Hebrew Bible Exegetical Papers - Assignment Example

EXEGESIS PAPER Religion is one of the ancient most parts of human individual and collective life since ever which existed in almost all cultures, societies and civilizations from most primitive Paleolithic and Neolithic Ages to the most modern ones of today. Belief in someone Supernatural has been in the hearts and minds of humans since the creation of the world. Humans observe their religious practices in everyday life and also present them in their art, culture, and literature. Almighty God is the Lord of the Empyrean and has complete command over the past, present and future of the whole universe. He also has knowledge what would happen after the creation of man. It is therefore, He sent His Holy Messengers and the Scriptures time and again in order to bestow upon the mankind Divine guidance and complete code of life essential for leading a pious and chaste life according to His commandment. All the four Holy Scriptures were bestowed upon the three Abrahamic religions i.e. Judaism, Christianity and Islam through revelation and the names of these four Holy Scriptures are Torah, Gospel, Bible and the Quran. Among all these Scriptures, the Torah is unanimously considered as the first and oldest one and is also named as Old Testament. Revealed in the House of Jacob upon the Prophet Moses, it was in Hebrew language. The Holy Scriptures clearly reveal that the Hebrew speaking people i.e. Jews were instructed to worship and obey one God according to the sacred Covenant. “The essence of the Hebrew religion (i.e. Judaism)”, Alan (1993) states, “was that the Lord had made a Covenant with the chosen people, the children of Israel.” And the first term of the covenant was worshipping of the one God (Yahweh). The Torah declares one God as the Creator of the world. In its words: “In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth”. (Genesis: 1:1). The exegesis aims at making a research work of different translations of a Holy Book in comparison with its different versions in order to defend the given translation of the text or old translation conducted in the past. THE GIVEN PERICOPE The given pericope from the Hebrew Bible contains the parts of the Holy Book quoted, interpreted and recorded in the books of Daniel, Ezra and Jeremiah and translated from Hebrew into other languages especially into English. As more than twenty-eight centuries have passed since it was revealed from the Heavens, it has experienced alterations on the one hand and the interpretation and translation by difference scholars, saints, philosophers and the clergymen on the other. It is therefore, the Scripture observes diversity and differences especially in translations. Nevertheless, it contains almost the same style, diction and sacred message, because it aims to seek inspiration from one and the same source of guidance and reform; hence, the scholars have devised methodology for the proper learning and research work of the Holy Books so that theme and meanings could be preserved unaltered. The present verses have been extracted from the Leviticus, the third book of the Hebrew Bible. LEVITICUS 19: 2-37 ESTABLISHING THE TEXT The given thirty-six verses, of the 19th chapter of Leviticus, have been taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible published in 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA. Establishing the text is the first and the foremost step while translating a passage from the Scripture. The verses narrate Almighty Lords address to the Prophet Moses in which the Lord has clearly bestowed code of law upon the House of Jacob, i.e. Israelites, related to the relations, neighbors and fellow-beings on the one hand and mans obligations to his Lord on the other. The verses present a complete code of moral life and apply restrictions instructed by the Lord to the Israelites. The Chapter written in the Hebrew language contains the same length and number of verses in the same sequence as has been presented by Mechon Memre and others. The Quran also describes Gods Covenant with the Israelites in these words: “And (remember) when We made a covenant with the Children of Israel, (saying): Worship none save Allah (only), and be good to parents and to kindred and to orphans and the needy, and speak kindly to mankind; and establish worship and pay the poor-due. Then, after that, ye slid back, save a few of you, being averse.” (2: 83). TRANSLATION OF SOME SPECIFIC WORDS While making a comparative analysis of the verses given in this version with the Jewish Library, the given Version has placed the word "God" while Jewish Library has written "HaShem" instead of God as a token of their respect to the Lord. But the real translation signifies the word God. Gwilym has also quoted the word God while mentioning the same verse. (2000:5) Actually, there have been mentioned seventy two names of God in the Hebrew Bible including Yahweh, Adonai, El, Jehovah, Eloah, Allah and others. El simply means God as it has also been described in the Holy Quran. "Isra", according to the Hebrew language, means "(chosen) servant or slave", while "El" means God. Exodus 6:3 is cited as evidence for defining Gods name as Yahweh: "and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, YAHWEH, I did not make Myself known to them." Thus, "Israel" signifies "chosen slave of God". According to the Hebrew Bible and the Quran, Israel is the second name of Jacob, and "Bani Israel" stands for the children or sons of Jacob or house of Jacob. In the words of the Quran: "O children of Israel! Call to mind My favor which I bestowed on you and that I made you excel the nations (the Holy Quran, Chapter 2: 47) Mechone-Memore Version of old English has also translated the word God in the same verse in its translation. While examining the verses given in this version with Mechone-Memore Version of old English, it becomes evident that in the first line, (i.e.19:2) the given Version has replaced the word "unto" by "to". The word "unto" simply means "up to" or "only to", which means that it is being addressed to or interested in one single individual, specific class or community. Since the present verses reveal the very fact that the Lord intends to give instructions to the Israelites only, the word "unto" looks most appropriate while translating the scripture from Hebrew into English. But at the same time, the word "unto" which had been in