Ancient Israel

by De Vaux, Roland

• ISBN13: 9780802842787
• ISBN10: 080284278X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1997-02-01
• Publisher: Eerdmans Pub Co

Summary

Ancient Israel, by Roland de Vaux, now considered by many to be a modern classic, offers a facinating, full-scale reconstruction of the social and religious life of Israel in Old Testament times.

Table of Contents

PREFACE	vii	(4)
TRANSLATOR'S NOTE	xi
INTRODUCTION NOMADISM AND ITS SURVIVAL	3	(1)
1. The Background	3	(1)
2. Tribal Organization	4	(6)
(a) The constitution of a tribe	4	(2)
(b) The union, division and disappearance of tribes	6	(1)
(c) The organization and government of a tribe	7	(2)
(d) Tribal territory. War and raiding	9	(1)
3. The Law of Hospitality and Asylum	10	(1)
4. Tribal Solidarity and Blood-Vengeance	10	(2)
5. The Later Development of Tribal Organization in Israel	12	(1)
6. Relics of Nomadism	13	(1)
7. The `Nomadic Ideal' of the Prophets	13	(1)
8. The Rekabites	14	(5)
PART I FAMILY INSTITUTIONS	19	(46)
1. THE FAMILY	19	(5)
1. Of what type was the Israelite family?	19	(2)
2. Family solidarity. The go'el	21	(1)
3. The later development of family customs	22	(2)
2. MARRIAGE	24	(15)
1. Polygamy and monogamy	24	(2)
2. The typical Israelite marriage	26	(3)
3. Choosing the bride	29	(3)
4. Engagements	32	(1)
5. Marriage ceremonies	33	(1)
6. Repudiation and divorce	34	(2)
7. Adultery and fornication	36	(1)
8. The levirate	37	(2)
3. THE POSITION OF WOMEN. WIDOWS	39	(2)
4. CHILDREN	41	(12)
1. Attitude to children	41	(1)
2. Birth	42	(1)
3. The name	43	(3)
4. Circumcision	46	(2)
5. Education	48	(3)
6. Adoption	51	(2)
5. SUCCESSION AND INHERITANCE	53	(3)
6. DEATH AND FUNERAL RITES	56	(9)
1. Treatment of the corpse	56	(1)
2. Burial	57	(2)
3. Mourning rites	59	(1)
4. Rites concerning food	59	(1)
5. The funeral lamentations	60	(1)
6. Interpretation of these rites	61	(4)
PART II CIVIL INSTITUTIONS	65	(148)
1. POPULATION	65	(3)
2. THE FREE POPULATION: ITS DIVISIONS	68	(12)
1. Social evolution	68	(1)
2. The men of rank and influence	69	(1)
3. The `people of the land'	70	(2)
4. Rich and poor	72	(2)
5. Resident aliens	74	(2)
6. Wage-earners	76	(1)
7. Craftsmen	76	(2)
8. Merchants	78	(2)
3. SLAVES	80	(11)
1. The existence of slavery in Israel	80	(1)
2. Slaves of foreign origin	80	(2)
3. Israelite slaves	82	(1)
4. The number and value of slaves	83	(1)
5. The position of slaves	84	(2)
6. Female slaves	86	(1)
7. Runaway slaves	87	(1)
8. The emancipation of slaves	87	(1)
9. State slaves	88	(3)
4. THE ISRAELITE CONCEPT OF THE STATE	91	(9)
1. Israel and the various Eastern notions of the State	91	(1)
2. The Twelve Tribes of Israel	92	(2)
3. The institution of the monarchy	94	(1)
4. The Dual Monarchy	95	(1)
5. The kingdoms of Israel and Judah	96	(2)
6. The post-exilic community	98	(1)
7. Was there an Israelite idea of the State?	98	(2)
5. THE PERSON OF THE KING	100	(15)
1. Accession to the throne	100	(2)
2. The coronation rites	102	(5)
(a) The setting: the sanctuary	102	(1)
(b) The investiture with the insignia	103	(1)
(c) The anointing	103	(3)
(d) The acclamation	106	(1)
(e) The enthronement	106	(1)
(f) The homage	107	(1)
3. The coronation name	107	(1)
4. The enthronement psalms	108	(2)
5. The king as saviour	110	(1)
6. Divine adoption	111	(2)
7. The king and worship	113	(2)
6. THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD	115	(12)
1. The harem	115	(2)
2. The Great Lady	117	(2)
3. The royal children	119	(1)
4. The king's attendants	120	(3)
5. The royal guard	123	(1)
6. The royal estate	124	(3)
7. THE PRINCIPAL OFFICIALS OF THE KING	127	(6)
1. The ministers of David and Solomon	127	(2)
2. The master of the palace	129	(2)
