Bib Stu Vocabulary

Front 1

Abrahamic Covenant

Back 1

The second covenant in Genesis, Yahweh promises a son, countless descendants, land, blessings, and a special covenant relationship.

Front 2

Noachan Covenant

Back 2

The first covenant in Genesis, it emphasizes the sacredness of life and faitfulness of God, who promises to never again destroy the world.

Front 3

Davidic Covenant

Back 3

God promises to keep King David's royal heirs on Judah's throne forever.

Front 4

Mosaic Covenant

Back 4

God's help and protection depend almost entirely on Israel's loyal obedience to divine law (Ten Commandments).

Front 5

Amos

Back 5

A Judean shepherd; denounced the religious and social practices of the northern kingdom during 786-746 BCE; first prophet to have words recorded in a book.

Front 6

Apocrypha

Back 6

Means "hidden" books in Greek; noncanonical or deuterocanonical literature.

Front 7

Baruch

Back 7

Secretary and friend of Jeremiah; recorded Jeremiah's message.

Front 8

apodictic law

Back 8

law cast in the form of unconditional demands ("thou shalt not").

Front 9

Assyria

Back 9

A large territory centered along the upper Tigris River in Mesopotamia; the empire that dominated the Near East from the eleventh to the seventh century BCE and whose leaders destroyed Israel in 721 BCE and besieged Jerusalem in 701 BCE. Destroyed in 621 BCE.

Front 10

Babylon

Back 10

City on the middle Euphrates; capital of both the Old and Neo-Babylonian empires. Destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple (587 BCE) and fell to the Persians in 539 BCE.

Front 11

canon

Back 11

A standard of measure by which a religious community judges certain writings to be authoritative, usually of divine origin. Ex. The Hebrew Bible is a canon of Judaism.

Front 12

case law

Back 12

Law expressed in conditional terms: if such an act is committed, such will be the punishment.

Front 13

Court History

Back 13

Also called the Succession Narrative, it is the account of David's reign and Solomon's succession to Israel's throne, the narrative underlying passages in 2 Samuel and 1 Kings.

Front 14

Covenant Code

Back 14

A name given to the collection of ancient Hebrew laws found in Exodus, often called the Book of the Covenant.

Front 15

cult legend

Back 15

The oral tradition explaining or validating the sacredness of a particular place or shrine, such as the Genesis stories about Jacob's mystical experiences at Bethel or Peniel.

Front 16

cuneiform

Back 16

A wedge-shaped writing that originated in ancient Sumer about 3000 BCE and spread throughout Mesopotamia.

Front 17

Cyrus the Great (of Persia)

Back 17

Founder of the Persian Empire and conqueror of Babylon (539 BCE), who liberated the Jews from captivity and decreed their return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple; has been called yahweh's "shepherd" and his "Anointed" or "Messiah."

Front 18

Dead Sea Scrolls

Back 18

Biblical and other religious manuscripts dating from the second century BCE to the first century CE, found in caves near Qumran on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea.

Front 19

Deborah

Back 19

A judge and prophetess who, with Barak, helped bring about Israel's victories over the Canaanite forces of Sisera.

Front 20

Decalogue

Back 20

Another term for the Ten Commandments.

Front 21

diaspora

Back 21

Means "scattering." Refers to the distribution of the Jews outside their Palestinian homeland, such as the many Jewish communities established throughout the Greco-Roman world.

Front 22

Deuteronomist

Back 22

The unknown writer who complied and edited the present form of the Book of Deuteronomy.

Front 23

Deuteronomistic History (DH)

Back 23

The Book of Deuteronomy and the books of the Former Prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings) as compiled and revised from older sources by an anonymous author. Compiled late in Josiah's reign (c. 610 BCE), edited in 587 BCE and during the Babylonian exile.

Front 24

documentary hypothesis

Back 24

A scholarly theory associated with Julius Wellhausen that argues that the Pentateuch is not the work of one author but the result of many generations of anonymous writers, revisers, and editors: J (the Yahwist), E (the Elohist), D (the Deuteronomist), and P (the Priestly component).

Front 25

Ehud

Back 25

The left-handed judge from the tribe of Benjamin who murdered the obese Moabite king, Eglon, at Jericho and then led an Israelite army to rout the Moabite invaders.

Front 26

Elijah

Back 26

A fiercely Yahwist prophet from the northern kingdom whose anti-Baalism and attacks on Ahab's dynasty had a tremendous impact on Israel's political course during the ninth century BCE and who shaped his nation's prophetic traditions for centuries thereafter. Carried to heaven in a fiery chariot.

