After reading chapter 1:
*After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked Yahweh which tribe should continue the fighting. Yahweh chose the tribe of Judah. Who was Yahweh speaking through now? We are not told, but presumably it was the current high priest, Phineas. The men of Judah invited the Simeonites to accompany them. Together they killed ten thousand men. They captured the king of Bezek and cut off his thumbs and big toes. The king viewed this as a kind of divine Karma, because he had done the same thing to 70 other kings.
*Next, they attacked Jerusalem, slaughtered its inhabitants, and burned the city to the ground. Then we are told they attacked Canaanites living in Hebron and Debir, which had already been totally conquered in Joshua chapter 10! We are also retold the story of Caleb's daughter marrying Othniel, the conqueror of Debir. We are also retold the story of her asking for land with springs of water from Joshua chapter 15. Only this time it all happens after the death of Joshua, not before!
*The Judahites and Simeonites, with the help of Yahweh, went on conquering Canaanites and took Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron. (History says these Canaanite cities were actually conquered by the Philistines or the sea people.) They also took possession of the hill country, which appears redundant because Joshua is said to have done the same thing in Joshua chapter 11. Again, we are told they could not conquer the people of the plains because they had iron chariots. Foiled again, Yahweh!
*Caleb was given Hebron and drove three sons of Anak from it.The sons of Anak, or Anakim, are interesting fellows. They are considered to be Giants. Also, Numbers 13 says they are descendants of the Nephilim, introduced in Genesis 6. The big question is how did they survive the flood?
*The Benjaminites could not drive out the Jebusites. Manasseh could not drive out four tribes that were determined to live in that land. Ephraim could not completely drive out Canaanites living in Gezer. Zebulon could not drive out Canaanites living in Kitron nor Nahalol. Asher could not drive out 7 tribes of Canaanites living in "his" land, so he just had to live with them. Naphtali could not drive out two tribes. The Amorites confined the tribe of Dan to the hill country and wouldn't let them come down into the plain. Sounds like Yahweh's powers either waned or experienced limitations. It is quite clear that the Israelites did not completely control the land of Cannan, no matter how you look at it. Nevertheless, this chapter insists that the Israelite tribes grew stronger and eventually subjected these pesky leftover Canaanites to forced labor. Yeah, right.
Showing posts with label Simeon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Simeon. Show all posts
Friday, April 22, 2016
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Joshua chapter 20 and 21
After reading chapter 20:
*Here we are told which cities are assigned to be cities of refuge for those who kill by accident, as described back in Numbers 35. The person who is responsible for avenging the death cannot harm a person who has fled to one one of these cities. The designated cities were: Kadesh in the land of Naphtali, Shechem in the land of Ephraim, Hebron in the land of Judah, Bezer in the land of Reuben, Ramoth in the land of Gad, and Golan in the land of Manasseh.
After reading chapter 21:
*Now the tribe of Levites come to Joshua and ask for their allotted towns with pastureland, prime real estate, as promised by Moses. Yahweh, through Joshua, gave the Kohathite levites who were descended from Aaron 13 towns in the lands of Judah, Bejamin, and Simeon. The rest of the Kohathite Levites were given 10 towns in the lands of Ephraim, Dan, and Manasseh. The Gershon Levites were given 13 towns in the lands of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh. The Merari Levites were given 12 towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. So, all twelve non-Levite tribes had Levites living among them to keep an eye on things and make sure they, um Yahweh, was obeyed.
*The second half of the chapter seems to repeat the first half but with more detail. The Levites were apparently given the cities of refuge as part of their allotments. This could be very convenient. Imagine the opportunities for exploitation of the law and of those who were seeking refuge.
*Last we are told that Yahweh gave the Israelites rest and not one of their enemies withstood them. This is an odd statement, considering it was admitted in previous chapters that they could not control certain parts of the land. However, it is an opportunity to claim that all of Yahweh's promises have been fulfilled, if you overlook a few pesky details.
*Here we are told which cities are assigned to be cities of refuge for those who kill by accident, as described back in Numbers 35. The person who is responsible for avenging the death cannot harm a person who has fled to one one of these cities. The designated cities were: Kadesh in the land of Naphtali, Shechem in the land of Ephraim, Hebron in the land of Judah, Bezer in the land of Reuben, Ramoth in the land of Gad, and Golan in the land of Manasseh.
