HE WILL RULE AS GOD: the political history of the pre-exilic biblical era

The Old Testament bible commentary of He Will Rule As God successfully unveils the history of ancient Palestine. The Old Testament is permeated with metaphor and it is these metaphorical statements that harbor the true history of the pre-exilic biblical era.

EXCERPTS:

Hello: thank you for joining me on this exciting and informative journey through the pre-exilic biblical era. Almost everyone has read at least a portion of the biblical narratives, and everyone knows of them; nevertheless, how many people actually understand what is transpiring within the mystical texts? Upon completing our expedition, you will be one of the few that do understand the texts. Thus, this work will forever change the manner in which you perceive the Old Testament.

Before we set forth, I will place before my companions the historical knowledge needed to comprehend what will transpire within this scholarly work. In the area that people consider the Holy Land, at approximately 1050 BCE, various trivial institutions united and became a unified kingdom. In essence, this kingdom was comprised of two major countries, Israel to the north and Judah to the south. After the reign of King Solomon, the first ruler of the united countries, the northern country of Israel rebelled against the Judah based institution and gained their independence. Viewing the map from the previous page, the kingdom of Israel encompassed all the land to the north of the tribe of Judah (the territory of Benjamin became part of Judah), except for the territory of Asher, which became Phoenician territory. At approximately 722 BCE, the Assyrian Empire invaded the kingdom of Israel and forced many of the Israelites into Judah. During the subsequent history of Judah, two of its kings made major moves to consolidate the amalgamation of peoples. King Hezekiah ruled from around 715 to 687 BCE. King Josiah ruled a couple generations afterwards.

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Genesis 4:1-16
Within these verses, we shall cover the famous myth of Cain and Abel. The man experienced Eve and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. Upon giving birth, Eve stated that she created a man with the help of Yahweh. The Hebrew word used to denote man in this text is not "aadaam", which authors have used thus far; the word used here is "'iysh". This could point to an author that wrote in a different era or culture, and this is the first time an author has referred to the deity as Yahweh, as opposed to Yahweh 'Elohiym. This is another clue that we are reading an author from a different geographical, social, or temporal perspective. This myth is from the early history of Judah.

Abel was a shepherd of flocks and Cain was a tiller of the ground. Cain and Abel brought their respective offerings to the deity, but Yahweh favored the animal offering from Abel over the vegetable offering from Cain. Cain was angered and consequently he killed his brother. Cain would be a vagabond, but the deity states:

15. But said to him Yahweh, If anyone kills Cain, sevenfold he will be avenged! And put Yahweh on Cain a mark so that not should kill him anyone who found him.

Thus, Cain (Qayin) left Eden for a land east called Nod, which means, "exile". This portion of the narrative is followed by a Kenite (Qeeyniy) genealogy ("Kenite" is patronymic for "Cain"). First, individuals who are bound by tradition have trouble believing that the Kenites, who we will read more about in the books of Samuel, can be connected to Cain, from the supposed pre- diluvium (pre-flood) era. In Judges 4:11, we read:

11. Now Heber, the Kenite, had broken from the Kenites...

However, in Hebrew it reads:

