Hebrew Lecture Notes

Hebrew - Geography

What was the traditional home of the Hebrew?

100-mile wide coastal plane
Currently controlled by Syria, Palestine, and Israel

What is the climate of the area?

Mild Mediterranean climate
Similar to Southern California
Regular winter rains
Dry summers
Inland = desert
"Land of milk and honey"


Hebrews - Social Structure

Who is Jewish?

Judaism - people of Judea
Set of beliefs, practices and ethics based on Torah
Can be Jewish and not practice Judaism
Can practice Judaism and not be Jewish

If your mother is Jewish, you are Jewish

Do Jewish people look a certain way?

No, 14,000,000 Jew in world
6,000,000 in USA
5,000,000 in Israel
From Africa to Russia

Do all Jews follow their religion in the same way?

No, Orthodox - Torah is word of God, resist world's distractions, no pants for women
Reform - largest number in world, base behavior on laws plus conscious
Conservative - follow more laws than Reform, less rigid than Orthodox
Secular - focus on Jewish culture while minimizing religion

How might Jews live differently than Gentiles?

613 commandments
Demands on women less because of child rearing responsibilities
Dietary laws - Kosher = very complex
No pigs, rabbit, religious butchers, no
No shellfish, clams,
Can't mix mild and flesh (no cheese burgers)
Need two sets of dishes, pots, and utensils
Ritual cleaning
E.g., 7 days after end of bleeding need purifying bath
Men won't touch woman during period, won't touch unknown women
No tattoos

Adopt local culture while keeping basic religion

Mezuzah on doorpost with scripture inside, touch with fingers as pass by

Shabbat - every Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, no work, connect with God
Most important holiday of year


Hebrew - Political System

Who was the father of the Hebrew people?

Story found in Genesis in the Bible
Abram lived in Ur (southern Mesopotamia) at time of Hammurabi
Around 2000 to 1700 BCE
Everyone else polytheist (believes in many gods)
Abram monotheistic (believed in one God)
At 75 years old, God tells him to go to Canaan (Israel) to become father of great nation
God changes names to Abraham (Father of Multitudes) and Sarah

Why have Jews always thought the land of Israel belongs to them?

Abraham heard God say that God would give the land to Abram's children

Who were the leaders after Abraham?
Two sons:
Ishmael (Father of Arab people)

Isaac (who married Rebecca) (Father of Jewish People and Christian People)
Twin sons Esau (1st born) and Jacob (steals blessing and inheritance)

Jacob flees Esau's threats, dreams of ladder to heaven
Changes name to Israel
Has twelve sons - second youngest is Joseph with multicolored coat


What happened to the Jews after Abraham?

About 1700 BCE Hebrew went to Egypt looking for food and work
Joseph (son of Jacob) served Pharaoh
About 1500 BCE Hebrews enslaved during Egyptian New Kingdom
About 1225 BCE Moses led Hebrew out of Egypt
Across Red Sea to Sinai Wilderness
40 years wandering in desert
Receives 10 Commandments
About 1200 BCE Joshua led survivors across Jordon River into Canaan (Palestine)

What happened to the twelve tribes of Israel?

10 tribes settle in north, 721 conquered by Assyrians, sold into slavery and vanish
2 tribes settle in south
Conquered by Babylonians 586 BCE
Persians let Jews return to Jerusalem 539 BCE
Conquered by Romans (rename area Palestine)




Hebrews - Religion

How did the Hebrew's belief in God change over time?

2000 - 1250 BCE Pre-Moses
Animism - worship spirits dwelling in rocks, trees, sacred places, polytheistic

1250-800 BCE Henotheism - worshipped their god exclusively but acknowledged that there were other gods

800-600 BCE absolute monotheism, God demanded followers to live by covenant (agreements) God is good but jealous and demands obedience
Many names for God (Yahweh), some unwritten (G_d), some unspeakable

What is essence of faith?

God made a covenant (agreement) with Abraham and his descendants
"I will be your God, you will be my people."

History represents struggle to fulfill God's plan. In this struggle, man possesses free will
People chose to obey or disobey God's laws

Where is the Hebrew religion written down?

Scripture written 1200 - 200 BCE
39 books of Hebrew Bible
Don't call it the Old Testament (a Christian term, 2/3 of Christian Bible)
Torah = 5 books (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy)
Tells origin of Hebrews up to escape from Egypt
Plus commentaries
Plus oral traditions

What was their unique contribution?

