Read the Beforeitsnews.com story here. Advertise at Before It's News here.
Profile image
By Truth Excavator
Contributor profile | More stories
Story Views
Now:
Last hour:
Last 24 hours:
Total:

An Excerpt From, "The Creation Of History In Ancient Israel" by Marc Zvi Brettler

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.


Wikipedia:

Marc Brettler (Marc Zvi Brettler) is an American biblical scholar, and the Bernice and Morton Lerner Professor in Judaic Studies at Duke University. He earned his B.A., M.A., and PhD from Brandeis University, where he was previously Dora Golding Professor of Biblical Studies. He researches biblical metaphors, the Bible and gender, biblical historical texts, the book of Psalms, and the post-biblical reception of the Hebrew Bible, including in the New Testament. He is a co-founder of the website thetorah.com, which integrates critical and traditional methods of studying the Bible.

In 2004, Brettler won the National Jewish Book Award for The Jewish Study Bible.

An excerpt from, “The Creation Of History In Ancient Israel” by Marc Zvi Brettler, Routledge, 1995, pg. 1 – 2:

All history is created. Events transpire, but people tell and record, select and reshape them, creating historical texts. The nature of these texts varies widely, reflecting the interests and skills of their authors. Some retellings of the past attempt to depict the events as they transpired, others cloak a particular ideology in historical garb, while still others aim primarily to enlighten or to entertain. These functions are not necessarily mutually exclusive; one person may compose an entertaining ideological text, or a text which was originally interested in the actual past may be reshaped by a later author with didactic aims.

In this book, I will explore a selection of biblical texts in an attempt to discover how the texts might have functioned in antiquity. I will study the texts themselves rather than the events which lie behind them. The importance of this type of inquiry has been recognized in several recent studies. K.Lawson Younger, Jr explores the historical, ideological and literary aspects of ancient Near Eastern texts, noting:

While it is perfectly valid (and important) to ask questions concerning which events were narrated, it is equally valid and important to ask questions concerning the way in which events were narrated. In fact it is the latter questions which reveal the texts’ ultimate purpose. 

A similar idea has been expressed concerning Islamic historical texts:
Instead of asking what a premodern Muslim author was trying to do as a historian and how he accomplished his goals, the scholar of Islamicate history has usually been content to ask what information the source provides that can be useful in solving his own problems. 

Throughout this book I will show what various biblical authors were “trying to do” when they wrote works which we typically categorize as historical.
The approach I suggest questions the traditional assumption that ancient Israelite and early Jewish religions were fundamentally historical religions in the sense of being primarily concerned with, and based on, actual events in history. A strong impetus for my dissenting perspective comes from a study by Moshe David Herr, “The Conception of History among the Sages.” He points to an idiom in rabbinic literature: “what was, was,” which shows the rabbis” complete disregard for actual events of the past.  Based on the use of that idiom and other rabbinic evidence, he notes, “there was no question more meaningless or boring [to the rabbis] than the purpose and usefulness of an exact description of what actually transpired.” 
Modern scholarship has begun to emphasize the significant continuities between biblical Israel and rabbinic Judaism. This suggests that the attitude of the rabbis might well be true for the earlier biblical period as well; this is supported by a close examination of biblical texts. Why, then, does so much much of the Bible look like historical literature? Why and how was this “history-like” material composed?


Source: http://disquietreservations.blogspot.com/2025/09/an-excerpt-from-creation-of-history-in.html


Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world.

Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.

"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.

Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world. Anyone can join. Anyone can contribute. Anyone can become informed about their world. "United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.


LION'S MANE PRODUCT


Try Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend 60 Capsules


Mushrooms are having a moment. One fabulous fungus in particular, lion’s mane, may help improve memory, depression and anxiety symptoms. They are also an excellent source of nutrients that show promise as a therapy for dementia, and other neurodegenerative diseases. If you’re living with anxiety or depression, you may be curious about all the therapy options out there — including the natural ones.Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend has been formulated to utilize the potency of Lion’s mane but also include the benefits of four other Highly Beneficial Mushrooms. Synergistically, they work together to Build your health through improving cognitive function and immunity regardless of your age. Our Nootropic not only improves your Cognitive Function and Activates your Immune System, but it benefits growth of Essential Gut Flora, further enhancing your Vitality.



Our Formula includes: Lion’s Mane Mushrooms which Increase Brain Power through nerve growth, lessen anxiety, reduce depression, and improve concentration. Its an excellent adaptogen, promotes sleep and improves immunity. Shiitake Mushrooms which Fight cancer cells and infectious disease, boost the immune system, promotes brain function, and serves as a source of B vitamins. Maitake Mushrooms which regulate blood sugar levels of diabetics, reduce hypertension and boosts the immune system. Reishi Mushrooms which Fight inflammation, liver disease, fatigue, tumor growth and cancer. They Improve skin disorders and soothes digestive problems, stomach ulcers and leaky gut syndrome. Chaga Mushrooms which have anti-aging effects, boost immune function, improve stamina and athletic performance, even act as a natural aphrodisiac, fighting diabetes and improving liver function. Try Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend 60 Capsules Today. Be 100% Satisfied or Receive a Full Money Back Guarantee. Order Yours Today by Following This Link.


Report abuse

Comments

Your Comments
Question   Razz  Sad   Evil  Exclaim  Smile  Redface  Biggrin  Surprised  Eek   Confused   Cool  LOL   Mad   Twisted  Rolleyes   Wink  Idea  Arrow  Neutral  Cry   Mr. Green

Total 2 comments
  • Saint Michael

    As in V-The Final Battle … against the reptilians Jews … it’s their show and their usury based debtor’s economy that is destroying the American way of life. They really need to be imprisoned. All of them! It’s called anti-Zionists … the true Semites are being exterminated in Gaza.Trump’s role is to play the Supreme Alien Commander … even gives the intro.

    Rabbi: Jews are Not of This World; We’re Sent to Conquer It

    Rav Michael Laitman: So from this entire planet, we are aliens coming from a different galaxy. We receive this ray of light — this awakening — individually. And now we’re gathering as groups starting to prep ourselves to conquer Earth. That’s the mission.

    Question from the audience: How do we conquer it?

    Rav Michael Laitman: How do we conquer it? We’re also sent the method. We’re being shown everything gradually. We’re being taught. Not being taught, but kind of trained and activated… which sets our minds in motion. But in fact, it’s coming from our original planet. And thanks to that original natural force we have, we will take over those living on Earth. Why are you looking at me like that? You don’t believe me? I’m telling you seriously! It’s even more than that. It’s not a different galaxy — it’s a different universe. It’s a different dimension altogether. That’s who we are…”

    https://ampropalmom.wordpress.com/2021/01/19/rabbi-jews-are-not-of-this-world-were-sent-to-conquer-it/

  • Saint Michael

    “We create a pretend world. We are a global production company: We write the screenplay, we’re the directors, we’re the producers, we’re the main actors. And the world is our stage,” says a retired Mossad agent who was among those who led the pager op.

    https://www.instagram.com/reel/DD7HFRDJpMv/?hl=en

MOST RECENT
Load more ...

SignUp

Login