NARRATIVE ART IN THE BIBLE

SHIMON BAR-EFRAT

Published by T&T Clark International

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Copyright © 1989, 1992 Sheffield Academic Press

First published 1989 by Sheffield Academic Press

This edition published 2004 by T&T Clark International

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the permission in writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this books is available from the British Library

ISBN 0-5670-8495-7

CONTENTS

Preface

Introduction

Chapter 1

THE NARRATOR

1. The Narrator’s Omniscience

2. The Narrator’s Manifestations

A. The Overt Narrator

B. The Covert Narrator

Chapter 2

THE CHARACTERS

1. The Direct Shaping of the Characters

A. Outward Appearance

B. Inner Personality

2. The Indirect Shaping of the Characters

A. Speech

B. Actions

C. Minor Characters

Chapter 3

THE PLOT

1. The Single Narrative

A. The Units of the Plot

B. The Stages of the Plot

2. Collections of Narratives

Chapter 4

TIME AND SPACE

1. The Shaping of Time

A. The Duration of Time

B. The Sequence of Time

2. The Shaping of Space

Chapter 5

STYLE

1. Stylistic Devices

A. Sound and Rhythm

B. The Meaning of Words

C. The Repetition of Words

D. Word Order

2. The Style of Narrative Units

A. The Narrative of Adonijah (1 Kings 1)

B. Hushai’s Speech (2 Samuel 17:7–13)

Chapter 6

THE NARRATIVE OF AMNON AND TAMAR

Bibliography

Index of Subjects

PREFACE

The purpose of this book is to provide a guide to the biblical narrative as a literary work of art. It aims at presenting a way of reading which is based on the employment of tools and principles current in the study of literature, and it combines summary and methodical survey with the observation of new aspects.

The literary features dealt with in the book are lavishly illustrated with examples designed to clarify as well as to throw new light on narratives or parts of narratives. The examples have been selected from all sections of narrative literature in the Bible, but in particular from Genesis and the books of Samuel.

No examples are given from the Joseph Narrative and the book of Ruth, in spite of their literary excellence. These narratives have been omitted for the benefit of those readers who are not satisfied with passive reading but wish to study the biblical narrative actively. These readers can use the Joseph Narrative and the book of Ruth in order to apply the methods and principles set forth in this book.

Footnotes have been kept to a minimum. The publications pertaining to biblical narrative which have contributed to this book are included in the bibliography at the end. At this point I would like to note the inspiration I have derived from the work of Professor Meir Weiss, from whose writings and ...