Monotheism - only one God
God isn't a natural force
God put people on Earth to test their character
God created and sustains the universe
God is ethical and expects people to act justly and with compassion toward others


Hebrew - Politics
Solomon

Kings - Saul 1020 BCE
David 961 BCE
Solomon
Autocratically (controlling) but benevolently (good at heart)
Lots of public building projects
Temple and palace on summit of Jerusalem
To pay for it, each month 30,000 Hebrew conscripts sent to work in Tyre mines
700 wives, 300 concubines
Solomon's son = Rehoboam, was designated next king but not accepted by some so kingdom split apart
After 922 Palestine divided into two Hebrew states
Israel = 10 tribes, richest
Judah = 2 tribes, poorer, more pastoral and agricultural

722 Assyrians conquered Israel
Nothing known of what became of the Jewish population (Lost Tribes of Israel)
Judah lasted until about 586 BCE when new Babylonians (Chaldeans) invaded
King Nebuchadnezzer ordered several thousand transported to Babylon (Babylonian Captives)
As advisors and slaves
King Neb. Converted (Book of Daniel)

About 539 BCE Persians invaded/conquered and released slaved to Palestine
325 BCE Alexander the Great conquered, Greek control until 63 BCE
About 63 BCE Romans controlled
About 70 BCE Jew revolted, Romans quashed and ordered Jew dispersed (The Diaspora)



Hebrew - Politics
David



Saul, David's father-in-law was king of recently unified Hebrew tribes
Saul led revolt against Philistine overlords (who had been expelled from Egypt about 100 BCE by Ramses III and had iron weapons and so controlled the Hebrews)

Saul's rein was unhappy one
Armies failed to defeat Philistines
Authority challenged by Samuel (one of last great judges)
Saul dies and David of Bethlehem assumes command of 12 tribes of Israel about 1000-961 BCE
David vanquished Philistines
Establishes Hebrew capital in Jerusalem
His own son, Absolom, unsuccessfully leads a revolt against David
Succeeded by his son Solomon

Hebrews - Politics
David and Goliath

David was the youngest of the eight sons of Jesse. The family lived in Bethlehem, a few miles south of Jerusalem. David took care of his father's sheep in the pasture fields around Bethlehem. He stayed with the sheep day and night, wrapping himself at night in a thick, warm blanket that his mother had woven from the sheep's fluffy gray wool.

Sometimes wild animals would try to steal and eat the young lambs. David was strong and brave and fought the wild animals to rescue the sheep. Once he killed a lion that was stealing a sheep. Another time he killed a bear that was carrying away a lamb. Living in the fields with the animals in his care made David strong and fearless.

In the long evenings before the flickering yellow firelight he played his harp and sang songs that he made up as he watched over his sleeping animals.

David's three oldest brothers were soldiers in the army of King Saul. The country was in a desperate battle against the great armies of the Philistines. The Philistines lived in the country south of David's country, and they had many giants who lived in their country. One of the tallest and strongest of the giants was named Goliath, and Goliath had four brothers who also were giants.

Every day and evening for forty days Goliath would stalk to the cliff of the hill upon which the Philistine armies were camped and call across the valley to the hill where King Saul's army were staying.

Goliath yelled, "Choose a man from among you to come fight me. If he can kill me the Philistines will be your servants. If I kill him all of you will become servants of the Philistines."

This thundering giant of a man who was 9 and 3/4 feet tall struck fear into the hearts of King Saul's soldiers. Everyone was terrified of fighting this giant.

One day Jesse gathered bread, wheat, and cheeses into a sack and said to David, "Take this bundle of food to your brothers on the battlefront so that they may have good country food to eat."

When David arrived at King Saul's camp on the hill overlooking the valley below the philistines' camp on the opposite hill David heard Goliath yelling across the valley to the terrified soldiers of Israel.
David went before King Saul and said, "I will go against the giant."

King Saul answered, "You are not able to go against this Philistine, for you are a young man, and this giant has been a trained soldier all of his life."

David replied, "I used to keep my father's sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock I went after it and delivered the lamb from the mouth and killed the lion or the bear.

Since no other soldier was willing to fight the giant Goliath, King Saul decided to allow David to fight the giant. King Saul took off his heavy iron coat and helmet and dressed David in them. But he armor was too heavy for David. He took off the Armour and carried with him only his sling. She stopped at the stream in the valley and gathered five smooth brook stones and placed them in his shepherd's pouch.

