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Hebrew Traditions

Jeffrey L. Richey, Ph.D.

GSTR 220-BWestern Traditions I

Berea College

Fall 2004

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BEFORE THE HEBREWS:ORIGINS OF CIVILIZATION

Human prehistory: c. 100,000 years before present to c. 3000 BCE

What is “civilization”?1. Urban-centered society2. Religious institutions3. Governmental structures4. Division of labor/class5. Literacy6. Large-scale architecture Six early sites of civilized

settlement known to scholars

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EARLIEST KNOWN WORLD CIVILIZATIONS

3100 BCE: Nile River Valley (Egypt)

3000 BCE: Tigris-Euphrates River Valley (Iraq, Turkey) – “Fertile Crescent”

3000 BCE: Indus River Valley (India, Pakistan)

2600 BCE: Supe River Valley (Peru) 2000 BCE: Yellow River Valley

(China) 2000 BCE: Caspian Sea Coast

(Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan)

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ORIGINS OF HEBREW CULTURE Hebrews = originally a nomadic,

pastoral people on periphery of much more powerful urban, agricultural societies (Sumerians, Egyptians, Hittites, Babylonians) in ancient Near East (southwestern Asia)

Around 1200 BCE, decline of Egyptian and Mesopotamian kingdoms enables small states – including the Hebrew kingdom of Israel – to arise and thrive

Kingdom of Israel (1020-722 BCE) traces its history back to Abraham, Hebrew native of Ur (southern Iraq) who settled in Canaan (Israel/Palestine), c. 1950 BCE

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ANCIENT HEBREW RELIGION Earliest Israelite religion is

polytheistic, worshiping multiple deities, including god El (or Elohim) or Yahweh and goddess Asherah

Later Israelite religion is henotheistic, recognizing many deities while worshiping only one, Yahweh: “Yahweh is the great god, the great king above all gods.” (Psalm 95:3)

The emergence of the Israelite monarchy parallels development of strict monotheism: “I am Yahweh, and there is no other; besides me there is no god.” (Isaiah 45:5)

Contrasts between religion in Israel and elsewhere in ancient Near East:

1. Strong creator-creation distinction (Yahweh = transcendent, autonomous)

2. Prohibition of images of divine3. Monotheism4. Unique relationship between deity

(Yahweh) and nation (Israel) Continuities between Israelite and

other ancient Near Eastern religion:1. Theme of divine order versus chaos2. Belief in personal afterlife3. Lack of body-soul dualism

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TIMELINE OF HEBREW HISTORY 1020 BCE: Saul becomes king of Israel 1000 BCE: David becomes king of Israel 950 BCE: David’s son and successor,

Solomon, builds Temple in Jerusalem, which becomes sacred center of Israelite religion and political power

922 BCE: Kingdom of Israel splits 722 BCE: Northern half conquered by

Assyrian Empire 586 BCE: Southern half conquered by

Babylonian Empire – Hebrews exiled to Babylon, Temple destroyed

539 BCE: Persians conquer Babylon, exiles return home, Temple rebuilt, Israel restored

During and after exile, “Yahwist” sect gains power and gradually eliminates previous polytheistic and henotheistic traditions

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THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HEBREW BIBLE

What Christians call the “Old Testament” (Hebrew Bible) is a collection of Hebrew texts (biblia = books) that developed both orally and textually over a long period of time (c. 1000 BCE-100 CE):

1. Torah (law) = Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

2. Nevi’im (prophets) = Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the Twelve (Hosea, Joel, et al)

3. Ketubim (writings) = Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Five Scrolls (Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, et al), Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, 1 & 2 Chronicles

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THEMES IN HEBREW BIBLE Covenants: 1. Noah and Yahweh (Genesis 9) –

Yahweh’s pledge never to destroy all life by flood again

2. Abraham and Yahweh (Genesis 17) – Yahweh’s promise of land to Abraham and his descendants

3. Moses and Yahweh (Deuteronomy 30) – Yahweh’s vow to reward or punish Hebrews based on their obedience

4. David and Yahweh (2 Samuel 7) – Yahweh’s commitment to unbroken succession of David’s royal lineage

Laws (moral, ritual, social)

Prophets:1. Less predictors of future than critics of past

and present

2. Preach necessity of exclusive worship of, and obedience to, Yahweh

3. Interpret misfortune as Yahweh’s punishment for violating covenant

4. Predict appearance of Messiah (“Anointed One”), human being chosen by Yahweh to restore David’s royal lineage and the kingdom of Israel

5. Question centrality of Temple in Hebrew relationship with Yahweh

6. Advocate for the poor and powerless against forces of oppression and violence

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CREATOR AND CREATION IN HEBREW TRADITIONS

Two accounts in Genesis:1. “Priestly” account (1:1-2:4) –male and

female humans created simultaneously; reference to ritual institution of Sabbath

2. “Yahwist” account (2:4-25) – male human precedes female human; reference to social institution of marriage

Later developments:1. End of time as new creation (Isaiah

65:17)2. Wisdom (hokmâ), a female entity, as

preceding and assisting Yahweh’s creation of world (Proverbs 8:22-31)

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