Discuss the stories of Abraham and the Exodus. What origins do they signify? What are the social functions of these texts?
Abram, later to be renamed by God Abraham, originated from Ur, which was considered to be a cultured and ancient city. Minimalist scholars believe this to be the origins of the Israelites were Canaanites. As we learn later on in the book of Joshua the Israelites were lead by Joshua on a conquest in Canaan. The reason for minimalists believing Canaan origins is due to limited archeological findings predating the conquest of the Promise Land. However, this does not mean there are not artifacts proving otherwise left to find (according the content reviewed in this course) but rather the minimalist scholar approach. According …show more content…
What does this term signify? What are the ethical and moral implications of it in the Joshua narrative? What does it mean to imagine perpetrating mass violence against another group of people? What might be the social function of this narrative?
The Hebrew word “herem” can be defined as a devotional destruction on the behalf of God as a given divine commandment. This also defines the social function of the book of Joshua; harem as a systematic destruction in which all those who oppose the Lord are laid to waste. Herem described Joshua’s commandment from the Lord to wipe out the peoples of the Promise Land except for Rahab for assisting them. Since the order for Joshua to lead Israel’s conquest on Cannon was justified as God commanded them. Rahab recognized this and mentioned the power of the God of Abraham by hiding the spies in her home. Excluding Rahab all of the decendents of Canaan were to be wiped out, as a purging of that culture. This is not a new theme in the Scriptures as we saw with Sodom and Gomorrah. However, this time it was God’s order to man rather than God and His angels carrying out the command. It was also referenced in the lecture that this similar command was given about Achan and 36 more Israelites who stole from God i.e. the devoted things to the Lord. Although in Deuteronomy 24:16 it says to not punish people for the sins of their families I do not think it is applied here. Achan described what he took and where he hid it in Joshua 7:20-21. Achan stole a cloak from Shinar, 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, these are all items that could not be hidden easily if an entire family shared one tent. From reading these texts I am under the impression Achan’s wife and children must have known about the stolen goods and decided to say nothing, thus making them share the
Abram, later to be renamed by God Abraham, originated from Ur, which was considered to be a cultured and ancient city. Minimalist scholars believe this to be the origins of the Israelites were Canaanites. As we learn later on in the book of Joshua the Israelites were lead by Joshua on a conquest in Canaan. The reason for minimalists believing Canaan origins is due to limited archeological findings predating the conquest of the Promise Land. However, this does not mean there are not artifacts proving otherwise left to find (according the content reviewed in this course) but rather the minimalist scholar approach. According …show more content…
What does this term signify? What are the ethical and moral implications of it in the Joshua narrative? What does it mean to imagine perpetrating mass violence against another group of people? What might be the social function of this narrative?
The Hebrew word “herem” can be defined as a devotional destruction on the behalf of God as a given divine commandment. This also defines the social function of the book of Joshua; harem as a systematic destruction in which all those who oppose the Lord are laid to waste. Herem described Joshua’s commandment from the Lord to wipe out the peoples of the Promise Land except for Rahab for assisting them. Since the order for Joshua to lead Israel’s conquest on Cannon was justified as God commanded them. Rahab recognized this and mentioned the power of the God of Abraham by hiding the spies in her home. Excluding Rahab all of the decendents of Canaan were to be wiped out, as a purging of that culture. This is not a new theme in the Scriptures as we saw with Sodom and Gomorrah. However, this time it was God’s order to man rather than God and His angels carrying out the command. It was also referenced in the lecture that this similar command was given about Achan and 36 more Israelites who stole from God i.e. the devoted things to the Lord. Although in Deuteronomy 24:16 it says to not punish people for the sins of their families I do not think it is applied here. Achan described what he took and where he hid it in Joshua 7:20-21. Achan stole a cloak from Shinar, 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, these are all items that could not be hidden easily if an entire family shared one tent. From reading these texts I am under the impression Achan’s wife and children must have known about the stolen goods and decided to say nothing, thus making them share the