Old Testament exegesis: Reflections on methodology

Abstract

The question of methodology remains important in dealing with biblical texts, given the fact that the Hebrew Bible is not an  uncomplicated book. Its meaning is embedded in the history of the people who wrote it, read it, passed it on, rewrote it, and read it again. The question addressed in this article is in which manner should exegetes analyze texts? Which methodology should be followed during the exegetical process? What would be the most appropriate method to do justice to the texts of the Hebrew Bible? In both South African and European exegetical arena this debate is still continuing and over the past decades several contributions have kept it alive. The aim of this article is to make a contribution to this ongoing debate. It focuses primarily on Psalms and Pentateuchal studies. The call is made upon exegetes to pursue a diachronically reflected synchronic reading.