From the Reed Sea to Kadesh: A Redactional and Socio-Historical Study of the Pentateuchal Wilderness Narrative

Jaeyoung Jeon explores the development of the Pentateuchal wilderness story in Exodus and Numbers, merging old memories of YHWH from the southern desert with the memory of Egyptian oppression to form an early tradition of exodus-wilderness in the Northern Kingdom.

Format: Hardback
Length: 438 pages
Publication date: 14 October 2022
Publisher: JCB Mohr (Paul Siebeck)

In his comprehensive book, Jaeyoung Jeon delves into the intricate evolution of the pentateuchal wilderness story in Exodus and Numbers, tracing its pre-monarchic origins to its final form. He argues that the memory of YHWH from the southern desert region and the migration of the Transjordanian settlers to the west were intertwined with the recollection of Egyptian oppression, giving rise to an early tradition of exodus-wilderness in the Northern Kingdom. While the tradition continued to develop in Judah after Israel's fall, the author suggests that during the Persian period, the narrative story underwent a creative reinterpretation, reformulation, and composition within the socio-historical contexts of the return from exile and restoration. Jeon proposes that a diverse array of scribal circles, representing various social, political, and religious perspectives in Yehud and the diaspora, contributed to the literary formation of the wilderness narrative, resulting in a collection of scribal debates. This intricate tapestry of memories and perspectives provides a rich and nuanced understanding of the development of the wilderness story within the biblical texts.

Weight: 794g
Dimension: 167 x 247 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783161612169