Front 27

Elisha

Back 27

A ninth-century CE prophet in the northern kingdom, successor to Elijah. Elisha was a clairvoyant who worked numerous miracles, including the resuscitation of a dead child.

Front 28

Elohist

Back 28

The anonymous author or compiler responsible for the E document or tradition in the Pentateuch. The name arose from his characteristic use of Elohim to denote the Hebrew deity.

Front 29

etiology

Back 29

Literally, a statement of causes or origins; a narrative created to explain the origin or meaning of a social practice, topographical feature, ritual, or other factor that arouses the storyteller's interest.

Front 30

exegesis

Back 30

A literary term denoting close analysis and interpretation of a text to discover the original author's exact intent and meaning.

Front 31

Ezekiel

Back 31

A major prophet of the sixth century BCE, exiled to Babylon, who was distinguished by his strange visions and priestly concerns.

Front 32

Gilgamesh

Back 32

Legendary king of Uruk, hero of the Sumero-Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, fragments of which date from shortly after 3000 BCE, describing his adventures battling evil and searching for immortality. The Babylonian version incorporates a story of the Flood narrated by Gilgamesh's ancestor Utnapishtim.

Front 33

Habakkuk

Back 33

A prophet of the late seventh or early sixth century BCE, perhaps a Levitical temple musician, and presumed author of the book bearing his name.

Front 34

Haggai

Back 34

A postexilic prophet who, with his contemporary Zechariah, urged the restored community fo Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.

Front 35

Hammurabi

Back 35

Sixth king of Babylon's First Dynasty (c. 1792-1750 BCE) and founder fo the first Amorite Empire in Mesopotamia. Best remembered for his law code.

Front 36

Holiness Code

Back 36

The name given to the body of laws and regulations set forth in Leviticus derives from the code's emphasis on holiness in behavior.

Front 37

Hosea

Back 37

An eighth-century prophet active in the northern kingdom from before the death of Jeroboam II (c. 746 BCE) until shortly before its fall to Assyria in 721 BCE; the source of the Book of Hosea, first in the printed list of Minor Prophets.

Front 38

Isaiah

Back 38

An eighth-century prophet and counselor of Judean kings, Isaiah of Jerusalem was active from 783-687 BCE.

Front 39

Second Isaiah

Back 39

Lived during the Babylonian exile (587-538 BCE) and contributed chapters 40-55.

Front 40

Third Isaiah

Back 40

Lived during the postexilic period and contributed Chapters 56-66.

Front 41

Jeremiah

Back 41

One of Israel's greatest prophets; warned Jeusalem and its kings of their misdeeds and of coming doom by the Babylonians for approximately forty years (c. 627-587 BCE). Persecuted by government and compatriots for his unpopular message.

Front 42

Jericho

Back 42

One of the world's oldest cities, whose ruins lie near an oasis on the west side of the south Jordan River Valley. Its walls crumbled when the Israelites marched around the city.

Front 43

Jonah

Back 43

A Zebulunite from Gath-hepher whom Yahweh sent as a prophet to warn Ninevah of its impending doom. Was delivered from death inside a sea monster.

Front 44

Joseph

Back 44

The son of Jacob and Rachel, whose brothers were jealous of him and sold him into slavery in Egypt, where his ability to interpret dreams let him rise to power second only to the Pharoah.

Front 45

Joshua

Back 45

Moses' military assistant in charge of the Tabernacle and chosen to succeed Moses. Led the Israelites across the Jordan, captured Jericho and 'Ai, warred against the Canaanite kings, allotted land to various tribes, and made a covenant with Yahweh and the people.

Front 46

Josiah

Back 46

King of Judah (640-609 BCE). Killed attempting to intercept the Pharoah's army on its way to support Assyria.

Front 47

Josiah's reform

Back 47

Reforms (held by King Josiah following 621 BCE) of all centers of worship in Judah.

Front 48

Jubilee

Back 48

The sabbatical year described in Leviticus 25:8-24 to be kept every half-century and proclaimed by a trumpet blast on the Day of Atonement. During a Jubilee year, all debts were to be canceled and private property returned to its rightful owners.

Front 49

judge

Back 49

Charismatic (spirit-filled) men and women who led Israelite tribes or clans mainly by the force of their character.

Front 50

lex talonis

Back 50

The law of strict retaliation, the principle of retributive justice expressed in the Torah command to exact and rejected by Jesus.

Front 51

Manasseh

Back 51

Kind of Judah longer than any other Davidic monarch. Known as the most evil ruler of Judah for is encouragement of Baalism, astrology, and human sacrifice.

Front 52

Messiah

Back 52

Means "anointed one" in Hebrew.

