Hebrew bible exam 1

ways to overcome rain deficiency in ancient Israel

wells/tunnels and irrigation techniques

Israel’s natural resources

natural gas and dead sea minerals

appearance of chaos waters in Genesis-Samuel

Noah and the flood and the Primeval Deep (Tehom)

Theophanies in Genesis-Samuel

Jacob wrestling the man, and appearing in the burning bush

Law Codes in the Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East

Covenant code and Deuteronomic code

Covenants in Genesis/Samuel

Abraham and Noah’s covenant

two texts that demonstrate multivocality

2 creation accounts in Genesis and Jacobs name change

themes in judges

the cycle of judges is a downward spiral, and the need for a king

rules for a king according to the deuteronomic code

cannot bear too many wives and can’t have too many horses

tanakh

the Torah, the Nevi'im, and the Ketuvim.

hebrew and aramaic 

closely related Semitic languages sharing a common Northwest Semitic root

pentateuch

5 volume book

prophets in genesis

Enoch, Abraham, and Noah

septuagint

a Greek version of the Hebrew Bible

dead sea scrolls

a collection of ancient manuscripts, primarily written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, discovered in caves near the Dead Sea between 1946 and 1956

levant

modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, and Jordan, often including Cyprus and parts of Turkey

canaan

often associated with the Promised Land in the Bible and encompassing modern-day Israel, Palestine, and parts of the surrounding area

Yahweh and Elohim

names both referring to God

enuma elish

epic poem that describes the rise of the god Marduk and the creation of the world from the body of the primordial goddess Tiamat

chaos waters

a state of uncreation, disorder, and potential before God brings order to the cosmos

primeval history

the first eleven chapters of the Book of Genesis, which covers the early history of the world from creation to the time of Abraham

cosmology

a universe with heaven, earth, and an underworld (Sheol) as distinct realms, often with a solid "sky dome" containing waters above and "windows of heaven" for rain

documentary hypothesis

proposes that the first 5 books of the bible aren’t just written by one person, but a collection of 4 originally independent sources

source criticism

a scholarly method for analyzing biblical texts to identify and evaluate the different written or oral sources used by the biblical authors and redactors

julius wellhausen

creator of documentary hypothesis

JDEP sources

J: Yahwhist

E: Elohist

D: Deuteronomist

P: priestly 

cherubim

winged celestial beings that serve as God's throne-bearers, attendants, and guardians of holy places

invention of the city

attributed to Cain in the biblical narrative, who, after murdering his brother Abel, built the first city and named it after his son Enoch

lamech

a descendant of Cain, known for being the first polygamist and boasting about his violent deeds in a song to his wives

sarah

wife of abraham, mother of isaac, hospitality to travelers, a fulfillment of God's promise of an heir and a great nation

Hagar

an Egyptian slave of Sarah (Abraham's wife), who was given to Abraham to bear a child, Ishmael

Ishmael

Abraham's firstborn son with Hagar, his wife's maidservant, born before the promised son Isaac

Lot

Abrahams nephew, his wife was turned into a pillar of salt after not listening to the command to not turn back

Isaac

abraham and sarahs son

rebekah

wife of Isaac and mother of Jacob and Esau in the Bible

patriarchs

abraham, isaac, jacob

amorites

a powerful Semitic people and one of the ancient groups inhabiting the land of Canaan, who lived in various parts of the region, including the Transjordan

endogamy

the custom of marrying or mating within one's own social, religious, ethnic, cultural, or tribal group

exogamy

the social custom or rule requiring a person to marry outside of their own defined social group

multivocality

Hebrew bible doesn’t give a consistent message and it can counteract itself

form criticism

a scholarly method of biblical interpretation that classifies scripture into literary forms to identify their original oral transmission and life situations

orality

communication and culture transmitted primarily through the spoken word, encompassing traditions, stories, and wisdom passed down without writing

fictive kinship

social relationships that function as family bonds but are not based on blood or marriage

the code of hospitality

honoring God by obeying His command to “contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality

