Engaging the Hebrew Bible Exam 2

Patriarch Abraham

The founding figure of the Israelites, considered the father of the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic faiths. He is known for his covenant with God, which established the Israelites as God's chosen people.

Patriarch Isaac

Son of Abraham and Sarah, a key biblical figure who continued the covenant established with his father. He married Rebekah and is the father of Esau and Jacob, the latter of whom became Israel.

Patriarch Jacob

Son of Isaac and Rebekah, a key patriarch in the Hebrew Bible, known for his twelve sons who became the founders of the tribes of Israel. His name was later changed to Israel after wrestling with an angel.

Matriarch Sarah

The wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac. Known for her faith in God's promise of a son despite her old age, she plays a crucial role in the narrative of the Israelites.

Matriarch Rebekah

The wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau. Known for her resourcefulness and pivotal role in securing the covenant blessings for her son Jacob.

Matriarch Rachel

The second wife of Jacob and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin. She is significant in the lineage of the Israelites and is often associated with themes of love and rivalry.

Matriarch Leah

The first wife of Jacob and the mother of six of the twelve tribes of Israel. She is known for her strength and for being central to the narrative of Jacob's family dynamics.

Matriarch Bilhah

The handmaid of Rachel who became one of Jacob's wives. She bore Jacob two sons, Dan and Naphtali, contributing to the lineage of the tribes of Israel.

Matriarch Zilpah

The handmaid of Leah who became one of Jacob's wives. She bore Jacob two sons, Gad and Asher, playing a role in the genealogy of the tribes of Israel.

Covenant with Abraham

The promise made by God to Abraham, establishing the Israelites as his chosen people and promising them land and descendants.

1st Cutting of Covenant

The covenant ceremony described in Genesis 15, where God made a formal promise to Abraham. This involved Abraham dividing animals and God passing between the pieces, symbolizing a solemn oath regarding the land and Abraham's descendants.

2nd Cutting of Covenant

The covenant ceremony described in Genesis 17, where God reiterated promises to Abraham (now 99 years old), changed his and Sarai's names to Abraham and Sarah, and established circumcision as the everlasting physical sign of the covenant for all male descendants. God also specifically promised the birth of Isaac through Sarah.

Beautiful Wife Stories

a patriarch (Abraham or Isaac) presents his wife (Sarah or Rebekah) as his sister to a foreign ruler, typically out of fear for his own life. This often leads to complications and divine intervention to protect the wife.

Ishmael Meaning of Name

God will hear

Isaac Meaning of Name

Laughter

Jacob Meaning of Name

He grasps the heel (Born grabbing his brother Esau’s heel)

Israel Meaning of Name

He struggles with God or God contends

Levi (Tribe and Man)

Levi, meaning “joined” or “attached,” was a son of Jacob whose descendants, the Levites, were set apart after standing with God during the Golden Calf incident to serve as priests and temple workers in Israel, holding no land but a unique spiritual role as mediators and caretakers of worship.

Joseph (Symbols and Foreshadowing)

Joseph’s life is filled with powerful symbols—his coat, dreams, betrayal, and rise to power—that foreshadow his role as a suffering servant turned savior, mirroring themes of divine purpose, redemption, and reconciliation that echo through the story of Israel and beyond.

Family Conflict Stories

Family conflict stories are narratives that explore tensions, rivalries, and struggles within families, often highlighting themes of jealousy, betrayal, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

Cain killed his brother Abel out of jealousy.

• Ishmael and Isaac’s rivalry led to Hagar and Ishmael being sent away.

• Jacob tricked Esau out of his birthright and blessing, causing long-lasting tension.

• Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery because of their jealousy over their father’s favoritism.

• Leah and Rachel competed for Jacob’s love and to bear children, sparking rivalry between the sisters.

Joseph Story Main Theme

How faithfulness and forgiveness transform suffering and betrayal into redemption and divine providence.

Midwife Puah

courageous Hebrew midwife who defied Pharaoh’s orders to kill newborn Hebrew boys, helping to preserve the Israelite people.

Midwife Shiphrah

brave Hebrew midwife who secretly protected Israelite newborn boys by refusing Pharaoh’s command to kill them.

Liberation theology

a movement that interprets Christian faith through the lens of social justice, emphasizing God’s concern for the oppressed and the call to fight injustice and inequality.