David placed one of the smooth stone in his sling, drew back his hand, and slung the stone quickly straight into the forehead of the giant. The giant fell face down onto the ground. David quickly ran to his form, grasped the giant's sword from its sheath, stabbed the giant with the sword and then cut off the giant's head.

All of the Philistine soldiers ran away in a panic, the soldiers of King Saul chasing them. After all of the Philistines had fled the soldiers plundered their tents, carrying away all the valuables belonging to the Philistines had left behind.

After King Saul died the people made David their king. From David's line of children and grandchildren Jesus Christ was born many years later. David is remembered most all, not just that he killed the giant Goliath with a sling and stone, but because Jesus was known as the "Son of David".


Hebrews - Daniel in the Lion's Den

600 BCE
In Persia, King Darius put Daniel in a position of responsibility in charge of many people
He became the best but that cause other leaders to become jealous
Other leaders convinced Darius to sign a law punishing anyone that worships any god (other than the king himself) for more than 30 days
They saw Daniel praying and delivered him to King Darius
Darius was very unhappy but forced to throw Daniel into a den of hungry lions
In the morning, they rolled back the stone and there was Daniel completely unhurt.
Daniel said an angel closed the lion's mouths.
King Darius removed Daniel and tossed in the accusers and their wives and children. Before they hit the bottom of the den the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces
Darius sent decree through his land that the God of Daniel was the living god and was to be worshipped.



Esther and Mordecai

482 BCE
Esther = Jewess taken as wife of King Ahasuerus, Persian King
She brought her uncle Mordecai into the palace as an advisor
Mordecai overheard a plot to kill the king.
Reported it to Queen Esther who reported it to the king
Esther gave the credit to Mordecai. Two men were hung

King appointed Haman as Prime Minister
Everyone required to bow down (except the king)
Mordecai wouldn't bow down because he was Jewish
Haman was furious and decided to destroy all Jews
To determine when to do it Haman tossed dice to fix the date
Haman presented his idea to the king
"There are a people living in your provinces that don't follow your rules.
I propose we kill them all.
King agreed
Haman sent proclamation to all the territories saying all Jews, men, women, and children were to be killed and their property was to be given to the person that did the
Haman sat down to a drinking spree as the city fell into confusion and panic

Mordecai went to the palace gate and sent word to Queen Esther to plead to the king for the lives of the Jews.
Esther said she couldn't go to the king.
The king kills anyone that appears before him that he doesn't point his scepter toward.
Mordecai sent word that she wouldn't be safe in the palace and God would curse her
Esther said, after three days of fasting, she'd give it a try
Esther went to the king and was warmly welcomed.
The king asked Esther what she wanted.
Instead of coming right out and begging for the lives of the Jews she invited the king and Haman to her banquet.

They came and enjoyed the evening. Again the king asked what she wanted.
She said they were to come to a banquet the next day.
Haman went home and bragged to his family of the invitations and also complained that he'd again seen Mordecai and Mordecai didn't bow down.
Haman's family recommended Haman build a 75' gallows to hang Mordecai
Haman went to the palace to ask the hang Mordecai
Poor Timing
That night the king had trouble sleeping and asked scribes to read back recent historical record.
They came to the part where Mordecai saved the king by exposing the assassination plot
King asked, "Did we ever reward Mordecai?"
Scribes, "No."
King, "Who is on duty now?"
Scribes, "Here comes Haman to see you."
The King said to Haman, "What should I do to honor a man who truly pleases me?"
Haman assumes king is talking about Haman.
Haman answers," Dress him in your royal robe, put him on your royal horse.
Give him your crown and scepter and have one of the king's most noble princes lead him through the streets shouting 'This is the way the king honors those who truly please him!'"
King, "Excellent, Hurry and do it."
Haman had to lead Mordecai through the streets
Mordecai returned to his job
Haman hurried home utterly humiliated

Time for Ester's second banquet for the king and Haman
King asks what Ester wants
Ester," Save my life and lives of my people or we will be destroyed."
King, "Who would dare touch you?"
Ester, "This wicked Haman is our enemy."
Haman knew he was doomed

