Lecture 24 - Alternative Visions: Esther, Ruth, and Jonah
Feb 16, 2011 3788 views 
In this lecture, two final books of the Bible are examined and their attitudes towards foreign nations compared. In contrast to Daniel's reliance on divine intervention to punish the wicked, the book of Esther focuses on human initiative in defeating the enemies of Israel. Finally, the book of Jonah--in which the wicked Assyrians repent and are spared divine punishment--expresses the view that God is compassionate and concerned with all creation. Professor Hayes concludes the course with remarks regarding the dynamic and complex messages presented in the Hebrew Bible. Reading assignment: Bible: (1) Introduction to Esther (JSB pp. 1198-9), Esther 1-9 (2) Introduction to Ruth (JSB pp. 1578-9), Ruth 1-4 (3) Introduction to Jonah (JSB pp. 1623-5), Jonah 1-4 (4) "The Religion of the Bible" (JSB pp. 2021-2040) "Apocalypses." In The Anchor Bible Dictionary (pp. 279-288) Resources: [[http://oyc.yale.edu/religious-studies/introduction-to-the-old-testament-hebrew-bible/content/class-sessions/resources/final_exam_review_2006.rtf|Handout: Final Exam Review Sheet [text]]]