DOCSLIB.ORG

Interpretation of the First Book of Samuel

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Interpretation of the First Book of Samuel INTERPRETATION OF THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL BY FR. TADROS Y. MALATY Reverend Father Tadros Y. Malaty has kindly permitted that his books be published in the COeRL. He has requested that we convey that any suggestions or amendments regarding their translation are welcome, and should be forwarded to: [email protected] INTERPRETATION OF THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL BY FR. TADROS Y. MALATY ------------- INTRODUCTION NOMENCLATURE: The two books of Samuel: I and 2, in the Hebrew origin, are one book that carries the name “Samuel”; not only on account of that the prophet ‘Samuel’ plays the main role in the first part of that book, but also because he was the first to anoint kings for Israel: ‘Saul’ and ‘David’; and because he was the first to introduce such kind of prophetically historical record, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; as well as other main roles that came in the two books. The word ‘Samuel’ does not mean, as some people think, (asked for from the Lord), based on the phrase: “and called his name ‘Samuel’, saying, ’because I have asked for him from the Lord’ “ (I Samuel 1: 20); but it means, (The Lord listened); If ‘Hannah’ said “I have asked for him from the Lord”, she actually meant that (the Lord listened to her quest). The phrase “I have asked for him from the Lord” is probably nearer to the name ‘Saul’ than it is to that of ‘Samuel’. Still some believe that the word ‘Samuel’ means (the name of God) or (His name is God). This book, in the Septuagint version, was divided into two, just for practical reasons: There was need for using two rolls instead of one to accommodate it. It is considered by that version among the ‘Kingdom Books’, that embraced the four books: (1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 kings, and 2 kings), having included a comprehensive history of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. St. Jerome adopted the same method in the Latin version of the ‘Volgata’, and called these books, ‘The Regum books’; namely ‘The Royal Books’: (1 kings, 2 kings, 3 kings, 4 kings), instead of the ‘Kingdom books’. This mode of classification was adopted in the Hebrew Holy Book in the fourteenth century; and appeared in the second print by Daniel Bomberg in Venice in the year 1517 AD. Therefore the nomenclature followed here: (1 Samuel and 2 Samuel), came after the Hebrew version, using the Greek classification. AUTHOR: According to Jewish tradition, delivered to the Church of the New Testament, the author of these two books, is the prophet Samuel -- the head and pioneer of the school of prophets -- until his death; after which it was completed by the two prophets: Gad and Nathan (1 Chronicles 29: 29, 30). As the school of prophets, initiated by the prophet Samuel, has been the center of Hebrew culture; it kept special records of God’s dealings with His people, as is clear in the words: “Then Samuel explained to the people the behavior (regulation) of royalty, and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the Lord” (1 Samuel 10: 25; 2 Chronicles 9: 29), to the prophet Nathan, together with other prophets, as sources of the history of the reign of King Solomon. TOPIC: (1) Establishing a kingdom for the people; covering a history of about 150 years, between the birth of Samuel in the year 1171 BC, and the death of Saul. The first six chapters of the first book of Samuel, introduced to us ‘Samuel’ as a prophet; then, after the sixth chapter his role as a judge. While the second book of Samuel, introduces David as the indisputable king, who seized Jerusalem, and set it as a new center of worship, by bringing up the ark of the covenant, and setting it in the city (2 Samuel 5 - 6). (2) As to setting a king for Israel, God Himself has been the King on the people; chooses their leaders, as prophets, like Moses and Samuel, or Judges like Gideon, and Samson. But when the people and their priests deviated from the truth, they were repeatedly chastised by the Lord (the Book of Judges); until they came to acknowledge their sins and to demonstrate their penitence; The Lord then responded to them, and chose a new Judge to save them. Therefore the job of the judge was not official, inherited, nor confined to a particular tribe. When corruption reached a climax; that the children of priests and judges committed evil deeds, and became offense to the people, like the children of Ali the High priest, and those of the prophet Samuel, the people thought of a human solution, by setting a king to defend them. Speaking of setting kings for Israel, we find that this book, and for the first time, calls God “The Lord of hosts” (1 Samuel 1: 3); to be mentioned after that more than 280 times. It is as though the divine inspiration intended to confirm that God is the King, who cares for His people, and who controls their affairs. Speaking of the anointment of kings, we also hear for the first time in the Holy Book, of the term, “The Lord’s anointed”: “The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to His king, and exalts the horn of His anointed” (1 Samuel 2: 10). The kings were called “The Lord’s anointed, being symbols of the Lord Christ who reigns on the