#Edomite

[thestreamofconsciousness777]

The sound of the day of Jehovah is bitter. There a mighty man is letting out a cry: There exist companions disposed to break one another to pieces, but there exists a friend sticking closer than a brother...

“And the Phi·lisʹtines went collecting their camps together for war. When they were collected together at So’coh, which belongs to Judah, then they took up camping between So’coh and A·ze’kah, in E’phes-dam’mim. As for Saul and the men of Israel, they collected themselves together and took up camping in the low plain of E’lah, and they went drawing up in battle formation to meet the Phi·lis’tines. And the Phi·lis’tines were standing on the mountain on this side, and the Israelites were standing on the mountain on that side, with the valley between them.

And a champion began to go out from the camps of the Phi·lis’tines, his name being Go·li’ath, from Gath, his height being six cubits and a span. And there was a helmet of copper on his head, and he was clad with a coat of mail, of overlapping scales, and the weight of the coat of mail was five thousand shekels of copper. And there were greaves of copper above his feet and a javelin of copper between his shoulders. And the wooden shaft of his spear was like the beam of loom workers, and the blade of his spear was six hundred shekels of iron; and the bearer of the large shield was marching ahead of him. Then he stood still and began to call to the battle lines of Israel and say to them: “Why do YOU come out to draw up in battle formation? Am I not the Phi·lis’tine and YOU servants belonging to Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and he does strike me down, we must then become servants to YOU. But if I myself am a match for him and I do strike him down, YOU must also become servants to us, and YOU must serve us.” And the Phi·lis’tine went on to say: “I myself do taunt the battle lines of Israel this day. Give me a man, and let us fight together!”

When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Phi·lis’tine, then they became terrified and were greatly afraid.

Now David was the son of this Eph’rath·ite from Beth’le·hem of Judah whose name was Jes’se. And he had eight sons. And in the days of Saul the man was already old among men. And the three oldest sons of Jes’se proceeded to go. They went after Saul to the war, and the names of his three sons that went into the war were E·li’ab the firstborn, and his second son A·bin’a·dab and the third Sham’mah. And David was the youngest, and the three oldest themselves went after Saul.

And David was going and returning from Saul to tend the sheep of his father at Beth’le·hem. And the Phi·lis’tine kept coming forward at early morning and at evening and taking his position for forty days. Then Jes’se said to David his son: “Take, please, to your brothers this e’phah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers. And these ten portions of milk you should bring to the chief of the thousand; also, you should look after your own brothers as regards their welfare, and a token from them you should take.” Meantime, Saul and they and all the other men of Israel were in the low plain of E’lah, fighting against the Phi·lis’tines.

Accordingly David got up early in the morning and left the sheep to the keeper’s charge and picked up and went just as Jes’se had commanded him. When he came to the camp enclosure, the military forces were going out to the battle line, and they raised a shout for the battle. And Israel and the Phi·lis’tines began drawing up battle line to meet battle line. Immediately David left the baggage from off him to the care of the keeper of the baggage and went running to the battle line. When he came, he began asking about the welfare of his brothers.

While he was speaking with them, why, here the champion, his name being Go·li’ath the Phi·lis’tine from Gath, was coming up from the battle lines of the Phi·lis’tines, and he began speaking the same words as before, and David got to listen in. As for all the men of Israel, on their seeing the man, why, they went fleeing on account of him and were very much afraid. And the men of Israel began to say: “Have YOU seen this man that is coming up? For it is to taunt Israel that he is coming up. And it must occur that, the man who strikes him down, the king will enrich him with great riches, and his own daughter he will give him, and the house of his father he will set free in Israel.”

And David began to say to the men that were standing close by him: “What will be done to the man that strikes down that Phi·lis’tine over there and actually turns away reproach from upon Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Phi·lis’tine that he has to taunt the battle lines of the living God?” Then the people said to him the same words as before, saying: “This is the way it will be done to the man that strikes him down.” And E·li’ab his oldest brother got to hear as he spoke to the men, and E·li’ab’s anger grew hot against David, so that he said: “Why is it that you have come down? And in whose charge did you leave those few sheep behind in the wilderness? I myself well know your presumptuousness and the badness of your heart, because you have come down for the purpose of seeing the battle.” To this David said: “What have I done now? Was it not just a word?” With that he turned about from beside him toward someone else and went saying the same word as before, and, in turn, the people gave him the same reply as formerly.

So the words that David spoke came to be heard, and they went telling them before Saul. Hence he fetched him. And David proceeded to say to Saul: “Do not let the heart of any man collapse within him. Your servant himself will go and actually fight with this Phi·lis’tine.” But Saul said to David: “You are not able to go against this Phi·lis’tine to fight with him, for you are but a boy, and he is a man of war from his boyhood.” And David went on to say to Saul: “Your servant became a shepherd of his father among the flock, and there came a lion, and also a bear, and [each] carried off a sheep from the drove. And I went out after it and struck it down and made the rescue from its mouth. When it began rising against me, I grabbed hold of its beard and struck it down and put it to death. Both the lion and the bear your servant struck down; and this uncircumcised Phi·lis’tine must become like one of them, for he has taunted the battle lines of the living God.” Then David added: “Jehovah, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, he it is who will deliver me from the hand of this Phi·lis’tine.” At this Saul said to David: “Go, and may Jehovah himself prove to be with you.”