After reading chapter 21:
*Now the tribe of Levites come to Joshua and ask for their allotted towns with pastureland, prime real estate, as promised by Moses. Yahweh, through Joshua, gave the Kohathite levites who were descended from Aaron 13 towns in the lands of Judah, Bejamin, and Simeon. The rest of the Kohathite Levites were given 10 towns in the lands of Ephraim, Dan, and Manasseh. The Gershon Levites were given 13 towns in the lands of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh. The Merari Levites were given 12 towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. So, all twelve non-Levite tribes had Levites living among them to keep an eye on things and make sure they, um Yahweh, was obeyed.
*The second half of the chapter seems to repeat the first half but with more detail. The Levites were apparently given the cities of refuge as part of their allotments. This could be very convenient. Imagine the opportunities for exploitation of the law and of those who were seeking refuge.
*Last we are told that Yahweh gave the Israelites rest and not one of their enemies withstood them. This is an odd statement, considering it was admitted in previous chapters that they could not control certain parts of the land. However, it is an opportunity to claim that all of Yahweh's promises have been fulfilled, if you overlook a few pesky details.
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Joshua chapter 19
After reading chapter 19:
*Here we have more distribution of land by tribe. First the tribe of Simeon, which was given a portion of Judah's land, 17 towns and villages, because Judah had more land than they needed. Next, the tribe of Zebulun was given twelve towns and villages. The tribe of Issachar was given 16 towns and villages. The tribe of Asher was given 22 towns and villages. The tribe of Naphtali was given 19 towns and villages.
*The tribe of Dan was given was given a territory but had trouble taking posession. (Yahweh must have been taking a break.) So they attacked the city of Leshem, killed all the inhabitants and settled there, renaming the city Dan. The second largest tribe, according to Numbers, recieved one of the smallest portions of land.
*Lastly, the Israelites gave Joshua the town he asked for, Timnath Serah, in the territory of Ephraim. (Joshua was an Ephraimite.) This was done by Yahweh's command, and Yahweh conveniently spoke through Joshua. So, Joshua basically said,"God told me to tell you that I get this land." And all this was sanctioned by the high priest, who of course would not object, considering the benefits of his job.
I encourage you to read all the articles on the various tribes and towns. They contain some interesting bits of information and folklore.
*Here we have more distribution of land by tribe. First the tribe of Simeon, which was given a portion of Judah's land, 17 towns and villages, because Judah had more land than they needed. Next, the tribe of Zebulun was given twelve towns and villages. The tribe of Issachar was given 16 towns and villages. The tribe of Asher was given 22 towns and villages. The tribe of Naphtali was given 19 towns and villages.
*The tribe of Dan was given was given a territory but had trouble taking posession. (Yahweh must have been taking a break.) So they attacked the city of Leshem, killed all the inhabitants and settled there, renaming the city Dan. The second largest tribe, according to Numbers, recieved one of the smallest portions of land.
*Lastly, the Israelites gave Joshua the town he asked for, Timnath Serah, in the territory of Ephraim. (Joshua was an Ephraimite.) This was done by Yahweh's command, and Yahweh conveniently spoke through Joshua. So, Joshua basically said,"God told me to tell you that I get this land." And all this was sanctioned by the high priest, who of course would not object, considering the benefits of his job.
I encourage you to read all the articles on the various tribes and towns. They contain some interesting bits of information and folklore.
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Genesis chapter 49
After reading chapter 49:
*Jacob gathers his sons around to predict their futures, and the futures of their descendants. Reuben will not excel because he slept with his father's slave wife, Bilhah. Simeon and Levi, who killed all the men in Shechem, will be cursed and scattered in Israel. Judah will be a ruler, and is blessed. Zebulon will live by the sea. Issachar will be forced to labor. Dan will provide justice for the tribes of Israel. Gad will be attacked. Asher will be a gourmet. Naphtali will have beautiful offspring. Joseph is given many blessings and called the prince among his brothers. Benjamin is described as a ravenous wolf.
*Here is the first time we encounter symbolic references to the lion of Judah and God as a shepherd and a rock.
*For people, like me, who do not belive in being able to see the future, passages like this are assumed to have been written with hindsight, with knowledge of certain events having already happened. Therefore, it had to have been written some time after the first king of Israel in the lineage of Judah, David. That would be a good 700 years or so after these events.
*Jacob asks his sons to have him buried in the same place as Abrahaham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah, in the cave on land bought from the Hittites. Then he dies.