cross, and who sets His kingdom in the heart. That is why we should not wonder why David refrained from stretching out his hand with evil, against king Saul, despite God’s rejection of him, on account of that he is “the Lord’s anointed” (1 Samuel 26: 11). David himself then became a symbol of Christ the King, from whom He came according to the flesh; The New Testament included David in the genealogy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is born in the “city of David’, and is truly the “Son of David” (See Acts 2: 25 - 31; Romans 1: 3). It is to be noticed, that these two book (1 and 2 Samuel), are not intended to introduce a history of religion; but concentrated mainly, in its presentation of the history of Israel, on revealing the role of God in the life of His people; controlling and guiding history, particularly in the sequence of events, by which He introduced, or allowed for the introduction of the royal system; setting it in the house of David to reign forever, as a Messianic house, having a promise of its permanency. FEATURES: (1) The historical parade in the first and second books of Samuel, is considered as the first magnificent historical parade in the history of mankind. The author -- by the divine inspiration --has preceded all historians in his system. The following are some comments on this subject: [A modern scholars said: “the Book of Samuel is a greatly magnificent Book; not surpassed by any other, in its dealing with history, its insight in human nature, and its truthful portrayal of events. This Book reveals God’s ways of His dealing with people, either good and evil; his dealings with peoples; and gives a true portrait of God’s works in His judgment and chastisement; as well as in His forgiveness and mercy.]. [We have to comprehend that the two Books of Samuel include, in an unusual way, an original and objective history, particularly of the royal history of king David. For the first time we encounter a genuine historical record, in its regular modern sense. It is clear that the history of the royal palace has been written by an eyewitness of events who presents firsthand information, frankly and with the least amount of preaching. Although he saw the hand of “Jehovah’ in the events; yet he was thinking of ‘Jehovah’, working through persons and events in actual life, more than through miracles. According to the opinion of some scholars, the author of that royal history, was definitely the first historian ever]. Robert H. Pfeiffer wrote about the author of the two Books of Samuel, as being the true pioneer of history, saying: [He is the real father of history, and more so than Herodot who came after him by 500 years. In our opinion, he created history as an art, parading events of the past through a great mind ... without having before him a prior model to follow. Bearing a psychological insight, he introduced a marvelous model, without disregarding historical facts; beautifully written, and strong produced. (2) The two Books of Samuel shed the light on the most important establishments at that time: Those of prophecy [the school of prophets]; of clergy [the spiritual work of the priest, and his worshipping liturgical role, unseparated from keeping the commandment, and obeying God with a spiritual concept]; and of Messianism [Kings as the Lord’s anointed, are committed to obey God with humility to minister to the people]. These establishments are led by the Holy Spirit, in its capacity as a divine Person: * Granting prophecy (1 Samuel 10: 6). * Granting a new heart (1 Samuel 10: 9). * Granting good zeal (anger) (1 Samuel 11: 6) * granting several capabilities (1 Samuel 16: 13, 18). * Keeping man from the distressing evil spirits (1 Samuel 16: 14). (3) The first Book of Samuel is considered as an essay on prayer and is fruits in a believer’s life: * The prophet Samuel came as a blessing to the people; and as a fruit of his mother’s prayers (1 Samuel 1: 10 - 28).
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Book of First Samuel Chapter 1
    Book of First Samuel Chapter 1 First Samuel in the flow of Old Testament history: • Judges & Ruth – no king • 1 Samuel – man’s king (Saul) • 2 Samuel – God’s king (David) First Samuel is a book of transition: • From a time of judges to a time of kings • From a theocracy to a monarchy • Samuel was God’s bridge-builder . He was the last of the judges and the first of the prophets. He became the bridge to the kings of Israel by anointing the first two kings, Saul and David. Samuel gave spiritual leadership to the people at a critical time. The Bible describes those times in Judges 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes. There was no king, but God raised up a prophet who called the nation back to God. Samuel was a man who stood in the gap. A. T. Pierson once said: “History is His story .” God is ultimately in control of history, but God uses people to change the course of history, and in this case He used Samuel. First Samuel traces the lives of three important leaders: • Samuel (chapters 1-7) • Saul (chapters 8-15) • David (chapters 16-31) 1. Hannah’s Problems (1:1-8) A. She had a domestic problem . She lived in a divided home because she had a rival woman to contend with. She had to share her husband with another woman. B. She had a physical problem . She was barren. Elkanah’s other wife had children, but she had none.