Saul now went clothing David with his garments, and he put a copper helmet upon his head, after which he clothed him with a coat of mail. Then David girded his sword on over his garments and undertook to go [but could not], because he had not tried them out. Finally David said to Saul: “I am unable to go in these things, for I have not tried them out.” So David removed them off him. And he proceeded to take his staff in his hand and to choose for himself the five smoothest stones from the torrent valley and to place them in his shepherds’ bag that served him as a receptacle, and in his hand was his sling. And he began approaching the Phi·lis’tine.

And the Phi·lis’tine began to come, coming nearer and nearer to David, and the man carrying the large shield was ahead of him. Now when the Phi·lis’tine looked and saw David, he began despising him because he proved to be a boy and ruddy, of beautiful appearance. So the Phi·lis’tine said to David: “Am I a dog, so that you are coming to me with staves?” With that the Phi·lis’tine called down evil upon David by his gods. And the Phi·lis’tine went on to say to David: “Just come to me, and I will give your flesh to the fowls of the heavens and to the beasts of the field.”

In turn David said to the Phi·lis’tine: “You are coming to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I am coming to you with the name of Jehovah of armies, the God of the battle lines of Israel, whom you have taunted. This day Jehovah will surrender you into my hand, and I shall certainly strike you down and remove your head off you; and I shall certainly give the carcasses of the camp of the Phi·lis’tines this day to the fowls of the heavens and to the wild beasts of the earth; and people of all the earth will know that there exists a God belonging to Israel. And all this congregation will know that neither with sword nor with spear does Jehovah save, because to Jehovah belongs the battle, and he must give YOU men into our hand.”

And it occurred that the Phi·lis’tine rose and kept coming and drawing nearer to meet David, and David began hurrying and running toward the battle line to meet the Phi·lis’tine. Then David thrust his hand into his bag and took a stone from there and slung it, so that he struck the Phi·lis’tine in his forehead and the stone sank into his forehead, and he went falling upon his face to the earth. So David, with a sling and a stone, proved stronger than the Phi·lis’tine and struck the Phi·lis’tine down and put him to death; and there was no sword in David’s hand. And David continued running and got to stand over the Phi·lis’tine. Then he took his sword and pulled it out of its sheath and definitely put him to death when he cut his head off with it. And the Phi·lis’tines got to see that their mighty one had died, and they took to flight.

At that the men of Israel and of Judah rose and broke into shouting and went in pursuit of the Phi·lis’tines clear to [the] valley and as far as the gates of Ek’ron, and the fatally wounded of the Phi·lis’tines kept falling on the way from Sha’a·ra’im, both as far as Gath and as far as Ek’ron. Afterward the sons of Israel returned from hotly pursuing the Phi·lis’tines and went pillaging their camps.

Then David took the head of the Phi·lis’tine and brought it to Jerusalem, and his weapons he put in his tent.

Now at the moment that Saul saw David going out to meet the Phi·lis’tine, he said to Ab’ner the chief of the army: “Whose son is the boy, Abʹner?” To this Ab’ner said: “By the life of your soul, O king, I do not know at all!” So the king said: “You inquire whose son the lad is.” Accordingly, as soon as David returned from striking the Phi·lis’tine down, Ab’ner proceeded to take him and bring him before Saul with the head of the Phi·lis’tine in his hand. Saul now said to him: “Whose son are you, boy?” to which David said: “The son of your servant Jes’se the Beth’le·hem·ite.”

And it came about that, as soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, Jon’a·than’s very soul became bound up with the soul of David, and Jon’a·than began to love him as his own soul. Then Saul took him on that day, and he did not allow him to return to his father’s house. And Jon’a·than and David proceeded to conclude a covenant, because of his loving him as his own soul. Further, Jon’a·than stripped himself of the sleeveless coat that was on him and gave it to David, and also his garments, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. And David began going out. Wherever Saul would send him he would act prudently, so that Saul placed him over the men of war; and it seemed good in the eyes of all the people and also in the eyes of the servants of Saul.

And it came about that at their coming in, when David returned from striking the Phi·lis’tines down, the women began coming out from all the cities of Israel with song and dances to meet Saul the king, with tambourines, with rejoicing and with lutes. And the women that were celebrating kept responding and saying:

“Saul has struck down his thousands, And David his tens of thousands.”

And Saul began to be very angry, and this saying was bad from his viewpoint, so that he said: “They have given David tens of thousands, but to me they have given the thousands, and there is yet only the kingship to give him!” And Saul was continually looking suspiciously at David from that day forward.

And it came about the next day that God’s bad spirit became operative upon Saul, so that he behaved like a prophet within the house, while David was playing music with his hand, as in former days; and the spear was in Saul’s hand. And Saul proceeded to hurl the spear and say: “I will pin David even to the wall!” but David turned aside from before him, twice. And Saul grew afraid of David because Jehovah proved to be with him, but from Saul he had departed. Consequently Saul removed him from his company and appointed him as chief of a thousand for him; and he regularly went out and came in before the people. And David was continually acting prudently in all his ways, and Jehovah was with him. And Saul kept seeing that he was acting very prudently, so that he was scared of him. And all Israel and Judah were lovers of David, because he was going out and coming in before them.

