Sigmund Olaf Plytt Mowinckel (Kjerringøy

Kjerringøy

Kjerringøy is a former municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The administrative centre was the village Kjerringøy.It was created when Nordfold-Kjerringøy was split into Kjerringøy and Nordfold on 1 January 1906. At that time Kjerringøy had a population of 857.On 1 January 1964 Kjerringøy was...

, Norway

Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

, August 4, 1884-Oslo

Oslo

Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...

, June 4, 1965) was one of the world's most significant Psalms

Psalms

The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...

 scholars.

Life

He was educated at the University of Oslo

University of Oslo

The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...

(1908; ThD 1916) (in those days Oslo was still officially called Kristiania), and from 1917 onwards he was a lecturer there. He retired in 1954.

From the 1920s onwards Mowinckel headed a school of thought on the Psalms which sometimes clashed with the Form Critical conclusions of Hermann Gunkel

Hermann Gunkel

Hermann Gunkel was a German Protestant Old Testament scholar. He is noted for his contribution to form criticism and the study of oral tradition in biblical texts. He was an outstanding representative of the "History of Religion School."...

 (see Form criticism

Form criticism

Form criticism is a method of biblical criticism that classifies units of scripture by literary pattern and that attempts to trace each type to its period of oral transmission. Form criticism seeks to determine a unit's original form and the historical context of the literary tradition. Hermann...

) and those who followed in Gunkel's footsteps (Hans Joachim-Kraus etc.). In broad terms, Gunkel strongly advocated a view of the Psalms which focussed on the two notable names for God occurring therein: Yahweh (JHWH sometimes called tetragrammaton

Tetragrammaton

The term Tetragrammaton refers to the name of the God of Israel YHWH used in the Hebrew Bible.-Hebrew Bible:...

) and Elohim. The schools of Psalm writing springing therefrom were termed "Yahwist" and "Elohist".

Mowinckel's approach to the Psalms differed quite a bit from Gunkel's. Mowinckel explained the psalms as wholly cultic both in origin and in intention. He attempted to relate more than 40 psalms to a hypothetical autumnal New Year festival.

In addition to his work on Psalms, his major monograph on the Old Testament roots of Messianism, He That Cometh: The Messiah Concept in the Old Testament and Later Judaism, trans. G. W. Anderson (Oxford: B.Blackwell, 1956) is of enormous significance in scholarship until this day.

Published works (early editions)

• Statholderen Nehemia (Kristiania: a. 1916)
• Esra den skriftlærde (Kristiania: a. 1916)
• Kongesalmerne i det Gamle Testamentet (Kristiania: (1916)
• Der Knächt Jahves (1921)
• Psalmenstudien I: 'Awan und die individuellen Klagepsalmen (Kristiania: SNVAO* 1921)
• Psalmenstudien II: Das Thronbesteigungsfest Jahwas und der Ursprung der Eschatologie (Kristiania: SNVAO* 1922)
• Psalmenstudien III: Kultprophetie und kultprophetische Psalmen (Kristiania: SNVAO*, 1923)
• Psalmenstudien IV: Die technischen Termini in den Psalmenuberschriften (Kristiania: SNVAO*, 1923)
• Psalmenstudien V: Segen und Fluch in Israels Kult und Psalmdichtung (Kristiania: SNVAO*, 1924)
• Psalmenstudien VI: Die Psalmdichter (Kristiania: SNVAO*, 1924)
• Diktet om Ijob og hans tre venner (Kristiania: 1924)
• Profeten Jesaja (Oslo: 1925)
• Jesaja-: Profetien fra Jesaja til Jeremia (Oslo: 1926)
• Motiver og stilformer i profeten Jeremias diktning (1926)
• Le Decalogue (Paris: 1927)
• Det Gamle Testament som Guds Ord (Oslo: 1938)
• Gamla testamental som Guds ord (Stockholm: 1938)
• Die Erkentis Gottes bei den alttestamentlichen Propheten [translation: "The recognizable God in/within the Old Testament prophets" or perhaps "The recognition of God beside/by the Old Testament prophets"] Supplementary volume to Norsk Teologisk Tidsskrift (Oslo: 1941).
• Prophecy and Tradition (1946)
• Han som kommer : Messiasforventningen i Det gamle testament og på Jesu tid (1951)(translated He That Cometh: The Messiah Concept in the Old Testament and Later Judaism, trans. G. W. Anderson [Oxford: B.Blackwell, 1956]
• Offersang og sangoffer : salmediktningen i Bibelen [translated: "Song of sacrifice and Sacrifice of song" or "Offering song and Song offering": "Psalm Poetry in the Bible"] (Oslo: H. Aschehoug & Co, 1951).
• Der achtundsechsigste Psalm [ANVAO**, II, 1953, I] (Oslo: 1953)
• Religion och Kultus (1953).
• Real and Apparent Tricola in Hebrew Psalm Poetry [ANVAO**, II, 1957] (Oslo: 1958)

NOTE [*]: SNVAO signifies the Norwegian publisher/publications Skrifter utgitt av Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi i Oslo, II. Hist.-Filos. Klasse

NOTE [**] ANVAO signifies the Norwegian publisher/publications Avhandliger utgitt av Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi i Oslo. II. Hist. Filos. Klasse.

