Course Handbook:

M.St. in Bible Interpretation

Faculty of Oriental Studies

Academic Year 2018-19

Version 1.1

The Examination Regulations relating to this course are available at

https://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/examregs/2018-19/mosinbiblinte/studentview . If there is a conflict between
information in this handbook and the Examination Regulations then you should follow the Examination
Regulations. If you have any concerns please contact academic.administrator@orinst.ox.ac.uk.

The information in this handbook is accurate as at Michaelmas Term 2018, however it may be necessary for
changes to be made in certain circumstances, as explained at www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/coursechanges.

If such changes are made the department will publish a new version of this handbook together with a list of
the changes and students will be informed.

1
THE FACULTY OF ORIENTAL STUDIES
M.ST. IN BIBLE INTERPRETATION

A ims

This course is intended to give experience in reading a range of primary exegetical texts in Classical Hebrew,
Aramaic, and Syriac, to develop research methodologies in the writing of a thesis, and to provide a solid basis
in the subject area for those intending to go on to do original research. The course duration is one year and it
is assessed by examination and thesis.

Requirements

The standard requirement is a First Class or good Second Class Honours degree (or equivalent qualification)
and an adequate knowledge of Classical Hebrew or Aramaic or Syriac. Teaching for a second Semitic
language from these three will be provided during the course. Evidence of proficiency in Greek or Latin will
be expected if options in either of these languages are chosen.

Content and Teaching

1. Core course (for Paper I): (compulsory)

Lectures, seminars or a series of tutorials covering the principal sources for exegesis of Hebrew Bible and
select topics will be given in Michaelmas and Hilary Terms (8 hours total). Topics covered may include
ancient bible translation, Qumran, New Testament, Rabbinic hermeneutics, Greek and Latin patristics,
early Syriac Commentary, and will be explored in the essays that will be set.
Assessment: A single examination on essay topics will be taken at the end of Trinity Term.

2. Core course (for Papers II–III):

For Papers 2 and 3, two options out of the following five must be taken.

a) Hebrew biblical and exegetical texts

b) Aramaic (Targum) texts
c) Syriac biblical and exegetical texts
d) Greek biblical and exegetical texts
e) Latin biblical and exegetical texts

If required, intensive elementary language teaching followed by textual study in a second Semitic language is
available in the first term (2-3 hours per week). Set texts in the first Semitic language (and in Latin and Greek if
desired) will studied in classes in all three terms. Most teaching will take place in small classes or tutorials,
supplemented by recommended lectures and seminars. Students will be expected to prepare the language
exercises or texts in advance of each class. Since the language teaching will start with the basics of the
grammar, classes may be shared with beginners in other appropriate courses (Classical Hebrew, Syriac,
Aramaic, at undergraduate or graduate level).

The list of set texts will be finalised no later than the second meeting of the Faculty Board in Michaelmas
Term (see below). The list will be published on the Weblearn site here.

2
3. A thesis (the title of which is to be chosen in consultation with the supervisor and submitted for approval
by Monday of Week 0 of Hilary Term) submitted not later than 12 noon on Friday of Week 4 of Trinity Term.

Lecturers

 Course convenor: Prof. Alison Salvesen, Professor of Early Judaism and Christianity and Polonsky
Fellow at the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies, teaches and researches Greek
versions of the Bible, and also the Syriac Peshitta and Aramaic Targum.
 Dr Benjamin Williams teaches and researches Midrash and other Jewish exegesis from antiquity into
the medieval period.
 Prof. David Taylor, Associate Professor in Syriac and Aramaic, regularly teaches Syriac and Aramaic
exegetical texts, and also has a strong background in New Testament textual criticism.
 Prof. Jan Joosten, Regius Professor of Hebrew, is renowned for his work on the Septuagint, the
Dead Sea Scrolls, and textual criticism of the Hebrew Bible.

Students are encouraged to attend seminars in relevant areas: there are regular series in Jewish Studies
in the Greco-Roman Period, Syriac Studies, Byzantine Studies, Old Testament, and New Testament.

Teaching for some options may not be available in every year. Applicants for admission will
be advised of this.

Examinations and Assessments

The latest information on the assessments and submission details can be found in the
Examination Regulations: http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/examregs/

The Exam Regulations are revised and re-issued each year, and you must always consult the issue in force at
the time of your admission. For example, if you matriculate your studies in Michaelmas Term 2018, you
should refer to the Examination Regulations for 2017 -2018 for the whole duration of your course.