common usage in old English language for centuries, had been reduced to "to" only instead of "unto" with the passage of time. Hence, the new translations of the Scripture witness the word "to" in place of "unto". Similarly, the word "you" has been used in the given English translation instead of "ye" which had been used in the old English. According to the theological dictionaries, the word "ye" was used to address a congregation of people i.e. it was thought as the plural of "you". There are countless versions of Hebrew Bible, of Old and New Testaments as well as of the Holy Quran, which state the term "ye" while displaying Gods address to the group(s) of people at large. But today, "you" is applied in common usage of daily life while addressing to either one or more individuals now. Thus the given translation of the Verse 2 displays the same meanings as interpreted in the other versions i.e.: The Lord spoke to (the only listener) Moses, saying: "Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You (the all Israelites) shall be holy, for I, the Lord, your God am holy." The next verse has been translated by the version of Jewish Virtual Library in these words: "Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and ye shall keep My Sabbaths: I am HaShem your G-d." On the other hand, the same verse has been translated in the given version in these words: "You shall each revere your mother and father, and you shall keep My Sabbaths: I am the Lord your God." Jewish Virtual Library pertains the word "fear" at a place where parents obedience has been stressed. Fear is a word that may bring the feelings of a bit horror in ones mind. Similarly, there appears an atmosphere of unconditional compliance with the commands of the parents. It is imperative to note that unconditional compliance is appropriate only while defining mans relation with God, as the Quran states while affirming the covenant between the Lord and the Israelites in these words: “O Children of Israel! Remember My favor wherewith I favored you, and fulfill your (part of the) covenant, I shall fulfill My (part of the) covenant, and fear Me (only).” (Al-Quran, 2: 40). On the other hand, the given translation suggests "revere" as an appropriate word in respect of determining mans loyalty towards his parents. Revere or respect not only binds a man in his obedient relationship with parents, but also provides him with a bit relaxation on not obeying them if they force him to disobey the Lord. Since believe in one God, obeying His commands and His adoration was the essence of Judaism even at its earliest stage, the word revere looks more apposite in respect of defining obedience towards parents. The next verse prohibits the Israelites from polytheism and idol worshipping, and all the versions present the same theme. THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT The 19th chapter of the book Leviticus presents basic code of law to the Israelites. When the Israelites got rid of the cruelties and atrocities inflicted by Pharaoh of Egypt upon them and God saved them and drowned the Pharaoh and his companions, they Israelites acquired an independent land to lead a peaceful life. There was an urgent need of some code of law so that they could spend their lives according to the commandments of the Lord. God had called Moses to the mountain Oreb for forty nights and blessed him with the Torah in ten tablets called the Ten Commandments in which complete code of law and life had been given to the Israelites, as John Milton has quoted in his Paradise Lost: “Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire that Shepherd, who first taught the chosen Seed”. (Book I, lines 6-7). THE THEME OF THE PERICOPE Since the interpretation and elucidation of the Holy Scripture is performed keeping in mind all the details including where and at which occasion a verse or pericope was revealed and what was the objective behind the revelation as well as what message a specific piece of the Scripture conveys to the reader(s) and the humanity as a whole, the research must be conducted on the foundations of historical background as well as with reference to the context given in the earlier and later chapters. The present pericope prepares the Israelites to worship one God, remain chaste (holy), obey parents, remain committed to Sabbaths (i.e. Saturday prayers and meditations), offer the best sacrificing animal at the right time prescribed, avoid stealing, adultery, fraudulence, cheating in measurement, slaying others for nothing and alike. In the same way, they were instructed to be kind and helpful towards the kinsmen, neighbors, the aged, the meek, the animals, the wayfarers and other humans in general. Moreover, honesty, truthfulness, justice and integrity have also been stressed to them by the Lord in the given pericope containing thirty-seven verses. GENRE & FORM ANALYSIS The scholars describe eight literature genres in the Hebrew Bible. Literary genres means various types and forms of literature applied to express ones dexterity and command. Various individuals select different genres to display their abilities in the field of literature. The critics identify poetry, drama, prose, blank verse, sonnet, ballad and others as important literary genres. Dr. Richard J Krejcir (2006) has pointed out the following types while describing the genres used in the Hebrew Bible: i) History or Narrative ii) Wisdom iii) Law iv) Poetry v) Prophecy vi) Apocalyptic vii) Parable viii) Epistle ix) Romance The given pericope is the true example of genre of Law which identifies a complete social and moral code necessary to lead a life in a systematic and pious way. BIBLIOGRAPHY Gwilym Beckerlegge. The World Religions Reader. Routledge Publications. 11 New fetter Lane, London, EC4P 4EE. 2000: 5-7. Alan Bernstein. The Formation of Hell: Death and Retribution in the Ancient and Early Christian Worlds. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1993. Exodus, Chapter 6, Verse 3 Dr. Richard J Krejcir. What are the Types of Literary Genres in Bible. Published in Into Thy Word. 2006 http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Bible/Leviticus19.html The Heifer. Chapter 2. The English Translation of the Holy Quran by Abdullah Yusuf Ali. (Quoted in www.islam101.com/quran/yusufAli/) http://www.tparents.org/Library/Unification/Books/World-S/WS-11-04.htm Rashi on Genesis, Chapter 4, by Rashi. Read More