Finally Saul said to David: “Here is my oldest daughter Me’rab. She is the one that I shall give you as a wife. Only prove yourself a valiant person to me and fight the wars of Jehovah.” But as for Saul, he said to himself: “Do not let my hand come to be upon him, but let the hand of the Phi·lis’tines come to be upon him.” At this David said to Saul: “Who am I and who are my kinsfolk, my father’s family, in Israel, so that I should become son-in-law to the king?” However, it came about that at the time for giving Me’rab, Saul’s daughter, to David, she herself had already been given to A’dri·el the Me·hol’ath·ite as a wife.

Now Mi’chal, Saul’s daughter, was in love with David, and they went reporting it to Saul, and the matter was to his liking. So Saul said: “I shall give her to him that she may serve as a snare to him, and that the hand of the Phi·lis’tines may come to be upon him.” Accordingly Saul said to David: “By [one of] the two women you will form a marriage alliance with me today.” Further, Saul commanded his servants: “Speak to David secretly, saying, ‘Look! The king has found delight in you, and all his servants themselves have fallen in love with you. So now form a marriage alliance with the king.’” And the servants of Saul began to speak these words in the ears of David, but David said: “Is it an easy thing in YOUR eyes to form a marriage alliance with the king, when I am a man of little means and lightly esteemed?” Then the servants of Saul reported to him, saying: “It was with words like these that David spoke.”

At that Saul said: “This is what YOU men will say to David, ‘The king has delight, not in marriage money, but in a hundred foreskins of the Phi·lis’tines, to avenge himself on the enemies of the king.’” But as for Saul, he had schemed to have David fall by the hand of the Phi·lis’tines. So his servants reported these words to David, and the matter was to David’s liking, to form a marriage alliance with the king, and the days had not yet expired. So David rose and he and his men went and struck down among the Phi·lis’tines two hundred men, and David came bringing their foreskins and giving them in full number to the king, to form a marriage alliance with the king. In turn Saul gave him Mi’chal his daughter as a wife. And Saul got to see and know that Jehovah was with David. As for Mi’chal, Saul’s daughter, she loved him. And again Saul felt still more fear because of David, and Saul came to be an enemy of David always.

And the princes of the Phi·lis’tines would go out, and it would happen that as often as they went out David acted most prudently of all the servants of Saul; and his name came to be very precious.”

At length Saul spoke to Jon’a·than his son and to all his servants of putting David to death. As for Jon’a·than, Saul’s son, he took great delight in David. So Jon’a·than told David, saying: “Saul my father is seeking to have you put to death. And now be on your guard, please, in the morning, and you must dwell in secrecy and keep yourself hidden. And I, for my part, shall go out and certainly stand at the side of my father in the field where you will be, and I myself shall speak for you to my father, and I shall certainly see what will happen, and I shall be sure to tell you.”

Accordingly Jon’a·than spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him: “Do not let the king sin against his servant David, for he has not sinned toward you and his works have been very good toward you. And he proceeded to put his soul in his palm and strike the Phi·lis’tine down, so that Jehovah performed a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and you gave way to rejoicing. So why should you sin against innocent blood in having David put to death for nothing?” Then Saul obeyed the voice of Jon’a·than, and Saul swore: “As Jehovah is living, he will not be put to death.” Afterward Jon’a·than called David and Jon’a·than told him all these words. Then Jon’a·than brought David to Saul, and he continued before him the same as formerly.

In time war broke out again and David went sallying forth and fighting against the Phi·lis’tines and striking them down with a great slaughter, and they took to flight from before him.

And Jehovah’s bad spirit came to be upon Saul when he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, while David was playing music with his hand. Consequently Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he dodged from before Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David himself fled that he might escape during that night. Later Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch it and to have him put to death in the morning; but Mi’chal his wife told David, saying: “If you are not letting your soul escape tonight, tomorrow you will be a man put to death.” Immediately Mi’chal had David descend through the window, that he might go and run away and escape. Then Mi’chal took the teraphim image and placed it on the couch, and a net of goats hair she put at the place of his head, after which she covered it with a garment.

Saul now sent messengers to take David, but she said: “He is sick.” So Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying: “ Bring him on his couch up to me to have him put to death.”When the messengers came in, why, there was the teraphim image on the couch and a net of goats’ hair at the place of his head. At this Saul said to Mi’chal: “Why did you trick me like this, so that you sent my enemy away that he might escape?” In turn Mi’chal said to Saul: “He himself said to me, ‘Send me away! Why should I put you to death?’”

As for David, he ran away and made his escape and got to come to Samuel at Ra’mah. And he proceeded to tell him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went away, and they took up dwelling in Nai’oth. In time the report got to Saul, saying: “Look! David is in Nai’oth in Raʹmah.” At once Saul sent messengers to take David. When they got to see the elderly ones of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing in his position over them, the spirit of God came to be upon Saul’s messengers, and they began behaving like prophets, they also.

When they told it to Saul, he immediately sent other messengers, and they began behaving like prophets, they also. So Saul sent messengers again, the third set, and they began behaving like prophets, they also. Finally he too went to Ra’mah. When he got as far as the great cistern that is in Se’cu, he began to inquire and say: “Where are Samuel and David?” To this they said: “There in Nai’oth in Ra’mah.” And he kept on his way from there to Nai’oth in Ra’mah, and the spirit of God came to be upon him, yes, him, and he went on walking and continued behaving like a prophet until he came into Nai’oth in Ra’mah. And he also proceeded to strip off his garments and behave, he also, like a prophet before Samuel, and he lay fallen naked all that day and all that night. That is why they came to say: “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

And David went running away from Nai’oth in Ra’mah. However, he came and said in front of Jon’a·than: “What have I done? What is my error, and what sin have I committed before your father, for he is seeking for my soul?” At this he said to him: “It is unthinkable! You will not die. Look! My father will not do a big thing or a little thing and not disclose it to my ear; and for what reason should my father conceal this matter from me? This does not happen.” But David swore in addition and said: “Your father must surely know that I have found favor in your eyes, and so would say, ‘Do not let Jon’a·than know this for fear he may feel hurt.’ But, in fact, as Jehovah is living and as your soul is living, there is just about a step between me and death!”

