scripture vocab

Bible

collection of stories about groups' relationships with God

Inspired by God/Writing

explanation of what God has revealed to them

Religious Truth

what a tradition holds to be true (belief)

Torah/Pentateuch

The first five books of the Bible

Patriarch

male head of a family or tribe

Matriarch

female head of a family or tribe

Covenant

Agreement between God and his people

Hebrew Scripture

Old Testament

Christian Scripture

New Testament

Eden

The name of the garden in which God placed Adam and Eve.

Redaction Criticism

edits made to the text after intial writing

BCE and CE

Before Common Era/Common Era

Ark

The vessel built by Noah to save his family and the animals from the Flood

Flood

how God wiped out the evil people in the world; promised that it would never happen again

Mt. Ararat

where Noah's ark ended up at

original justice

state of grace Adam and Eve are born in

original sin

sin of Adam and Eve (now we are all born with sin)

Voluntary sin

chosen to do

jealousy in Adam and Eve's story

Cain killed Abel

Enuma Elish

creation story written by Israelites while under Babylonian captivity

Epic of Gilgamesh

Babylonian story of the Flood

Meditteranean Sea

body of water to the north of Egypt

Ur

where Abraham started his journey

Chaldeans

people of Ur

Haran

place along the Euphrates where Abraham settled before Canaan

Canaanites

people occupying the land bordering the Mediterranean and north of Egypt

Concubine

a woman who lives with a man but has lower status than his wife or wives (Hagar)

Code of Hammurabi

law code that greatly impacted all Near Eastern law codes after

Patriarchal Period

2000-1500 BCE with descendants of Abraham as leaders

Anscestor

A relative who lived in the past

Descendants

continued generations after you

nomadic/nomads

people who migrate where they live based on food, water, and work supply

Hebrew people

descendants of Abraham before the Exodus

Sodom

where Lot settled, destroyed

Shechem

where Abraham passed through

Called by God

chosen by God to follow Him

Pharaoh

ruler of Ancient Egypt

Birth Rite

inheritance to the oldest son

Blessing

given once to the oldest son passed down by the father

Burnt Offering

an offering burned on an altar as a religious sacrifice

Sheckel

silver coin

Barren women

the child will be important

Hospitality

human decency towards others, expected during ancient times

circumcision

removal of foreskin (showed covenant)

Creation/Creator

God created the world in 7 days

Creationism

Belief that all life was created by God.

Famine

extreme scarcity of food

Genesis

beginning; origin

Israel & Canaan

Jacob's new name; promised land of Hebrew people

Tower of Babel

oral tradition

stories passed down verbally, not written down

Egypt

where the Hebrews were opressed

Midwife

women who help give birth to babies; ordered to kill all newborns by Pharaoh

Assimilation

picking up culture after diaspora

Midian

where Moses fled after killing an Egyptian

Burning Bush

where Moses was called to return to Egypt by God

Mt. Sinai (Horeb)

where Moses was given the 10 commandments; where Moses saw the burning bush

Plague

10 terrible events taking place to convince Pharaoh to let the Hebrews go

pestilence

fatal disease

Boils

6th plague skin infection

Consecration of first born

offering up first born to God to thank Him for leading them out of oppression

Passover

when God passed over the Hebrew houses during the 10th plague; still celebrated

Memorial Feast

Jewish celebrations (ex. Passover)

unleavened bread

bread without yeast that the Hebrews ate

Redeemed

to save; to rescue; to make good

atone (Day of Atonement)

day to confess sins

Exodus

to migrate out of

oppression

prolonged cruel or unjust treatment

Restitution

pay back amount of damage

Sabbath Day

day of rest

Acacia Wood

dense wood that water and insects won't affect

Menorah

Jewish candelabrum in the tent

Ark of the Covenant

contained 10 commandments and Joseph's bones; gold box carried with poles

Vestments

sacred clothes worn by priests (signifies respect and importance)

Ephod

apron-like vestment

Breastplate

center of ephod with 12 stones (12 tribes)

idolatry

worship of idols

manna

bread from God to be consumed each day by Israelites

Leviticus

laws

Laity

non priests

Yom Kippur

Jewish Day of Atonement

Grain offering

gift to God consisting of bran flour, oil, frankincense, salt, and unleavened wafers

reparation

compensation

Sabbatical year

after six years of work, seventh is a year of rest

Jubilee year

7 weeks, 7 years, 7 times -> 50th year is a jubilee

numbers

census

Nazarite

person dedicated to God who abstains from grape prducts, cutting hair, and does not go near dead people

Fiery cloud

how the Israelites were guided during the night

Elders

helped Moses make law decisions; witnessed agreements (Ruth)

Leprosy

skin disease; Miriam had it after upsetting God

Deuteronomy

second telling of laws

Deuteronomist

group of people who wrote Deuteronomy

Priest

decide if something is good or bad in the eyes of God (sacred or profane)

Judges

helped Moses with cases; officiated laws

Prophets

sent by God to be His voice

King

protect kingdom from battle

Kosher Laws

Jewish dietary laws

Deuteronomy: animals must chew their cud; must have cloven hooves

Pottery

ceramic pots that show what food was consumed in history

Pagan

non-Israelite