*Jacob gathers his sons around to predict their futures, and the futures of their descendants. Reuben will not excel because he slept with his father's slave wife, Bilhah. Simeon and Levi, who killed all the men in Shechem, will be cursed and scattered in Israel. Judah will be a ruler, and is blessed. Zebulon will live by the sea. Issachar will be forced to labor. Dan will provide justice for the tribes of Israel. Gad will be attacked. Asher will be a gourmet. Naphtali will have beautiful offspring. Joseph is given many blessings and called the prince among his brothers. Benjamin is described as a ravenous wolf.
*Here is the first time we encounter symbolic references to the lion of Judah and God as a shepherd and a rock.
*For people, like me, who do not belive in being able to see the future, passages like this are assumed to have been written with hindsight, with knowledge of certain events having already happened. Therefore, it had to have been written some time after the first king of Israel in the lineage of Judah, David. That would be a good 700 years or so after these events.
*Jacob asks his sons to have him buried in the same place as Abrahaham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah, in the cave on land bought from the Hittites. Then he dies.
Saturday, August 8, 2015
Genesis chapter 42
After reading chapter 42:
*The famine reached Canaan. Jacob told ten of his sons to go to Egypt to buy grain. Benjamin, the youngest son of Rachel, was left behind. When Joseph's brothers arrived in Egypt, they went to Joseph and bowed down to ask for grain, without knowing who he was. He knew them and remembered his dreams that he would one day rule over them. He accused them of being spies even though he knew they were not. They explained who they were and why they were there, but Joseph continued to act suspicious. He put them in custody for three days and told them that one of them needed to go back and get the youngest brother to prove they were not lying. After the three days, he changed that to one remaining and the others going back.
* The brothers discussed why this had happened and became convinced it was because of the way they had treated Joseph when he was young. Unknown to them, Joseph overheard and began to cry. Then he had Simeon taken and tied up. He had their sacks loaded with grain and their silver put back in the sacks. When they stopped to camp, they discovered the silver and were afraid. They thought God was punishing them 27 years after the fact.
*When they got home, they told Jacob everything that had happened. He was very upset. Reuben offered to have his two sons put to death if Bejamin was not brought back safely. ( nice) Jacob was not going to allow Benjamin, the only surviving child of Rachel, to go to Egypt. He would surely die if Benjamin left.
* Notice that the brother's three days in prison echoes the three days between the interpretation of the cupbearer's and baker's dreams and their release from prison.
*The famine reached Canaan. Jacob told ten of his sons to go to Egypt to buy grain. Benjamin, the youngest son of Rachel, was left behind. When Joseph's brothers arrived in Egypt, they went to Joseph and bowed down to ask for grain, without knowing who he was. He knew them and remembered his dreams that he would one day rule over them. He accused them of being spies even though he knew they were not. They explained who they were and why they were there, but Joseph continued to act suspicious. He put them in custody for three days and told them that one of them needed to go back and get the youngest brother to prove they were not lying. After the three days, he changed that to one remaining and the others going back.
* The brothers discussed why this had happened and became convinced it was because of the way they had treated Joseph when he was young. Unknown to them, Joseph overheard and began to cry. Then he had Simeon taken and tied up. He had their sacks loaded with grain and their silver put back in the sacks. When they stopped to camp, they discovered the silver and were afraid. They thought God was punishing them 27 years after the fact.
*When they got home, they told Jacob everything that had happened. He was very upset. Reuben offered to have his two sons put to death if Bejamin was not brought back safely. ( nice) Jacob was not going to allow Benjamin, the only surviving child of Rachel, to go to Egypt. He would surely die if Benjamin left.
* Notice that the brother's three days in prison echoes the three days between the interpretation of the cupbearer's and baker's dreams and their release from prison.
Saturday, August 1, 2015
Brutality in the Bible
Now that we have read the story of Dinah, it would be a good time to talk about brutality in the Bible. There will be a lot more to come.
If we take this story as an isolated incident contained within the book if Genesis, what do we see? The first thing I notice is that, so far, God has given no universal commands that apply to all humans, other than: 1. Be fruitful and multiply 2. Do not eat meat with blood in it. 3. Whoever sheds the blood of another man, by man shall his blood be shed.(Genesis 9:4-7) Levi and Simeon murdered all the men in the city of Shechem. They were never made to pay for their crime by Jacob or God.
