israel's indigionus independence and the philistine curse

7/28/2019 Israel's Indigionus Independence and the Philistine Curse

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Israel's Indigenous Independence and the Philistine Curse

After the post war miracles of 1948 and the establishment of the modern State of Israel, the

remnant of three ancient deals continued to affect the nation. Today they are manifest in Gaza -

the strip of land that accommodates a people who diminish Israel from its own territory and the

capitulation to desire by Jewish people who succumb to other national identities.

The indigenous rights of Israelis are established, recorded through Judaism and Jewish

practices from the descendants of Abraham. No other nation possesses such a record or the

rights that emanate from it, no other people can argue continuity or prove their lineage through it.

The realization and recognition of Israels tribal heritage rights through pacts and deals that date

back almost 4000 years must not be relegated by the symbolism of modern Zionism.

Three deals made by Avraham, Yitzchak and David delayed the realization of Zion as a

permanent place of peace for Jewish people, of Jerusalem and the complete conquest of the

land of Israel. During Davids conquest he shattered the long held inter-nation tribal deals that

upheld the honor of Avraham and Yitzchak in the eyes of non Israelite tribes, but he was blinded

in the process.

Avimelech - Father King of the Plishtim (Philistines), descendants of Noah's son Ham, realized

his tribal future would eventually be lost to Israel, therefore he requested a treaty that the sons of

Yitzchak would not take away Plishtim land. Yitzchak cut an ammah, a strip of his donkeys

leather bridle and gave it over as his oath. The land represented by this ammah on Israels

modern map approximates Gaza.

In making this treaty Yitzchak reinforced an earlier pact his father Avraham entered with

Avimelech who assisted Avraham to defeat the four mighty kings that conquered Sodom and

Gemora. The pact was limited to 3 generations, but Yitzchak extended it.

Avraham had also made a second treaty referring specifically to Jerusalem with other Plishtim

tribes. When he wanted to buy the cave of Machpela to bury his wife Sarah, the Jebusites

(Yevusi) who were relatives of the Hittites objected. The Hittites demanded a condition that

Avrahams descendants would never conquer the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem.

Rivkah (Rebecca) was repulsed by the prospect that Yaakov (Jacob) may marry from the

Hittites. They sent him away to find a wife from her brothers family. As a result, he did not enter


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a treaty with the Hittites partly because he left the land of Israel to establish his family and fortune

and only returned toward the end of his father, Yitzchaks life.

The Jebusites who entered the covenant eventually made two idols, one a blind man

representing Yitzchak who went blind and the other a lame man representing Yaakov wholimped. They placed these idols along with seven iron sheep at Jerusalems entrance as a

reminder to Israels future leaders.

Following Israel's return from exile in Egypt, Yehoshua (Joshua) commenced a conquest of the

land and attacked Jerusalem, also referred to as Beit El, but Yehoshua was reminded of the

treaty once made by his descendants and he honored it allowing the inhabitants to continue their

tenure. The same occurred, after Yehoshuas death, by the army of the tribe of Yehuda. The

Jebusite responses on each occasion was to further fortify the city against future attacks.

Four hundred years later the tribes of Israel were bitterly divided. At the time of King Shaul (Saul -

a Benjamite), the shepherd David (a Yehuda-ite) was anointed King by the popular prophet and

judge Shmuel (Samuel). In response to a calling by King Shaul whilst fighting the army of the

Plishtim, David rose and killed Goliath - the giant Philistine. David wanted to remove Goliath's

massive armor to decapitate him, but could not find a way to do it. On the battlefield Uriah the

Hittite approached David and offered to resolve the problem. Uriah, who thought David would one

day be King over all Israel, requested a Jewish wife. Oblivious to the serious misappropriation,

David entered a pact with the Hittite to give away any woman of Israel Uriah chose. The armies

of Shaul were amazed at Davids tenacity and bravery and King Shauls jealousy was aroused.

