Nomadic Text: A Theory of Biblical Reception History

316 Pages·2014·2.04 MB·English

by  Brennan W. Breed

nomadic text
Indiana Series in biblical literature
Herbert marks, editor
nomadic text
A Theory of
Bibilical Reception History
BRENNAN W. BREED
indiana University Press
Bloomington & indianapolis
This book is a publication of
indiana University Press
office of scholarly Publishing
Herman B Wells Library 350
1320 east 10th street
Bloomington, indiana 47405 Usa
iupress.indiana.edu
telephone [phone]
Fax [phone]
© 2014 by Brennan W. Breed
all rights reserved
no part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording,
or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publisher. the association of american University Presses’
resolution on Permissions constitutes the only exception to this prohibition.
the paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of
the american national standard for information sciences—Permanence
of Paper for Printed Library materials, ansi Z39.48–1992.
manufactured in the United states of america
Library of congress cataloging-in-Publication data
Breed, Brennan W.
nomadic text : a theory of biblical reception history / Brennan W. Breed.
pages cm. — (indiana studies in biblical literature)
includes bibliographical references and index.
isBn 978-0-253-01252-4 (cl : alk. paper) — isBn 978-0-253-01262-3 (eb)
1. Bible—criticism, interpretation, etc. 2. Bible—Hermeneutics.
3. Bible. Job—criticism, interpretation, etc. i. title.
Bs511.3.B74 2014
220.601—dc23
2013046356
1 2 3 4 5 19 18 17 16 15 14
For Catherine
spinoza offers philosophers a new model: the body. He proposes to establish the
body as a model: “We do not know what the body can do . . .” this declaration
of ignorance is a provocation. We speak of consciousness and its decrees, of the
will and its effects, of the thousand ways of moving the body, of dominating the
body and the passions—but we do not even know what a body can do. Lacking this
knowledge, we engage in idle talk. as nietzsche will say, we stand amazed be-
fore consciousness, but “the truly surprising thing is rather the body . . .”
—Gilles deleuze, Spinoza: Practical Philosophy
•
Contents
acknowledgments ix
List of abbreviations xi
introduction: the constitutive divide of reception History 1
1. the miltonesque concept of the original text 15
2. Living in Pottersville: an alternate approach to textual
criticism  52
3. anchor or spandrel: the concept of the original context 75
4. on tigers and cages: rethinking context 93
5. mapping the Garden of Forking Paths:
a nomadic reception History 116
6. Justice, survival, Presence: Job 19:25–27 142
7. trajectories of Job 19:25–27: the example of survival 163
conclusion: nomadology and the Future of Biblical studies 202
notes 207
Bibliography 247
index 275
This page intentionally left blank
ACknowledgments
Writing this book has been an equally joyful and terrifying process. at the outset
of such a task, it would have been impossible to imagine how much help i would
require in order to finish it. now, looking back on its completion, i am struck by
how difficult it is to name all those who have contributed to it along the way. Per-
haps, as one does in making a sacrifice to an “unknown god,” i can say “thank
you” here to all those whom i have forgotten to include. Let me know i forgot to
mention you, and i’ll offer you a libation sometime.
First and foremost, i extend my heartfelt thanks—and, at the same time,
and for many of the same reasons, my sincere apologies—to catherine. While i
was writing this book, catherine brought home the bacon and brought our chil-
dren, Frederick and margaret ann, into being. and she not only put up with the
demands of this project: without her constant encouragement, unflagging opti-
mism, and seemingly endless reserves of patience and energy, this would never
have been possible. catherine, i dedicate this work to you.
i am forever indebted to the constant support of my parents, mary and
Jerome Breed, whose emphasis on education and hard work in my youth—which
may not have seemed to take hold at the time—has helped me to achieve my
goals. Hopefully, this is proof that old dogs can learn some of those old tricks
that you began trying to teach them when they were young pups even if it would
have been better to have learned them years ago. Well, at least i got some of them
at some point.
i thank all of the formative pedagogues that i have been fortunate enough
to encounter over the years, including Beverly Gilbert, the late stephen innes,
and richard drayton. at Princeton theological seminary, the hospitality and
generosity of Patrick miller, dennis olson, Jacqueline Lapsley, chip dobbs-all-
sopp, Jeremy Hutton, and Jeremy schipper gave me the confidence and the skills
to aim for excellence in my work. and, above all, to choon-Leong seow. i can-
not possibly begin to enunciate my gratefulness.
i thank also the many colleagues whose conversations and critiques have
contributed to the shape of this book. most of all, i am grateful for Brent strawn,
david Petersen, John Hayes, martin Buss, William Gilders, Jacob Wright, and
Joel Lemon, who have put much time and effort into sharpening my often blunt
thoughts. i am also grateful for Walter melion, elizabeth Pastan, Herbert Kes-