CHR 101: Exam 2 Study Guide

1. Describe the political, economic, and religious contours of the United Monarchy period. What was good? What was bad?
   
2. What is a "prophet"? What are the functions and characteristic elements of Israelite prophecy? How were Israelite prophets both like and unlike prophets in other Ancient Near Eastern cultures?
3. Describe the overall message of the books of Amos and Hosea.
   
4. Discuss the book of Isaiah in its final form as a message for the post-exilic community. What does Isaiah say that would be a comfort (or a challenge) to Jews returning to their homeland?
5. Discuss the Babylonian exile as a catalyst for the religious thought of Judaism. What theological questions did the exile raise, and how did those who lived through it seek to answer them?
6. Describe Jeremiah's prophetic career. Name two or three key passages in the book of Jeremiah that shed light on his message in the years leading up to and following the Fall of Jerusalem.
7. Describe the Jews' changes of fortune under Persian rule. In particular, how did Persian policies influence the religious development of the people of the Bible. Who were some of the prophets active in this period, and what were their primary concerns?
8. What is the message of the book of Jonah with respect to the Gentiles? How does the author of Jonah convey this message? Discuss possible circumstances in which this message would have been important for Israel to hear.
9. Discuss the diversity of the Psalms in terms of historical context, authorship, and subject matter. Be able to say something about the arrangement of the Psalms and what this might say about their continued importance in Israelite/Jewish religion.
10. What is Hebrew "wisdom literature" and how does it differ from other genres of the Old Testament? Describe the overall message of the book of Job. Describe the nature of the wisdom material found in the book of Proverbs.
11. Describe the book of Esther in terms of its religious importance. Be able to say something about the debates surrounding the genre of the book. Be able to note a few basic points about both Song of Solomon and the book of Ruth in terms of their significance in Jewish thought.
12. What is the theme of Lamentations? How does Lamentations express the experience of the Jews after the fall of Jerusalem? What is the message of Ecclesiastes? Compare and contrast Ecclesiastes with other examples of Hebrew wisdom literature.
    

1. How do the books of Samuel and Kings describe the United Monarchy under David and Solomon? What seems to be the overall biblical assessment of this era?
   
2. Describe prophecy in ancient Israel. What were some of the important characteristics of Israelite prophecy. Cite examples from some of the prophetic books studied in class to support your assertions.
3. Summarize the ministry and message of either Amos or Hosea, giving attention to questions of the prophet's biographical background, the historical situation in which he ministered, and the major themes of his message.
   
4. Discuss the importance of the Babylonian Exile in the development of the Jewish religion. What were some of the theological issues raised during this period? Note some of the important biblical writings produced and/or redacted during this period  and show how they responded to these issues.
5. Discuss the wisdom literature of the Old Testament in terms of its origins, development, and overall nature. Choose one of the key wisdom texts discussed in class (Job, Proverbs, or Ecclesiastes) and discuss how this text exemplifies the wisdom tradition.
6. Take a position with regard to the genre of the book of Esther and defend it, noting alternative explanations and arguing for why you think your position is correct. What objections might others to your position, and how would you answer them?