Front 53

Micah

Back 53

A Judean prophet of the late eighth century BCE and younger contemporary of Isaiah of Jerusalem. A rural figure who denounced the evils of urban life and predicted Jerusalem's fall.

Front 54

Monolatry/ Henotheism

Back 54

The worship of one god while conceding the existence of others.

Front 55

Nahum

Back 55

A prophet who delivered poems rejoiceing in Ninevah's fall and the destruction of the Assyrian Empire (612 BCE).

Front 56

Nathan

Back 56

A prophet and plitical counselor at David's court who enunciated the concept of an everlasting Davidic dynasty and denounced the king for his adultery with Bathsheba.

Front 57

Ninevah

Back 57

The last capital of the Assyrian Empire, located on the east bank of the Tigris River.

Front 58

Obadiah

Back 58

Traditionally recognized as author of the Book of Obadiah, about whom nothing is known. His book is fourth and shortest among the Minor Prophets.

Front 59

oracle

Back 59

A divine message or utterance or the person through whom it is conveyed.

Front 60

Ramses II

Back 60

Ruler of Egypt who many scholars think was the pharaoh of the Exodus.

Front 61

Samson

Back 61

A Nazirite judge of Israel famous for his supernatural strength, aboritve love affair with Delilah, and spectacular destruction of the Philistine temple of Dagon.

Front 62

Samuel

Back 62

Israel's last judge, a prophet and seer who also performed priestly functions. Became the greatest influence in Israel's transition from the tribal confederacy to monarchy under Saul, whom he anointed king but later rejected in favor of David.

Front 63

Saul

Back 63

First king of Israel, Saul was anointed by Samuel to meen the Philistine crisis.

Front 64

Septuagint (LXX)

Back 64

A Greek edition of the Hebrew Bible traditionally attributed to seventy or seventy-two Palestinian scholars during the reign of Ptolemy II. Actually the work of several generations of Alexandrine translaters.

Front 65

shema

Back 65

According to the Hebrew Bible, the subterranean region to which the "shades" of all the dead descended, a place of intense gloom, hopelessness, and virtual unconciousness for its inhabitants.

Front 66

Solomon

Back 66

Son of David and Bathsheba and Israel's third king, became famous for his wisdom, worshipped other gods than Yahweh, and died leaving his people financially exhausted and politically discontented.

Front 67

Sumer

Back 67

The land at the head of the Persian Gulf between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, site of the oldest high civilization in the ancient Near East and traditional homeland of Abraham and his ancestors.

Front 68

Tanak

Back 68

A modern name for the Hebrew Bible, an acronym consisting of three consonants that represent the three major divisions of the Bible; the Torah (law), the Nevi'im (Prophets), and the Kethuvium (Writings).

Front 69

Tetragrammaton

Back 69

The four consonants (YHWH) making up the sacred name Yahweh, the God of Israel.

Front 70

theodicy

Back 70

A rational attempt to understand how an all-good, all-powerful God can permit the existence of evil and undeserved suffering.

Front 71

theophany

Back 71

An appearance of a god to a person.

Front 72

Vulgate

Back 72

Jerome's Latin translation of the Bible (late fourth century CE), eventually including the Apocrypha, which became the official version of Roman Catholicism.

Front 73

Yahweh

Back 73

A rendering of the sacred name of Israel's god, represented almost 7,000 times in the cnonical Hebrew Bible by the four consonants of the Tetragrammaton (YHWH).

Front 74

Yahwist

Back 74

The name scholars give the anonymous writer or compiler who produced the J document, the oldest stratum in the Pentateuch.

Front 75

Zechariah

Back 75

A Judean prophet, a contemporary of Haggai, urged the returned exiles to rebuild Yahweh's Temple in Jerusalem.

Front 76

Apocalypse

Back 76

To "uncover" or "reveal." Refers to a certain kind of literature that purports to foretell the future in terms of symbols and mystical visions and deals primarily with eschatological events.

Front 77

Daniel

Back 77

He appears at the Babylonian and Persian royal courts as a sage interpreter of dreams.

Front 78

Esther

Back 78

Heroine of the canonical book bearing her name, cousin and adopted daughter of Mordecai, queen of Persia under Xerxes, Esther became a national heroine by delivering her people from a mass slaughter planned by Haman.

Front 79

Ezra

Back 79

A postexilic Jewish priest who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon during the reign of the Persian emperor Artaxerxes to promulgate the Mosaic Torah and supervise a reformation of the Jewish religion.

Front 80

Nehemiah

Back 80

A Jewish court official living at the Persian capital in Susa who persuaded the emperor Artaxerxes I to rebuild Jerusalem's walls.