Conclusion
Chapter 5 concludes this investigation by returning to the question of epistemology. What comes to light through the previous studies, it is argued, is that the stories told by the biblical scribes were rooted in not one type of memory but multiple instantiations of it that would have often worked simultaneously to shape the material transmitted to them over time. The conclusions reached through this investigation would thus urge caution when likening biblical storytelling with a form of history, or at least an understanding of history that has been practiced and developed during the modern period. What these considerations also indicate is that drawing on the referential claims of biblical narrative for historical reconstructive pursuits requires some sensitivity toward these ancient narratives’ specific epistemic underpinnings.