W-Cheber ha-Qeeyniy nipraad mi-Qayin

Do not let the Hebrew confuse you; I just want to point out the connection with the Kenites (Qeeyniy) and Cain (Qayin). This, along with myriad other evidence we will come across, should be sufficient to prove that Kenite is patronymic for Cain. Thus, Cain was the first born, i.e., the Kenites were the first of the referenced tribes or institutions in the area of Judah. However, the Kenites found themselves in the classic Vegetable Farmer verses Herdsman battle, and Yahweh, i.e., an institution of Judah, allied with the tribes that were herdsmen. The original school of this text appears to have settled amongst and had good relations with the Kenites, but remained in the area when the Kenites were driven out of Judah. They knew that the Kenites had been driven east, were now a part of the institution that drove them east, but with this text, they display a subtle empathy and affinity toward the tribe of Kenites. Thus, the deity protects Cain, and the author is stating that the people that caused the exiling of the Kenites were vain. Authors of the biblical narratives were masters at word play. Hence, when Cain kills Abel, it could represent the Kenite institution overtaking some nomadic tribes that the Judah institution supported. The word Aabeel, as in 'Aabeelaah Beeyt-ha-Ma`akaah, means "meadow". However, the name used here in Genesis 4 is Haabel, which definitely and purposefully has an affinity with Aabeel, and means, "vanity". The word is derived from the root, "hebel", which is used in the biblical narratives to denote a vain demeanor or vain actions. Regardless of what was implied when Cain killed Abel, an uprising institution in Judah was not sympathetic toward the actions of the Kenites and they ultimately drove them out of the area. However, as stated, the author of this text displays an affinity toward the Kenites; again, the deity protects Cain (in the books of Samuel, we will see further evidence of the Levites supporting the Kenites). The Kenites are just one of the tribes that an institution would drive out of Judah, as I stated in the introduction. Cain, i.e., the Kenites, was exiled east, which probably means east of Judah, i.e., across the Jordan. Most scholars hold the belief that the Kenites were a Midianite tribe that migrated into the area from the south of Judah, but I must disagree:

55. And the families of the scribes who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites {and} Suchathites. These {are} the Kenites who came from Hemath, the father of the household of Rechab (1 Chron. 2:55).

Hemath, or Hamath, is a place in Syria; and it appears that the Kenites migrated from Syria into Judah, where they gave birth to the Rechabites. Moreover, an institution drove the Kenites east of Judah, as was the case for the Reubenites, who settled in Judah before an institution drove them east of the Jordan. In Exodus 6:14, the sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Hezron and Carmi. However, Hezron and Carmi were both mentioned as sons of Judah in 1 Chronicles 4:1, and in 1 Chronicles 5:3, they were again the sons of Reuben. However, there are still those that fail to perceive that these genealogies are not about little families and their sons, and thus they are inclined to simply believe that both Reuben and Judah had descendants or sons with the same names. Let us look to Numbers 26:5-6:

5. Reuben, firstborn Israel's; the sons of Reuben; {of} Hanoch came} the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu. the family of the Palluites; 6. of Hezron the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, {came} the family of the Carmites.

And in Numbers 26:21 of Judah's son Pharez, we read:

21. And were the sons of Pharez; of Hezron, {came} the family of the Hezronites.

To think that two men both gave birth to a tribe or group called the Hezronites is quite naive. Hezron was a place in southern Judah. Thus, the Reubenites were prominent in Judah and first inhabited these cities, but when the Reubenites were pushed out of Judah, these sons, i.e., cities, became sons of Judah, i.e., cities of Judah. This should not be too difficult to comprehend; we will find in 1 Chronicles that certain Edomites were actually at one time referred to as sons of Judah, which is an example of the same phenomenon. Thus, the Reubenites are another tribe that an institution drove out of Judah, again, as I placed forth in the introduction. Moreover, the Kenites may have been related to, or possibly, they were within a unified migration with the Reubenites. If we may return to Numbers 26:5, Reuben's son Hanoch, "Chnowk" in Hebrew, is none other than Enoch, the son of Cain, who we will come across later in this chapter; the spelling is the same in Hebrew. Cain built a city and named it after Enoch, thus it only follows that the Hanochites, "Chanokiy" in Hebrew, lived in Chnowk, the town named after the son of Cain; and no, there was not a flood that destroyed the world. Reuben was the first son, i.e., the first tribe of Jacob, i.e., Judah, and in this chapter, the author presented the Kenites as the first son of man, i.e., the first tribe in the area.

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Genesis 31

This intriguing section is comprised of two stories that a later redactor wove together. I have discerned and separated the stories into their original forms. These weaves can be extremely difficult to discern because the complete texts of both stories are not always present. Besides the two stories in this chapter, we also have some interpolations by either a third author, or the individual that wove them together. I will give you an earlier written text of unsure authorship, followed by an "E" text written some time afterwards that comes across as a rebuttal or testimony.

