PROPHECY (SHIB)

Question 1

Prophecy in the ANE

SHIB

Answer 1

• prophecy was widespread in the ANE
• Mari on the Euphrates, northern Mesopotamia, from the 18th century BCE
• mentioned in 50 letters, 12 economic/admin texts from Syria to Babylon
• texts provide assurance of divine support in time of crisis
• Often times telling him to “fear not”
• More than 2/3rd’s are preserved in the collections on the tablets maybe to remind them of the promises of divine support that had been given to the ruling dynasty

Question 2

Prophecy in Israel

SHIB

Answer 2

• typically belonged to guilds and were often supported by royalty
• Can’t function in isolation, deeply involved in society.
• come to us embedded in collections that were made for later generations
• books were often edited with later situations in mind.

Question 3

Biblical Prophets

SHIB

Answer 3

The prophets who gave their names to the biblical books were exceptional, insofar as they typically stood apart from these guilds and sometimes were in conflict with them.