Hebrew Understanding and Community

Contents

Covenant

In the ancient world there was frequently no such thing as morality outside of the community. Often peoples were wholly enemies or wholly friends. Tribes, clans and families were seen as friends, everyone else was a stranger and potentially an enemy. A stranger was someone who had different customs and traditions and probably different language and gods. There were times when different tribes, clans or families saw that they could prosper in a relationship. That relationship was made by making a covenant. In Hebrew the word is related to the word for cutting. In Assyrian, the word for covenant probably meant to fetter or bind. Originally the covenant was very simple but very significant. It was a whole joining. The most ancient covenants were probably made by the slashing of the palm or arm and the shaking of hands to cause a mingling of the blood. Hebraically the soul or life was in the blood and the mingling of blood was symbolic of the common life blood within the family. Later families took a sacrificial animal and cut it right down the middle to form two. Each half of the animal represented each party. Then each walked between the two to form a single body signifying a total joining to create something new. Usually there was a common meal followed by oaths and curses. Laban said to Jacob in Genesis 31:44-53 “….and now, come, let us make a covenant, I and thou, and it hath been for a witness between me and thee.’ And Jacob taketh a stone, and lifteth it up for a standing pillar; and Jacob saith to his brethren, ‘Gather stones,’ and they take stones, and make a heap; and they eat there on the heap; and Laban calleth it Jegar-Sahadutha [gathered heap]; and Jacob hath called it Galeed [heap of testimony or witness]. ”God or gods were called upon to witness the covenant and activate the curses in cases when the covenant was broken. So in Genesis 31:51-53 it says “And Laban saith to Jacob, ‘Lo, this heap, and lo, the standing pillar which I have cast between me and thee; this heap is witness, and the standing pillar is witness, that I do not pass over this heap unto thee, and that thou dost not pass over this heap and this standing pillar unto me – for evil; the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, doth judge between us – the God of their father,’ and Jacob sweareth by the Fear of his father Isaac. ” Originally the terms of covenant were a common purse, common resources and a common or shared life. Later covenants became more specific. Covenants were often ratified by a handshake, or a kiss or embrace, the setting up of stones or pillars, and gifts. Covenants were normally instituted by a father figure who provided the meal and took the place of honour, everyone else was subordinate to him. Often covenants were sealed or signed with a mark or token. God’s covenant with Noah was signed or sealed with the mark or token of the rainbow. God’s covenant with Abraham was signed or sealed with the mark of circumcision upon the body of Abraham and his seed or son. This mark was symbolic of the mark or seal of the circumcision of the heart upon which the blessing of God’s fatherhood made Abraham’s name or character great by writing on his heart instead of tablets of stone the ability to fulfil the righteous requirements of the law of love.

[back to top] [back to part 2] [back to contents]

Notable Covenants between People

In the book of Ruth, Ruth the Moabite didn’t actually make a formal covenant with Naomi but she described the effects of covenant. She said in effect “Do not send me away, where you stay I will stay, where you go I will go, your people will be my people, your God will be my God, where you are buried, I will be buried”. The two became one. Chilion, Naomi’s son had married Ruth. Ruth was considered a “strange” woman because she had different customs, traditions and gods. She was considered to be “unclean” because she could not be accepted into the holy community within Israel. But this changed when she embraced Naomi as a mother. Isaac lived near Abimelech the king of the Philistines. God blessed Isaac so much that Abimelech became jealous and sent him away. Later on Abimelech who was a king humbled himself and returned to Isaac with the commander of his army and a friend and asked Isaac to make a covenant with him. So, it says in Genesis 26:28 “And they say, ‘We have certainly seen that Yehovah hath been with thee, and we say, ‘Let there be, we pray thee, an oath between us, between us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee…’ ” Abimelech realized that he could experience the blessing of Abraham and experience the same prosperity as Isaac through covenant. From then on, Abimelech was “saved” or continually blessed by being made one with Isaac because he knew that Isaac was blessed by Abraham’s God.

