Forschungsprojekt

Prof. Dr. Benedikt Hensel, University of Oldenburg

The project, lead by Professor Benedikt Hensel, brings together current research on the redactional and textual history of the Hebrew Bible with the latest historical research on the pluriform social and religious shape of early Judaism (6th-1st Century BCE). Hensel’s guiding question is to what extent did the various social groups and redaction within Judaism of the Second Temple period make their ways into the formation processes of the Hebrew Bible? In doing so, this project fills a crucial gap in current research.For the first time, the project addresses the phenomenon of religious plurality by bringing together archaeological, (religious-)historical, and literary-critical approaches. Since many years Hensel works together with various internationally renowned scholars and covers the panorama of currently known social groups of Yahwistic character and the impact of this phenomenon on the making of the Hebrew – from the Persian period down to the time of Qumran.

 Related projects, events and cooperations:

• Chair der EABS 2019-2023 Research Unit “Yahwistic Diversity and the Hebrew Bible: Tracing Perspectives of Group Identity from Judah, Samaria, and Diaspora in Biblical Traditions“ (together with Dany Nocquet/Montpellier, and Bartosz Adamczewsk/Warsaw).
• Cyrus Center for Judeo-Iranian Studies (CCJIS)  (further Information tba).
• Symposium “Cultural Encounters: Translation, Transformation, Tension” (10th German-Israeli Frontiers of Humanities Symposium 2018), 18-21.11.2018, Berlin.
• Conference “Samaria and Diaspora in the Persian and Hellenistic Times: Influence, Significance and Contributions to the Pentateuch and Prophets” at the Institut Protestant de Théologie, Montpellier/France (6-9.12.18) (together with Dany Nocquet and Bartosz Adamczewski /Warsaw).

Publikations (selection):

Books

• 2023: Hensel, B. / Nocquet, D / Adamczewski, B. (ed.), Social Groups behind Biblical Traditions: Identity Perspectives from Egypt, Transjordan, Mesopotamia, Persia, and Israel in the Second Temple Period (Forschungen zum Alten Testament I), Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck 2023 (261 pages)
• 2020: Hensel, B. / Nocquet, D / Adamczewski, B. (ed.), Yahwistic Diversity and the Hebrew Bible: Tracing Perspectives of Group Identity from Judah, Samaria, and Diaspora in Biblical Traditions (Forschungen zum Alten Testament, II. Reihe 120), Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck 2020 (347 pages).
• 2016: Hensel, B., Juda und Samaria: Zum Verhältnis zweier nach-exilischer Jahwismen (Forschungen zum Alten Testament I/110), Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen 2016 (487 pages).

Articles

• Hensel, B, “Reconsidering Yahwism in Persian Period Idumea in Light of the Current Material Findings.” In: Barnea, G./Kratz, R.G. (ed.), Yahwism under the Achaemenid Empire. Prof. Shaul Shaked in memoriam (BZAW), Berlin: de Gruyter 2024 (in press).
• Hensel, B., „Who Wrote the Bible? Understanding Redactors and Social Groups behind Biblical Traditions in the Context of Plurality within Emerging Judaism,“ in: Hensel, B. et al. (ed.), Social Groups behind Biblical Traditions, Tübingen 2023, 11-23.
• Hensel, B., „Gottesfürchtige Seeleute (Jon 1,5–16) und bußfertige Feinde (Jon 3,5–10) Zwei unterschiedliche Modelle des ‚Heil für die Völker‘ im Jonabuch,“ Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft 133/2 (2021).
• Hensel, B., “Think Positive! How the Positive Portrayal of Edom in Late Biblical Texts Leads to New Perspectives on Understanding the Literary History of Genesis, Deuteronomy, and Chronicles.” In: Benedikt Hensel, Ehud Ben Zvi, and Diana V. Edelman (eds.), About Edom and Idumea in the Persian Period. Recent Research and Approaches from Archaeology, Hebrew Bible Studies and Ancient Near East Studies (Series: Worlds of the Ancient Near Eastern and Mediterranean), Equinox, Sheffield 2022, 338-362.
• Hensel, B., „Debating Temple and Torah in the Second Temple Period: Theological and Political Aspects of the Final Redaction(s) of the Pentateuch,“ in: Witte, M./Schröter, J./Lepper. V. (ed.), Torah, Temple, Land. Construction of Judaism in Antiquity (Texts and Studies in Ancient Judaism 184), Mohr Siebeck: Tübingen 2021, 27-49.
• Hensel, B., „Yahwistic Diversity and the Hebrew Bible: State of the Field, Desiderata and Research Perspectives in a Necessary Debate on the Formative Period of Judaism(s),“ in: Hensel. B./Nocquet, D./Adamczewski, B. (eds.), Yahwistic Diversity and the Hebrew Bible: Tracing Perspectives of Group Identity from Judah, Samaria, and the Diaspora in Biblical Traditions (Forschungen zum Alten Testament, FAT II/120), Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck 2020, 1-44.
• Hensel, B., „Deuteronomium 12,13-19: Zur Lokalisierung des einen Maqom,“ Biblische Notizen. Neue Folge 182 (2019), 9-43.
• Hensel, B., „Ethnic Fiction and Identity-Formation: A New Explanation for the Background of the Question of Intermarriage in Ezra-Nehemiah,“ in Kartveit, M./Knoppers, G.N. (ed.), The Bible, Qumran, and the Samaritans. Proceedings of the Research Group “Samaritan Studies” at IOSOT, Stellenbosch 2016 (Studia Samaritana 10/STJ 104), de Gruyter: Berlin/Boston 2018, 135-150.