Zechariahs Vision Report and Its Earliest Interpreters: A Redaction-Critical Study of Zechariah 1-8

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If Zechariahs vision report (Zechariah 1.8-6.8) reflects the seers visionary experience, how does that impact our understanding of the gradual growth of the text Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer builds on the work done in her previous book Zechariah and His Visions (Bloomsbury-T&T Clark, 2014), to demonstrate that the visionary material forms the primary textual layer. The oracular texts constitute chronologically later interpretations. Zechariah and/or later authors/editors sought guidance in the earlier vision accounts, and the oracular material reflects these endeavours. Tiemeyers investigation is guided by the question: what is the latter material doing with the former Is it enforcing, contradicting, or adding to it Using a ratio composed of the difference between the intratexts and intertexts of Zech 1-8, Tiemeyer shows how this ratio is higher in the oracular material than in the visionary material. This difference points to the different origin and the different purpose of the two sets of material. While the earlier vision report draws on images found primarily in other biblical vision reports, the later oracular material has the characteristics of scribal interpretation. By drawing on earlier material, it seeks to anchor its proposed interpretations of the various vision accounts within the Israelite textual tradition. It is clear that the divine oracles were added to give, modify, and specify the meaning of the earlier vision report.

Reviews

An interesting hypothesis that warrants further debate. * Journal for the Study of the Old Testament *
A remarkable study. * Zeitschrift fr die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft (Bloomsbury translation) *

Author Bio

Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer is Senior Lecturer in Hebrew Bible at the University of Aberdeen, UK. She has written widely on the prophetic literature, including two full-length monographs, on aspects of Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Zechariah.