Biblical Israel I

1. The Tanakh2. The Torah:

– Definition– Fundamental elements– Origins (Who were the Israelites?)– God of the Torah

3. Text study: covenant

TaNaKH תנ"ך

T = TorahN = Nevi’im (Prophets)K = Ketuvim (Writings)

ת תורה

נ נביאים

כ)ך( כתובים

TORAH

• From the root meaning “teach,” “instruct” (old-fashioned translation: “The Law”)

• Five books (Humash = Pentateuch):1. Genesis Bereishit (“In the beginning”)2. Exodus Shemot (“These are the names”)3. Leviticus Va-yikra (“And God called”)4. Numbers Ba-midbar (“In the desert”)5. Deuteronomy Devarim (“These are the

words”)

Divisions within the Torah’s books

• Each book divided into sections or paragraphs (NOT chapter and verse!)

• Also divided into weekly readings (parshiyot, sing. parasha)

TORAH: many meanings

• The Pentateuch (5 Books of Moses or Humash)

• Specific instructions or laws within the Pentateuch e.g. Torat ha-kohanim = the instruction for the priests

• The Tanakh• The Tanakh and the Talmud• The entirety of Jewish sacred learning

Prophets / Nevi’im: 8 books

Former prophets (historical books):

JoshuaJudgesSamuel (I and II)Kings (I and II)

Later prophets (literary books):

IsaiahJeremiahEzekiel“The Twelve”Hosea, Joel, Amos,

Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

Writing / Ketuvim: 11 books

“The Books of Truth”PsalmsProverbsJob

“The Five Scrolls”Song of SongsRuthLamentationsEcclesiastesEsther

DanielEzra and NehemiahChronicles (I and II)

What is the Torah (Humash)?

• A book of divine instruction handed by God to Moses at Mt. Sinai

• The record of a people’s encounter with the divine

• A compendium of history, stories/legends, law, priestly regulations, prophecy, wisdom literature, and poetry that makes up the collective identity of a people

Putting it all together: a sacred narrative, providing a common ancestry and holy mission, and “forging a national identity” (Satlow 10)

What binds this nation together?

• ancestry • history • covenant

– unique mission– commandments from God (mitzvot)– land

West Asia to 1200 BCE

The Fertile Crescent

Ancient Israel

Confederation of tribes in Canaan (= Land of Israel / Palestine) (c.

12th c.)

Then a monarchy (11th c.) that splits into 2 kingdoms

(Judea and Israel) (10th c.)