And Jon’a·than went on to say to David: “Whatever your soul may say I shall do for you.” At this David said to Jon’a·than: “Look! Tomorrow is new moon, and I myself ought, without fail, to be sitting with the king to eat; and you must send me away, and I must conceal myself in the field until the evening on the third day. If your father should miss me at all, then you must say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of absence of me to run to Beth’le·hem his city, because there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.’ If the way he should say is, ‘It is all right!’ it means peace to your servant. But if he should at all become angry, know that what is bad has been determined upon by him. And you must render loving-kindness toward your servant, for it is into a covenant of Jehovah that you have brought your servant with you. But if there is error in me, put me to death yourself, since why should it be to your father that you should bring me?”

To this Jon’a·than said: “That is unthinkable respecting you! But if I should at all get to know that evil has been determined upon by my father to come upon you, shall I not tell it to you?” Then David said to Jon’a·than: “Who will tell me whether what your father may answer you is harsh?” In turn Jon’a·than said to David: “Just come, and let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out into the field. And Jon’a·than went on to say to David: “Jehovah the God of Israel [be a witness] that I shall sound out my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, and if he is well-disposed toward David, shall I not then send to you and certainly disclose it to your ear? So may Jehovah do to Jon’a·than and so may he add to it, if, in case it should seem good to my father to do evil against you, I do not indeed disclose it to your ear and send you away, and you do not certainly go in peace. And may Jehovah prove to be with you, just as he proved to be with my father. And will you not, if I shall be still alive, yes, will you not exercise the loving-kindness of Jehovah toward me, that I may not die? And you will not cut off your own loving-kindness from being with my household to time indefinite. Nor, when Jehovah cuts off the enemies of David, every one from the surface of the ground, will [the name of] Jon’a·than be cut off from the house of David. And Jehovah must require it at the hand of David’s enemies.” So Jon’a·than swore again to David because of his love for him; for as he loved his own soul he loved him.

And Jon’a·than went on to say to him: “Tomorrow is new moon, and you will certainly be missed, because your seat will be vacant. And certainly on the third day you will be missed very much; and you must come to the place where you concealed yourself on the working day, and you must dwell near this stone here. And as for me, I shall shoot three arrows to one side of it, to send them where I will to a target. And, look! I shall send the attendant, [saying,] ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I should specifically say to the attendant, ‘Look! The arrows are on this side of you, take them,’ then you come, for it means peace for you and there is nothing the matter, as Jehovah is living. But if this is the way I should say to the lad, ‘Look! The arrows are farther away from you,’ go, for Jehovah has sent you away. And as for the word that we have spoken, I and you, why, may Jehovah be between me and you to time indefinite.”

And David proceeded to conceal himself in the field. And it came to be new moon, and the king took his seat at the meal to eat. And the king was sitting in his seat as at other times, in the seat by the wall; and Jon’a·than was facing him, and Abʹner was sitting at Saul’s side, but David’s place was vacant. And Saul did not say anything at all on that day, for he said to himself: “Something has happened so that he is not clean, for he has not been cleansed.” And it came about the day after the new moon, on the second day, that David’s place continued vacant. At this Saul said to Jon’a·than his son: “Why has not the son of Jes’se come to the meal either yesterday or today?” So Jon’a·than answered Saul: “David earnestly asked leave of absence from me [to go] to Beth’le·hem. And he went on to say, ‘Send me away, please, because we have a family sacrifice in the city, and it was my own brother that commanded me. So now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me slip away, please, that I may see my brothers.’ That is why he has not come to the king’s table.” Then Saul’s anger grew hot against Jon’a·than and he said to him: “You son of a rebellious maid, do I not well know that you are choosing the son of Jes’se to your own shame and to the shame of the secret parts of your mother? For all the days that the son of Jes’se is alive on the ground, you and your kingship will not be firmly established. So now send and fetch him to me, for he is destined for death.”

However, Jon’a·than answered Saul his father and said to him: “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” At that Saul went hurling the spear at him to strike him; and Jon’a·than came to know that it had been determined upon by his father to put David to death. Immediately Jon’a·than rose up from the table in the heat of anger, and he did not eat bread on the second day after the new moon, for he had been hurt respecting David, because his own father had humiliated him.

And it came about in the morning that Jon’a·than made his way out to the field of David’s appointed place, and a young attendant was with him. And he proceeded to say to his attendant: “Run, please, find the arrows that I am shooting.” The attendant ran, and he himself shot the arrow to make it pass beyond him. When the attendant came as far as the place of the arrow that Jon’a·than had shot, Jon’a·than began to call from behind the attendant and say: “Is not the arrow farther away from you?” And Jon’a·than went on calling from behind the attendant: “In haste! Act quickly! Do not stand still!” And the attendant of Jon’a·than went picking up the arrows and then came to his master. As for the attendant, he did not know anything; only Jon’a·than and David themselves knew about the matter. After that Jon’a·than gave his weapons to the attendant that belonged to him and he said to him: “Go, take them to the city.”

