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Description of  Crossing the Jordan: Diachrony Versus Synchrony in the Book of Joshua

This book presents a test case for diachronic and synchronic approaches in Joshua 3-4. Lee introduces the synchronic readings of Polzin, Hawk and Winther-Nielsen, as well as their attempts to uncover the problems in applying their methods to this complicated text. He then investigates the differences between the MT and the LXX of Joshua 3-4 through text critical analysis and reconstructs the Hebrew Vorlage of LXX - Joshua 3-4 considering divergences between major Greek editions and examines the limitations of Polzin's synchronic study in reading only from the final text of the MT. For the purpose of reading the literary history of Joshua 3-4 in a diachronic way, Lee considers what position this text holds in the setting of the wider context of the ark narratives and water-crossing stories in the Old Testament, e.g. the crossing of the Red Sea in Exodus 13.17-14.31 and with Elijah and Elisha crossing the river in 2 kings 2. He examines the recent trends in literary criticism and attempts to trace the most probable literary history of Joshua 3-4.