Exegetical Assignment
Each Ruth and Esther class is supposed to require some sort of exegetical assignment. Some faculty break it up into parts so that it is done over time or to make it more manageable to grade -- I mean, for the student to work on it. Exegesis is the art /science of explaining the meaning of the text. Yes, it is part science, and that is what your professor is teaching you, but it is also an art, something that takes practice. Below is an outline of the exegetical process (in the middle column) as well as some books on how to do exegesis. In looking at those, you will see that there is variance even in the science of it. For several years the SOT had many of the Bible courses follow the same exegetical method. Those four steps are the four sub-tabs on "The Exegetical Process" under this "About this Assignment" tab. Your instructor will likely provide his/her specific instructions for "doing an exegetical paper" for a particular class here at APU. This LibGuide is meant as a complement to UBBL317, providing a curated collection of print and electronic resources and tools as well as instruction. This is intended to help you discover suitable material to help you start and then also refine your research in interpreting the books of Ruth and Esther.
Resources for How to Do an Exegetical Assignment
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Old Testament Exegesis, Fourth Edition by
For years, Douglas Stuart's Old Testament Exegesishas been one of the most popular ways to learn how to perform exegesis--the science and art of interpreting biblical texts properly for understanding as well as proclamation. Completely updated and substantially expanded, this new edition includes scores of newer resources, a new configuration of the format for the exegesis process, and an entirely new section explaining where to find and how to use the latest electronic and online resources for doing biblical research. Stuart provides guidance for full exegesis as well as for a quicker approach to provide information specifically tailored to the task of preaching. A glossary of terms explains the sometimes bewildering language of biblical scholarship, and a list of frequent errors guides the student in avoiding common mistakes. No exegetical guide for the Old Testament has been more widely used in training ministers and students to be faithful, careful interpreters of Scripture.
Call Number: Stamps Stacks BS476 .S83 2009ISBN: 9780664233440Publication Date: 2009-03-19
Elements of Biblical Exegesis by
In this revised and expanded edition of Elements of Biblical Exegesis: A Basic Guide for Students and Ministers, Michael J. Gorman presents a straightforward approach to the complex task of biblical exegesis. Designed for students, teachers, and ministers, this hands-on guide breaks the task down into seven distinct elements. For each of these, Gorman supplies a clear explanation, practical hints, and suggested exercises to help the reader develop exegetical proficiency. The new edition addresses more fully the meaning of theological interpretation and provides updated print and Internet resources for those who want to pursue further study in any aspect of exegesis. Appendixes offer three sample exegesis papers and useful guidelines for writing a research exegesis paper. Book jacket.
Call Number: Stamps Stacks BS511.2 .G67 2001ISBN: 9781598563115Publication Date: eBook rev./exp. ed. 2009-01-01; print 2001
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Biblical Exegesis: A Beginner's Handbook by
The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format. Something may be rotten in the state of Denmark, but your grades will be sweet when you rely on CliffsNotes on Hamlet as you digest Shakespeare's tragic masterpiece. In this play, Hamlet explores the meaning of life, death, eternity, relationships, hypocrisy, truth, the existence of God, and almost anything else that concerns mankind. Character studies shed new light on Prince Hamlet, his father King Hamlet, the malevolent Claudius, the troubled Ophelia — and the rest of the cast. You'll also explore the life and times of William Shakespeare, and unlock the play's themes and literary devices. Count on CliffsNotes on Hamlet for detailed summaries and commentaries on every scene to help you appreciate the complexity of the play. Other features that help you study include Character analyses of major players A character map that graphically illustrates the relationships among the characters Critical essays A review section that tests your knowledge Classic literature or modern modern-day treasure — you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.
Call Number: Stamps Stacks BS476 .H35 1987ISBN: 0804200319Publication Date: 1983-01-01
A Handbook for Basic Biblical Exegesis by
Provides a guide for a systematic approach to biblical study for Christians of all schools of theological thought. Convenient for anyone in bible classes, hermeneutics classes, theological research classes, or any theological interpretation classes.
Call Number: Stamps Stacks BS476 .T49 1999ISBN: 0761812784Publication Date: 1999-02-18
Welcome to the Research Guide for Ruth and Esther!
Douglas Stuart's Steps to Exegesis
1 - Confirm limits
2 - Translation
3 - Historical context
4 - Literary context
5 - Genre and form
6 - Analyze structure
7 - Analyze grammar
8 - Word studies
9 - Biblical context
10 - Theology
11 - Secondary literature
12 - Application
From: Douglas K. Stuart. Old Testament Exegesis: A Handbook for Students and Pastors (4th ed.; Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009).
Biblical Interpretation Resources
Also see the mini guide Modern/Postmodern Biblical Hermeneutics and Perspectives under the Biblical Studies tab on the Stamps Virtual Theological Library guide. For more resources employing the application of such specialized and emerging interpretative ("hermeneutical") approaches brought to a particular book of the Bible, see the "Specialized Lens" commentaries on sub-tabbed pages for each book of the Bible on this guide under the Commentaries tab.
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Reading the Bible from the Margins by
This introduction focuses on how issues involving race, class, and gender influence our understanding of the Bible. Describing how "standard" readings of the Bible are not always acceptable to people or groups on the "margins," this book afters valuable new insights into biblical texts today.