King hung Haman from Haman's own 75' gallows
King gave Haman's estate to Esther
King then called Mordecai and made him Prime Minister by giving him the ring of authority worn by Haman
Mordecai now in charge of Haman's estate
Esther then begged king to rescind Haman's order and king does, saying Jews could defend themselves
Great celebrations across the land from India to Ethiopia
Some people pretended to be Jews for fear the Jews would retaliate
Well, the day designated for the Jew's destruction February 28, came and everyone was afraid to attack the Jews
Jew attacked their enemies
Hung Haman's ten sons
Over the next two day, killed 75,000 enemies but didn't take their property
The next day they celebrated and feasted
Mordecai wrote a history and encouraged an annual holiday
When Jew saved from enemy
Sorrow turned to gladness
Mourning into happiness
Since the date of the destruction was determined by the throw of the die it is call the Feat of Purim
Pur = "throwing dice" in Persian

Ruth and Naomi

Story of loyalty and how society was run
About 1100 BCE
Naomi and two sons went with her husband from Bethlehem to Moab because of famine
Husband died
Two sons married local s
Both sons died
Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem to live with relatives because famine is over in Bethlehem
Widows normally marry brothers of husband
Naomi is too old to remarry and have more sons (and would s wait for the boys to grow up to marry them?)
One daughter-in-law returns to her family
The other daughter-in-law, Ruth, stays with Naomi and both travel to Bethlehem
"Don't make me leave you, for I want to go wherever you go and live wherever you life; your people shall be my people, and your God shall be my God; I shall die where you die, and be buried there

Upon arrival, Naomi changed her name (Naomi = pleasant) to Mara (means bitter)
They arrive at beginning of barley harvest
Naomi and Ruth went to a field to glean behind the reapers.
By chance they went to the field of Boaz, a relative of Naomi's husband
Boaz talked to Ruth and liked her and told her to continue gleaning his field
He told his men not to bother her and for her to help herself to their water
Ruth, "How can you be so kind to me: You must know I am only a foreigner."
Boaz, "Yes, I know and I also know about all the love and kindness you have shown your mother-in-law."
Ruth even ate lunch with Boaz's workers
Boaz told his workers to snap off some heads for Ruth to pick-up but to not mention it to Ruth.
After working in the field's all day she had a bushel and went to Naomi and also shared her lunch of leftovers.
Naomi was thrilled and encouraged her to continue working that field
Ruth stayed through the barley harvest and through the wheat harvest.

Naomi tries to arrange a new husband for Ruth (she has her eye on Boaz)
Boaz will be at the threshing floor
Ruth is to bathe and perfume and put on nice clothes and sleep at Boaz' feet
Boaz is startled
Ruth asks if Boaz will make her his wife since he is her closest relative
Boaz respects Ruth even more
Boaz is older but Ruth is following Naomi's advice
Boaz says he'll first ask a man that is actually a closer relative
Relatives says no because her son would inherit his property also
"In those days it was the custom in Israel for a man transferring a right to purchase (land) to pull off his sandal and hand it to the other party; this publicly validated the transaction
Boaz," You (witnesses) have seen today that I purchase Naomi's husband's land and that with it I have purchased Ruth the Moabitess to be my wife
Boaz marries Ruth
They have a son
Naomi took care of the baby
Baby = grandfather of King David

Joseph and the Multi-colored Coat

Jacob = dad
In Canaan
Joseph 17 years old
Shepherding with brothers
Best loved son, youngest
Gift from father of multicolored robe with long sleeves
Brothers jealous of Joseph since he was most loved
Joseph told brothers his dream
My sheaves of grain stood up and your sheaves bowed down before it
Brothers got mad and d him more
Another dream = sun, moon and 11 stars bowed down to me
Even dad got mad, "Shall your mother and I bow down to you?"

Brother had taken flocks a long way to pasture.
Israel sent Joseph after them to see that all was well
Brothers conspired to kill Joseph and throw his body in a dry well
Reuben said not to kill him but to just throw him in the pit (Reuben was going to rescue him later).
Joseph was attacked, his coast was stripped off and he was thrown into the pit

Brothers eating a meal when caravan of Ishmaelite from Gilead to Egypt
Camels carrying gum, balm, myrrh
Pull Joseph out of the well
Sold him for 20 shekels of silver
Reuben came back to the pit and saw Joseph was gone and was distraught,
"He 's gone, what of me? Where shall I go?"

Brothers killed a goat and dipped Joseph's torn coat in the
Returned to their father Israel
"Look what we have found. Wild animals have eaten Joseph. Israel believed them and went into mourning many days for his youngest son. His prized son, "the son of his old age."