    [Show full text]
  • Resurrection Or Miraculous Cures? the Elijah and Elisha Narrative Against Its Ancient Near Eastern Background
    Bar, “Resurrection or Miraculous Cures?” OTE 24/1 (2011): 9-18 9 Resurrection or Miraculous Cures? The Elijah and Elisha Narrative Against its Ancient Near Eastern Background SHAUL BAR (UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS) ABSTRACT The Elijah and Elisha cycles have similar stories where the prophet brings a dead child back to life. In addition, in the Elisha story, a corpse is thrown into the prophet’s grave; when it comes into con- tact with one of his bones, the man returns to life. Thus the question is do these stories allude to resurrection, or “only” miraculous cures? What was the purpose of the inclusion of these stories and what message did they convey? In this paper we will show that these are legends that were intended to lend greater credence to prophetic activity and to indicate the Lord’s power over death. A INTRODUCTION There is consensus among scholars that Dan 12:2-3, which they assign to the 1 second century B.C.E., refers to the resurrection of the dead. The question be- comes whether biblical texts earlier than this era allude to this doctrine. The phrase “resurrection of the dead” never appears in the Bible. Scholars searching for biblical allusions to resurrection have cited various idioms.2 They list verbs including “arise,”3 “wake up,”4 and “live,”5 all of which can denote a return to life. We also find “take,”6 which refers to being taken to Heaven, the noun “life,”7 and “see.”8 In the present paper however, we shall examine the stories of the Elijah and Elisha cycles which include similar tales in which the prophet brings a dead child back to life: in Elijah’s case, the son of the widow of Zare- phath (1 Kgs 17:17-24); in Elisha’s, the son of the Shunammite matron (2 Kgs 4:31-37).
    [Show full text]
  • Invitation to Judaism – Lesson Plan – God/Torah/Mitzvot Rabbi Steven Morgen, Congregation Beth Yeshurun Reading: Robinson, Pp
    Invitation to Judaism – Lesson Plan – God/Torah/Mitzvot Rabbi Steven Morgen, Congregation Beth Yeshurun Reading: Robinson, pp. 195-233, 306-309 Kushner, pp. 143-180, Telushkin, pp. 553- 570, 625-628 1. God a. Story of the Blind People and the elephant or driving on foggy road at night with signposts b. God as Creator, One/Unique, Incorporeal (never is, was, will be human), stands outside time/space, the Omni’s (omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent); is God omnipotent? – then why do bad things happen to good people? (later topic) c. Man in image of God = mind/spirit/soul = that which feels, thinks, knows right from wrong and can choose d. God as “Force” (Kaplan/Star Wars) or “Being”? e. Prayerbook as “authorized theology” for lay people. f. Religion uses metaphors for God as telescopes – trying to see clearer “image” of God. Don’t look at the telescope, but through it. Adon Olam prayer as description of Philosopher’s God + Personal God 2. Revelation/Torah a. Is Torah word for word the word of God? Orthodox view. The problems with Mosaic authorship. The “Un-Orthodox” view: Modern Biblical criticism (Documentary Hypothesis: J-E-P-D). But if that is the case, what is the Torah’s authority? b. How does God communicate? What does God reveal – Godself or a specific message? If a message, how “specific”? and how? c. The Case of “Famous Amos”. Radio transmitter/receiver analogy. Jewish tradition: Moses was the best. d. Elliot Dorff handout. Conservative I, II, III, and IV 3. Mitzvot a. Good thing, not a bad thing.
