My Psalm Has Turned Into Weeping: Job's Dialogue with the Psalms

244 Pages·2012·14.271 MB·English

by  Will Kynes

Will Kynes
My Psalm Has Turned into Weeping
Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die
alttestamentliche Wissenschaft
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John Barton · F. W. Dobbs-Allsopp
Reinhard G. Kratz · Markus Witte
Band 437
De Gruyter
Will Kynes
My Psalm Has Turned into Weeping
Job’s Dialogue with the Psalms
De Gruyter
ISBN 978-3-11-029481-1
e-ISBN 978-3-11-029494-1
ISSN 0934-2575
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Acknowledgements
ThisbookisaslightlyrevisedversionofmyPhDthesisattheUniversityofCam-
bridge. I am thankful to Keble College, Oxford for welcoming me into the col-
lege’s warm community and funding my research over the past year, when most
oftheserevisionsweremade.ThanksalsototheeditorsofBZAWforaccepting
this monograph and to the editorial staff at de Gruyter, particularly Sabina
Dabrowski, for assiduous assistance in formatting the text for publication.
WhenwritingaPhDthesisonthebookofJob,itisdifficultattimestoresist
identifying with its protagonist. The truth is, however, that in many respects my
experiencecouldnothavebeenmoredifferent,andthisisthanksinlargepartto
the contrast between Job’s supporting cast and mine. The Eliphaz in my story,
my main source of guidance and support in this project, was my supervisor, Dr.
Katharine Dell, and for her wisdom, consistency, and encouragement I owe a
heavy debt of gratitude. She gave of her time to help me with far more than the
thesis, shepherding me gently and patiently into the world of Old Testament
scholarship. She was joined by numerous others, who also offered me the kind-
nessJob’sfriendswereunabletoprovidehim.Prof.ManfredOeminginvitedme
to the University of Heidelberg and made my term-long stay there a delight. He
alsogavemehelpfulfeedbackonmyresearchandtheopportunitytoshareitata
conference at the university. Prof. David Carr and Prof. James Crenshaw both
kindly sent me copies of forthcoming articles they had written. Prof. Christian
Frevel gave me valuable feedback when this project was in its early stages. Dr.
Scarlett Baron, Diane Hakala, and Kim Phillips all read chapters and provided
useful insight. Dr. Nathan MacDonald, who supervised my M.Litt. thesis at the
University of St. Andrews, taught me a great deal about how sound scholarship
should be done. The insight provided by my PhD examiners, Prof. Graham
Davies and Prof. John Barton, has also contributed significantly to this work. I
have also benefited from countless conversations with other colleagues through-
out this project, whether at the Old Testament Graduate Seminar, Tyndale
House, or the Red Bull pub. Job’s story would have been much different if he
had had friends as generous and encouraging as these. This thesis is better and
my life is richer thanks to their input; all the mistakes which remain in the thesis
are my own.
Instead of abandoning me, as Job’s did (19:13–19), my family has rallied
aroundme.Iamgratefultomygrandparents,JamesandMarjorieKynes,forpro-
vidingmewithatrustfundthatenabledmetoundertakethisPhD.IhopethatI
vi Acknowledgements
have honored their memory with my efforts. My parents, William and Susan
Kynes, and Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church also helped fund my studies.
My mother’s encouragement and my father’s guidance throughout this whole
process have been invaluable, as they have been throughout my life. My wife,
Vanessa, played the opposite role to Job’s sullen spouse. Continually supportive,
she sacrificed a great deal to help me complete this project. She and our daugh-
ters Karis and Charlotte have ensured that my psalm has been sung with joy. To
her I am infinitely grateful, and it is to her I dedicate this work.
ךתאר יניע התעו ךיתעמשׁ ןזא־עמשׁל
Job 42:5
Will Kynes
Keble College, Oxford
August 2012
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements .............................................................................................. v
Abbreviations ....................................................................................................... xi
1. Hearing History: Connections between Job and the Psalms in the
History of Interpretation ................................................................................ 1
1.1. Introduction ........................................................................................... 1
1.2. Early Critical Interpretation ................................................................ 3
1.3. Form Criticism ...................................................................................... 10
1.4. Intertextuality ........................................................................................ 13
1.4.1. Job and the Hebrew Bible ........................................................ 14
1.4.2. Job and the Psalms .................................................................... 15
1.5. Conclusion ............................................................................................. 16
2. Between Times, Between Texts: Intertextualities in Dialogue ................. 17
2.1. Introduction ........................................................................................... 17
2.2. The False Dichotomy ........................................................................... 21
2.3. Between Diachronic and Synchronic ................................................ 24
2.4. Intertextuality and the Hebrew Bible ................................................ 27
2.5. Intertextualities in Dialogue: Prolegomena ...................................... 29
2.5.1. Terminology ............................................................................... 30
2.5.2. The Text ...................................................................................... 33
2.5.3. The Intertext ............................................................................... 34
2.6. Intertextualities in Dialogue: Eight Steps .......................................... 37
2.6.1. Identification .............................................................................. 37
2.6.2. Date .............................................................................................. 49
2.6.3. Coherence ................................................................................... 52
2.6.4. Use ............................................................................................... 54
2.6.5. Recurrence .................................................................................. 55
2.6.6. Holistic Interpretation ............................................................... 55
2.6.7. Reciprocation .............................................................................. 58
2.6.8. Historical Implications .............................................................. 58
2.7. Conclusion ............................................................................................. 59
viii Table of Contents
PART I: PRAISE
3. Hubris and Humility: Psalm 8 in Job ............................................................ 63
3.1. Identification ......................................................................................... 63
3.2. Date ......................................................................................................... 67
3.3. Coherence .............................................................................................. 69
3.4. Use .......................................................................................................... 69
3.5. Recurrence ............................................................................................. 71
3.5.1. Eliphaz: 15:14–16 ...................................................................... 71
3.5.2. Job: 19:9 ....................................................................................... 73
3.5.3. Bildad: 25:5–6 ............................................................................. 74
3.6. Holistic Interpretation ......................................................................... 75
3.7. Reciprocation ........................................................................................ 76
3.8. Historical Implications ......................................................................... 77
3.9. Conclusion ............................................................................................. 78
4. Doxology in Disputation: Psalm 107 in Job ................................................ 80
4.1. Identification ......................................................................................... 80
4.2. Date ......................................................................................................... 82
4.3. Coherence .............................................................................................. 83
