Lecture 24. Alternative Visions: Esther, Ruth, and Jonah

Introduction to the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) (RLST 145) with Christine Hayes

In this lecture, two final books of the Bible are examined and their attitudes towards foreign nations compared. In contrast to Daniel's reliance on divine intervention to punish the wicked, the book of Esther focuses on human initiative in defeating the enemies of Israel. Finally, the book of Jonah--in which the wicked Assyrians repent and are spared divine punishment--expresses the view that God is compassionate and concerned with all creation. Professor Hayes concludes the course with remarks regarding the dynamic and complex messages presented in the Hebrew Bible.

00:00 - Chapter 1. The Book of Esther
09:29 - Chapter 2. The Book of Jonah
20:32 - Chapter 3. Concluding Remarks about the Dynamic and Complex Messages in the Hebrew Bible

Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: http://oyc.yale.edu

This course was recorded in Fall 2006.