The Smoking Oven and Flaming Torch of Genesis 15:17: Help from Mesopotamia - Mark Chavalas - Friday Night Lecture - 20th June

Mark Chavalas wrestles with a particular issue in the dialogue between God and Abram in Genesis 15, namely the identification of the ‘smoking oven and flaming torch’ of v. 17. Before the advent of the decipherment of cuneiform languages in the mid-nineteenth century the interpretation of the passage was rather straightforward; the oven and the torch represented God, who somehow passed through the halves of the animals in this admittedly strange ritual (which appears to have similarities to an event described in Jeremiah 34:18-19). It so happens that the interaction of Mesopotamian studies with the biblical text has much to offer to help us understand this very difficult and obscure part of Scripture. From a survey of Ancient Near Eastern treaties, the passage appears to be a land grant covenant (among other things). However, the ritual is not nearly as clear; the censer (ie firepot) and torch were used in a myriad of Mesopotamian purification rituals and usually represented two relatively minor Mesopotamian deities, which appears on the surface to be troubling to the believer. Mark will attempt to reinterpret this passage in light of this new information.

 

Mark W. Chavalas is Professor Emeritus from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, where he taught for over thirty years. He has written or edited a number of books, including Mesopotamia and the Bible, and the IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament. He also has a podcast: Buried Bible Podcast, up and running since February of this year. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572416891118#

He and his wife Kimberlee have six children and four grandchildren.