The Prophetic Element in Biblical Tradition
Review Guide for the Final Exam
This Review Guide may be updated. It will reach its final form one week before the exam.
 



Nature of the Exam
What should I do to prepare?
    Review of Class Notes
    Review of the Readings
    Essay topics to prepare
    Maps
    Chronology

Nature of the Exam

Like the first two exams, this one will contain some "objective" questions (multiple choice, true/false) and some written exercises, but the amount of written material will be larger than on the previous exams.

Some of the objective questions will be taken from the readings in the book by Bandstra (online). Others will come from the book by Weems and still others from pages 39-125 of the book by Brueggemann. Still others will be developed from the lectures and class discussions. The assigned readings for this exam have been more diverse than those for the previous two exams, so get an early start on reviewing.

The written questions may be of two types. Some may be short answer questions that you can answer in two or three sentences. For these you will always have choices between several questions. There will also be two longer essay questions. Possible essay topics are listed below.


What should I do to prepare?

Review your class notes.

Review your class notes. Since the last exam we have discussed Second and Third Isaiah, the book of Jeremiah, and the Scroll of the Twelve. While discussing the Scroll of the Twelve we discussed Renita Weems' book, Battered Love.

You completed a written exercise on Walter Brueggemann's discussion of Pathos and Amazement in the Hebrew Prophets. Review your notes on these readings.

In each of the class discussions, what were the main emphases? What were the major emphases of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel? Which of the Minor Prophets (Scroll of the Twelve) date from which period? How doe they represent the concerns of the period in which they lived?

Here are four automated quizzes to help you review both your class notes and the assigned readings. Take each one several times before the Final Exam. (These are also available in the right-hand column of the Study Aids Page ). Notice that when you exit each quiz you will be on the Study Aids Page. To get back here, go to the bottom of that page and click "Review Guide for the Final Exam."
Introduction to Prophecy and the Latter Prophets
Isaiah (First, Second, and Third)
Prophets of the Assyrian Period : Amos, Hosea, Isaiah of Jerusalem, and Micah
Prophets of the Babylonian Period : Zephaniah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Jeremiah, Obadiah, Ezekiel, Second Isaiah
The Post-exilic Prophets : Haggain, Zechariah, Third Isaiah, Joel, Malachi, Jonah
Questions on Brueggeman: The Prophetic Imagination
Questions on Weems: Battered Love

Review the assigned readings.

You have read pages 315-380 in the book by Bandstra (sections 3 to the end of chapter 10, all of chapters 11, 12, and 13 online), all of the book by Weems, and pages 39-125 in the book by Brueggemann (Chapters 3-6 and the postscript).

In the biblical text you have read from the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Scroll of the Twelve (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obediah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi). What are the main divisions in the biblical text? What topics or themes were prominent in the sections that were assigned reading?

For the readings from Bandstra make sure you have taken the online study guide quizzes at the end of chapters 10-13. Answer the multiple choice, true/false and matching portions of each study guide at least twice (they generate a different set of questions each time). You read part of chapter 10 before the previous exam, but reviewing that material will help you now as well.
Study Guide for Chapter 10
Study Guide for Chapter 11
Study Guide for Chapter 12
Study Guide for Chapter 13
Notice that in the top left corner of each of the study guides from Bandstra's book there are links to a chapter summary, key terms, and a set of concept questions. Review each of these.

Other online quizzes are provided on the Study Aids page.

Prepare responses to the following essay topics.

Prepare one page responses to each of the following topics. While not all of these will appear in this form on the exam, the ones which are not given as essay topics on the exam will be used to develop short-answer questions or to help guide the choice of "objective" questions. Your response to each topic must show clear knowledge of the relevant assigned readings and class discussions.
Discuss Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I have a Dream" speech. How did he use the Hebrew prophets? What themes are prominent in the speech which are drawn from the prophets? How does the speech embody a prophetic voice? Your answer to this question should reflect a knowledge of (1) the content of the speech, (2) the Hebrew prophets, and (3) Brueggeman's discussion of the prophetic imagination.
Discuss the prophetic responses to the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem. Comment specifically on Habakkuk, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Contrast Habakkuk's response with that of the other two. How does each prophet use criticism and amazement? (See Brueggeman.)

Discuss the prophetic use of the marriage metaphor. Which prophets used this metaphor? How did they use it? Include a discussion of Israel as "unfaithful wife" and as "whore." Your response must show awareness of Weems' discussion of this issue.

Maps
Bandstra's book includes several maps that you will find helpful as you review.

Figure 13.4 (page 353) shows the prophets of the Assyrian Period plus Jonah (whose story is set in the Assyrian Period) and the places against which they spoke.
Figure 13.5 (page 355) shows the nations against which Amos spoke in the Assyrian Period.
Figure 13.7 (page 365) shows the prophets of the Babylonian Period and the places against which they spoke.
Figure 13.9 (page 369) shows the Persian Empire at the time of Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, and Joel.
Figure 13.10 (page 376) can help you review the story from the book of Jonah.

Be sure you are able to identify the locations of the following items.


 Nations and Territories
Cities

ARAM
ASSYRIA
BABYLONIA
ISRAEL
JUDAH
Ashur
Babylon
Bethlehem
Damascus
Jerusalem
Nineveh
Samaria (the city)
Shechem


        Review the Chronology

Bandstra's book includes several timelines that can help you learn the order of the events and prophets that we have discussed. Be sure you can identify the right period for each prophet.

Figure 13.2 is a timeline of all of the prophets we have studied, placing each one in the appropriate period.
Figure 13.3 gives a more detailed chronology of the time of Hosea, Isaiah of Jerusalem, and Micah (the prophets of the Assyrian Period.
Figure 13.6 shows the prophets of the Babylonian Period (Zephaniah, Jeremiah, Habakkuk, Ezekiel, and Second Isaiah) along with key events of that period.
Figure 13.8 shows the prophets of the Persian Period (Third Isaiah, Zechariah, Haggai, Malachi).

My more detailed Timeline of the Latter Prophets places the prophets in chonological order and gives a brief summary of the message of each prophet.


Return to the main Hebrew Prophets page.
Go to the Study Aids page.
Go to the Resources for Class Discussion page.