1. And he heard the words of sons Laban's, saying, has taken away Jacob all that {was} to our father, and from that which was our father's he has gotten all wealth this. 20. And deceived Jacob the heart of Laban, the Syrian, because not he did tell him that about to run away he {was}. 21. And ran away he and all that {was}to him. And he arose and crossed the {Euphrates} River and set his face toward the hill of Gilead. 22. And was told Laban on the day third that had run away Jacob. 23. And he took his brothers with him and pursued after him {for} journey seven days, and he caught him in the hill of Gilead. 24. And came 'Elohiym to Laban, the Syrian, in a dream of the night, and said to him, Watch out for yourself, lest you speak with Jacob from good to bad! 26. And said Laban to Jacob, What have you done that you have deceived my heart and taken my daughters like captives of the sword? 27. Why did you hide so as to run away and have deceived me and not have told me? And I would have sent you with rejoicing and with music, with tabret and with harp. 28. Not you have let me kiss my sons and my daughters. Now you have been foolish to do {this}. 29. It is in the power of my hand to do you harm, but the 'Eloheey your father last night spoke to me saying, Watch out for yourself lest you speak with Jacob from good to evil! 30. And now surely you have left because you have yearned after household your father's. 31. And spoke Jacob and said to Laban, Because I was afraid, because I said lest you should take by force your daughters away from me. 43. And spoke Laban and said to Jacob, The daughters {are} my daughters and the sons {are} my sons, and the flocks my flocks. And all which you see, to me it {is} And my daughters, what I can do to these today, or to their sons whom they have given birth to? 44. So now come, let us cut a covenant, me and you, and let it be for a witness between me and you. 50. If {not} you will afflict my daughters and if {not} you will take wives more than my daughters, no man {is} with us, look, 'Elohiym is a Witness between me and you. 51. And said Laban to Jacob, Look on heap this, and look on the pillar which I have set between me and you. 52. {is} a witness heap This and {is} a witness the pillar. As for me, not I will pass over to you heap this. And as for you not you will pass over to me heap this, and pillar this for harm. 53. The 'Eloheey Abraham, and the 'Eloheey Nahor, let judge between us the 'Eloheey their father. 55. And rose up early Laban in the morning and kissed his sons and his daughters and blessed them, and left, and returned Laban to his own place.

Let us closely examine this story. Jacob decided to leave because Laban's sons thought he had deceived their father, at which point, he deceived Laban and fled. However, because of the deity, when Laban caught Jacob he treated him with kindness. Laban asked Jacob why he had taken his daughters captive by the sword, but the daughters are not given names. Again, this text was written before the texts of the last couple of chapters. Jacob did not deny the claim nor did he argue when Laban stated that the sons, daughters, and flocks belonged to Laban. This is subtly stating that Jacob, i.e., peoples from Israel or Judah, allied with some tribes from Syria or of a Syrian element. There was a breaking away from a larger based institution, which appears to have been rather surreptitious, and we are led to believe that the escapees assumed some wealth that may not have been legally theirs. The author understands this and uses this to achieve another desired end. He states that if Jacob does not wed any women other than Laban's daughters, i.e., if the institution he is speaking of does not ally itself with any other tribes or institutions, there will be peace between the entities.

Let us now move into the "E" version of the story.