Articles by Mowinckel

• 'Om den jodiske menighets og provinsen Judeas organisasjon ca. 400 f. Kr.', Norsk Teologisk Tidsskrift (Kristiania: 1915), pp. 123ff., 226ff.
• 'Tronstigningssalmerne og Jahves tronstigningsfest', Norsk teologi til reformationsjubileet, specialhefte [i.e. special issue] to Norsk Teologisk Tidsskrift (Kristiania: 1917), pp. 13ff.
• 'Die vorderasiatischen Konigs- und Fursteninschriften' [translation: "The early Asiatic Kings and Princes Inscription"], Eucharisterion [Studien zur Religion und Literatur d. Alt und Neu Testaments, H. Gunkel zum 60] ["Studies in the Religion and Literature of the Old and New Testaments, H. Gunkel at 60" --- Gunkel's 60th birthday was in 1922] I, pp. 278ff., a book produced by Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur d. Alten und Neuen Testaments (FRLANT) Band (Vol.) 36 (Göttingen: 1923)
• 'Det kultiske synspunkt som forskningsprinsipp i den gammelstestamentlige videnskap', Norsk Teologisk Tidsskrift (Kristiania: 1924), pp. 1ff.
• 'I porten' Studier tilegnede Frans Buhl (Copenhagen: 1925)
• 'Drama, religionsgeschichtlisches' [translation: "Drama historical religion" (or "Drama religion history)", RGG₂ [appeared in Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart 2.Aufl.] (Tübingen: 1927-32)
• 'Levi und Leviten' [translation: "Levi and Levites"], RGG₂ [appeared in Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart 2.Aufl.] (Tübingen: 1927-32)
• 'Stilformer og motiver i profeten Jeremias dikning', Edda Vol. 36 (1926), pp. 276ff.
• 'Salmeboken og gudstjenestesalmen', Norsk Teologisk Tidsskrift (Oslo: 1927), pp. 153ff.
• 'Die letzten Worte Davids' [translation: "The last words of David"], in II Samuel 23:1-7, Zeitschrift fur die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft' Band (Vol.) 45? (Giessen:1927), pp. 30ff.
• 'A quelle moment le culte de Jahwe a Jerusalem est il officiellement devenu un culte sans images?' [translation: "At what moment did the cult of Jahweh of Jerusalem officially become a cult without images?"] Revue de l'Histoire et des Philosophies Religieuses Vol. 9 (Strasbourg: 1929), pp. 197ff.
• The following sections/chapters in Det Gamle Testament, oversatt av S. Michelet, Sigmund Mowinckel og N. Messel (also known simply as GTMMM) Volumes I - III (Oslo: 1929-following years):-: Sections 2. Mos. 18-34; 4. Mos. 20-25; 32-33; 5. Mosebok; Josvaboken; Samuelsboken; Kongeboken; Jesaja; Jeremia; Tolvprofetboken.
• Book review of Eduard Konig's Das Buch Hiob in Deutsche Litz, 3. Folge, 1. Jahrg. 12, (1930) columns 529ff. [presumably this review relates to E Konig's Das Buch Hiob eingeleitet, ubersetzt und erklart (Gutersloh: Bertelsmann, 1927 or 1929)]
• 'Die Komposition des Deuterojesajanischen Buches' [translation: "The Composition of the books of Deutero-Isaiah"], Zeitschrift fur die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft' Band (Vol.) 44 (Giessen: 1931)pp. 87ff., 242ff.
• 'Die Chronologie der israelitischen und judaischen Konige' [translation: "The Chronology of the Kings of Israel and Judah"], Acta Orientalia Vol. 10 (Leiden: 1932) pp. 161ff.
• 'Fiendene i de individuelle klagesalmer', Norsk Teologisk Tidsskrift (Oslo: 1934), pp. 1ff.
• 'The "Spirit" and the "Word" in the Preexilic Reforming Prophets', Journal of Biblical Literature Vol. 53 (Philadelphia: 1934) pp. 199ff.
• '"Anden" og "Ordet" hos de foreksilske reformprofeter', Norsk Teologisk Tidsskrift (Oslo: 1935), pp. 1ff.
• 'Ekstatisk oplevelse og rasjonal bearbeidelse hos de gammeltestamentlige profeter', [translation: "Extatic experience and rational elaboration in Old Testament prophecy"] Theologisk Tidsskrift (known as "[D]TT") (Kobenhavn [Copenhagen]:1935), pp. 1ff.
• 'Extatic Experience and Rational Elaboration in Old Testament Prophecy', Acta Orientalia Vol. 13 (Leiden: 1935), pp. 264ff.
• 'Hat es ein israelitisches Nationalepos gegeben?' [translation: "Is there a given Israelite national epic?"], Zeitschrift fur die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft' Band (Vol.) 53 (Giessen: 1935) pp. 130ff.
• 'Zur Geschichte der Dekalogue' [translation: "To a History of the Decalogue (Ten Commandments)"], Zeitschrift fur die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft' Band (Vol.) 55 (Giessen: 1937) pp. 218ff.
• Book Review of Widengren's Accadian and Hebrew Psalms of Lamentation which appeared in Norsk Teologisk Tidsskrift (Oslo: 1940), pp. 155. [G. Widengren's book itself was published at Stockholm, 1937].
• 'Ras Shamra og det Gamle Testament', Norsk Teologisk Tidsskrift Vol. xl, (Oslo: 1939), pp. 16ff.
• 'Oppkomsten av profetlitteraturen', Norsk Teologisk Tidsskrift (Oslo: 1942), pp. 65ff.
• 'Kadesj, Sinai og Jahve', Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift Vol. 9 (1942), pp. 21ff.
• 'Nathanprofetien i 2. Sam. 7' [translation: "Nathan's prophecy in II Samuel 7"], Svensk exegetisk årsbok
  Svensk exegetisk årsbok
  Svensk exegetisk årsbok is an academic peer-reviewed journal of biblical studies and book reviews in Swedish and English. It has been published yearly since 1936 by the and is distributed internationally by Eisenbrauns....
  