3. The royal secretary	131	(1)
4. The royal herald	132	(1)
8. THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE KINGDOM	133	(6)
1. The kingdom of David	133	(1)
2. The administration under Solomon	133	(2)
3. The districts of Judah	135	(2)
4. The districts of the kingdom of Israel	137	(1)
5. Local administration	137	(2)
9. FINANCE AND PUBLIC WORKS	139	(4)
1. Royal revenues and state revenues	139	(1)
2. `Voluntary' or exceptional contributions	139	(1)
3. Tithes	140	(1)
4. Forced labour	141	(2)
10. LAW AND JUSTICE	143	(21)
1. Legislative codes	143	(1)
2. Eastern law in ancient times	144	(2)
3. The sources of Israelite law	146	(1)
4. Characteristics of Israelite law	147	(3)
5. The king's legislative and judicial powers	150	(2)
6. Judges and courts of law	152	(3)
7. Procedure	155	(2)
8. The judgment of God	157	(1)
9. Penalties	158	(2)
10. Private vengeance and Cities of Refuge	160	(4)
11. ECONOMIC LIFE	164	(14)
1. Landed property	164	(2)
2. Family property and large estates	166	(1)
3. Conveyances and similar formalities	167	(2)
4. Deposit and hiring	169	(1)
5. Loans	170	(1)
6. Securities	171	(1)
7. Sureties and bail	172	(1)
8. The Sabbatical Year	173	(2)
9. The Jubilee Year	175	(3)
12. DIVISIONS OF TIME	178	(17)
1. Ancient Eastern Calendars	178	(2)
2. The Israelite calendar. The day	180	(3)
3. The month	183	(3)
4. The week	186	(2)
5. The year	188	(2)
6. The beginning of the year	190	(3)
7. The eras	193	(2)
13. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES	195	(18)
1. Israelite `metrology'	195	(1)
2. Linear measures	196	(3)
3. Measures of capacity	199	(4)
4. Measures of weight	203	(3)
5. The coinage	206	(7)
PART III MILITARY INSTITUTIONS	213	(58)
1. THE ARMIES OF ISRAEL	213	(16)
1. A people under arms	214	(4)
2. The professional army	218	(1)
(a) The corps of mercenaries	219	(3)
(b) The chariotry	222	(3)
3. The conscript army	225	(4)
2. FORTIFIED CITIES AND SIEGE WARFARE	229	(12)
1. Fortified towns	229	(3)
2. Ramparts	232	(1)
3. Fortified gates and citadels	233	(3)
4. Siege warfare	236	(2)
5. The water supply	238	(3)
3. ARMAMENTS	241	(6)
1. Offensive weapons	241	(3)
2. Defensive arms	244	(3)
4. WAR	247	(11)
1. A short military history of Israel	247	(3)
2. The conduct of war	250	(4)
3. The consequences of war	254	(4)
5. THE HOLY WAR	258	(13)
1. The concept of the holy war, and its rites	258	(3)
2. The holy wars at the beginning of Israel's history	261	(2)
3. Religion and the wars under the monarchy	263	(2)
4. The religious wars of the Maccabees	265	(1)
5. The `Order of the War' from Qumran	266	(5)
PART IV RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS	271	(248)
INTRODUCTORY	271	(3)
1. SEMITIC SANCTUARIES	274	(15)
1. Sacred territory	274	(2)
2. The sacred character of places of cultic worship	276	(1)
3. The choice of places of worship	276	(3)
(a) Theophanies	277	(1)
(b) Sacred waters	277	(1)
(c) Sacred trees	278	(1)
(d) Heights	279	(2)
4. Ziggurats	281	(1)
5. Temples	282	(2)
6. `High places'	284	(5)
(a) The name	284	(1)
(b) The situation of the `high places'	284	(1)
(c) The evidence of archaeology	284	(1)
(d) Cultic installations	285	(2)
(e) `High places' and funeral services	287	(1)
(f) The lawfulness of `high places'	288	(1)
2. THE FIRST ISRAELITE SANCTUARIES	289	(23)
1. The places where the Patriarchs worshipped	289	(5)
(a) Shechem	289	(2)
(b) Bethel	291	(1)
(c) Mambre	292	(1)
(d) Beersheba	293	(1)
(e) Conclusion	293	(1)
2. The desert sanctuary: the Tent	294	(3)
3. The Ark of the Covenant	297	(5)
4. The sanctuaries in the land of Israel before the building of the Temple	302	(10)
(a) Gilgal	302	(2)
(b) Shiloh	304	(1)
(c) Mispah in Benjamin	304	(1)
(d) Gibeon	305	(1)
