Biblical Israel I
1. The Tanakh
2. The Torah:
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Definition
Fundamental elements
Origins (Who were the Israelites?)
God of the Torah
3. Text study: covenant
TaNaKH ‫תנ"ך‬
T = Torah
N = Nevi’im (Prophets)
K = Ketuvim (Writings)
‫ת תורה‬
‫נ נביאים‬
‫כ(ך) כתובים‬
TORAH
• From the root meaning “teach,” “instruct”
(old-fashioned translation: “The Law”)
• Five books (Humash = Pentateuch):
1. Genesis
Bereishit (“In the beginning”)
2. ExodusShemot (“These are the names”)
3. Leviticus
Va-yikra (“And God called”)
4. Numbers
Ba-midbar (“In the desert”)
5. Deuteronomy Devarim (“These are the words”)
Divisions within the Torah’s books
• Each book divided into
sections or paragraphs
(NOT chapter and verse!)
• Also divided into weekly
readings (parshiyot, sing.
parasha)
TORAH: many meanings
• The Pentateuch (5 Books of Moses or
Humash)
• Specific instructions or laws within the
Pentateuch e.g. Torat ha-kohanim = the
instruction for the priests
• The Tanakh
• The Tanakh and the Talmud
• The entirety of Jewish sacred learning
Prophets / Nevi’im: 8 books
Former prophets
(historical books):
Joshua
Judges
Samuel (I and II)
Kings (I and II)
Later prophets
(literary books):
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Ezekiel
“The Twelve”
Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah,
Jonah, Micah, Nahum,
Habakkuk, Zephaniah,
Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
Writing / Ketuvim: 11 books
“The Books of Truth”
Psalms
Proverbs
Job
“The Five Scrolls”
Song of Songs
Ruth
Lamentations
Ecclesiastes
Esther
Daniel
Ezra and Nehemiah
Chronicles (I and II)
What is the Torah (Humash)?
• A book of divine instruction handed by God to
Moses at Mt. Sinai
• The record of a people’s encounter with the divine
• A compendium of history, stories/legends, law,
priestly regulations, prophecy, wisdom literature, and
poetry that makes up the collective identity of a
people
 Putting it all together: a sacred narrative, providing a
common ancestry and holy mission, and “forging a
national identity” (Satlow 10)
What binds this nation together?
• ancestry
• history
• covenant
– unique mission
– commandments from God (mitzvot)
– land
The Fertile Crescent
West Asia to 1200 BCE
Ancient Israel
Confederation of tribes in
Canaan (= Land of Israel /
Palestine) (c. 12th c.)
Then a monarchy (11th c.)
that splits into 2
kingdoms (Judea and
Israel) (10th c.)