Joseph was successful in slavery and was put in charge as the overseer of his owner's household and fields
Joseph was handsome and the Egyptian's wife said come with me a let's fool around.
Joseph said no way. Your husband has put me in a position of trust and responsibility.
She was after Joseph for days and days but he always refused.
One day Joseph went to the house to do a job and only she was there.
She was all over him and he had to flee, leaving his shirt in her grasp.
When her husband returned she showed him the shirt and said Joseph attacked her.
She said she fought him off but he left his shirt behind
Egyptian owner had Joseph thrown into prison.

In prison Joseph again did well and was again put into a position of responsibility and trust over other prisoners
One day the Pharaoh's head butler and head baker were tossed into prison for offending the pharaoh.
Joseph was put in charge of them. One night the butler and baker had disturbing dreams.
Dreams were seen as important and they were disturbed that there was no one to interpret their dreams and tell them the meaning
Joseph asked what the dreams were
Butlers dream: grape vine with three branches. It buds, flowers and produces grapes
I crush the grapes into a cup and put the cu into the Pharaoh's hand
Joseph: In three days you'll be restored to your position as chief butler and give the Pharaoh his wine cup.
Joseph adds, "Remember me to the Pharaoh and get me out of this prison."

Baker's dream: Three bread baskets on my head.
The top basket is full of baked goods but birds are eating out of the basket
Joseph: In three days, the Pharaoh will hang you from a tree and birds will eat your flesh.
Both predictions came true but the butler forget about rescuing Joseph

Two years later the Pharaoh dreams of seven healthy, fat cattle coming out of the Nile
Being devoured by seven skinny cattle that came out of the Nile
Seven plump ears of corn are devoured by seven shriveled and blighted ears of corn
Pharaoh called wise men but nobody could interpret the dream
Butler remembers Joseph as a dream interpreter
Pharaoh sent for Joseph. Joseph gets cleaned up and appears before the Pharaoh.
Pharaoh recounted his dreams
Seven health cows eaten by seven starving cows
Seven plump corns eaten by seven withered corns
Pharaoh said, "I have heard you can interpret dreams."
Joseph, "It is not in me. God will give your answer.
The dreams mean seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine
Joseph's advice "set aside 1/5th of all produce during the seven good years as reserve for famine years
Joseph put in charge of the effort (about 30 years old at the time)
Stored up grain until it was like sand of the sea and was immeasurable
Famine came and only Egypt had plenty of food
"All the Earth came to Egypt to buy grain"
Egypt became even more wealthy since they charged twice the usual amount for grain

Jacob heard of the food and sent ten sons to Egypt to buy grain
Kept his youngest son at home, no longer trusted to older sons

Joseph recognized brothers but they didn't recognize Joseph
Joseph used an interpreter to communicate
Joseph accused them of being spies. Holds 9 as hostage and sends one back to retrieve the youngest brother

On third day in prison, Joseph took one hostage (Simon) and sent the others back with the needed grain,
Didn't charge them with spying
They made it home and told Jacob of all that had happened

Jacob wouldn't let youngest, Benjamin, go to Egypt thinking the hostage, Simon, was and they'd kill
Benjamin

Reuben offered to take care of Benjamin and, if he, Benjamin, and Simon didn't return then Jacob could kill Reuben's two sons
Jacob wouldn't agree to it,
The grain was eaten up
Jacob had to agree to buy more grain from Egypt
The brothers returned to Egypt and were taken to Joseph's house, which worried them.
They talked to the house's steward, Are we going to be sold into slavery?
Last time we found our money returned to us."
Steward said, "Don't worry. Your god returned your money."Joseph fed them and sold them more grain
He returned the money into the bags of grain like last time
Also hid a silver cup in the grain bad of Benjamin, the youngest
Let the brothers leave but sent soldiers after them and accused them of stealing
Brothers denied it
Bags searched, oldest to youngest, cup found in Benjamin's bag
They all go back to Joseph
Joseph plans on keeping Benjamin
Brothers say their father, Jacob, will die of sorrow if Benjamin not with them on their return
Judah tries to trade places with Benjamin
Joseph reveals himself, tears and hugs all around
Sends for father and other relatives to come to Egypt
70 come
Arrive in Egypt and presented to the pharaoh.
Given land for grazing their herds
Famine continues - Hebrew sell money cattle, land, themselves for food
Jacob lived another 17 years in Egypt.