suzerain

a powerful overlord or a king who establishes a covenant with a subordinate, the vassal

vassal

a person who holds land from a lord in exchange for allegiance and service, most notably military service, during the feudal era

jacob

one of the three patriarchs of Judaism and the father of the 12 tribes of Israel

esau

a son of Isaac and Rebekah, the elder twin brother of Jacob, and in Hebrew tradition the ancestor of the Edomites

judah

the fourth son of Jacob and Leah, who becomes the founder of the Tribe of Judah, the Kingdom of Judah, and ultimately the ancestor of Jesus in the line of King David

levi

levite tribe; the third son of Jacob (also called Israel) and Leah, and the ancestor of the Levites tribe, who served as priests and religious assistants for ancient Israel

ephraim

the second son of Joseph and an ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel, the Tribe of Ephraim

etiology

a story or narrative that explains the origin or cause of something, providing a theological, cultural, or moral meaning for phenomena, customs, or institutions

Bethel

a historically significant location that served as a sacred site for Patriarchs like Abraham and Jacob

the twelve tribes

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin

penuel

a place where Jacob wrestled with an angel and a fortified city east of the Jordan River

jacobs wrestling match with God

Jacob wrestled with a divine being, whom he came to recognize as God, by a river at night until morning. He then named the place "Peniel" (or Peniel), meaning "the face of God" because he had seen God face to face and survived. 

book of exodus basics

describes the birth of the Israelite nation, beginning with their enslavement in Egypt and their rescue by God through Moses and the ten plagues

book of genesis basics

describes creation, the fall of humanity into sin, the Noahic flood, and the formation of the Israelites through their patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

moses

the Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites out of slavery in the Exodus from Egypt

dating of exodus options

the "early date" (mid-15th century BCE, ~1446 BCE) and the "late date" (mid-13th century BCE, ~1250 BCE)

merneptah stele

a black granite monument inscribed with hieroglyphs, dating to around 1208 BCE, that details Pharaoh Merneptah's military victories, most notably his campaign in Canaan

the burning bush

God, appearing to Moses in a flame from a bush that was not consumed by fire, commissions him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt

angel of the LORD

a specific divine messenger in the Old Testament and New Testament who, in many instances, is identified as God Himself, often seen as a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ

aaron

the brother of Moses and the first high priest of the Israelites. He acted as Moses’ spoke person since he couldn’t speak well

pharoah

title for the king of Egypt

10 plauges

blood (water turned to blood), frogs, gnats (or lice), flies, livestock pestilence, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and the death of the firstborn.

passover

a festival instituted by God in Exodus 12 to commemorate the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt

crossing of the red sea

After the Israelites crossed, the sea returned to its place, drowning the Egyptians and demonstrating God's power to deliver His people.

song of the sea 

a poetic hymn sung by Moses and the Israelites after their miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, as recorded in the Book of Exodus 15:1–18

mt sinai

the mountain at which the Ten Commandments were given to the Hebrew prophet Moses by God

theophany

a visible manifestation of God in the Bible, often in the Old Testament, where God appears in various forms such as angelic beings, clouds, fire, dreams, or visions to interact with humanity, provide guidance, and reveal His glory and power

sinai covenenant

a conditional agreement made between God and the Israelites at Mount Sinai, establishing them as a holy nation and people of God in exchange for their obedience to His laws, including the Ten Commandments, which were revealed through Moses

code of hammurabi

an ancient Babylonian set of laws established by King Hammurabi around 1792–1750 BCE, and it's one of the most complete and earliest written legal codes discovered.

covenant code

a collection of laws in the Torah (specifically Exodus 20:22–23:19) that followed the Ten Commandments, providing specific regulations for the Israelites' social, religious, and civil life

casuistic law

provides specific applications of broader, apodictic laws by presenting hypothetical cases and their corresponding legal consequences, often using an "if...then" format to apply general moral principles to particular situations.

