The Law, the Torah, or the Pentateuch, consisted of first five books that were developed over a number of years, but firmly established around 400 BCE. The five books of the Pentateuch include Genesis, a 10th-5th century BCE writing about the pre-existence of the Israelites, and the particular stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. The Exodus, finished around 450 BCE, recalls the story of Moses and how he led the Israelites out of Egypt for years in the desert. Leviticus and Numbers, worked on between 550-400 BCE, lay out the particular codes, rules and regulations for the Israelites, as well the numbers of people that were involved in the exodus from Egypt. Deuteronomy, developed in the 7th-6th century BCE, told the story of Moses in the wilderness with emphasis on the laws of the heart. This Law or Torah explained the early or pre-history of the Israelites before they entered the promised land. These books also contained all the commands, statutes, or rules for the Israelites after they entered the promised land. All further Jewish developments were based on the Torah or the Law.
Promised Land
The tents and curtains (Hab 3:7-3:7)
“I saw the tents
Of Cushan
Under affliction.
I saw the curtains
Of the land of Midian
Tremble.”
Habakkuk said that he saw the afflicted tents of Cushan. Where is this Cushan? It is probably not Cush in Ethiopia. However, it could be a tribe next to the Midians in the Sinai area. In Midian, the curtains on their tents were shaking or trembling. This might be a vague allusion to the route from Egypt to the promised land.
The everlasting covenant (Jer 32:40-32:41)
“I will make
An everlasting covenant
With them.
I will never draw back
From doing good
To them.
I will put the fear of me
In their hearts.
Thus they may not turn
From me.
I will rejoice
In doing good
To them.
I will plant them
In this land
In faithfulness,
With all my heart,
With all my soul.”
Yahweh was going to make an everlasting covenant with the new returnees from the exile. He was not going to stop doing good for them. They would have the fear of Yahweh in their hearts, so that they would never turn away from him again. Yahweh would rejoice in helping them. He wanted to plant them in this land of faithfulness with all his heart and soul. In other words, Yahweh was giving himself to the returning exiles to the Promised Land.
Ephraim pleads to return (Jer 31:18-31:20)
“Indeed I heard
Ephraim pleading.
‘You disciplined me!
I took the discipline
Like an untrained calf.
Bring me back!
Let me come back!
You are Yahweh!
My God!
After I had turned away
I repented.
After I was discovered,
I struck my thigh.
I was ashamed.
I was dismayed.
Because I bore
The disgrace of my youth.’
‘Is Ephraim my dear son?
Is he the child I delight in?
As often as I speak
Against him,
I still remember him.
Therefore I am deeply moved
For him.
I will surely have mercy
On him.’
Says Yahweh.”
Here Jeremiah has Ephraim, the son of Joseph, whose territory was just north of Benjamin plead with Yahweh to let him return to the Promised Land. Samaria and Bethel were in this territory that was the capitol of the northern Israelites. Ephraim admitted that he needed discipline, like a young calf. He wanted to come back home. He had repented and struck his thigh, a sign of penance. He was ashamed and dismayed because of his disgraceful youth. Yahweh, on the other hand, seemed very happy to have him come back. Ephraim was his dear delightful child. Yahweh still remembered him, despite his diatribes against him. Yahweh was deeply moved and would have mercy on him. The northern Israelites can return to Israel.
The past and future Exodus (Jer 23:7-23:8)
“Says Yahweh.
‘Therefore the days are surely coming,
When it shall no longer be said.
‘As Yahweh lives!
He brought the people of Israel
Up out of the land of Egypt.’
But they will say.
‘As Yahweh lives!
He brought out,
He led the offspring
Of the house of Israel
Out of the north,
Out of all the lands,
Where he had driven them.’
Then they shall live
In their own land.”
This is almost a word for word duplication from chapter 16 about the past and future Exodus. Instead of people talking about the Exodus from Egypt to the Promised Land as they had, now they will talk about returning to the Promised Land after the Exile. Thus, this passage assumes that the Exile will happen and come to an end. It is the living God, Yahweh, who brought them out of Egypt. So too, he will bring them back from the northern area and the other countries where they would have been driven into. They will once again have their own Promised Land, like their ancestors, to live in. In other words, there will be new Exodus.
The past and future Exodus (Jer 16:14-16:15)
“Says Yahweh.
‘Therefore the days are surely coming,
When it shall no longer be said.
‘As Yahweh lives!
He brought the people of Israel
Up out of the land of Egypt.’
But they will say.
‘As Yahweh lives!
He brought the people of Israel
Up out of the north area,
Out of all the lands
Where he had driven them.’
I will bring them back
To their own land
That I gave to their ancestors.”
Instead of people talking about the Exodus from Egypt to the Promised Land as they had, now they will talk about returning to the Promised Land after the Exile. Thus this passage assumes that the Exile will happen and come to an end. It is the living God, Yahweh, who brought them out of Egypt, so too, he will bring them back from the northern area and the other countries where they would have been driven into. They will once again have the Promised Land of their ancestors. In other words, there will be new Exodus.
The return from the Exile (Jer 3:15-3:18)
“‘I will give you shepherds
After my own heart.