The attendant went. As for David, he rose up from nearby to the south. Then he fell on his face to the earth and bowed three times; and they began kissing each other and weeping for each other, until David had done it the most. And Jon’a·than went on to say to David: “Go in peace, since we have sworn, both of us, in the name of Jehovah, saying, ‘May Jehovah himself prove to be between me and you and between my offspring and your offspring to time indefinite.’” Accordingly David rose up and went his way, and Jon’a·than himself came into the city.”

Later David came into Nob to A·him’e·lech the priest; and A·him’e·lech began to tremble at meeting David and then said to him: “Why is it you are by yourself, and no one is with you?” At this David said to A·him’e·lech the priest: “The king himself commanded me as to a matter, and he went on to say to me, ‘Let no one know anything at all of the matter concerning which I am sending you and concerning which I have commanded you.’ And I have made an appointment with the young men for such and such a place. And now, if there are five loaves of bread at your disposal, just give them into my hand, or whatever may be found.” But the priest answered David and said: “There is no ordinary bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; provided that the young men have at least kept themselves from womankind.” So David answered the priest and said to him: “But womankind has been kept away from us the same as formerly when I went out, and the organisms of the young men continue holy, although the mission itself is ordinary. And how much more so today, when one becomes holy in [his] organism?” At that the priest gave him what was holy, because there happened to be no bread there but the showbread that had been removed from before Jehovah so as to place fresh bread there on the day of its being taken away.

Now one of Saul’s servants was there on that day, detained before Jehovah, and his name was Do’eg the E’dom·ite, the principal one of the shepherds that belonged to Saul.

And David went on to say to A·him’e·lech: “And is there nothing here at your disposal, a spear or a sword? For neither my own sword nor my weapons did I take in my hand, because the king’s matter proved to be urgent.” To this the priest said: “The sword of Go·li’ath the Phi·lis’tine, whom you struck down in the low plain of E’lah —here it is, wrapped up in a mantle, behind the eph’od. If it is what you would take for yourself, take it, because there is no other here except it.” And David went on to say: “There is none like it. Give it to me.”

Then David rose up and continued running away on account of Saul on that day, and at length came to A’chish the king of Gath. And the servants of A’chish began to say to him: “Is not this David the king of the land? Was it not to this one that they kept responding with dances, saying,

‘Saul has struck down his thousands, And David his tens of thousands’?”

And David began to take these words to his heart, and he became very much afraid on account of A’chish the king of Gath. So he disguised his sanity under their eyes and began acting insane in their hand and kept making cross marks on the doors of the gate and let his saliva run down upon his beard. Finally A’chish said to his servants: “Here YOU see a man behaving crazy. Why should YOU bring him to me? Am I in need of people driven crazy, so that YOU have brought this one to behave crazy by me? Should this one come into my home?”

So David proceeded to go from there and escape to the cave of A·dul’lam; and his brothers and the entire house of his father got to hear of it and made their way down there to him. And all men in distress and all men who had a creditor and all men bitter in soul began to collect together to him, and he came to be a chief over them; and there came to be with him about four hundred men.

Later David went from there to Miz��peh in Mo’ab and said to the king of Mo’ab: “Let my father and my mother, please, dwell with YOU people until I know what God will do to me.” Accordingly he settled them before the king of Moʹab, and they continued dwelling with him all the days that David happened to be in the inaccessible place.

In time Gad the prophet said to David: “You must not keep dwelling in the inaccessible place. Go away, and you must come yourself into the land of Judah.” Hence David went away and came into the forest of He’reth.

And Saul got to hear that David and the men that were with him had been discovered, while Saul was sitting in Gib’e·ah under the tamarisk tree on the high place with his spear in his hand and all his servants stationed about him. Then Saul said to his servants stationed about him: “Listen, please, YOU Ben’ja·min·ites. Will the son of Jes’se also give to all of YOU fields and vineyards? Will he appoint all of YOU chiefs of thousands and chiefs of hundreds? For YOU have conspired, all of YOU, against me; and there is no one disclosing it to my ear when my own son concludes [a covenant] with the son of Jes’se, and there is no one of YOU having sympathy for me and disclosing to my ear that my own son has raised up my own servant against me as a lier in ambush the way it is this day.”

At this Do’eg the E’dom·ite, being stationed as he was over the servants of Saul, answered and said: “I saw the son of Jes’se come to Nob to A·him’e·lech the son of A·hi’tub. And he proceeded to inquire of Jehovah for him; and provisions he gave him, and the sword of Go·li’ath the Phi·lis’tine he gave him.” At once the king sent to call A·him’e·lech the son of A·hi’tub the priest and all the house of his father, the priests that were in Nob. So all of them came to the king.

Saul now said: “Listen, please, you son of A·hi’tub!” to which he said: “Here I am, my lord.” And Saul went on to say to him: “Why have YOU men conspired against me, you and the son of Jes’se, by your giving him bread and a sword, and there being an inquiry of God for him, to rise up against me as a lier in ambush the way it is this day?” At this A·him’e·lech answered the king and said: “And who among all your servants is like David, faithful, and the son-in-law of the king and a chief over your bodyguard and honored in your house? Is it today that I have started to inquire of God for him? It is unthinkable on my part! Do not let the king lay anything against his servant [and] against the entire house of my father, for in all this your servant did not know a thing small or great.”

