Questions Raised by the Books that Start with

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4.1 Questions Raised by

4.1.1 Questions Raised by the Books that Start with

Eight books in the Hebrew Bible start with : Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, Ezekiel, Jonah, Ruth, and Esther. Josh 1:1 E+ ; + 8 NASB : Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses servant, saying, NIV : After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses aide: NRSV : After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses assistant, saying, Judg 1:1 , F E+ + 8 ; , ,5 NASB : Now it came about after the death of Joshua that the sons of Israel inquired of the LORD, saying, “Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?” NIV : After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the LORD, “Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?” NRSV : After the death of Joshua, the Israelites inquired of the LORD, “Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?” 1 Sam 1:1 ; + 8 9 5 : NASB : Now there was a certain man from Ramathaim-zophim from the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. NIV : There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. NRSV : There was a certain man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 58 2 Sam 1:1 8 C + + NASB : Now it came about after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, that David remained two days in Ziklag. NIV : After the death of Saul, David returned from defeating the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days. NRSV : After the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. Ezek 1:1 +G 4+ - ? 8 ? : + - 5 NASB : Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. NIV : In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. NRSV : In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the river Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. Jonah 1:1 8 5 + NASB : The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, NIV : The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: NRSV : Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, Ruth 1:1 H 4 0 6- 6 8 ;5 + F C NASB : Now it came about in the days when the judges governed, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons. NIV : In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. NRSV : In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and his wife and two sons. Esth 1:1 8 F 4 3 + + NASB : Now it took place in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, NIV : This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush: NRSV : This happened in the days of Ahasuerus, the same Ahasuerus who ruled over one hundred twenty- seven provinces from India to Ethiopia The NASB consistently preserves at least now if not now it came about wherever occurs at the beginning of these books, with the exception of Jonah. Other English 59 versions, such at the NIV and NRSV , leave no trace of the occurrence of , except Esth 1:1 in NIV : This is what happened… What does signal in this book-initial position? Is it an indicator of narrative? If marks text as narrative, why does initiate certain books and not others which appear to have the same narrative character? Obviously there is more than one way to start a book, but the analysis of needs to take facts like these into account and avoid general statements about frequently starting a book.

4.1.2 Questions Raised by How