Vol. 37:4

Memorial tribute to Rabbi Dr. Theodore Steinberg (z"l), Associate Editor of the Jewish Bible Quarterly and Editorial Board member since 1995, who instituted the Darshanut section and contributed numerous articles to the journal.

Examines the notoriously difficult Hebrew of Ecclesiastes 5:8, surveying ancient and modern scholarly interpretations and proposing that the verse's obscurity stems from a scribal gloss, offering a new contextual reading about the nature of governance and a country's advantage.

Proposes that Jacob's exclamation 'and I knew it not' (Gen. 28:16) refers to a specific Divine attribute of immanent closeness rather than to Jacob's own awareness, drawing on Seforno, Malbim, Rashi, and Luzzatto to illuminate the distinction between the Divine names HaShem and Anokhi.

Analyzes four paradigmatic biblical vows—Jacob's (Gen. 28:20-22), Israel's (Num. 21:2), Jephthah's (Judg. 11:30-31), and Hannah's (1 Sam. 1:11)—identifying common structural characteristics including conditionality, voluntariness, direct address to God, and intensified language.

Investigates the textual discrepancy between 'Nivhaz' (with zayin) in the Masoretic Text and 'Nivhan' (with nun) in both Talmuds for the Avvite idol in II Kings 17:31, tracing the scribal confusion through Radak, Norzi, and manuscript traditions.

Reinterprets Isaiah's Suffering Servant passage (Isa. 52:13–53:12) in light of modern Jewish history, arguing that Germany's Holocaust reparations and subsequent governmental acts of atonement illuminate the prophetic vision of redemption for both the collective Israel and the messianic figure mashiah ben Yosef.

Revisits the Golden Calf episode, proposing that a fifth column among the Israelites produced a live calf alongside Aaron's inanimate statue, and reflects on the biblical commandment to remember this sin as an ongoing call for vigilant faith rather than guilt.

Interprets the laws concerning the stranger/convert (ger) in Leviticus 19:33-34 through the Sifra's midrashic commentary, examining the four rabbinic questions about proof of conversion, prohibition of maltreatment, citizenship obligations, and the commandment to love the convert.

Defends Korah's rebellion against Moses and Aaron (Num. 16) as a politically motivated challenge to nascent oligarchy rooted in the principle of shared holiness, arguing the uprising had genuine merit and ultimately yielded lasting concessions for the Levite tribe.

Explores the theological significance of God's threefold self-revelation to Moses at the Burning Bush, arguing that Ehyeh asher Ehyeh—expressing radical self-determination—is God's essential name and the quality most complementary to a people emerging from slavery.

Reader correspondence on prior JBQ articles: Aron Pinker comments on Zvi Ron's paper on large letters in the Bible; Zvi Ron responds; Ben Zion Katz recommends Chronicles scholarship; Israel C. Stein adds to the analysis of Lot's character.