But the king said: “You will positively die, A·him’e·lech, you with all the house of your father.” With that the king said to the runners stationed about him: “Turn and put to death the priests of Jehovah, because their hand also is with David and because they knew that he was a runaway and they did not disclose it to my ear!” And the servants of the king did not want to thrust out their hand to assault the priests of Jehovah. Finally the king said to Do’eg: “You turn and assault the priests!” Immediately Do’eg the E’dom·ite turned and himself assaulted the priests and put to death on that day eighty-five men bearing an eph’od of linen. Even Nob the city of the priests he struck with the edge of the sword, man as well as woman, child as well as suckling and bull and ass and sheep with the edge of the sword.

However, one son of A·him’e·lech the son of A·hi’tub, whose name was A·bi’a·thar, made his escape and went running away to follow David. Then A·bi’a·thar told David: “Saul has killed the priests of Jehovah.” At this David said to A·bi’a·thar: “I well knew on that day, because Do’eg the E’dom·ite was there, that he would without fail tell Saul. I personally have wronged every soul of the house of your father. Just dwell with me. Do not be afraid, for whoever looks for my soul looks for your soul, for you are one needing protection with me.”

- 1 Samuel 17-22, NWT

Making Cross Marks: He Disguised His Sanity Under Their Eyes And Began Acting Insane

[kindred-spirit-93]

Jordan :D

greetings yall! what i love more than my home and heritage and history is yapping about it lol so special thanks to my dearest @sporadicallyanenthusiast whos curiosity and deep desire for knowledge mirrors mine and makes my life all the more wonderful :3

anyway heres a short history of what is now my homecountry of jordan mostly translated from my first year jordan history and civics book lol bc it was presented in nice concise points :]

^^^ jordanian shemagh & national flower; black iris. in typical me fashion i sidetracked so hard and ended up going on a very long and interesting tangent where i started reading about orientalism and will probably be talking about it too after i finish edward saids book and doing some more research on my part (shout out to my super cool parents for being a big part of said research lol) so yeah stay tuned ig

--

The name jordan means decending/ down flowing (there are many hypotheses about the etymology but hebrew & greek is what im going with here), which is a reference to the jordan river that runs from lake tiberias to the dead sea, and is extremely crooked lol.

In arabic its read as al urdun, a cognate to the hebrew yarden, from yarad meaning “the descender”. according to the arabic wiki page it also means severity and dominance which i find quite interesting.

--

the prehistoric civilisations that lived in what is now jordan include:

canaanites (الكنعانية): circa 3000 BC, lived mostly in palestine (ariha, akka, bisan and more). around the same time several semetic peoples established themselves in syria and jordan; phoenicians centred at the coast and the amorites in the west of the euphrates river (modern day iraq)

edomites (الأدومية): circa 2000 BC, their rule extended from al aqaba (southernmost jordan) to wadi hessa in the north and their capital was basirah near al tafilah today

moabites (المؤابيون): 2000-800 BC, from wadi hessa to wadi mujib and dhiban was their capital. Their most prominent king was mesha (who iconically invented my beloved mansaf lmao) whose history was documented on the mesha stele; the longest Iron Age inscription ever found in the region, the major evidence for the Moabite language, and a unique record of military campaigns.

ammonites (العمونيون): from the northeastern moab regions since the 12th century BC, their capital was named amun which is now amman the capital of jordan.

nabteans (الأنباط): between 600-106 AD built its civilisation in the south of jordan and were proficient in agriculture, trade, and stonemasonry; the rose city, petra, is famous for its rock cut architecture. Its also one of the new 7 wonders of the world

the nabteans extended from damascus in the north and were the first to settle in the village of um al jimal near al mafraq, which served as a guard point at the borders of the badiyah/ desert to the west of palestine and reached the banks of the nile. a famous king of theirs was al harith III/ aretas philhellen (friend of the greeks) who surrounded/ sieged jerusalem in 85 BC and his rule (and therefore the independence of the nabtean kingdom) ended when the roman emperor trajan took over syria in 106 AD

roman/ byzantine empire (الحضارة الرومانية و البيزنطية): rome conquered bilad al sham in 63 AD and ruled for 400 years, during which the decapolis was formed; union of 10 hellenistic cities across jordan syria and palestine.

In jordan: philadelphia (amman), gerasa (jerash), gadara (um qais), pella (tabqet fahl), and arabella (irbid) <- my city :3 byzantine rule was confined to the eastern roman empire, and during the era of the emperor constantine (who embraced christianity in 333 AD) the decapolis flourished noticeably with the influx of roman christians who sought refuge there. anyway arts and architecture and irrigation projects and agriculture prospered, christianity became the official religion of the population and churches were built decorated with mosaics to the east and west of the jordan river (which is religiously significant btw to both christianity and judaism) esp during justinians rule (527-565 AD)

Ghassanids (الغساسنة): are of arab origins from yemen who migrated in the late 3rd century AD after the collapse of a great dam known as ma’rib (which I was fascinated to learn was mentioned in the quran in the chapter of saba (sheba) 34:15-17)

anyhow they settled in bilad al sham and took houran as their capital (houran is the name of the area between syria and jordan back in ye olden days when borders didn’t exist). their rule and reach grew slowly till they eventually had tadmur (palmyra) in syria to the euphrates and al aqaba under their control. the official language was arabic but they mastered aramaic as it was the language of trade at the time, dominating the trade routes that linked yemen to bilad al sham. they embraced christianity as well, allying themselves with the byzantines, and their rule came to an end after their amirs/ princes divided among themselves around 584 AD.