    [Show full text]
  • Miracles of Elisha
    The Prophet with a double portion of Elijah's Mantle July 17, 2009 © atfm.org MIRACLES OF ELISHA By: Dr. E.M. Ernst, Th.D. BIBLICAL STUDIES Abstract We are first introduced to Elisha in the book of I Kings Chapter 19:6. God instructs Elijah to anoint Elisha as the new prophet to take his place. Elijah approaches Elisha in I Kings Chapter 19:19 and their meeting is so dramatic that Elijah throws his mantle on Elisha. The Bible records that Elisha left his yoke of oxen in the field and ran after Elijah. It is at that point Elisha is commissioned by God; he says goodbye to his family and slaughters his oxen to show that his decision to accept the mantle of Elijah is final. We do know that Elisha’s ministry spanned approximately 50 years. He assisted Elijah during the reign of King Ahab through King Jehoash. We also know that Elisha confronted the people of Israel regarding their worship of false gods and the rejection of the one true God, Yahweh. Elisha was a passionate prophet and he performed many miracles in the Old Testament. i The Prophet with a double portion of Elijah's Mantle July 17, 2009 CONTENTS Abstract ................................................................................................................................ i CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION TO ELISHA & THE MIRACLES HE PERFORMED ...1 CHAPTER II ELISHA'S MIRACLES - AN OVERVIEW .................................................2 References ..........................................................................................................................10 Scriptures ……………………………………………………………………………….12 ii The Prophet with a double portion of Elijah's Mantle July 17, 2009 CHAPTER I ”INTRODUCTION TO ELISHA AND THE MIRACLES HE PERFORMED” Elisha comes on the scene in I Kings Chapter 19:6 and is commissioned by God and then Elijah bestows his “mantle” to Elisha; then leaves his family and becomes a disciple or protégé of Elijah.
    [Show full text]
  • DAVID: a MAN AFTER GOD's OWN HEART Notes of a Series Of
    DAVID: A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART Notes of a Series of Sermons on the life of David First given at Mount Zion Baptist Church, Ashford by Pastor Christopher Buss 2018-19 Contents 1 David – A Man Chosen by God: 1 Samuel 16.1-13 5 2 David – Filled with the Holy Spirit: 1 Samuel 16.14-23 15 3 David – Motivated for God’s Honour: 1 Samuel 17 21 4 David – A True Friend: 1 Samuel 18 31 5 David – A Man Protected: 1 Samuel 19 41 6 David – Blessed with a Covenant: 1 Samuel 20 51 7 David – The Difficulties of Desperation: 1 Samuel 21 63 8 David – A Leader to Those in Need: 1 Samuel 22 71 9 David – Living According to God’s Direction: 1 Samuel 23 79 10 David – Living in the Fear of the Lord: 1 Samuel 24 89 11 David – Experiencing God’s Preventative Providence: 1 Samuel 25 97 12 David – Living According to God’s Way: 1 Samuel 26 107 13 David – The Battle Between the Flesh and the Spirit: 1 Samuel 27-30.5 115 14 Strengthening Ourselves in the Lord: 1 Samuel 30.6-31 123 15 David – Showing Respect in Our Dealings Towards God: 2 Samuel 6 131 16 David – All in God’s Time: 2 Samuel 7 143 17 The Lovingkindness of the Lord: 2 Samuel 9.1-13 153 18 David – Living According to the Flesh: 2 Samuel 11 159 19 David – Living According to the Spirit: 2 Samuel 12 169 20 David – Faith Exercised in Rejection and in Grief: 2 Samuel 15 177 21 David – Different Attitudes in Times of Oppression and Stress: 2 Samuel 16-21 185 22 David’s Praise, Thanksgiving and Adoration: 2 Samuel 22 and Psalm 18 199 23 David’s Last Words: 2 Samuel 23.1-7 205 1.
    [Show full text]
  • 2 Kings 6-Elisha and the Army of Angels
    2 Kings 6-Elisha and the Army of Angels II Kings 6:8-23 II Kings 6:15-17 NLT 2004 When the servant of the man of God got up Introduction: Elisha was a spokesperson for early the next morning and went outside, God for the kings and peoples of the there were troops, horses, and chariots Northern Kingdom of Israel. everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha. II Kings 6: 8-10 “Don't be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For When the king of a neighboring country was there are more on our side than on theirs!” at war with Israel, he would confer with his Then Elisha prayed, “O God, open his eyes officers and say, “We will mobilize our and let him see!” God opened the young forces at such and such a place.” man's eyes, and when he looked up, he saw But immediately Elisha, the man of God, that the hillside around Elisha was filled would warn the king of Israel, “Do not go with horses and chariots of fire. near that place, for the enemy is planning to mobilize their troops there.” So the king of II Kings 6:18-20 Israel would send word to the place As the enemy army advanced toward him, indicated by the man of God. Time and Elisha prayed, “O God, please make them again Elisha warned the king, so that he blind.” So God struck them with blindness would be on the alert there. as Elisha had asked.