apodictic law

consists of direct, universal, and unconditional commands or prohibitions, such as the Ten Commandments, which are presented as self-evident truths without qualification or exceptions

lex talionis

Latin term for the "law of retaliation," famously summarized as "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth"

ark of the covenant

a sacred, ornate, gold-covered wooden chest commanded by God for the Israelites to hold the Ten Commandments, Aaron's rod, and a jar of manna

tabernacle

a portable sanctuary built by the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt, serving as God's dwelling place and the central location for worship, sacrifices, and the Ark of the Covenant during their wilderness wanderings. (Ex of centralization)

cult statue

the Golden Calf in the Book of Exodus, the statue of Dagon worshiped by the Philistines, and the golden image King Nebuchadnezzar commanded in the Book of Daniel

golden calf

a cult image of a calf, or bull, made by the Israelites under Aaron's direction while Moses was receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai

priests

men of the Levite tribe, specifically descendants of Aaron, who served as mediators between God and the Israelites (all priests were Levites, but not all Levites were priests.)

levites

a tribe descended from Levi, one of the sons of Jacob, who served God through religious duties and the care of the sanctuary (all priests were Levites, but not all Levites were priests.)

clean/unclean

An example of an unclean person was someone who had touched a dead body, a skin disease, or had a bodily discharge. An example of an unclean animal was a pig, which was forbidden for Jews to eat because it did not have a cloven hoof and chew the cud, unlike clean animals like cattle or sheep. 

day of atonement

High Priest performed ritual sacrifices and cleansing to make atonement for the sins of the entire nation

numbers

continues the story of the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt, focusing on their lengthy journey and wandering through the wilderness, their repeated rebellion against God, and the transition from the disobedient older generation to the prepared younger generation who would inherit the Promised Land

priestly blessing

involves the priests lifting their hands in a traditional gesture and reciting a formula that calls for God to bless, keep, shine His face upon, and grant peace to the congregation.  

ketef hinnom amulets 

two tiny, rolled-up silver scrolls discovered in the 1970s in a burial cave near Jerusalem. Considered the earliest known biblical texts

rebellions

Satan's initial rebellion, Adam and Eve's disobedience in Eden, the Nephilim incident, the Tower of Babel event, and Israel's ongoing defiance in the wilderness

deuteronomy

Moses’ last sermons to the new generation of Israelites before they enter the promise land

deuteronomy as covenant

a renewal and specific restatement of God's covenant with the new generation of Israelites, emphasizing conditional obedience to God's Law and the promise of blessings in the land of Canaan for faithfulness or curses for disobedience

the book of the law

short, cryptic work that formulates the core principle of Thelema: "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law," which serves as a call to discover and live one's unique, authentic purpose or "True Will". 

Shema prayer

Judaism's central declaration of faith, beginning with the words "Shema Yisrael" (Hear, O Israel), and affirming the belief in the absolute oneness of God

deuteronomic code

the collection of laws in Chapters 12–26 of the Book of Deuteronomy in the Hebrew Bible

kingship laws

the king must be an Israelite chosen by the Lord, not a foreigner. The king must also avoid accumulating excess wealth (silver and gold), many wives, and large numbers of horses, especially from Egypt. To prevent pride and corruption, the king must personally write a copy of the Law and read it daily to remain faithful to God's commands. 

centralization

he religious concept of establishing a single, authorized place for worship, where all sacrifices and primary ritual activities are to take place

herem warefare

the biblical concept of consecrating an enemy and their possessions to God through total destruction and annihilation, with the understanding that no property or person could be reclaimed or redeemed.

deuteronomistic history

a term used by modern scholars for a collection of Old Testament books—Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings—that scholars believe were compiled into a unified work during the Babylonian exile to explain Israel's history theologically

martin north

a prominent German biblical scholar known for his significant contributions to the study of the Hebrew Bible, particularly the Pentateuch and the Deuteronomistic history

joshua

the Israelite leader who succeeded Moses, leading his people into the Promised Land of Canaan and overseeing its conquest and division