--

which brings us to the end of prehistoric civilisations of jordan! thank u for reading this far I appreciate it lol. hope u enjoyed :D

will reblog with the islamic eras of jordan up until the ottoman empire which ill get into someday after I read the two books I bought nearly 2 years ago :')

[yishael]

Ish'ale

Ishael (Ishaelic dialect: Ish'ale, pronounced as Išael, Hebrew: יִשָׁאֵל, romanized: Yīšāʿēʾl, lit. "God asks"; Arabic: Issāʿīl; Latin: Isael) was the son of Mahalath and Esau. Traditionally he is seen as the patriarch of the city of the same name.

The name "Yisha'el" existed in several ancient Semitic cultures, including ancient Babylon and Minæan. In the Amorite language it is attested as yaśaʿ-ʾel. It is a theophoric name literally translated as "God (El) asked", however, whose meaning is closer to "he who asks God".

In history, the prophet would have created a series of twenty questions to ask God, whose reflection on them revolutionized the theological understanding of those people.

The modern scholarly consensus is that the person of Ishael is largely mythical, while also holding that, most likely, a prominent political figure may have existed somewhere in Canaan in the pre-exilic period, who was named Yishael and was retro-projected in the biblical narrative as the son of Esau, later the city was renamed in his honor.

[adslibitum]

Edo Manga / Link Origins

D’après une estampe de Yoshitoshi

[renegadeurbanmediasource]

Infiltrate, subjugate, exterminate! Rinse and repeat around the globe!

[libbylael]

[preacheroftruthblog]

Obadiah: Introductory Thoughts

The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom: We have heard a report from the Lord, and a messenger has been sent among the nations: “Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!” (Obadiah 1:1) Obadiah means “servant of the Lord” (Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon) or “worshiper of the Lord” (Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon).  There are about 13 people in the Bible with this name,…

[kdmiller55]

God of the Impossible

9 Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. 10 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel. 11 So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days. 12 Then I…

[writesaboutdragons]

365 Promises of God

Day 292 – Though You Set Your Nest Among the Stars, I Will Bring You Down

Though you ascend [as] high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down," says the LORD. (Oba 1:4 NKJV)

Read: Obadiah 1:1-4

The 2015 movie The Martian starring Matt Damon was an award-winning film about a man stranded alone on Mars when a sudden storm forces his team to abandon their tiny scientific survey site and head for home. With no contact with earth, and frighteningly few resources, he manages to survive through ingenuity and grit until his team risks everything to return and rescue him.

It's a stirring tale of hope and the resilience of mankind in the face of insurmountable odds. It fills the heart with pride for what we are capable of. And that pride often leads us to thumb our noses at God, the Universe, and Murphy’s Law, and say, “Bring it ON! You can’t knock me down!”. That hubris is dangerous, dear Christian, and it tastes like what Satan says in Isaiah 14:13 about exalting his throne above the stars of God. And if you align your attitude with Satan, expect to suffer a similar fate.

Edom is the recipient of our promise today, and it’s certainly true that they made their nest in the crags of the high mountains southeast of the Dead Sea, in Seir. Their capital city, Petra, was hewn out of solid rock in an almost inaccessible plateau. Access to this city was only by traversing a narrow 2km gorge, one easy to defend. A small force could stand against a mighty army here. Yet they were brought down. Jer 49:16-18 also predicts that nobody will dwell there. And this is true today.

Edom was conquered by Rome shortly before the time of Jesus. Their inhabitants were dispersed throughout the Roman Empire. People continued to live there until an earthquake in 363AD destroyed the city’s water supply, making the place essentially uninhabitable. So, in the final analysis, Petra was brought down by an act of God.

It's not in our nature to ask for help. But God expects us to depend upon HIM, to give Him credit when He acts to rescue us. And that Pride we love to polish? My Bible says it goes before destruction.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for the many times you’ve rescued me from my own stupidity and set me back on solid ground. Help me, Lord, today. Amen

[edward-tc]

i have now entered the arcane realm of digital artistry

[biblicalarchaeology1]

Understanding Ze'ev Herzog and Key Archaeology Terms

Ze'ev Herzog, a renowned Israeli archaeologist, has significantly influenced our understanding of ancient civilizations through his extensive research and excavations. His work often intersects with the field of biblical archaeology, challenging and refining our interpretations of historical narratives found in religious texts. This article will delve into Herzog's contributions, explain key archaeology terms, and explore the identity of the modern-day Edomites.

Ze'ev Herzog's Contributions to Archaeology

Ze'ev Herzog has led numerous excavations across Israel, uncovering artifacts and structures that provide insight into the ancient Near East. His work has been pivotal in reassessing the historical accuracy of the Bible, particularly the narratives surrounding the early Israelites. Herzog's controversial stance on the non-existence of the biblical patriarchs and the exodus story as literal historical events has sparked significant debate within both academic and religious communities.

Key Archaeology Terms

Understanding archaeology terms is essential for anyone interested in the field. Here are some important terms from A to Z:

Artifact: Any object made or modified by humans, typically an item of cultural or historical interest.

Carbon Dating: A method for determining the age of an artifact or site using the decay of carbon isotopes.

Excavation: The process of systematically uncovering archaeological remains through digging.

