Jul 16th, 2016 - Yairah Amit, “Hagar and Ishmael: The Meaning and the Importance of Their Stories” (Si-mian Lectures on Humanities No. 311)

Title: Hagar and Ishmael: The Meaning and the Importance of Their Stories

Lecturer: Yairah Amit (Professor in Biblical Studies, Department of Hebrew Culture, Tel Aviv University, Israel)

Chairperson: ZHANG Ying (Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, East China Normal University)

Respondent: HUANG Wei (Lecturer, Department of History, Shanghai University)

Date: 10:45 am, July 16th, 2016 (Saturday)

Venue: Room A204, Building of Science, North Zhongshan Road Campus, ECNU

Sponsor: Si-mian Institute for Advanced Studies in Humanities, ECNU

Abstract of the Lecture:

This lecture will not focus on source criticism, but on the important place that the stories about Hagar and Ishmael (Gen.16; 21:9-21) - coming after the Covenant between the Parts (Gen. 15) and before the Binding of Isaac (Gen. 22:1-19) - have in the final editing of the book of Genesis. Moreover, there are aspects of quantity and quality. The quantitative aspect shows that two whole stories are dedicated to Hagar and Ishmael, who are not mentioned in grammatical singular anywhere in the Bible, differently for example from figures like Ammon or Moab. The qualitative aspect shows that the Hagar and Ishmael stories are a continued effort to present them positively. Therefore this lecture will trace the varied poetic means used to shape these two characters and especially Hagar in a positive way. Finally, the most interesting question is why or what was the author-editor's purpose, and this lecture will try to suggest the answer.

Brief Introduction of the Lecturer:

1970-2010, Tel-Aviv University (TAU) - teaching in the Department of Bible.

2010, Lecturing in India in 3 theological seminars (3 months). Emerita.

2005-2013, Director at the National Library in Jerusalem.

2011-2013, Although emerita, teaching at Tel Aviv University voluntarily.

Publications:

The Book of Judges: The Art of Editing (1999);

History and Ideology: An Introduction to the Historiography in the Hebrew Bible (1999);