    [Show full text]
  • Death of Moses
    Dr Maurice M. Mizrahi B”H D’var Torah on V’zot ha-berachah The (reluctant) death of Moses In the last Torah portion of the year, V’zot ha-berachah, traditionally read on Simchat Torah, we hear about the death of Moses: So Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab… And [God] buried him in a valley…; but no man knows his grave till this day. And Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eye was not dim, nor had his natural force abated… And there has not arisen since in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. [Deut. 34:5-7, 10] The Midrash on Deuteronomy gives a detailed account of the death of Moses. It reads like a thriller, which is unusual for ancient commentary. It tells about how Moses absolutely, positively does not want to die, and uses every argument he can think of to get a reprieve. He fights off the Angel of Death, even beats him up. He recites all his merits one by one. He asks to at least be allowed in the Promised Land, saying: Just as I witnessed Israel’s troubles, I want to witness their good fortune. He tells God, “I served you faithfully all these years, and this is how You repay me?” He accuses God of not following His own Torah by not paying the laborer’s wages on time. He asks God to turn him into a bird instead of dying. The angels refuse to take away Moses' soul.
    [Show full text]
  • Elijah & Elisha
    1 & 2 Kings Elijah & Elisha • In the midst of this history of king after king leading the people away from God, we find two prophets who demonstrate God’s grace and covenant faithfulness despite the people’s sin. • The narrative space and the narrative placement of these two prophets highlight their importance to the narrative as a whole. • The account of these two prophets, Elijah and Elisha, in 1 Kings 17 - 2 Kings 13, is the center of the book of Kings, comprising roughly 40% of the narrative. • One of the primary ways that the two prophets remind the people who God is and what it means to live before him is through the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. • This emphasis on the Holy Spirit in the life and ministry of Elisha helps us to understand his purpose in Kings and the whole of the biblical canon, and gives us more insight into the things concerning Jesus in all the Scriptures (Luke 24:27). • In the context of Kings, as so many in Israel have rejected God and his covenant, Elisha serves not only as a prophet calling the people to covenant faithfulness, but as the Spirit-empowered man of God who walks with God, represents God, and demonstrates the way to covenant faithfulness. • As the Spirit-empowered man of God leading the people to covenant faithfulness, however, Elisha serves as more than an example of living before God under the Old Covenant; he also serves as a preview of what it will mean to walk with God in the New Covenant in Jesus Christ, which is ultimately how God’s people will know him and what it means to live for him.
    [Show full text]
  • IN the MIRROR of the DIVINE FACE: the ENOCHIC FEATURES of the EXAGOGE of EZEKIEL the TRAGEDIAN Andrei Orlov Marquette University
    IN THE MIRROR OF THE DIVINE FACE: THE ENOCHIC FEATURES OF THE EXAGOGE OF EZEKIEL THE TRAGEDIAN Andrei Orlov Marquette University, USA . The Lord of all the worlds warned Moses that he should beware of his face. So it is written, ‘Beware of his face’. This is the prince who is called . Metatron. Synopse zur Hekhalot-Literatur §§396–397. Introduction One of the important compendiums of Jewish mystical lore, a composi- tion known to scholars as 3 Enoch or the Book of the Heavenly Palaces (Sefer Hekhalot) offers a striking re-interpretation of the canonical account of Moses’ reception of Torah. In this text the supreme angel Metatron, also associated in Sefer Hekhalot with the seventh antediluvian patri- arch Enoch, is depicted as the one who reveals Torah to the Israelite prophet by bringing it out of his heavenly storehouses.1 The account portrays Moses passing the revelation received from Enoch-Metatron to Joshua and other characters of Israelite history representing the honorable chain of transmissions of the oral law, known to us also from the mishnaic Pirke Avot, the Sayings of the Fathers. The Hekhalot writer, however, revises the traditional mishnaic arrangement of prophets, rabbis, and sages by placing at the beginning of the chain the figure of Enoch-Metatron, viewed as the initial revealer. This choice of the primordial mediator competing with the primacy of Moses is not 1 “Metatron brought Torah out from my storehouses and committed it to Moses, and Moses to Joshua, Joshua to the Elders, the Elders to the Prophets, the Prophets to the Men of the Great Synagogue, the Men of the Great Synagogue to Ezra the Scribe, Ezra the Scribe to Hillel the Elder.