In Situ: An artifact that is in its original place of deposition.

Stratigraphy: The study of soil layers (strata) to understand the sequence of historical events.

For a comprehensive list of archaeology terms, resources such as biblicalarchaeology.org provide valuable glossaries and educational materials.

Biblical Archaeology and the Site of Legio

Legio is an important archaeological site located in northern Israel, known for its Roman military camp. Excavations at Legio have revealed significant findings about the Roman presence in the region, including the layout of the camp and artifacts that shed light on daily military life. These discoveries contribute to our understanding of the broader historical context in which ancient civilizations interacted.

Modern-Day Edomites

The question of who are the modern-day Edomites is intriguing. Historically, the Edomites were a Semitic people living in what is now southwestern Jordan. Over time, they assimilated with neighboring populations and eventually disappeared as a distinct group. Today, tracing their direct descendants is challenging due to the complex history of migration and intermarriage in the region. However, some scholars suggest that certain Bedouin tribes in Jordan and Israel might retain Edomite lineage.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the work of Ze'ev Herzog has profoundly impacted our understanding of ancient history and biblical narratives. Familiarity with archaeology terms and significant sites like Legio enriches our appreciation of the field's complexity. While identifying modern-day Edomites remains speculative, continued archaeological and genetic research may provide further insights.

For those interested in deepening their knowledge, exploring resources such as biblicalarchaeology.org can offer a wealth of information on both specific archaeological findings and general archaeology terminology. By staying informed and engaged with current research, we can better understand the ancient world and its enduring influence on contemporary society. Source Url:  https://biblicalarchaeology1.blogspot.com/2024/07/beer-sheba-map-tracing-biblical.html

[heartofashepherd]

Warning: God is Jealous of His People! (Ezekiel 25-26) Bible study from ...

[biblebloodhound]

Against Apathy (Obadiah 15-21)

It is a sin when someone knows the right thing to do and doesn’t do it. (James 4:17)

The day of the Lord is near        against all the nations.    As you have done, so it will be done to you;        your actions will make you suffer!Just as you have drunk on my holy mountain,        so will all the nations around you drink;    they will drink and swallow quickly,        and they will be like they’ve never been before. But on Mount Zion there will be those who escape,        and…

[signipotens]

As per the tractate Kiddushin, Jews as a religious people (benei Israel) include any person who can trace direct matrilineal descent (mater semper certa est) to one of Jacob’s wives or concubines, or otherwise to a woman who formally converted. This includes Levites like Moses, who form the lesser priestly caste in Judaism. The children of female apostates and their female descendants are still considered benei Israel, as it is halachically impossible to remove that status (save some complications like that of mamzeruth).

In patrilineal traditions like Karaitism and Samaritanism, membership in the religious peoplehood is instead determined by direct male descent from Jacob, again including Levites like Moses. The extent to which either of these groups accept converts or the children of apostates is debated.

That said, the asker is clearly using a more constrained definition of Jew here, one that developed during the Hasmonean and Roman periods: that is, a member of benei Israel who is a monotheistic Yahwist and who recognises the primacy of Jerusalem and the authority of the rulings of the Hasmonean Great Sanhedrin as recorded in the Babylonian Talmud.

Samaritans recognise neither the primacy of Jerusalem nor the authority of the Talmud, while also recognising the primacy of Mount Gerizim (there are inscriptions from diaspora Samaritans where they identify as “Israelites who offer at Argarizein”). Karaites recognise Jerusalem but not the Talmud, being founded by a Davidic scion who was influenced by Islamic scholar Abu Hanifa.

All three traditions claim Moses for themselves, of course, with Samaritans claiming that Moses was given a commandment to establish a sanctuary at Mount Gerizim (Samaritan Exodus 20:14c); Jews claiming that the majority opinions held in the Mishnah were given by Moses to the sages after Jethro teaches him how to delegate in Exodus 18; and Karaites claiming that the Masoretic Torah was the only set of laws given to Moses.

Jews also traditionally claim that Samaritans are the descendants of foreigners called Cutheans (Kuthim), who were settled in the hill country of Manasseh by the Assyrians, so Moses wouldn’t be Samaritan; while Samaritans traditionally claim that Jews are converted Edomites who fell sway to the apostate priest-judges Eli and Samuel, who set up heretical shrines at Shiloh and Jerusalem, so Moses wouldn’t be Jewish.

In reality of course both groups have equally valid claims to Moses and the Israelitish peoplehood, and neither much predates the Hasmonean period as the coherent groups that we would recognise them as today.

okay I know you’re not the right person to ask this. But. In the Myth Moses wasn’t from the tribe of Judah. He’s Levite. So like. Is he Jewish? This sounds stupid but i think it’s a justified reasoning. Samaritans aren’t Jewish. Israelites weren’t Jewish.

hmm. i cant find good sources on halakhic jewishness. cuz like obviously the samaritans are like, ethnically jewish. but the idea of "jewishness" outside of ethnic judaism, feels inseparable from the concept of the rabbi and the diaspora, which like. obviously postdate moses. i think moses is sort of like a samaritan

[kdmiller55]

The Kingdom Shall Be the LORD’s

19 Those of the Negeb shall possess Mount Esau,     and those of the Shephelah shall possess the land of the Philistines; they shall possess the land of Ephraim and the land of Samaria,     and Benjamin shall possess Gilead. 20 The exiles of this host of the people of Israel     shall possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath, and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad     shall…