Today's lead commentary is another of Daniel Gullotta's essays for his theology studies. Under that guise it had the rather uninspiring title of "Beyond the Waters of Babylon — Examining the Deuteronomic History and it's understanding of the Exile and Return of Israel". It raises more contemporary questions though: what, precisely, is the sort of relationship God is calling each of us into? Did, or do, the Jewish people have the same kind of understanding that Christians have of the relationship? How much have our theologies (understanding of God and the Divine) been formed by our Jewish cultural and religious/theological heritage? Much material here for sustained reflection and meditation.

Theological History...

The Deuteronomic History is defined as the historical work encompassing the biblical books of Deuteronomy through to 2 Kings. This history contains the stories of Israel's emergence, rise to success, and ultimate failure as an independent political nation in the land of Cannan. However, Deuteronomic History is not 'pure' facts and history – it is a theological history. It is from the view point of the covenant and the covenantal relationship between YHWH and Israel, in its highs and in its lows. The Deuteronomic History accounts for the failures and successes of Israel because of their faithfulness to the covenant. Most scholars recognise that the purpose of this history is partly to explain why Israel failed and why the people were exile due to YHWH's covenantal promises. However, they disagree on what exactly the Deuteronomists had in mind when it came to explaining what YHWH was going to do and what the people were going to do after the exile. This essay will explore the scholarship the Deuteronomic History, examine the theology of the exile and hope of return contained within it, and investigate how we can understand Deuteronomic History.

Fallen Kingdoms and Broken Promises...

The Deuteronomists arise to explain what happened and what went wrong.

The problem for the people of Israel is that the divine promises and oracles that were addressed to the Davidic dynasty in the course of the first half of the first millennium BCE, which proclaimed that David's house would last forever, have not been fulfilled. In fact, not only have these prophecies not been fulfilled, they have been proven wrong by the fall of the house of David, the exile, and the loss of political independence.[1] The Deuteronomists arise to explain what happened and what went wrong. The Deuteronomic History explains that what happened to the house of David and the people of Israel was nothing other than YHWH's judgment due to the sins of both parties. While YHWH had made these promises to the house of David and to the people of Israel, these promises were not unconditional, but depended upon the faithfulness of the king and the people.[2] Thus, beginning from the Babylonian exile (the last date in 2 Kgs 25:27-30; Jer 52:31-42), this school of thought began to give the exiled people of Israel a series of retrospective historical and theological reasons, beginning from the settlement in Canaan and going into exile, to explain how the political destruction of the people was not the weakness of the nation nor on behalf of YHWH, but the power of YHWH.[3]

According to Bernhard Anderson, one can find the Deuteronomists 'theology of history' capsulated in the introduction to the period of the Judges (Judg 2:6-3:6). This is a recapitulation of the conclusion found in the book of Joshua, in which the narrative describes the new situation that prevailed after the death of Joshua. During the life time of Joshua, the people remained faithful to YHWH, and because of this faithfulness they lived under the creative power of 'the saving experience' of the Exodus and 'the commanding experience' of Mount Sinai.[4] However, the generation that follows is a generations that does "not know YHWH or the work which he has done for Israel" (Judg 2:10). What is interesting to note is the concept of 'renewing' the covenant generation after generation after generation. The faith and the faithfulness of the parents or the elders doesn't necessarily become the faith and the faithfulness of the children. One must 'know' YHWH, in the proper sense of the Hebrew verb, yada, personally and individually in order to be in covenantal relation.[5] Each generation and each person must renew or repudiate the covenant and the covenantal promises in their own way.

Obedience and Disobedience...