(e) Ophra	306	(1)
(f) Dan	307	(1)
(g) Jerusalem	308	(4)
3. THE TEMPLE AT JERUSALEM	312	(19)
1. Solomon's Temple	312	(9)
(a) The buildings	313	(4)
(b) Analogies and influences	317	(1)
(c) The site of the Temple	318	(1)
(d) Furnishings of the Temple	319	(1)
(e) The Temple as a national sanctuary	320	(1)
2. The history of Solomon's Temple	321	(1)
3. The post-exilic Temple	322	(3)
4. The theology of the Temple	325	(6)
(a) The Temple as the seat of the divine presence	325	(2)
(b) The Temple as the sign of election	327	(1)
(c) Symbolism of the Temple	328	(1)
(d) Opposition to the Temple	329	(2)
4. THE CENTRALIZATION OF THE CULT	331	(14)
1. Central sanctuary or sole sanctuary?	331	(1)
2. Solomon's Temple and rival sanctuaries	332	(4)
(a) The attraction of Jerusalem	332	(1)
(b) The religious schism of Jeroboam	333	(1)
(c) Dan and Bethel	334	(1)
(d) Other sanctuaries	335	(1)
3. Reforms aiming at centralization	336	(1)
4. Deuteronomy	337	(2)
5. Later sanctuaries outside jerusalem	339	(4)
(a) The temple at Elephantine	340	(1)
(b) The temple at Leontopolis	341	(1)
(c) The temple at Garizim	342	(1)
6. The origin of synagogues	343	(2)
5. THE PRIESTLY OFFICE	345	(13)
1. The name	345	(1)
2. The installation of priests	346	(2)
3. The priest and the sanctuary	348	(1)
4. Priests and divine oracles	349	(4)
(a) The ephod	349	(3)
(b) Urim and Thummim	352	(1)
(c) The decreasing importance of oracles given by priests	352	(1)
5. The priest as a teacher	353	(2)
6. The priest and sacrifice	355	(2)
7. The priest as mediator	357	(1)
6. THE LEVITES	358	(14)
1. Etymology	358	(1)
2. The hereditary priesthood	359	(1)
3. The priestly tribe of Levi	360	(1)
4. Historical development	361	(5)
(a) Non-Levitical priests	361	(1)
(b) Levite priests	362	(2)
(c) Priests and Levites	364	(2)
5. Levitical towns	366	(1)
6. Was there ever a non-priestly tribe called Levi?	367	(2)
7. The origin of the Levites	369	(3)
7. THE PRIESTHOOD IN JERUSALEM UNDER THE MONARCHY	372	(15)
1. Ebyathar and Sadoq	372	(3)
2. The descendants of Sadoq	375	(1)
3. The priests and the kings	376	(1)
4. The hierarchy	377	(2)
5. The revenues of the clergy	379	(3)
6. The lower-ranking personnel	382	(2)
7. Were there prophets attached to the Temple?	384	(3)
8. THE PRIESTHOOD AFTER THE EXILE	387	(19)
1. Priests and Levites down to the period of Esdras and Nehemias	388	(2)
2. The Levites in the work of the Chronicler	390	(4)
(a) The Levites and the Ark	391	(1)
(b) The singers	391	(1)
(c) The door-keepers	392	(1)
(d) Other Levitical functions	393	(1)
3. `Sons of Sadoq' and `Sons of Aaron'	394	(3)
4. The high priest	397	(6)
(a) His titles	397	(1)
(b) The investiture of the high priest	398	(2)
(c) The high priest and the idea of kingship	400	(1)
(d) The succession of high priests	401	(2)
5. The revenues of the Temple and of the clergy	403	(3)
(a) The Temple	403	(1)
(b) The clergy	404	(2)
9. ALTARS	406	(9)
1. Pre-Israelite altars in Palestine	406	(1)
2. Israelite altars outside the main sanctuary	407	(2)
3. The altars used in the desert	409	(1)
4. The altars in Solomon's Temple	410	(2)
(a) The altar of holocausts	410	(1)
(b) The altar of perfumes	411	(1)
5. The altar of Ezechiel	412	(1)
6. The altars in the second Temple	412	(1)
7. The religious significance of altars	413	(2)
10. THE RITUAL OF SACRIFICE	415	(9)
1. Holocausts	415	(2)
2. Communion sacrifices	417	(1)
3. Expiatory sacrifices	418	(3)
(a) Sacrifice for sin	418	(2)
(b) The sacrifice of reparation	420	(1)
(c) The distinction between sacrifice for sin and the sacrifice of reparation	420	(1)
4. Vegetable offerings	421	(1)
5. The shewbread	422	(1)
6. Offerings of incense	423	(1)
11. THE HISTORY OF SACRIFICE IN ISRAEL	424	(9)