Covenant Breach

The breach of the covenant of peace or “shalom” was a very serious thing. King David made a covenant with Abner who had formerly been the commander of Saul’s army. Joab, who was to be displaced by Abner, took him aside quietly at the city gate and cruelly murdered him. King David cursed Joab and his house and years later King Solomon had Joab killed to avenge Abner’s blood. Judas (whose name is Judah or “praise” in Hebrew) shared the covenant of salt with Jesus and even received the bread of honour from Jesus’ hand. However, he violated the covenant of trust by kissing Jesus repeatedly when he betrayed him, kissing being another sign of covenant. It says in Proverbs 27:6 “Faithful are the wounds of a lover, And abundant the kisses of an enemy. ” Judas hung himself on a tree, the sign of curse. Jacob’s sons Simeon and Levi covenanted with the people of Shechem. The people said if they made the covenant that “their cattle and their possessions and every animal of theirs will be ours”. It was a false covenant because their sister had been violated. The people of Shechem were circumcised and when they were still recovering they were murdered by Jacob’s sons. Such a covenant breach was very serious as Shechem would have been in covenant with the surrounding towns and villages. It was only by Jacob commanding his household to rid themselves of foreign or strange gods (Baal and Ashtoreth and related idols and jewellery) that the fear of God came upon the Canaanites as Jacob and his household escaped. In Genesis 49, Jacob’s blessing on Simeon and Levi included this, in Genesis 49:5-7 “Simeon and Levi are brethren! Instruments of violence – their espousals! Into their secret, come not, O my soul! Unto their assembly be not united, O mine honour; For in their anger they slew a man, And in their self-will eradicated a prince. Cursed is their anger, for it is fierce, And their wrath, for it is sharp; I divide them in Jacob, And I scatter them in Israel. ” Joshua was deceived into making a covenant with the Gibeonites. Hundreds of years later Saul broke this covenant and God sent famine upon the land because God had been a witness to the covenant which was made with oaths of promise and curse. Only after the appropriate reparation was made was the curse broken. Violation of covenant ratified by God was a very serious thing. The Israelites broke their covenant with God through their sin, Ezekiel 44:5-7 “And Yehovah saith unto me, ‘Son of man, set thy heart, and see with thine eyes, and with thine ears hear, all that I am speaking with thee, of all the statutes of the house of Yehovah, and of all its laws; and thou hast set thy heart to the entrance of the house, with all the outlets of the sanctuary, and hast said unto the rebellious, unto the house of Israel: Thus said the Lord Yehovah: Enough to you – of all your abominations, O house of Israel. In your bringing in sons of a stranger, uncircumcised of heart, and uncircumcised of flesh, to be in My sanctuary, to pollute it, even My house, in your bringing near My bread, fat, and blood, and they break My covenant by all your abominations”

Eating Together

For the Hebrews the family or household shared a common life (the word for stomach) and soul. Food gave life and filled the common stomach, it strengthened the bonds that existed within the family. It was unthinkable to eat with one’s enemies and to eat with strangers often brought weakness into the family. Strangers were often offered the hospitality of food and shelter but would not necessarily join in the family meal held by their hosts. Salt was often an essential part of the meal and to share in a family meal would be to share salt or be part of the covenant of salt (or sharing food). Jesus said to the disciples “have salt within yourselves”, and “you are the salt of the earth”. He meant in effect “reach out to the world in love by being in covenant with me”. The salt was part of the covenant, it was a preservative but also made things taste better.

Shalom and Peace

Peace (in Hebrew “shalom”) was an integral part of blessing and couldn’t be separated from it. Where there was blessing there was peace. It meant prospering, wholeness and success. Accurate weights in the marketplace were “shalom” to those who purchased. A finished wall, or a finished building project meant “shalom” for the builders. A healthy birth was “shalom” for the parents. A kept promise was “shalom” for all concerned. When Jacob met Rachel he asked about his uncle Laban and if he was in “shalom” meaning things like “is he prospering, are his cattle healthy, has he a large family, is his house secure?”.

