Bernard Revel Graduate School – Yeshiva University

Dr. Mordechai Cohen (e-mail: cohenm@yu.edu)

BIB 7725
Biblical Narrative: Book of Samuel

DESCRIPTION: Literary analysis of biblical narrative: diction, characterization, dialogue, point

of view. Comparison with other methods: Midrash, the peshat tradition, source criticism. Brief
examples from Genesis and Ruth; comprehensive literary study of the book of Samuel.

GOALS: To become familiar with methodologies of modern biblical scholarship and learn to
apply them independently. An enhanced understanding of Tanakh with greater appreciation for
its literary forms.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: The assigned readings in the bibliography below (pp. 4-5) were selected to
offer students a manageable introduction to the subject of biblical narrative and literary analysis
of Tanakh, which have received a great deal of attention in recent scholarship. Mastery of these
studies will enable the student to read further scholarship in these areas critically.

REQUIREMENTS:

 Preparation for class lectures (sources, studies); weekly quizzes

 Periodic written assignments
 In-class midterm exam
 Paper presentation – independent literary analysis
 Take-home final exam

Students are responsible to bring a complete Tanakh (without English) and relevant
secondary material to each class meeting.

Syllabus

WEEK 1: INTRODUCTION (pre-class preparation optional)

The concept of “literary” study of Scripture. Comparison with traditional, critical scholarship.
Sources: I Samuel 1-2
Readings: Berlin, “On The Use of Traditional Jewish Exegesis”

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ASSIGNMENT #1: 1-2 pages, due Aug. 30, 2009 (submit on ANGEL)
In your opinion, what is the literary function of the story of Eli’s sons, his interaction with them,
and the prophecy to Eli? How might these compare with the stories about Hannah and Samuel?

WEEK 2: THEORY; NEW CRITICISM

Berlin, Poetics, 11-21
Rozik, '‫'מדרכי המדרש ומדרכי הספרות בפרשנות המקרא‬
Leibowitz, '‫'כיצד לקרא פרק בתנ"ך‬
Cohen, “Best of Poetry”

WEEK 3: INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF SAMUEL

I Samuel 3-7 with commentaries (Kiel, Bar-Efrat, Alter)
Optional: Garsiel, Samuel, 33-75

ASSIGNMENT # 2: 3-4 pages, due Oct. 1, 2009 (grace period: Oct. 12, 2009)
Analyze the following three texts that depict the inception of the monarchy:
‫כז; יב‬-‫ יז‬,‫כב; י‬-‫א‬,‫ שמואל א ח‬.1
‫טז‬-‫ א‬,‫ שמואל א פרק ט; י‬.2
‫ שמואל א פרק יא‬.3
Give a title to each of these three texts. Explain how they differ. E.g., what is the relationship
between Saul and Samuel in each depiction? How is Saul’s personality depicted? How is
Samuel depicted? What is the difference between the attitude toward the institution of monarchy
presented in each text?

WEEK 4: SOURCE CRITICISM AS LITERARY READING

I Samuel 8-12
Breuer, ‫ ;תורת התעודות‬idem, 11-22 ,‫פרקי מועדות‬
Hakham, ‫על חקר המקרא‬
Kugel, “On the Bible and Literary Criticism”
Berlin, “On the Bible as Literature.”

WEEK 5: CLOSE READING, “TOTAL INTERPRETATION”

I Samuel 13-17
Alter, Biblical Narrative, 3-46; Optional: Weiss, Bible From Within, 1-46

WEEK 6: CHARACTER AND CHARACTERIZATION

I Samuel 18-24
Berlin, Poetics, 22-42

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WEEK 7: NARRATION, DIALOGUE, REPETITION

Alter, Biblical Narrative, 63-113; optional: Bar Efrat, Narrative Art, 211-218
MIDTERM EXAM (week 7, Nov. 4, 2009). Text of I & II SAMUEL

ASSIGNMENT # 3: 2 pages, due Nov. 8, 2009

How does Berlin’s discussion illuminate I Samuel 8 (perceptual point of view—of narrator,
nation), 19 (interest vs. perceptual point of view), and 25 (different conceptual points of view)?

