Texts, Contexts and Readings in Postexilic Literature

Periods of socio-historical change often prompt renewed interest in history-writing. Interest in the past is then driven by processes of identity negotiation which facilitate a new orientation in changed circumstances. The Hebrew Bible is an excellent example, containing historiographical writings from different socio-historical periods. Dramatic socio-political and socio-religious changes took place from the sixth to the fourth centuries B.C.E. in Ancient Israel. These changes prompted different processes of identity negotiation through historiographical literature. The authors of the essays collected here explore historiographical and related texts and their contexts in these tumultuous times in order to come to a better understanding of the dynamic relationship between ancient historiography and identity negotiation. They also investigate how this literature could be interpreted in contemporary contexts of socio-historical change.

Contributors:
Johann Cook, Izak Cornelius, Louis Jonker, Gary Knoppers, Oded Lipschits, Gerrie Snyman, Robert Vosloo, Josef Wieshöfer, Ehud Ben ZviIntroduction
Louis Jonker: Introduction. Reflecting on Historiography and Identity Negotiation - Robert Vosloo: The Writing of History as Remedy or Poison? Some Remarks on Paul Ricoeur's Reflections on Memory, Identity and »The Historiographical Operation«
Exploring Texts and Intertexts
Gary Knoppers: Exile, Return, and Diaspora. Expatriates and Repatriates in Late Biblical Literature - Louis Jonker: Engaging with Different Contexts. A Survey of the Various Levels of Identity Negotiation in Chronicles - Ehud Ben Zvi: On Social Memory and Identity Formation in Late Persian Yehud. A Historian's Viewpoint with a Focus on Prophetic Literature, Chronicles and the Dtr. Historical Collection - Johann Cook: Contextuality in Wisdom Literature. The provenance of LXX Proverbs and Job as Case Studies
Exploring Contexts
Josef Wieshöfer: The Achaemenid Empire. Major Phases in State Formation and Features of the State - Oded Lipschits: A New Look on the Archaeology of Persian Period Judah - Izak Cornelius: »A Tale of Two Cities«. The Visual Symbol Systems of Yehud and Samaria and Identity / Self­understanding in Persian-period Palestine
Exploring Readings
Gerrie Snyman: Why Asa was not Deemed Good Enough. A Decolonial Reading of 2 Chronicles 14-16 - Makoshi Nzimande: Imbokodo Explorations of the Prevalence of Historical Memory and Identity Contestations in the Expulsion of the Nāšîm Nokriyyōt in Ezra 9-10
Conclusion
Louis Jonker: Conclusion. Chronicles as »Reforming History«