2. And saw Jacob the face of Laban. And look, it was not toward him as before. 4. And sent Jacob and called for Rachel and for Leah, to the field to his flocks. 5. And he said to them, see I the face of your father, that it is not toward me as before, but the 'Eloheey my father has been with me. 6. And you know that with all my power I have served your father. 7. But your father has cheated me and has changed my wages ten times. But not has allowed him 'Elohiym to do harm to me. 8. If thus he said, The speckled will be your wages, then gave birth to all the flocks speckled. And if thus he said, The striped will be your wages, then gave birth to all the flocks striped. 9. And has taken away 'Elohiym the livestock of your father and has given to me. 10. And at the time was in heat the flock, I raised my eyes and saw in a dream. And, look, the rams which leaped on the flock were striped, speckled, and dappled. 11. And spoke to me the Angel of 'Elohiym in a dream, Jacob! And I said, I {am} here. 12. And He said, Raise now your eyes and see all the rams which are leaping upon the flock. {They are} striped, speckled, and spotted, because I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13. I am the 'Eel Beeyt-'Eel, where you anointed there the pillar, where you vowed to Me a vow. Now, rise up, go out, of land this and return to the land of your relatives. 14. And answered Rachel and Leah and said to him, {Is there} to us a portion and an inheritance in the household of our father? 15. Are not strangers we counted by him? Because he has sold us and he has spent also entirely our silver. 16. Because all the riches which has taken 'Elohiym from our father, for us it is and for our sons. Now, then, all that which has said 'Elohiym to you, do. 17. Then got up Jacob and set his sons and his wives on camels. 18. And he drove all his livestock, and all his goods which he had gotten, livestock of his property which he had acquired in Padan- Aram, to come to Isaac, his father, to the land of Canaan. 19. And Laban went to shear his sheep. And stole Rachel the household idols which her father had. 25. But overtook Laban- Jacob, and Jacob had pitched his tent at the mountain. And Laban had pitched with his brothers at the hill of Gilead. 26. And said Laban to Jacob, Why have you stolen my 'lohaay? 31. And spoke Jacob and said to Laban . With whomever you find 'lohekaa, not he will live here in front of our brothers. See for yourself what {is} with me, and take {it}to you. (Because not did know Jacob that Rachel had stolen them.) 33. And went Laban into tent Jacob's, and into tent Leah's, and into the tent of the two slave-girls, and not did find. And he left tent Leah's and entered into tent Rachel's. 34. And Rachel had taken the household idols and put them into the saddle of the camel, and sat on them. And felt around Laban all the tent but not did find. 35. And she said to her father, not Let angel be in the eyes of my lord that not I am able to rise before you, because the way of women {is} to me. And he looked but not did find the household idols. 36. And was angry Jacob, and he argued with Laban. And answered Jacob and said to Laban, What {is} my transgression; what {is} my sin, that you have pursued hotly after me? 37. Because you have felt around all my vessels. What have you found from all the vessels of your house? Set it here in front of my brothers and your brothers, and let them decide between the two of us! 38. Now twenty years I {was} with you. Your ewes and your female goats not have failed to give birth, and the rams of your flock not I have eaten. 39. The mangled not I did bring to you. I replaced it. From my hand you exacted it, that stolen {by} day and that stolen {by} night. 40. So I was. By day consumed me the heat, and the cold by night. And eluded my sleep from my eyes. 41. Now I {have been} twenty years in your household. I served you fourteen years for two of your daughters and six years for your flocks and you have changed my wages ten times. 42. Unless the 'Eloheey my father, the 'Eloheey Abraham and the Reverence of Isaac, had been for me, truly, now empty you would have sent me. my affliction and the toil of my hand has seen 'Elohiym, and He judged {last} night. 45. And took Jacob a stone and set it up as a memorial. 46. And said Jacob to his brothers, Gather stones. And they took stones and they made a heap. And they ate there upon the heap. 47. And called it Laban Jegar-sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.

In this version, the entire mood of the story is changed. The author placed Jacob in a light of grandeur and he unequivocally placed all the blame on Laban. However, Rachel does steal the household idols. Although this author is giving Jacob complete impunity, he cannot deny the fact that something dishonest transpired. Some archaeologists believe that these teraphim were not only used for divination, but they could signify a legal title to an estate. The author could thus kill two birds with one stone. First, with Rachel stealing the idols, the author may be subtly stating that all the inheritance of these Syrian tribes would not merely go to Israel or Judah, but to her son Joseph. Joseph's sons would inherit Ephraim, which is the home of the holy cities of the Levitical school. Secondly, the author appears to be conspicuously blaming Rachel, i.e., the Syrians, for the dishonesty and/or inequities dealing with the Judah institution.

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2 Chronicles 29 moves the narrative to King Hezekiah. As mentioned, King Hezekiah made a monumental move for national consolidation and centralization of worship. Other kings before him may have attempted the same, but we have no evidence of this, and if they did, it would not have been to such a great extent. Let us review the political situation that confronted King Hezekiah. He was a king over Judah, which was a small piece of land that existed between great warring powers. There was Egypt to the south and to the north, Assyria had overtaken Israel. Babylon was also growing powerful in the east. When a prophet was standing up and delivering warnings to the king, it was often because his choice of political alliances. It was these prophetic uprisings from a political/religious institution, which once was great, but that had been removed from favor, that led to political and social disunity that precipitated the demise of Israel and ultimately Judah. Within Judah, the king had numerous internal problems to deal with. The biggest of these problems was religious and thus political instability. At that time in history, politics and religion were inexorably bound together. If the king did not have the support of the priests or the priests did not have the support of the king, there would be internal turmoil. We constantly perceived this with the blood surrounding the throne in Israel.

