Table of Contents

List of Boxes ix

List of Tables xi

List of Figures xii

Abbreviations xv

Preface xvii

Acknowledgements xxii

1 Ritualized Text: The Pentateuch as a Scripture 1

Torah and Pentateuch 2

Scripture and Ritual 3

The Three Dimensions of Written Texts 6

Ritualizing Scriptures in Three Dimensions 8

The Pentateuch in Three Dimensions 10

Scripturalizing Torah in the Time of Ezra 13

Reading the Pentateuch as a Scripture 17

2 Textual Rhetoric: The Persuasive Shaping of the Pentateuch 19

The Pentateuch as Literature 20

The Pentateuch as Rhetoric 23

Logos: The Story]List]Sanction Rhetorical Strategy 25

Ethos and Pathos in Pentateuchal Rhetoric 59

3 Scroll, Tablet, and Codex: Ritualizing the Pentateuch’s Iconic Dimension 68

The Iconic Dimension of Scriptures 69

The Pentateuch’s Iconic Dimension After Ezra 70

The Pentateuch’s Iconic Dimension Before Ezra 108

4 Reading, Performance, and Art: Ritualizing the Pentateuch’s Performative Dimension 123

The Performative Dimension of Scriptures 124

The Pentateuch’s Performative Dimension After Ezra 126

The Pentateuch’s Performative Dimension Before Ezra 155

5 Textual Interpretation: Ritualizing the Pentateuch’s Semantic Dimension 175

The Semantic Dimension of Scriptures 176

The Pentateuch’s Semantic Dimension After Ezra 177

The Pentateuch’s Semantic Dimension Before Ezra 224

6 Scriptures: From Torah to Bible 251

Scripturalization and Canonization 251

In the Time of Judah Maccabee 253

Understanding the Tanak as a Scripture 255

In the Time of Judah Ha]Nasi 260

In the Time of Irenaeus 262

Understanding the Bible as a Scripture 265

Cited Works and Further Reading 268

Index of Quotations and Citations of Biblical and Rabbinic Texts 286

Index of Subjects and Authors 291

About the Author

JAMES W. WATTS is Professor of Hebrew Bible in the Department of Religion at Syracuse University. His research involves the overlaps between rhetoric, ritual and scriptures, with a particular focus on the Pentateuch.