Gifts

Within the peace or “shalom” of community, gifts passed from one party another. Gifts were very important in ancient Hebrew culture and their significance was always noted. For the Hebrews, their life or soul also lived in their possessions and a gift involved a transfer of soul or life. From the weak to the strong, the gift brought honour to the recipient but also an obligation towards the weak. From the strong to the weak the gift brought blessing and tidings of goodwill but also made the weak more dependent upon the strong. The obligation that gifts brought could be a dangerous thing and the strings attached could result in a relationship where one was not desired. The righteous did not receive gifts from the wicked. The king of Sodom offered Abraham gifts but Abraham refused. Naaman the Syrian who was healed by Elisha offered him gifts but Elisha refused. His servant and trainee prophet Gehazi disobeyed Elisha and received the gifts but also the leprosy of Naaman. The gifts had been owned by Naaman the leper and part of his soul dwelt in the gifts. Elisha said that it was not the time for gifts but Gehazi didn’t repent, he kept Naaman’s gifts and therefore his leprosy. So, it says in 2 Kings 5:25-27 “And he hath come in, and doth stand by his lord, and Elisha saith unto him, ‘Whence – Gehazi?’ and he saith, ‘Thy servant went not hither or thither.’ And he saith unto him, ‘My heart went not when the man turned from off his chariot to meet thee; is it a time to take silver, and to take garments, and olives, and vines, and flock, and herd, and men-servants, and maid-servants? yea, the leprosy of Naaman doth cleave to thee, and to thy seed,- to the age;’ and he goeth out from before him – leprous as snow. ” Esau was intent on killing Jacob but Jacob sent Esau a huge gift. Once Esau had received the gift his hands were tied. Jacob came within his protection and Esau could no longer harm his brother. The receiving and giving of gifts was seen as a form of covenant and gifts could strengthen and renew a covenant especially between kings. When Saul visited Samuel to ask about his father’s missing donkeys he went with a gift. The gift received would result in the blessing requested. It was also not wise to approach a king empty handed.

Judges and Justification

In Hebrew culture the harmony of the community was called “shalom” often translated peace. It is the feeling of contentment following from blessing or achievement or success or simply living in harmony within the community. The judges were the peacemakers and deliverers, those who maintained and restored “shalom”. In times of war, the judges led the army to victory over the oppressor. In times of peace the judges maintained the “shalom” of the community by bringing protection and provision to the poor and needy, and bringing justice in times of dispute. Within the community, the judges maintained peace and harmony by “justifying” and putting things right. Hebraically, those who were in dispute felt “wrong” because they had both lost their “shalom”. One party had been wronged and felt aggrieved by that wrong, the other party was simply wrong. The judge or priest would examine the case and then “right” the person who had been wronged by making declaration of “right” in their favour. The judge would “wrong” the wrong-doer in their declaration of wrong to the wrong-doer. In cases where the wrong was not too serious, when the appropriate recompense had been made by the wrong-doer, both were restored back to “shalom” within the community. In the absence of the judge or in times of injustice, the forgiveness of the wrong-doer on the part of the “right” restored the “shalom” or peace to the “right” without the need for justification by the judge. The wrong-doer remained wrong in these circumstances. In cases of injustice without forgiveness, those who were wronged could themselves become wrong-doers and the “shalom” of the community could be destroyed from within. So, it says in Proverbs 17:15 “Whoso is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these are an abomination to Yehovah. ” The ultimate judge is God. God seeks to judge or deliver by bringing healing and blessing and reconciliation. Scripture states that being kind to one’s enemies and loving them heaps burning coals upon their head. Hebraically, the best form of revenge is love and forgiveness, because it either wins over the enemy to bring reconciliation or intensifies the righteous judgment of God for those who stubbornly remain stiff-necked and obstinate.

Travelling Merchants

Within ancient Hebrew culture travelling outside of one’s home or people was not commonly done. The word used to describe Abraham’s travels within Canaan in the Youngs Literal Version was in English “sojourner” and means to stay temporarily. It comes from the Latin “subdiurnare” meaning to spend the day. In Hebrew the word use means literally to lift the head and turn aside from the road is related to the words for fear and throat because in the throat fear is felt and strangers felt fear in a foreign land. However, merchants were welcome travellers because they brought merchandise that was considered desirable and was not obtainable from within the local community. In English the word merchant is related to the word for market and comes from the Latin “mercari” meaning to trade, traffic or deal. In Hebrew the word means literally a travelling man or a man going about. In English the word traffic probably came from the Latin “transfricare” which meant to touch repeatedly or handle and possibly the Latin “facere” to make and the Arabic “tafriq” meaning to distribute by coming and going. The word used in Hebrew for the back and forth movement of the market trader carrying out his business means literally to push, lash or scourge and is related to the lashing of the whip. It is no coincidence that Jesus drove the money exchangers and market traders out of the temple of his Father with the lashing of a whip. The word is also related to the words for row an oar, scourge and also malice and hatred which is the repeated lashing of the tongue of scorn. In English the word trade was related to the word for tread, meaning “path, track, course of action, manner of life, and habitual business”. It meant buying, selling and the exchange of commodities. In Genesis 42 there was a famine in the land and Jacob sent his sons to buy grain from Egypt. They took with them gold, balm, honey, spices, myrrh, nuts and almonds and they were told that they would be able to trade or, in the Hebrew, literally “to go about coming and going trading their precious merchandise” in the land.

[Go to previous section] [Go to next section]