They will feed you
With knowledge.
They will feed you
With understanding.
When you have multiplied,
You will have increased in the land.’
Says Yahweh.
‘In those days,
They shall no more say.
‘The ark of the covenant of Yahweh.’
It shall not come to mind.
It will not be remembered.
It will not be missed.
There will not be another one made.
At that time
Jerusalem shall be called
The throne of Yahweh.
All nations shall gather to it.
In the presence of Yahweh,
In Jerusalem,
They shall no more stubbornly follow
Their own evil will.
In those days
The house of Judah shall
Join the house of Israel.
Together they shall come
From the land of the north
To the land that I gave your ancestors
For a heritage.’”
Yahweh speaks via Jeremiah about what was going to happen in the future after they returned from the Exile. They would have good shepherd rulers with knowledge and understanding leading them. They would increase and multiply in the promised land of their ancestors. In a strange sort of comment, the Ark of the Covenant would be replaced by the city of Jerusalem as the throne of Yahweh. Somehow they were going to forget and not miss the Ark of the Covenant. Many nations would come to Jerusalem. This sounds like it was written at the time of the Exile about a future hope for Jerusalem. The returned Israelites would no longer follow their own evil ways, as the house of Judah would come together with the northern tribes of Israel. They would enjoy the land that was given to them as the heritage of their ancestors.
The upside down side of nature (Wis 19:18-19:21)
“The elements changed places with one another.
As on a harp
The notes vary the nature of the rhythm,
While each note remains the same.
This may be clearly inferred
From the sight of what took place.
The land animals were transformed into water creatures.
The creatures that swim moved over to the land.
Fire even in water retained its normal power.
Water forgot its fire-quenching nature.
On the contrary,
Flames failed to consume
The flesh of perishable creatures
That walked among them.
Nor did they melt the crystalline,
Quick melting kind of heavenly food.”
Now we see what happened in the desert on the way to the Promised Land. Nature was turned upside down. Somehow the rhythm of life had changed. Just like notes on a harp, there was a new sound. The land animals became water creatures, while the water creatures moved to the land. What is this author talking about? Probably this is a reference to some cattle that might have crossed the Red Sea. The water frogs, however, were on land. Water did not quench fire as the fire blazed even in water. The use of water and fire at various times on this journey points to their unique powers. Finally the manna from heaven did not melt. Most of this can be found in chapter 16 of this book.
The food of angels (Wis 16:20-16:23)
“Instead of these things,
You gave your people
The food of angels.
Without their toil,
You supplied them
From heaven
With bread ready to eat.
It provided every pleasure.
It suited every taste.
Your sustenance manifested
Your sweetness
Toward your children.
The bread,
Ministering to the desire of the one who took it,
Was changed to suit everyone’s liking.
Snow withstood fire without melting.
Ice withstood fire without melting.
Thus they might know
That the crops of their enemies
Were being destroyed
By the fire that blazed in the hail.
The fire flashed in the showers of rain.
Whereas the fire,
In order that the righteous might be fed,
Even forgot its native power.”
God gave his people (τὸν λαόν σου) the food of angels (ἀγγέλων τροφὴν). This bread from heaven came ready to eat, as it provided every pleasure to every taste. Obviously, this is a reference to the manna in the wilderness on the way to the Promised Land as in Exodus, chapter 16. What is unique here is that the taste of it was pleasing to each person even if they had other tastes. This food of snow and ice did not melt. However, the crops of their enemies were destroyed. They, however, the righteous were able to feed themselves with the heavenly tasty food.
The Canaanites (Wis 12:8-12:11)
“But even these you spared,
Since they were but mortals.
You sent wasps
As forerunners of your army.
They were to destroy them
Little by little.
You were not unable
To give the ungodly
Into the hands of the righteous in battle.
You were able to destroy them
With one blow
By dread wild beasts.
You were also able to destroy them
With your stern word.
But judging them
Little by little
You gave them an opportunity to repent.
You were not unaware
That their origin was evil.
You were not unaware
That their wickedness was inborn.
You were not unaware
That their way of thinking
Would never change.
They were an accursed race
From the beginning.
It was not through fear of any one
That you left them unpunished
For their sins.”
This section on the Canaanites is loosely based on Exodus, chapter 23 and applied to all the inhabitants prior to the Israelite takeover, not just the Canaanites. The Israelites are called the righteous (δικαίοις), while the original inhabitants of this land are called the ungodly (ἀσεβεῖς). Some people were spared since they were fellow human beings. However, he had sent wasps, hornets, or pestilence before the Israelite army attacked in order to destroy them, little by little. Not all the ungodly were handed over to the Israelites in battle, even though God had the ability to destroy them with one blow or one word. Instead he gave them time to repent (μετανοίας) with this gradual takeover. These ungodly inhabitants were evil with inborn wickedness. They would never change or repent since they were an accursed seed or race. God did not let their sins go unpunished because of fear of anyone. There is a definite prejudice against the former inhabitants of the Promised Land, before the Israelites arrived. Yahweh wanted them all destroyed, but some persisted.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 