Year of Matriculation MSt and MPhil Qualifying Exams MPhil Final Exams
MT 2018 Exam Regs for 2018-19 Exam Regs for 2018-19

Library Resources

Students in Bible Interpretation at Oxford have access to the major holdings of the Bodleian and its
associated central libraries; the collections of the Oriental Institute; the Sackler Library (Classics and Ancient
Near East); the Theology Faculty Library; the Griffith Institute; the Leopold Muller Library (especially the Louis
Jacobs Collection in the field of Rabbinics).

A limited amount of grant money for trips abroad (e.g. for supplementary language study
during vacations) may be sought from the Oriental Institute.

3
Examples of texts set in previous years:

Hebrew:
Genesis 1-11; 12, 14, 20, 22 (Masoretic Text)
Isaiah 6.1-9.6 (Masoretic Text)
Habakkuk 2-3 (Masoretic Text)
Pesher Habakkuk cols. iii-xiii
4Q225 (Pseudo-Jubilees), col. ii, frags. 1-2 (DJD XIII)
Qumran Hebrew Tobit fragment (DJD XIX: 4Q200 = 4QTobit e)
Midrash Bereshit Rabbah 8:3 (ed. Theodor and Albeck)
Pesiqta d’ R. Kahana 9:4 (ed. Mandelbaum)
Mekhilta d’Rabbi Ishmael, ‘beshalah’ 7 (ed. Lauterbach, vol. I, pp. 252-255).
Mekhilta d’Rabbi Ishmael, ‘bahodesh’ 8 (ed. Lauterbach, vol. II, pp.257-260).
Sifre Deuteronomy 49 (ed. Finkelstein, pp. 114-5).
Vayiqra Rabba 29, 1-4 (ed. Margolioth, vol. 3).

Aramaic:
Targums to Genesis 18–19 (Onkelos, Neofiti, Pseudo-Jonathan), eds. Sperber and Diez Macho
Targums to Genesis 22 (Onkelos, Neofiti, Pseudo-Jonathan)
Targums to Exodus chapters 1-2 (Onkelos, Neofiti, Pseudo-Jonathan)
Targum Jonathan to Ezekiel 16, ed Sperber
Targum Jonathan to Amos 1–9, ed. Sperber
Targum Jonathan to Isaiah 6–9, 60–66, ed. Sperber
Aramaic of Daniel chs. 2-7 (Masoretic Text)
Qumran Aramaic Tobit fragments (DJD XIX: 4Q 196, 197 = 4QTobita, b)
Genesis Apocryphon, col. XX-XXII (2nd edn., ed. Fitzmyer [2004])

Syriac:
Peshitta of Daniel 2–7
Ephrem, Genesis Commentary Sections XV and XVI, ed. Tonneau
Ephrem, Exodus Commentary, Sections I.1-III.2, IV.4-5.
Jacob of Serugh, 2nd Memra on Sodom, ed. Bedjan, pp. 88–96 Jacob of
Serugh, 3rd Memra on Sodom, ed. Bedjan, pp. 97–116 Aphrahat,
Demonstration XVIII on Virginity and Chastity, ed. Parisot Liber
Graduum, Memra 15 on Adam’s Marital Desire, ed. Kmosko

Greek:
LXX Isaiah 52-53 (Rahlfs’ edition)
LXX Genesis 1-3 (Rahlfs’ edition)
Theodoret of Cyrus, Commentary on Isaiah on Isaiah 52-53 (ed. Guinot, pp. 144-62).
Theodoret of Cyrus, Questions on the Octateuch XX, XXX on Gen 1.26-28 and 2.21-24 (ed. Petruccione, pp.
48-56, 68).
John Chrysostom, Homily 7 on Colossians (ed. Field, pp. 241-52).
John Chrysostom, Homily 11 on Ephesians (ed. Field, pp. 214-27).
Didymus the Blind, Commentary on Genesis, on Genesis 1.26-28 (ed. Doutreleau, Vol. I, pp. 54-64).

4
A typical teaching pattern over the course of an academic year:

Michaelmas 2018 Hilary 2019 Trinity 2019

Paper I - 1 hour lecture per week
Paper II - 3 hours language classes
per week
Paper III - 3 hours text classes per
week
Attendance at 1-2 graduate
seminars per week
Paper I - 1 hour tutorial and essay
per week
Paper II - 3 hours of text classes
per week
Paper III - 3 hours of text classes
per week
Thesis: 2-4 hours of supervision
over the term
Attendance at 1-2 graduate
seminars per week
Thesis - 4 hours of supervision
over the term
Papers II and III - 1 tutorial and
essay per week, 3-4 hours of text
classes per week.
Attendance at selected graduate
seminars.

Michaelmas Term 2018