King Shauls armies pursued David like a dog for many years. In arguably the most tragic event,

David went to Nov (the site of Shmuel and the Mishkan, north of Jerusalem) to seek refuge from

the priests that lived there. Doeg the Edomite, then loyal to Shaul, was studying at the nearby

yeshiva and witnessed the high priest provide impoverished David with the Philistine sword of

Goliath and 100 loaves of bread for Davids men. Doeg reported this to Shaul as a brewing

rebellion by the priests and Shaul gave permission to massacre the 85 priests killed as a result

of Doegs testimony.

David left the proximity of King Shauls army and sought refuge from a Philistine regional chief

Achish who provided him immunity and land in Ziklag. When all the Philistine nations finally arose

against Israel and King Shaul, Ziklag was destroyed and the families of David and his men were

kidnapped. David pursued and rescued them, but Israel was defeated under King Shaul. His son


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Yonatan (Jonathan), Davids closest companion, and King Shaul were beheaded.

King Shauls descendant could not hold (Benjamite) power so the tribal elders came to King

David of Yehuda in Hebron and appointed him the King and all the tribes of Israel accepted him.

David immediately marched to Yevus, Jerusalem, built on the border of Yehuda and Binyamin(Benjamin) to bring the fortified city back under Israeli control. The inhabitants, living under

Araunah (Ornan) the King of Yevus, taunted Davids men reminding them of the pact of the lame

and the blind. David promised military leadership to the first man that conquered the city. Yoav,

entered through a concealed water pipe and provided passage to the others in his party - he

became David's general. They occupied the water tower and progressively took the rest of the

city. They argued with the inhabitants that the ancient pact was obsolete because the Philistines

had once attacked and filled in Yitzchaks wells, but they allowed the King of Yevus to live among

the new Jewish occupants including King David.

Uriah the Hittite was granted the right to marry Batsheva considered to be the most beautiful

woman in the land. Uriah was dispatched along with Yoav and his army to fight against the

Ammonites. All soldiers provided their wives a conditional bill of divorce in the event of their

death. One afternoon David caught a glimpse of Batsheva and sent for her. David lay with her

and she conceived. On receiving the news of her conception, David requested Uriahs return

from battle and encouraged him to go home to his wife, hoping he would lie with her and confuse

any public identification of the morally illicit conception. Uriah refused to go to his wife and

responded to the King - the Ark of the covenant lives in a tent (in the city of David) my Master

Yoav and my Masters servants are encamped in open fields. Will I then come to my house and

lay with my wife? In response David sent Uriah to the front lines with a sealed letter ordering

Yoav to place Uriah in harms way. Yoav did not retain the confidentiality of Davids sealed letter,

but carried out his orders. Yoav blamed David for the loss of lives of some of his commanding

officers. Against the backdrop of Davids splendid reign, news of his indiscretion spread fast and

festered among the tribes, it catalyzed a terrible decay in the kingdom.

Batshevas birth was cursed, David did not repent until the prophet Natan highlighted his

indiscretion which caused The King to enter a state of great repentance. The baby died, Davidsbehavior turned (II Shmuel12:21) and he began to lose control over his fragmented nation.

Batshevas second son was Shlomo (Solomon) who, despite great inter-family upheaval,

violence and death among Davids children ultimately became the King of Israel.

The effect of Davids reign was to provide the platform for Shlomo to build the first temple and


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unify the fragile tribes. It was a wonderful period in the nations history fondly remembered to this

day. Each time Jews close the Ark containing the Torah in temples around the world we repeat

the words - Renew us as in times of old. But Shlomos reign, in context of Israels history was

short and soon after he died the divided nation expressed itself, in all its glory, through the

upheaval that resulted from the unpopular anointment of Shlomos son Rehavam. Yerovam theleader of the tribe of Efrayim (from Yosef) rebelled using Egypt as his base. He was appointed

King over ten of Israel's twelve tribes that split from Yehuda and with it he plunged Israel into the

most devastating self imposed period of enduring exile that ultimately led to their near complete

banishment from the land.

2744 years passed before the nation Israel returned to their land to establish the modern state of

Israel in 1948. Today 65 years on, Israel continues to struggle with its early legacy, but the

indigenous rights of its Jewish people are impossible to dispute.

israel's indigionus independence and the philistine curse

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