1. The critical theory	424	(1)
2. General considerations	425	(1)
3. Holocausts and communion-sacrifices	426	(3)
4. Expiatory sacrifices	429	(1)
5. Vegetable offerings and incense-offerings	430	(2)
6. Conclusion	432	(1)
12. THE ORIGIN OF ISRAELITE RITUAL	433	(14)
1. Mesopotamian sacrifice	433	(2)
2. Sacrifice among the ancient Arabs	435	(3)
3. Canaanite sacrifice	438	(2)
4. The origin of the sacrificial ritual of Israel	440	(1)
5. Human sacrifice in Israel	441	(6)
(a) Human sacrifices in historical texts	442	(1)
(b) Prophetical texts	443	(1)
(c) The law concerning the first-born	443	(1)
(d) Sacrifices to Moloch	444	(3)
13. THE RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE OF SACRIFICE	447	(10)
1. Was sacrifice a gift to malevolent or a salfish deity?	447	(1)
2. Did sacrifice achieve union with the deity by magic?	448	(1)
(a) Union with a god by man's eating divine victim	448	(1)
(b) Union with a god by the immolation of a victim representing man	448	(1)
3. Was sacrifice a meal taken by the god?	449	(2)
4. Outline of a theory of sacrifice	451	(3)
(a) The gift	451	(2)
(b) Communion	453	(1)
(c) Expiation	453	(1)
5. Polemic against sacrifices	454	(3)
14. SECONDARY ACTS OF THE CULT	457	(11)
1. Liturgical prayer	457	(3)
(a) Prayer and the cult	457	(1)
(b) The place and time of prayer, etc.	458	(2)
2. Rites of purification and of de-consecration	460	(4)
(a) Sacrifices and ablutions	460	(1)
(b) The ashes of the red heifer	461	(1)
(c) The ritual for leprosy	462	(2)
3. Rites of consecration	464	(4)
(a) General remarks	464	(1)
(b) Vows	465	(1)
(c) The Nazirites	466	(2)
15. THE LITURGICAL CALENDAR	468	(7)
1. The ordinary services in the Temple	468	(1)
(a) The daily services	468	(1)
(b) The sabbath	469	(1)
(c) The new moon	469	(1)
2. The religious calendars	470	(5)
(a) The Elohistic Code of the Covenant	471	(1)
(b) The Yahwistic Code of the Covenant	471	(1)
(c) Deuteronomy	472	(1)
(d) The Law of Holiness	472	(1)
(e) Ezechiel	473	(1)
(f) The rules for sacrifice given in Numbers	473	(1)
(g) Later Feasts	473	(2)
16. THE SABBATH DAY	475	(9)
1. The name: its etymology	475	(1)
2. Was the sabbath of Babylonian origin?	476	(2)
3. Was the sabbath of Canaanite origin?	478	(1)
4. Was the sabbath of Qenite origin?	478	(1)
5. The antiquity of the sabbath	479	(1)
6. The religious significance of the sabbath	480	(2)
7. The history of the sabbath	482	(2)
17. THE ANCIENT FEASTS OF ISRAEL	484	(23)
1. The feasts of the Passover and of Unleavened Bread	484	(9)
(a) The historical development	484	(4)
(b) The origin of the Passover	488	(2)
(c) The origin of the feast of Unleavened Bread	490	(2)
(d) Their connection with the history of salvation	492	(1)
2. The feast of Weeks	493	(2)
3. The feast of Tents	495	(7)
(a) The names of the feast: its importance	495	(1)
(b) Its historical development	496	(2)
(c) Its dates	498	(2)
(d) The origin of the feast	500	(2)
4. Was there a New Year feast?	502	(2)
5. Was there a feast of the Enthronement of Yahweh?	504	(3)
18. THE LATER FEASTS	507	(12)
1. The Day of Atonement	507	(3)
(a) The ritual of expiation	507	(1)
(b) The goat `for Azazel'	508	(1)
(c) When was the feast instituted?	509	(1)
2. The feast of the Hanukkah	510	(4)
(a) The origin and history of the feast	510	(1)
(b) The rites: the Hanukkah and the feast of Tents	511	(2)
(c) Was there any pagan influence in the origin or the rites of the Hanukkah?	513	(1)
3. The feast of Purim	514	(5)
(a) Its date and its rites	514	(1)
(b) Purim and the Book of Esther	515	(1)
(c) The origin of the feast	515	(4)
BIBLIOGRAPHY	519	(34)
GENERAL INDEX	553	(6)
INDEX OF PROPER NAMES	559	(9)
INDEX OF SEMITIC FORMS	568	(3)
INDEX OF BIBLICAL REFERENCES	571