Method

Oracles (common forms)

1. Messenger formula
2. vision report
3. symbolic act
4. woe oracle
5. call narrative
6. oracles against foreign nations

Unraveling an oracle

1. oracle of doom or of salvation
2. identify form
3. Who is being condemned (saved)?
4. Why?
5. Form of punishment (deliverance)?
6. Does it apply to all or a remnant?
7. Pay attention to the view of God. Warrior? Judge? …?

Hosea (263)

• Hosea 1:2-8
• Hosea 4:4-14
• Hosea 7:11-13
• Hosea 8:5-13
• Hosea 11:1-9
• Hosea 14:1-7

Prophets of the Assyrian crisis

Threat and collapse of the north

Samaritans: link to page https://www.israelite-samaritans.com/

• 271 Prophets at Assyrian threat said: "What happened to Samaria could happen to you" (addressed to Judah)

272 ff.: Layers upon layers

• using elevated language
• where one oracle begins/ends is not clear
• not arranged in any order
• no assurance that the language is from just one prophet

Process

• in ancient world authorship was more "fluid" than for us
• scribes transmitted the traditions
• often there would be disciples – perhaps prophesying decades, even centuries, later in the name of the prophet
• later prophets would pick up unfulfilled prophesies of earlier prophets

Isaiah's greatest hits (274 ff.)

• Isaiah 7:1-17
• Isaiah 6:1-13
• Isaiah 10:5-19
• Isaiah 2:5-22; Isaiah 5:1-7
• Isaiah 31:1-9
• Isaiah 9:2-7; Isaiah 11:1-9
• Micah 1:2-7; Micah 5:10-15
• Micah 6:1-8
• Micah 2:1-5; Micah 3:1-4;Micah 6:9-16
• Micah 3:9-12; Micah 7:1-7
• Micah 4:1-4; Micah 5:2-5a