Prophetic Call Narrative

describes the moment when God chooses and commissions an individual to serve as a prophet, often involving a divine encounter, a challenge, and a commissioning to deliver God’s message.

Theophany

a visible or dramatic manifestation of God to a human, revealing divine presence and power.

Crossing of Yam Suf

symbolizes God’s deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, representing liberation, salvation, and the beginning of a covenant relationship with God.

First Song in the Bible

Song of the Sea

Suzerain or Vassal Treaty

ancient political agreement in which a powerful ruler (suzerain) grants protection to a lesser ruler (vassal) in exchange for loyalty and obedience, often reflecting covenant structures in the Bible.

Sinai Covenant

the foundational agreement between God and the Israelites at Mount Sinai, in which God promises to be their God and they agree to follow His laws, especially the Ten Commandments, as His chosen people.

Ark of the Covenant

a sacred gold-covered chest built by the Israelites to hold the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, symbolizing God's presence, covenant, and guidance among His people. Sign of the covenant at Mt. Sinai

Covenant Code

a set of laws found in Exodus 20:22–23:33 that expands on the Ten Commandments, outlining social, civil, and religious obligations as part of Israel’s covenant with God.

Decalogue

also known as the Ten Commandments, is a foundational set of divine laws given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai, outlining essential moral and religious duties for the Israelites.

2 Tables of the Law

refer to the division of the Ten Commandments into two parts: the first focusing on humanity’s duties to God, and the second on duties to other people.

Golden Calf

an idol made by the Israelites during Moses’ absence on Mount Sinai, symbolizing their lapse into idolatry and disobedience, which led to God's anger and a renewal of the covenant.

Two Main Tribes from 2 Good Spies

Judah and Ephraim

Forty Years in the Wilderness

represent the period of testing, purification, and preparation for the Israelites before entering the Promised Land, due to their lack of faith and disobedience.

Moses’ Farewell Speech

Moses’ final address to the Israelites reminding them of God’s laws, urging faithfulness, and preparing them to enter the Promised Land without him.

Genre of Deuteronomy

primarily ancient covenant treaty, combining legal codes, speeches, and sermons that reinforce Israel’s covenant relationship with God.

Theme of Deuteronomy

the call for Israel to remain faithful to God’s covenant through obedience to His laws as they prepare to enter and live in the Promised Land.

Chiasm

a literary structure where ideas are presented and then repeated in reverse order to highlight central themes or create emphasis.

Exogamy

the social practice of marrying outside one’s own family, clan, or social group.

Endogamy 

the social practice of marrying within a specific family, clan, or social group.

Hagar

an Egyptian servant of Sarah who bore Abraham’s first son, Ishmael, and whose story highlights themes of survival, exile, and God’s care for the marginalized.

Ishmael

the son of Abraham and Hagar, is considered the ancestor of many Arab peoples and represents God's promise to bless and multiply those outside the covenant line through Isaac.

Interlude

a brief pause or break in a narrative or performance, often used to provide contrast or highlight a transition.

Novella

a short novel or long short story that focuses on a single plot, character, or theme, typically more concise than a full-length novel.

Dinah

the daughter of Jacob and Leah whose assault by Shechem led to violent revenge by her brothers, highlighting themes of family honor and justice.

Circumcision

a physical sign of the covenant between God and Abraham’s descendants, symbolizing their identity as God’s chosen people by cutting the end of your penis off the males.

Tamar

Judah’s daughter-in-law who, after being wronged by her husband’s family, courageously ensured her place in the lineage of Israel through a bold act of justice and persistence.

Shechem

a Canaanite city where Dinah was assaulted, sparking conflict with Jacob’s family, and later became a significant religious and political center for the Israelites where Abraham first built an altar.

Shema

a central declaration of Jewish faith from Deuteronomy 6:4, proclaiming the oneness of God and calling for total love and devotion to Him.

Miriam

the sister of Moses and Aaron who played a key role in leading the Israelites out of Egypt and is celebrated as a prophetess and leader in Israel’s early history.

!0th Plague

the death of all firstborn in Egypt, which ultimately compelled Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery.

Passover

celebration that honors God’s rescue of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery by sparing their homes during the final plague through the blood of a sacrificial lamb.