Call Number: Stamps Stacks BS476 .D4 2002ISBN: 1570754101Publication Date: 2002-03-01
Stony the Road We Trod by
A hallmark of American black religion is its distinctive use of the Bible in creating community, resisting oppression, and fomenting social change. What can critical biblical studies learn from the African American experience with the Bible, and vice versa?This singular volume marks the emergence of a critical mass of black biblical scholars. Combining sophisticated exegesis with special sensitivity to issues of race, class, and gender, the authors of this scholarly collection examine the nettling questions of biblical authority, blacks and African in biblical narratives, and the liberating aspects of Scripture. Together they are reshaping and redefining the questions, concerns, and scholarship that determine how the Bible is appropriated by church, academy, and the larger society today.
Call Number: Stamps Stacks BS511.2 .S84 1991ISBN: 0800625013
Seized by Truth: Reading the Bible As Scripture by Call Number: Stamps Stacks BS476 .G725 2007ISBN: 9780687023554Publication Date: 2007
What They Don't Tell You: A Survivor's Guide to Biblical Studies, Second Edition by
Biblical studies courses in college and seminary are not the same as Sunday school classes, a realization that can be challenging for many students. This popular textbook by Michael Joseph Brown helps students navigate the unfamiliar terrain of biblical studies. Brown provides basic information about the Bible and biblical criticism. He defines the jargon and presents the variety of perspectives students will encounter in the classroom. This new edition has been updated to account for changes in biblical scholarship since the first edition was released in 2000. He has also added several new rules of thumb, a discussion of contextualized forms of biblical interpretation, and an appendix with suggestions for getting started on the task of exploring and interpreting biblical texts. This helpful guide will prepare students for the oft-disorienting experience of analyzing and engaging the Bible in academic settings.
Call Number: Stamps Stacks/2-hr Reserve BS600.2 .B754 2000ISBN: 9780664235949Publication Date: eBook 2015-02-09 (2nd ed.); print 2000
How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by
Your Guide to Understanding the BibleUnderstanding the Bible isn't for the few, the gifted, the scholarly. The Bible is accessible. It's meant to be read and comprehended by everyone from armchair readers to seminary students. A few essential insights into the Bible can clear up a lot of misconceptions and help you grasp the meaning of Scripture and its application to your 21st-century life. More than half a million people have turned to How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth to inform their reading of the Bible. This third edition features substantial revisions that keep pace with current scholarship, resources, and culture. Changes include:*Updated language*A new authors' preface*Several chapters rewritten for better readability*Updated list of recommended commentaries and resourcesCovering everything from translational concerns to different genres of biblical writing, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth is used all around the world. In clear, simple language, it helps you accurately understand the different parts of the Bible--their meaning for ancient audiences and their implications for you today--so you can uncover the inexhaustible worth that is in God's Word.
Call Number: Stamps Stacks/Faith Integration BS600.3 .F44 2003ISBN: 9780310246046Publication Date: eBook 2014 (4th ed.); print 2003 (3rd ed.)
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History of Biblical Interpretation: A Reader by
William Yarchin gives us an excellent introduction to the history of biblical interpretation that starts at 150 B.C.E. and moves to the present. This reader provides original texts as examples of the major developments and principal approaches to interpreting the Bible. It also introduces these methods and the authors who exemplify them. Bibliographic references direct students to further resources. Book jacket.
Call Number: Stamps Stacks BS500 .Y37 2004ISBN: 1565637208
Santa Biblia: The Bible Through Hispanic Eyes by
Gonzalez explores how a Hispanic perspective illuminates the biblical text in ways that will be valuable not only for Latino readers but also for the church at large. Introducing five "paradigms" for Latino biblical interpretation, Gonzalez discusses theory and provides concrete examples of biblical texts that gain new meaning when read from a different perspective.
Call Number: Stamps Stacks BS476 .G66 1996ISBN: 0687014522
Decolonizing Biblical Studies by
"Over the last quarter of a century the field of biblical studies has seen radical changes in the conception, practice and teaching of biblical criticism. In Decolonizing Biblical Studies, Fernando Segovia analyzes the models and practices at work in biblical criticism and pedagogy, in particular the emerging voices of the non-Western world. By exploring the principles that underlie all contextual readings of scripture - Hispanic/Latino(a), Black, feminist, and Third World - he offers a powerful challenge to the dominant paradigms of biblical interpretation."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Call Number: Stamps Stacks BS500 .S42 2000ISBN: 9781570753381Publication Date: 2000-10-01
The Bible Doesn't Have to Be Hard to Read by
McGehee explains and illustrates various types of literature (such as parables, sermons, hymns, quotations, and laws) that can be found in the Bible.
Call Number: Stamps Stacks BS511.3 .M34 2000ISBN: 1573123285
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How to Read the Bible by
Master Bible scholar and teacher Marc Brettler argues that today's contemporary readers can only understand the ancient Hebrew Scripture by knowing more about the culture that produced it. And so Brettler unpacks the literary conventions, ideological assumptions, and historical conditions that inform the biblical text and demonstrates how modern critical scholarship and archaeological discoveries shed light on this fascinating and complex literature. Brettler surveys representative biblical texts from different genres to illustrate how modern scholars have taught us to "read" these texts. Using the "historical-critical method" long popular in academia, he guides us in reading the Bible as it was read in the biblical period, independent of later religious norms and interpretive traditions. Understanding the Bible this way lets us appreciate it as an interesting text that speaks in multiple voices on profound issues. This book is the first "Jewishly sensitive" introduction to the historical-critical method. Unlike other introductory texts, the Bible that this book speaks about is the Jewish one--with the three-part TANAKH arrangement, the sequence of books found in modern printed Hebrew editions, and the chapter and verse enumerations used in most modern Jewish versions of the Bible. In an afterword, the author discusses how the historical-critical method can help contemporary Jews relate to the Bible as a religious text in a more meaningful way.
ISBN: 082760775XPublication Date: 2005-10-01
