understanding of the redemptive story in the Old Testament and its fulfilment in the New. I would also like to express my appreciation for conversations with Mary Fisher about how the Bible fits together theologically and its implications for the church. Within the wider academic community, the meticulous research of a number of Old Testament viii From Noah to Israel scholars with whom I interact in this book has helped me to clarify and develop my understanding of the theology of Genesis. I have appreciated the dialogue made possible by the quality of their scholarship and their commitment to the study of the first book of the Pentateuch. Lastly, I am grateful to the God of the Old Testament, YHWH, who has revealed himself to me throughout the pages of Genesis, showing that his redemp- tive purposes advance in and through sinful humanity. His gracious forbearance leads me to worship and service - with a heart overflowing with thanks. Carol M. Kaminski ABBREVIATIONS AB Anchor Bible ABD David Noel Freedman (ed.), The Anchor Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992) ASV American Standard Version AV Authorized Version BDB Francis Brown, S.R. Driver and Charles A. Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1907) BHS Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia Bib Biblica BK Bibel und Kirche BKAT Biblischer Kommentar: Altes Testament BSac Bibliotheca Sacra CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly ESV English Standard Version GKC Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar (ed. E. Kautzsch; revised and trans. A.E. Cowley; Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1910) IBC Interpretation Bible Commentary ICC International Critical Commentary Int Interpretation JB Jerusalem Bible JBL Journal of Biblical Literature JETS Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society Joiion Joiion, P., A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew (2 vols.; trans, and rev. by T. Muraoka; Rome: Subsidia biblica, 1991) JPS Jewish Publication Society JSOT Journal for the Study of the Old Testament JSOTSup Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, Supplement Series KB3 Koehler, L. and W. Baumgartner, The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (5 vols.; revised by W. Baumgartner and J.J. Stamm; trans, under the supervision of M.E.J. Richardson; Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1994-2000) KD Kerygma und Dogma KJV King James Version LCL Loeb Classical Library LXX Septuagint MT Masoretic Text NAC New American Commentary NASB New American Standard Bible NCBC New Century Bible Commentary NEB New English Bible NIBC New International Bible Commentary