Was Samuel meant to be a Nazirite?: the first chapter of Samuel and the paradigm shift in textual study of the Hebrew Bible

This article aims to demonstrate the urgency of new methodological thinking through the analysis of one biblical passage. The main focus is on the two passages that give expression to Hannah’s vow (1Sam 1:11 and 22–23): Was it originally meant as a Nazirite vow on behalf of an unborn child? The anal...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Aejmelaeus, Anneli 1948- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem 2019
In: Textus
Year: 2019, Volume: 28, Issue: 1, Pages: 1-20
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Bible. Samuel 1. 1 / Samuel Biblical character / Nazirite / Textual criticism
IxTheo Classification:HB Old Testament
Further subjects:B Septuagint of Samuel
B Textual Criticism
B MT of Samuel
B Halakah
B “lower” and “higher” criticism
B 4QSama
B Nazirite vow
B 1Samuel 1
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:This article aims to demonstrate the urgency of new methodological thinking through the analysis of one biblical passage. The main focus is on the two passages that give expression to Hannah’s vow (1Sam 1:11 and 22–23): Was it originally meant as a Nazirite vow on behalf of an unborn child? The analysis results in the identification of editorial reworking, especially in the MT, and less so in 4QSama, whereas the Septuagint mainly represents an older Hebrew Vorlage, often in agreement with 4QSama. The chain of changes concerning Hannah’s vow in the MT seems to spring from halakic motivation. The fact that the textual evidence is found to reveal processes at work during the editorial history of the text makes it evident that the borderline between so-called “lower” and “higher” criticism no longer exists. The paradigm shift after Qumran thus means a paradigm shift for the historical-critical methodology.
ISSN:2589-255X
Contains:Enthalten in: Textus
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1163/2589255X-02801001