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[English Version] , Hans Walter (17.12.1911 Barmen – 22.10.1993 Heidelberg). In seinem Studium (Bethel, Göttingen, Bonn) bes. durch G.v. Rad, M. Noth und K. Barth geprägt, betreute W. als Vikar die Theologiestudenten der Bekennenden Kirche, wurde Pfarrer in Solingen-Wald und kurz danach zugleich Dozent und später Prof. für AT an der Kirchl. Hochschule Wuppertal, 1959 in Mainz und ab 1967 in Heidelberg. Seine Diss. zu Jes 53 vf. er während eines Feldurlaubs. Er war ein mitreißender Lehrer. Seine Forschung, durch drei Festschriften und drei Ehrendoktoren gewürdigt, galt…

[English Version] I. Schriftlichkeit Das größte Rätsel der atl. Prophetie (: II) ist ihre Schriftlichkeit. Während das Phänomen der Prophetie in seiner Vielfalt eine Fülle an Parallelen im AO findet (M. Weippert, NBL 3, 2001, 196–200; vgl. im AT selber etwa 1Kön 18,19; Jer 27,9), gibt es hier nur ganz wenige schriftliche Zeugnisse prophetischer Worte. Bevor man sie zu Beginn des 2…

[German Version] I. Written Form The great riddle of Old Testament prophecy (Prophets and prophecy: II) is its written form. While the phenomenon of prophecy in all its diversity has a wealth of parallels in the ancient Near East (M. Weippert, …

[German Version] I. Life and Times – II. Message – III. Book Amos stands at the most important turning point in the history of Old Testament prophecy (Jewish tradition: “former”/“latter prophets”; Prophets and prophecy). The words of a prophet were for the first time systematically collected and transmitted in book form. For the first time, God's people as a whole had their “end” announced to them (8:2). It is not by chance that Amos strongly influenced his followers with respect to establishing a tradition. I. Life and Times Amos appeared only briefly as a prophet (cf. “two years before the earthquake” in the oldest superscription), and certainly in the last part of the long reign of Jeroboam II (787–747 bce), whom the later superscription mentions. Evidently, the Aramean wars were already past (1:3ff.; 6:13), while Amos does not yet mention the Assyrians. In the intervening time of peace Israel experienced a cultural florui…

[German Version] His research, honored with three Festschriften and three honorary doctorates, focused primarily on OT prophets and prophecy (II). Along with W. Zimmerli’s commentary on Ezekiel, his seminal commentaries on the prophets Hosea to Micah (and Haggai) represent the most important 20th-century interpretations of the prophets. His preliminary studies were published in two volumes of collected essays. He always wrote parallel expositions of the prophetic books for parish use. He also wrote on hermeneutics, the sources of the Pentateuch, the histori…

[German Version] I. Times – II. Book – III. Message I. Times Hosea preached during the last two or three decades of the Northern Kingdom (c. 750–724 bce), in an eventful period. The beginnings, which cannot be precisely determined (according to 1:1 and 1:4 still under Jeroboam II, 787–747), fell in the cultural heyday between the Aramean wars and the beginning of Assyrian dominion, and the texts that presumably belong to this period (2:4–15; 4:4–5:7*) reflect an undisturbed wealth with a flourishing cult. The majority of texts, however, refer to the tumultuous years surrounding the so-called Syro-Ephraimite War (733/32). After 738, the Northern Kingdom became a vassal of the Assyrians who were striving for world domination. Years of repeated regicide followed (7:3–7; cf. 8:4 and 1:4) reflecting the vacillation of policy between two depressing options: payment of a tribute that paralyzed the economy, or the attempt at a rebellion destined to fail (with the expected assistance of Egypt: 7:11f., 16; cf. 12:2, 14). In 733, the former arch-enemies, Aram and Israel, allied in such a rebellion and unsuccessfully attempted to force Judah to join by laying siege to Jerusalem. As a consequence of defeat (5:8ff.), the Israelite coastal plain (“Dor”), Galilee and the fertile Jezreel plain (“Meggido”), and the trans-Jordan (“Gilead”) were reconfigured as Assyrian provinces; a small rump state that Hosea (from 5:8 on) calls “Ephraim” survived in the mountains. Even the last king, also called Hosea like the prophet, who ascended the throne in 732 with Assyrian assista…

[English Version] I. Religionswissenschaftlich Der Begriff der Th. (»Erscheinung Gottes«) steht im Spannungsfeld zw. Offenbarung und Epiphanie (»Verklärung«) bzw. dem v.a. in der Religionsphänomenologie des 20.Jh. of…

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[English Version] I. Religionswissenschaftlich 1.  Der BegriffProphetie übersteigt in der den Ereignissen zugewiesenen Bedeutung Individualerfahrungen in Mystik, Ekstase oder bei Inspiration sowie situationsbezogene Aktivitäten etablierter Funktionsträger, etwa von Priestern (Priestertum), Schamanen oder Wahrsagern (Divination/Mantik). Von Propheten (P.) auf die jeweilige Gottheit zurückgeführte Offenbarungen haben wegweisenden ethischen Charakter für eine Gemeinschaft.Der Begriff προϕη´της/prophē´tēs entstammt der griech. Religionsgesch., wo…

[English Version] I. ReligionswissenschaftlichVision (V.; von lat. visio, »Sehen, Schau«) bez. die klare Wahrnehmung von Bildern einzelner Gestalten oder langen Sequenzen (auditive [Audition], olfaktorische u.a. Elemente können einfließen) im Wachzustand. V. können sich spontan einstellen oder durch Rhythmen, Askese, Meditation, psychedelische Drogen oder Rituale (Ritus) induziert sein und werden ausnahmslos als von außen ausgelöst erlebt, obwohl entsprechende Außenreize nicht zu verifizieren sind. Religiös disponierte Visionäre verstehen s…

[German Version] I. Religious Studies 1. The term. In the significance ascribed to religious phenomena, prophecy surpasses individual experiences of mysticism, ecstasy, and inspiration, as well as the situational activities of established functionaries such as priests (Priesthood), shamans (Shamanism), or diviners (Divination). Revelations ascribed by prophets to the deity they serve give ethical guidance to a community. The term προφήτης/ prophḗ tēs derives from ancient Greek religion, where it referred initially to local specialists, who are hard to distinguish retrospectively from diviners, professional priests, oracle priests, seers, and visionaries (Vision/Vision account: I), figures with functional parallels in the Bible (Heb. נָבִיא/ nābîʾ, רֹאֶה/ rōʾeh, חֹזֶה/ ḥōzeh) and the ancient Near East (Akkad. āpilu, muḫ ḫ u). A few religions also issue their own definitions, as in 1 Sam 9:9, which records an extension of the meaning of nābîʾ and its dominance, and the Islamic separation …

[German Version] I. Religious Studies The term vision (from Lat. visio) denotes a clear perception of images of individual scenes or long sequences (some coupled with auditory [Auditory hallucination] or olfactory elements) in a waking state. Visions can arise spontaneously or be induced by rhythms, asceticism, meditation, psychedelic drugs, or rituals (Rite and ritual). They are experienced …