WEEK 8: POINT OF VIEW

I Sam 25-II Sam 1
Berlin, Poetics, 43-82; optional: Alter, Biblical Narrative, 114-130

WEEK 9: APPLICATION IN RUTH

Ruth 1-4
Berlin, Poetics, 83-110; Cohen, Hesed

WEEK 10: LITERARY VS. CRITICAL SCHOLARSHIP

Alter, Biblical Narrative, 131-154; Berlin, Poetics, 111-139

WEEK 11: PLOT AND STRUCTURE

Amit, Biblical Narratives, 1-68 ; Bar-Efrat, Narrative Art, 93-140

WEEK 12: SPACE AND TIME

Amit, Biblical Narratives, 103-125; Bar-Efrat, Narrative Art, 141-196

WEEKS 13-15: CLASS PRESENTATIONS ON NEW TEXTS (IN II SAMUEL)

The final three meetings will be devoted to student presentations (15-20 minutes), each followed
by class evaluation and critique. The purpose of these presentations is to integrate the analytic
methods you have learned during the semester and apply them to a specific new narrative text, to
be chosen in consultation with the professor. On the basis of the presentation and responses, you
will write a research paper that incorporates your views with the relevant scholarship:
commentaries of Kiel, Bar-Efrat, Alter, as well as the literary scholarship we have studied over
the semester, including Amit and Bar-Efrat readings.

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Choosing texts for analysis: By Nov. 1 (first come, first serve, in person or by e-mail), choose
two possible texts for your presentation/paper (1st choice, 2nd choice). A chapter or other
literary unit, preferably from II Samuel (but other narratives will be considered) with a paragraph
indicating the direction of your analysis. On the basis of these choices I will set up a schedule of
presentations (hopefully to cover a good part of II Samuel) for the final three class meetings.

FINAL EXAM (take-home)

The final exam (8-10 pages) will focus on the techniques of literary analysis studied over the
semester and their application to biblical narrative. It is to be submitted (on ANGEL) by January
15, 2010, together with an edited version of the paper.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

a. Articles and book chapters (on e-res):

1. Berlin, Adele. “On the Bible as Literature.” Prooftexts 2 (1982): 323-327.

2. -----. “On The Use of Traditional Jewish Exegesis in the Modern Literary Study of the
Bible.” In Tehillah le-Mosheh: Biblical and Judaic Studies in Honor of Moshe
Greenberg, ed. M. Cogan, B. Eichler, J. Tigay. Winona Lake, IN 1997. Pp. 173-183.

3. Breuer, Mordechai. ‫פרקי מועדות‬. Jerusalem 1986. Pp. 11-22.

4. -----. '‫'תורת התעודות של בעל שאגת אריה‬, Megadim 2 (5747/1986): 9-22.

5. Cohen, Mordechai. “‘The Best of Poetry’: Literary Approaches to the Bible in the
Spanish Peshat Tradition.” The Torah U-Madda Journal 6 (1995/6): 15-57.

6. -----. “Hesed: Divine or Human? The Syntactic Ambiguity of Ruth 2:20,” Hazon
Nahum: Essays in Honor of Dr. Norman Lamm, ed. Y. Elman, J. Gurock. New York
1997. Pp. 11-38.

7. Hakham, Amos. '‫ תורת התעודות ושיטת הבחינות‬,‫'על חקר המקרא‬. Megadim 3 (5747/1987):
67-71.

8. Kugel, James. “On the Bible and Literary Criticism.” Prooftexts 1 (1981): 217-236.

9. Leibowitz, Nechama. '‫'כיצד לקרא פרק בתנ"ך‬. In: ‫ אסופת מאמרים מאת‬:‫ללמד וללמד תנ"ך‬
‫נחמה לייבוביץ‬. Jerusalem 1995. Pp. 1-13.

10. Rozik, Sarah. '‫'מדרכי המדרש ומדרכי הספרות בפרשנות המקרא‬. Beit Mikra 21 (1976):71-78.

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b. Books—required. On Reserve at the Library; some available on Amazon.

11. Alter, Robert. The Art of Biblical Narrative. New York 1981.

12. -----. The David Story. New York 1999.

13. Amit, Yairah. Reading Biblical Narratives. Minneapolis 2001.

14. Bar-Efrat, Shimon. Narrative Art in the Bible. Sheffield 2000.

15. -----. 1 and 2 Samuel: With Introduction and Commentary [in Hebrew], Miqra le-Yisrael
Series. Tel Aviv 1996.

16. Berlin, Adele. Poetics and The Interpretation of Biblical Narrative. Winona Lake, IN
1994.

17. Kiel, Yehuda. ‫ ספר שמואל‬:‫דעת מקרא‬. Jerusalem 1981.

c. SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS; on reserve at library

18. Alter, Robert and Frank Kermode. The Literary Guide to the Bible. Cambridge, MA
1987.
19. Garsiel, Moshe. The First Book of Samuel: A Literary Study of Comparative Structures,
Analogies and Parallels. Jerusalem 1990.
20. Polak, Frank. ‫הסיפור במקרא‬. Jerusalem 19992.
21. Sternberg, Meir. The Poetics of Biblical Narrative. Bloomington, IN 1985.
22. Weiss, Meir. The Bible From Within: The Method of Total Interpretation. Jerusalem
1984.