Lecture3 hebrewsedited
- 1. Lecture 3: The Hebrews and the Emergence of Monotheism
- 2. Hebrew Origins First appeared in Mesopotamia Patriarch Abraham, Isaac, Jacob 1900 - 1500 BCE: migrate to Canaan + Egypt Descendants of Abraham: Israelites Hyksos expelled - Hebrews enslaved by Egyptian Kings until 1250 BCE Moses: exodus to Sinai peninsula
- 3. Settlement in Canaan 11 th century BCE: confederation of 12 tribes conquer Canaan Threats from Philistines Tribes united under Saul, first King of Israelites (1020-1000 BCE) Succeeded by King David, popular warrior in court of Saul
- 4. Reign of King David (1000 – 962 BCE) United Israel + Judah into 1 kingdom: Israel Royal court, centralized political bureaucracy of priestly leaders, professional soldiers, administrators, scribes Standing army + military strength Economic progress: trade Semi-nomadic herders into land of villages, farmers, artisans Ended federation of tribes Capital city of Jerusalem, center of cult of Yahweh
- 5. Reign of King Solomon (962 – 922 BCE) Royal power grew, more elaborate bureaucracy Worship of Yahweh continues Domestic + international trade Reduced role of military: diplomacy Wives + concubines Taxes + forced labor: massive building projects
- 6. Temple of Jerusalem Success of King Solomon’s reign Religious center of Hebrew worship Ark of the Covenant Not place of public worship
- 7. Destruction of Israelite Kingdom 922 BCE: Israel split in 2 kingdoms: Israel + Judah. 721 BCE : Assyrians destroy Israel; 30,000 Israelites deported to Mesopotamia.
- 8. Kingdom of Judah, 721 – 587 BCE Reign of Ahaz (743-727 BCE) Judah’s vassaldom to Assyria Abandoned worship of Yahweh for Ba’al Reign of Hezekiah (727-698 BCE): Submission to Assyria Demographic growth Abolished “local sanctuaries” Growth of Hebrew unity and identity
- 9. Reign of King Josiah (640-609 BCE) Religious reform + renewal of covenant Ideal Davidic King ( Kings ) “Book of law” (Deuteronomy): religious reform. Result: 1. Purged non-Israelite forms of worship 2.Outlawed worship of local shrines
- 10. Developments in Hebrew Religion: Prophetic Revolution (800-600 BCE) Social injustice + moral decay of landowners and kings: call for justice to avert divine punishment Prophets of 8th + 7 th C BCE: reinvented/reoriented Yahweh religion - Isaiah, Elijah, Samuel, Amos, Hosea, Micah.
- 11. Innovations of the Prophets Monotheism Yahweh as one + only god of universe. Monotheistic religion dated no earlier than prophetic revolution. Before this, Monolatrous Ethics Re-centered religion around ethics, away from cultic rules + ritual.
- 12. Problems of Israelite Kingship Kingship: arises with external pressures Hebrew Monarchy: conflict between Yahweh and Kings. Act of disobedience Saul is disobedient: sets pattern for the rest Major channel for foreign influence to seep into Israelite life.
- 13. What was criticized? Brutality of war Economic oppression of poor Syncretism of cult of Yahweh with Baalism Involvement in international politics
- 14. Quotes from Isaiah Example 1: Isaiah 5.8, 20, 23, 25 “ Ah, you who join house to house, who add field to field, Until there is room for no one but you…. Ah, you who call evil good and good evil…. Who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of their rights!.... Therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people” Example 2: Isaiah 1.12-17 “ Trample my courts no more; bringing offerings is futile…. When you stretch out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; Cease to do evil, learn to do good; Seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow
- 15. Image: Northern French miniature of 1278 shows King Solomon reading his copy of the Torah, as laid down by Deuteronomy “ One from among the brethren shalt thou set king over thee….and it shall be when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book…and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, and to do them; that his heart not be lifted up above his brethren” (Deut 17.15)
- 16. The Babylonian Exile of 586-538 BCE : 586 BCE : Babylonians (under King Nebuchadnezzar) destroy Judah, then conquer Jerusalem. 20,000 Israelites deported to Babylonia Primary challenge of exile: lack of organized public worship Psalm 137.1-4 “ By the rivers of Babylon- there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung our harps. For there our captors asked us for songs, and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying, “ Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” How could we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?”
- 17. Developments in Hebrew Religion: Post-Exilic Revolution Period of exile: despair + reform Theology of Salvation: Babylonian captivity as God's punishment for violation of divine laws Ezekiel + Isaiah: Israelites will reunite again + unified Davidic kingdom will be re-established.
- 18. Second Temple Period 538 BCE: Cyrus, King of Persia - Hebrews return to Jerusalem. 515 BCE: Second Temple built in Jerusalem. Religious practices organized + regulated under Ezra the Scribe. Restored temple = center of religious life for 500 years The Hebrew Bible (“Old Testament” to Christians) began to take shape
- 19. Jewish Law 10 Commandments - code of moral imperatives. Violation = broken covenant + destruction of Hebrew nation Law of the Torah: directly from God Law as science of behavior New value of the individual, i.e. highest value not to property, but life Morality over ritual
- 20. The Covenant Abraham's covenant: descendants will be given the promised land of Canaan "for an everlasting possession," in which to dwell (Gen. 15:17-21 and 17:7-8). Exodus 19:5: “Now therefore, if ye will hearken unto My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be Mine own treasure from all peoples; for all the earth is Mine; and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation."
- 21. Innovations in Hebrew Religion (after exile, 538 BCE) Before Evil: human actions No Eschatology/ Apocalypticism No extensive mention of “messiah” Afterlife: House of Dust (Sheol). After Dualism Eschatology + Apocalypticism Messianism: Deliverer "messiah," or "anointed one." Afterlife. Good rewarded, evil punished in next life
- 22. Hebrew vs. Egyptian and Mesopotamian Religions Monotheism God as fully sovereign God not created – eternal Transcendent – above nature, not part of nature. No worship of idols: God unrepresentable No ultimate loyalty to kings Importance of individual
- 23. Lecture 3: What do you need to know? General Characteristics of Hebrew Religion Characteristics of reign of King Solomon, King David, King Hezekiah, and King Josiah Prophetic Revolution: What caused it? What were the central innovations? Israelite Kingship: Why did some resist and criticize? Post-exile: Developments of Hebrew Religion