  (known as SEÅ) (Uppsala: date ?), pp. 220ff.
• 'Zum Problem der hebraischen Metrik' [translation: "Towards the Problem of the Hebrew Metric"], Bertholetfestschrift (Tübingen: 1950), pp. 379ff. [Bertholetfestschrift = Festschrift Alfred Bertholet zum 80. Geburtstag, herausgeg. von W. Baumgartner, O. Eissfeldt, K. Elliger, L. Rost>> translation: "Festschrift for Alfred Bertholet on his 80th Birthday--editors: W. Baumgartner, Otto Eissfeldt, K. Elliger and L. Rost"].
• 'Den senjodiske salmediktning', Norsk Teologisk Tidsskrift (Oslo: 1950), pp. 1–54.
• 'Zur hebraischen Metrik II' [translation: "Towards Hebrew Metric II"], Studia theologica cura ordinum theologorum Scandinavorum edita Vol. VII (1953), pp. 54ff.
• 'Metrischer Aufbau und Textcritik, an Ps. 8 illustriert' [translation: "Metrical Construction and Textcriticism, illustrated on Psalm 8"], Studia Orientalia Johanno Pedersen Septuagenario...dicata [Studia Orientalia's volume celebrating the 70th birthday of Johannes Pedersen
  Johannes Pedersen (theologian)
  Johannes Pedersen was a noted theologian and linguist.Pedersen believed that "objective thought, that is to say, inactive, disinterested thought" does not exist in most instances...
  
  ](Havniae [Copenhagen]: 1953), pp. 250ff.
• 'Der metrische Aufbau von Jes. 62, 1 - 12 und die neuen sog. kurzverse' [translation: "The metrical construction of Isaiah 62: 1 - 12 and the new so-called ? shortverse"], Zeitschrift fur die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft' Band (Vol.) 65 (Giessen: 1953), pp. 167ff.
• 'Zum Psalm des Habakuk' [translation: "Towards the Psalm of Habakkuk"], Theologische Zeitschrift Band (Vol.) 9 (Basel: 1953), pp. 1ff.
• 'Psalm Criticism between 1900 and 1935 (Ugarit and Psalm Exegesis)', Vetus Testamentum
  Vetus Testamentum
  Vetus Testamentum is an academic journal covering various aspects of the Old Testament....
  
  Vol. 5 (Leiden: Brill, 1955) pp. 13ff.
• 'Marginalien zur hebraischen Metrik', Zeitschrift fur die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft' Band (Vol.) 67 (Giessen: 1956) pp. 97ff.
• 'Zu Psalm 16, 3 - 4' [translation: "To/towards Psalm 16: 3 - 4"], Theologische Literaturzeitung (1957), columns 649ff.
• 'Notes on the Psalms', Studia theologica cura ordinum theologorum Scandinavorum edita Vol. XIII (1959), pp. 134ff.
• 'Drive and/or Ride in the O.T.', Vetus Testamentum
  Vetus Testamentum
  Vetus Testamentum is an academic journal covering various aspects of the Old Testament....
  
  Vol. 12 (Leiden: Brill, 1962) pp. 278–299ff.

Other relevant articles from periodicals

• 'Mowinckel und Deutschland' written by R. Smend, Studia Theologica, Volume 53, Number 2, 20 December 1999, pp. 79–96(18) (Routledge, 1999), pp. 79 – 96.