Because of this accountability required on the behalf of the people of Israel, the spirit of the Deuteronomic History is deeply prophetic. The emphasis is put on the command to "love the Lord your God with your whole heart and soul and strength" (Dt 6:5), this is what YHWH demands and expects and nothing less will do.[6] Due to this, Israel' obedience to YHWH's torah leads to welfare and peace, while disobedience results in hardship, defeat, and eventually exile. It is the prophets who emerge that speak as the voice of YHWH, presenting to them the two paths or the two choices, that of life and prosperity or death and evil (Dt 30:15-20). YHWH had warned Israel through the words and deeds of the prophets time and time again exhorting them to change and repent. Unfaithfulness to the covenant and failure to respond to the cries of the prophets had brought the divine judgement upon the nation, thus fulfilling the warnings and the promises of the prophets.[7] This is not in the sense that the prophets peer into a crystal ball and foresee history, rather the prophets observe the people and summon the people to be accountable, predicting the result and outcome depending answer they give, in this case, Israel chooses exile. As Lawrence Boadt states, "Because they interpret history as the continual fulfilment of the word of God, Jewish tradition rightly calls these books 'Former Prophets' rather than today's mild and less adequate term, 'Historical Books'."[8]

An Uneasy Why...

While it is clear that the Deuteronomic History looks back to the past, it is difficult to say how it deals with the future. The future remains an open question, perhaps there is a change for a new start if their offspring in exile repent, or perhaps not.[9] Simply put, the ball is in Isarel's court. The point is that covenant relationship with YHWH requires reasonability; both YHWH and Israel govern their own relationship to it. Hence, Israel will rise and fall depending on its ability to keep the covenant.[10] Because disobedience has brought Israel into exile, only repentance and obedience can bring them back into the land and restore their covenant relationship with YHWH. However Anderson believes that such simplistic ideas is the weakness of the Deuteronomic History.[11]

Obey YHWH and all will be well, but if you disobey, hardship will come.

The logic of the Deuteronomic History is a sort of 'success philosophy', however one must understand that the concept of divine reward (blessing) and divine punishment (judgment) has been fundamental in Israel's thinking from the very beginning. Yet, influenced by the Deuteronomic History, later generations will challenge this. It becomes that faith and faithfulness does not always bring you want you want or expected, in fact, there were times of unexpected trouble and suffering. Why? If people obey the laws of YHWH and adhere to the covenant, why is there pain and suffering?

Turn, Turn, Turn...

This is of course a problem that will be addressed in later writings such as Job. All the same, Israel is urged to repent and to expect a positive response. YHWH's character and past history with Israel both provide adequate motivation for turning back to YHWH. YHWH is a merciful god who will not fail nor destroy Israel and YHWH does not forget, even while they are in exile (Deut 31:6).[12] The repentant Israel can hope and expect YHWH to hear them and to do justice for them (1 Kgs 8:49). YHWH will look to Israel, but only if Israel looks to YHWH. As Ralph Klien explains, "Israel's turning will be mirrored by YHWH's turning" (Deut 30:3).[13]

In conclusion, the Deuteronomic History explains that the consequences of Israel's infidelity to the covenant, bringing defeat and exile, were wholly justified and should not have been unexpected. The prophets had warned the people of this and the people had ignored them. But no matter how grave the sins of Israel nor the judgement of YHWH, the exile is not the last word. The promises made with Abraham still endure and the covenant lives on, as does the covenantal responsibilities. The task of the exiled Israel was to admit fault and acknowledge the justice of YHWH upon their people. Once again they were to turn — to turn to YHWH and to turn to His law. YHWH would always be the saviour of Israel.

FOOTNOTES:
[1] J. Alberto Soggin, Introduction to the Old Testament: From its origins to the closing of the Alexandrian Canon (London: SCM Press Ltd., 1987), 180.
[2] Walter Brueggemann, An Introduction to the Old Testament: The Canon and Christian Imagination (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003), 104.
[3] Soggin, Old Testament, 180.
[4] Bernhard W. Anderson, Understanding the Old Testament (New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1986), 183.
[5] Ibid., 183.
[6] Lawrence Boadt, Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction (New York, Paulist Press, 1984), 378.
[7] Ralph W. Klein, Israel in Exile: A Theological Interpretation (Philadelphoa: Fortress Press, 1979), 43.
[8] Ibid., 375.
[9] Richard D. Nelson, The Historical Books (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998), 77.
[10] Bill T. Arnold & H.G.W. Williamson, Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 2005), 228.
[11] Anderson, Understanding the Old Testament, 385.
[12] Klein, Israel in Exile, 42.
[13] Ibid., 43.

IMAGE CREDITS:
The image used in the headline graphic was sourced from http://bible.somd.com/. Clicking on the other images will take you to the original source.

©2009 Daniel Gullotta

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