By modern standards, this killing spree is disturbing to say the least. In first world countries today, the killers would be incarcerated, given psychiatric examinations, put on trial, and probably jailed for life or put in an institution for the criminally insane. I dare say that there has been no place in the world at any time where any group of people would choose to be slaughtered because one of their men assaulted a woman from another tribe.(If we read the story as factual, it is not even clear that Dinah was assaulted.) At most, they would give up the man for punishment, pay her bride price, or give one of their own women as restitution.
The argument that this was a cultural thing has no precedent in Genesis. Obviously, the people of Shechem had no idea that they had done anything worthy of annihilation. There is no big picture here, just psychotic rage. The argument that this "just goes to show that they were human" is based on the assumption that all humans are essentially depraved. I reject that assumption.
I recommend The History Of Violence with Steven Pinker
If we take this story as an isolated incident contained within the book if Genesis, what do we see? The first thing I notice is that, so far, God has given no universal commands that apply to all humans, other than: 1. Be fruitful and multiply 2. Do not eat meat with blood in it. 3. Whoever sheds the blood of another man, by man shall his blood be shed.(Genesis 9:4-7) Levi and Simeon murdered all the men in the city of Shechem. They were never made to pay for their crime by Jacob or God.
By modern standards, this killing spree is disturbing to say the least. In first world countries today, the killers would be incarcerated, given psychiatric examinations, put on trial, and probably jailed for life or put in an institution for the criminally insane. I dare say that there has been no place in the world at any time where any group of people would choose to be slaughtered because one of their men assaulted a woman from another tribe.(If we read the story as factual, it is not even clear that Dinah was assaulted.) At most, they would give up the man for punishment, pay her bride price, or give one of their own women as restitution.
The argument that this was a cultural thing has no precedent in Genesis. Obviously, the people of Shechem had no idea that they had done anything worthy of annihilation. There is no big picture here, just psychotic rage. The argument that this "just goes to show that they were human" is based on the assumption that all humans are essentially depraved. I reject that assumption.
I recommend The History Of Violence with Steven Pinker
Friday, July 31, 2015
Ganesis chapter 34
After reading chapter 34:
*Here we have the story of Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah. We are told that Dinah would go out and socialize with some local friends. Shechem, the son of the local bigwig, fell in love with her and sweet talked her. We are also told he "violated" her. It is unclear if this was an act of force or a Romeo and Juliet kind of thing. It sounds more like the latter. However, we are never given Dinah's side of the story. This act would have reduced Dinah's value as a marriageable young woman in that society.
*Jacob doesn't seem that concerned. Dinah's brothers were furious when they found out. They could not bear the thought of an Israelite girl with a native of that land. It was disgraceful.
* Shechem wanted to marry Dinah and asked his father for permission. His father went to Jacob and asked for Dinah for his son. He also was interested in mutual cooperation and inter-group marriage. Shechem himself offered whatever they wanted as a bride price for Dinah.
*Jacob's sons took advantage of Shechem's ardor to pretend to be willing to come to an arrangement, if all the men of that tribe would be circumcised. God forbid any of the Israelite women should marry a yucky uncircumcised man. Shechem did what they asked right away because he was so much in love. Shechem's father convinced the rest of his men that circumcision would also be to their advantage, so they went along with it.
*Three days later, when every one was still in pain, Simeon and Levi killed every male in the city and removed Dinah from Shechem's house where she had been staying. The rest of Jacob's sons looted the city, took the the livestock, and carried off the women and children. (Why do you suppose they wanted the women and children?) This is what you do when your sister runs off with a guy from the wrong family?
* What did Jacob do? He said,"Shame on you guys. Now the people around here won't like us. They might attack us, then we would be destroyed." The boys replied," But Dad, he treated Dinah like a prostitute." What was the difference between a non-prostitute and a prostitute at that time? As far as I can tell, it was whether you paid her family before or after you took advantage of her.
*Here we have the story of Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah. We are told that Dinah would go out and socialize with some local friends. Shechem, the son of the local bigwig, fell in love with her and sweet talked her. We are also told he "violated" her. It is unclear if this was an act of force or a Romeo and Juliet kind of thing. It sounds more like the latter. However, we are never given Dinah's side of the story. This act would have reduced Dinah's value as a marriageable young woman in that society.
*Jacob doesn't seem that concerned. Dinah's brothers were furious when they found out. They could not bear the thought of an Israelite girl with a native of that land. It was disgraceful.