However, the king had another large problem to deal with, this was religious texts from two countries that had a united past. Within these texts, there was a verbal battle between religious institutions. The sons of Aaron had long been in power within the Judah institution, but what about their former brothers, the group of Levitical priests. Although the sons of Aaron had been in control of the Judah institution for some time, the Levitical priests had moved into Judah and had brought quite a large following with them. The amalgamated Levitical sect had a large following and the Aaronaid institution had already accepted some of them. Thus, the institution of Judah decided to try to unite the groups and thus the country:

2. And appointed Hezekiah the divisions of the priests and of the Levites, by their divisions. (2 Chronicles 31:2)

I have been pointing out the texts and the methods of this move toward unification throughout our travels. One would have to conjecture that the overzealous Levites that would not accept the secondary role to the priests had to be eliminated. However, I am sure many of the Levitical priests were happy to find a home, as some of their brothers had done before them:

10. As for us, Yahweh {is} 'Eloheeynuw and not we have left Him. Yes, priests are serving Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, in the work. (2 Chronicles 13:10)

Let us again move into the concept of centralization of worship and its effects on the state. With Centralization of worship, the people could only sacrifice to the deity at one place. To instill this, priests always placed this forth as a mandate of the deity. We read the following in Leviticus 17:

3. Any man of the household of Israel who kills an ox, or a lamb, or a goat in the camp, or who kills at the outside of the camp, 4. and at the door of the tent of meeting not has brought it to offer as an offering to Yahweh in front of the tabernacle of Yahweh, blood will be imputed to man that blood He has shed, and will be cut off man that from the middle of his people. 5. So that will bring in the sons of Israel their sacrifices which they are sacrificing in open the field, so that they may bring them to Yahweh, at the door of the tent of meeting to the priest, and sacrifice {for} sacrifices of peace-offerings to Yahweh them.

When the people were going to slaughter one of their animals, they were to take the meat to the temple and sacrifice portions there-of. Thus, if you were forced to give offerings at one place, there would be increased portions given to that institution, i.e., the priests presiding over the institution. The fact that this brings food and thus wealth to the priest is no mere point of conjecture:

3. And the rest of the food-offering {is} for Aaron and for his sons, holy most of fire-offerings of Yahweh (Leviticus 2:3)

34. For the breast of the wave-offering and the leg of the heave-offering I have taken from the sons of Israel, from the sacrifices of their peace-offering. And I have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons by a statute never-ending from the sons of Israel. (Leviticus 7:34)

In addition, not only were they to bring the offerings and sacrifices to one place, the same went for the tithes. A tithe was a standard portion or tax to the deity in antiquity:

30. And all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land, of the fruit of the tree, for Yahweh it {is}.{It is} holy to Yahweh. 31. And if at all redeems a man {any} of his tithes, its fifth he will add to it. 32. And all the tithe of the herd and of the flock, all that passes under the rod, a tenth will be holy to Yahweh" (Leviticus 27).

It is obviously good to be a Levite, but better to be priest:

26. And to the Levites you will speak, and you will say to them, When you receive from the sons of Israel the tithe, which I have given to you from them for your inheritance, and you will lift up from it a heave-offering of Yahweh, a tithe of the tithe" (Leviticus 18:26).

And during the reign of Hezekiah:

5. And as spread the word, brought abundantly the sons of Israel, the firstfruits of grain, new wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the produce of the field. And the tithe of all, very much they brought. 6. And the sons of Israel and Judah, those living in the cities of Judah, also they tithed of the herd and the flock even a tithe of the holy things that were consecrated to Yahweh 'Eloheeyhem, were brought and they piled {in} heaps of heaps.

Hence, all the tithes and offerings now had to be brought to one place. This obviously created great wealth and control for the institution presiding at the temple, as opposed to numerous groups of priests presiding at numerous high places and from several different sects and/or deities.