    [Show full text]
  • Elijah: God's One-Man Army
    L E A R N I N G F R O M T H E L E A D E R S Old Testament Portraits of Life ELIJAH GOD’S ONE-MAN ARMY Text: 1 Kings 16:29—22:40 without doubt one of the greatest of the Old Testament prophets, a man of unfailing faithful- For some time now I have heard the remark ness, untiring obedience, and unflinching ad- “The world has not yet seen what God can do herence to the duty that God had given him. through one person totally dedicated to Him.” Due to the antagonistic environment into Well, it has and it has not. Of course, there is which God sent him, he did not give long dis- a sense in which this statement is true; for no courses on the beauty and power of love or on human being, regardless of how consecrated, the value of positive thinking; rather, he demon- could ever exhaust the mighty power of the strated miraculously the authority of truth. He Almighty God. However, in another sense, we did not bring a new revelation, but he defended could say that the affirmation is not true at all. a revelation that had already been given. He was Every once in a while, a faithful soul will come not a teacher, but a reformer—not a local evan- along to show us what God can do through a gelist, but an itinerant preacher. solitary person who chooses to walk faithfully His life, his walk with God, was so impres- with God regardless of the cost, the commit- sive that God granted him the privilege of skip- ment, or the criticism.
    [Show full text]
  • V‟ZOT HA‟BERACHAH – “And This Is the Blessing”
    V‟ZOT HA‟BERACHAH – “And this is the Blessing” DEUTERONOMY (D‟VARIM 33:1 – 34:12) INTRODUCTION: 1. This portion describes what happened on the very last day of Moses‟s life. 2. Following in the tradition established by Jacob goes from tribe to tribe to blessing them. a. Like Jacob, Moses‟ blessing combines prophecy with the blessings. 3. Before leaving them, Moses gives a general blessing to the entire nation: “There is none like unto God, O Jeshurun, who rides on the heaven as your help.” 4. Because this is the last portion, this is the one read on Simchat Torah – rejoicing in the Torah – when the annual cycle is completed. a. Simchat Torah marks when the scroll is rolled back to the Beginning. b. Can‟t help but think of what Scripture has to say as all things are being restored: “Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.” - Revelation 6:14 CHAPTER 33: THE BLESSING 1. Verse 1: “And this is the blessing (v’zot ha’berachah).” a. The Song was an admonition describing punishments for disobedience. b. The Blessings describe Israel‟s ultimate destiny determined by God. 2. This is Moses‟ last act – to bless the ones who were, indirectly, responsible for his transgression which made it impossible for him to cross over into the land. a. When others might be tempted to curse, he blessed. b. He could do no less that Bila‟am who sought to curse but could only bless.
    [Show full text]
  • Torah: a Word-Study in the Old Testament Author(S): Willis J
    Torah: A Word-Study in the Old Testament Author(s): Willis J. Beecher Reviewed work(s): Source: Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 24, No. 1 (1905), pp. 1-16 Published by: The Society of Biblical Literature Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3259955 . Accessed: 10/04/2012 11:05 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. The Society of Biblical Literature is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Journal of Biblical Literature. http://www.jstor.org JOURNAL OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE Volume XXIV Part I 1905 Torah: A Word-study in the Old Testament1 WILLIS J. BEECHER AUBURN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY WHEN a person gets far enough along to understand that the word torah, law, is sometimes used to desig- nate the Pentateuch as distinguished from those parts of the Old Testament that are commonly called the Prophets and the Hagiographa, he is in danger of assuming that Pentateuch and torah are convertible terms. As a matter of fact this assumption is very common, and leads to many blunders. A study of the usage of the word torah is not superfluous. In five places in the New Testament, including nearly a dozen instances in all, non-pentateuchal passages are cited as written in the law (John 1034 152 1234Rom.
    [Show full text]