* Shechem wanted to marry Dinah and asked his father for permission. His father went to Jacob and asked for Dinah for his son. He also was interested in mutual cooperation and inter-group marriage. Shechem himself offered whatever they wanted as a bride price for Dinah.
*Jacob's sons took advantage of Shechem's ardor to pretend to be willing to come to an arrangement, if all the men of that tribe would be circumcised. God forbid any of the Israelite women should marry a yucky uncircumcised man. Shechem did what they asked right away because he was so much in love. Shechem's father convinced the rest of his men that circumcision would also be to their advantage, so they went along with it.
*Three days later, when every one was still in pain, Simeon and Levi killed every male in the city and removed Dinah from Shechem's house where she had been staying. The rest of Jacob's sons looted the city, took the the livestock, and carried off the women and children. (Why do you suppose they wanted the women and children?) This is what you do when your sister runs off with a guy from the wrong family?
* What did Jacob do? He said,"Shame on you guys. Now the people around here won't like us. They might attack us, then we would be destroyed." The boys replied," But Dad, he treated Dinah like a prostitute." What was the difference between a non-prostitute and a prostitute at that time? As far as I can tell, it was whether you paid her family before or after you took advantage of her.
Monday, July 27, 2015
Genesis chapter 29:
After reading chapter 29:
*Jacob continues on his journey to Haran, where Rebekah's brother Laban lives. He gets to a well and asks some shepherds if they know Laban. They do. As a matter of fact, here comes his daughter Rachel with Laban's sheep. Jacob helps her water the sheep, then he kisses her and begins to cry, after he tells her who he is. She runs home to tell her father. Laban welcomes him with open arms.
*After Jacob was there for a month, Laban offered to pay him for his work. Jacob said he would work for Laban seven more years, if he would let him marry Rachel. Laban agreed. The seven years went by quickly because Jacob was so much in love with Rachel. I would have thought it would have seemed like seven years of torture, but I guess people back then had things to do to keep their minds off what they couldn't have.
*At the end of seven years Jacob was so ready to get married. By this time he would have been around 50 years old. So Laban gave a wedding feast. When evening came, Laban slipped Leah, his oldest daughter with weak eyes, into Rachel's place. The marriage was consummated and Jacob didn't figure out who he had slept with til the next morning! The deceiver had been deceived.
*One wonders how Leah and Rachel felt about this whole arrangement, but of course their opinions wouldn't have mattered. Laban tells Jacob that in that land the oldest girl marries first, but Jacob can still have Rachel if he agrees to work another seven years. Jacob agrees. He finishes the bridal week with Leah, then gets to have Rachel. Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah.
*The bible tells us Leah was not loved, but she apparently got enough attention from Jacob to have four sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. God gets all the credit though, for "opening her womb." Whatever that means. Rachel, on the other hand was barren. The barrenness theme tells us to watch out. Any children Rachel manages to have will be special.
*Jacob continues on his journey to Haran, where Rebekah's brother Laban lives. He gets to a well and asks some shepherds if they know Laban. They do. As a matter of fact, here comes his daughter Rachel with Laban's sheep. Jacob helps her water the sheep, then he kisses her and begins to cry, after he tells her who he is. She runs home to tell her father. Laban welcomes him with open arms.
*After Jacob was there for a month, Laban offered to pay him for his work. Jacob said he would work for Laban seven more years, if he would let him marry Rachel. Laban agreed. The seven years went by quickly because Jacob was so much in love with Rachel. I would have thought it would have seemed like seven years of torture, but I guess people back then had things to do to keep their minds off what they couldn't have.
*At the end of seven years Jacob was so ready to get married. By this time he would have been around 50 years old. So Laban gave a wedding feast. When evening came, Laban slipped Leah, his oldest daughter with weak eyes, into Rachel's place. The marriage was consummated and Jacob didn't figure out who he had slept with til the next morning! The deceiver had been deceived.
*One wonders how Leah and Rachel felt about this whole arrangement, but of course their opinions wouldn't have mattered. Laban tells Jacob that in that land the oldest girl marries first, but Jacob can still have Rachel if he agrees to work another seven years. Jacob agrees. He finishes the bridal week with Leah, then gets to have Rachel. Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah.
*The bible tells us Leah was not loved, but she apparently got enough attention from Jacob to have four sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. God gets all the credit though, for "opening her womb." Whatever that means. Rachel, on the other hand was barren. The barrenness theme tells us to watch out. Any children Rachel manages to have will be special.
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