4.4. Use .......................................................................................................... 86
4.5. Recurrence ............................................................................................. 87
4.5.1. Eliphaz: Ch. 5 ............................................................................. 87
4.5.2. Job: 12:13–13:2 ........................................................................... 89
4.5.3. Eliphaz: 15:24 ............................................................................. 91
4.5.4. Job: 21:11 .................................................................................... 92
4.5.5. Eliphaz: 22:19 ............................................................................. 93
4.6. Holistic Interpretation ......................................................................... 93
4.7. Reciprocation ........................................................................................ 94
4.8. Historical Implications ......................................................................... 95
4.9. Conclusion ............................................................................................. 96
4.9.1. Psalms of Praise in Job ............................................................. 97
PART II: SUPPLICATION
5. Ominous Omniscience?: Psalm 139 in Job ................................................. 101
5.1. Identification ......................................................................................... 102
5.2. Date ......................................................................................................... 104
5.3. Coherence .............................................................................................. 105
5.4. Use .......................................................................................................... 107
5.5. Recurrence ............................................................................................. 108
5.5.1. Job: Ch. 10 .................................................................................. 108
5.5.2. Zophar: 11:7–9 ........................................................................... 112
5.5.3. Job: 23:8–10 ................................................................................ 115
Table of Contents ix
5.6. Holistic Interpretation ......................................................................... 117
5.7. Reciprocation ........................................................................................ 119
5.8. Historical Implications ......................................................................... 121
5.9. Conclusion ............................................................................................. 121
6. Harassed Hope: Psalm 39 in Job ................................................................... 122
6.1. Identification ......................................................................................... 123
6.2. Date ......................................................................................................... 125
6.3. Coherence .............................................................................................. 126
6.4. Use .......................................................................................................... 130
6.5. Recurrence ............................................................................................. 130
6.5.1. Job: 6:8–11 .................................................................................. 130
6.5.2. Job: Ch. 7 .................................................................................... 132
6.5.3. Job: 13:28–14:6 ........................................................................... 135
6.6. Holistic Interpretation ......................................................................... 136
6.7. Reciprocation ........................................................................................ 139
6.8. Historical Implications ......................................................................... 140
6.9. Conclusion ............................................................................................. 140
6.9.1. Psalms of Supplication in Job .................................................. 141
PART III: INSTRUCTION
7. From Didactic to Dialogic: Psalm 1 in Job ................................................. 145
7.1. Identification ......................................................................................... 145
7.2. Date ......................................................................................................... 148
7.3. Coherence .............................................................................................. 149
7.4. Use .......................................................................................................... 149
7.5. Recurrence ............................................................................................. 151
7.5.1. Eliphaz: 5:13–14 ......................................................................... 151
7.5.2. Job: 10:3 ....................................................................................... 152
7.5.3. Job: 13:25 .................................................................................... 153
7.5.4. Eliphaz: 22:18 ............................................................................. 155
7.5.5. Job: 23:10–11 .............................................................................. 155
7.6. Holistic Interpretation ......................................................................... 157
7.7. Reciprocation ........................................................................................ 158
7.8. Historical Implications ......................................................................... 159
7.9. Conclusion ............................................................................................. 160
8. Re-interpreting Retribution: Psalm 73 in Job .............................................. 161
8.1. Identification ......................................................................................... 162
8.2. Date ......................................................................................................... 164
8.3. Coherence .............................................................................................. 164
8.4. Use .......................................................................................................... 165
8.5. Recurrence ............................................................................................. 166
x Table of Contents
8.5.1. Job: 7:18 ....................................................................................... 166
8.5.2. Job: 9:29–31 ................................................................................ 167
8.5.3. The Friends: 15:27; 18:3, 11, 14; 20:8 ..................................... 168
8.5.4. Job: 19:25–27 .............................................................................. 170
8.5.5. Job: 21:13–14 .............................................................................. 171
8.5.6. Job: 23:11 .................................................................................... 173
8.6. Holistic Interpretation ......................................................................... 174
8.7. Reciprocation ........................................................................................ 175
8.8. Historical Implications ......................................................................... 177
8.9. Conclusion ............................................................................................. 178
8.9.1. Psalms of Instruction in Job .................................................... 179
9. Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 180
9.1. The Psalms in the Dialogue ................................................................ 180
9.2. The Interpretive Conflict ..................................................................... 183
9.2.1. Job: Piety through Parody ........................................................ 183
9.2.2. The Friends: Pious Proof-texting ............................................ 185
9.3. The Interpretation of the Psalms in Job ........................................... 187
9.4. Historical Implications ......................................................................... 188
9.5. Broader Relevance and Further Research ......................................... 188
Bibliography .......................................................................................................... 191
Index of Ancient Sources ................................................................................... 213
Index of Subjects ................................................................................................. 222
Index of Authors .................................................................................................. 226