Ch 2 - Introducing The Old Testament Flashcards
Tobit (apocrypha)
Relates the title character’s devotion to the Torah and Jewish customs in Nineveh during Israel’s captivity there. 200 BC
Judith (apocrypha)
Relates the wiles of a dog her Israel as she single-handedly rallies her people to victory over the Assyrians after slaying the Assyrian general Holofernes. 150 BC
Additions to Esther (apocrypha)
These additions make Esther a more pointedly religious book and temper its apparent lack of theology by mentioning God. From the Greek 160 BC.
1 Maccabees (apocrypha)
Tells the history of the Jewish revolt against the Seleucid kings of Syria and struggle against sorption of Jews into the Hellenistic world. Hebrew 100 BC, Greek survives.
2 Maccabees (apocrypha)
Overlapping 1 Maccabees 1 through 7, relates selected incidents from this period to illustrate the heroism of the Jews and the protection they receive from God. Greek 124 BC
Wisdom of Solomon
apocrypha
The first for the book is devoted to encouraging Jews in Egypt to remain faithful in a culture that encourages pagan worship. The second part of the book purports to be Solomon speaking in praise of wisdom. Greek 50 BC.
Sirach (apocrypha)
Ben Sira or Ecclesiasticus, The wisdom of Jesus Ben Sira. It is mostly pithy sayings about worldly wisdom, commonsense, and good behavior. Hebrew 190 BC translated to Greek 132 BC.
Baruch & the Letter of Jeremiah (apocrypha)
Contains four documents telling about Jewish devotion to God’s law and their messianic hopes in the Babylonian exile. Probably first cent. BC. However chapter 6 was written up to one century earlier.
Daniel 3 addition
Prayer of Azariah
(apocrypha)
The prayer is purported to be by one of the three young Jews condemned to be cast into a furnace my Nebuchadnezzar. Greek second century BC.
Daniel 3 addition
Song of the 3 Young Men
(apocrypha)
This song was supposedly sung in praise to God by the three men in the furnace. Has been used in worship in Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, and Lutheran Churches. Greek 2nd Cent BC.
Daniel addition
Suzanna
(apocrypha)
Typically Daniel 13, this short story tells of how Daniel is a boy in the Babylonian captivity rescued Suzanna, Who was condemned to death. Greek Second century BC.
Daniel Addition
Bel & the Dragon
(apocrypha)
Included as Daniel 14, a brief account of Daniel’s wisdom proving the Babylonian God Bel is a fraud and the dragon worshipped by the Babylonians is a false God by destroying it. Greek second century BC.
Ammon
The ancient people descended from Abraham’s nephew a Lot. They inhabited the Transjordan plateau to northeast of the Dead Sea. Also the name of the region inhabited by these people.
Apocrypha
Books often grouped with the canonical books of the Bible by protestants but not considered part of scripture. They are accepted as part of the Canon by RC and EO.
Arabah
The area south of the Dead Sea extending southward to the Gulf of Aqaba
Bashan
Region east and northeast of the Sea of Galilee.
Bronze Age
Period of time in the ancient near East when bronze was the metal of choice for making most tools.
Canaan
Son of Ham and grandson of Noah; also another name for Palestine, the region consisting in recent times of Israel and the western part of Jordan.
Covenant
Mutually binding set of promises.
Dead Sea
Body of salt water at the southern end of the rift valley in Palestine, fed by the Jordan River.
Deuterocanonical
Adjective meaning “second canon” used to describe books considered part of the Old Testament canon by RC & EO, but considered part of the apocrypha by protestants.
Edom
An ancient people descended from Abrahams son Esau. They inhabited the Transjordan plateau south and southeast of the dead sea. Also, the region inhabited by these people or another name for Esau.
Egypt
Country in the extreme north east corner of Africa. In ancient times, Egypt was mainly a narrow strip of land on both sides of the Nile river.
Essenes
Very small ancient Jewish sect that arose in the two centuries before Christ. They refused to sacrifice in the temple in Jerusalem, since they consider the Jewish priesthood and his rights to be corrupt in their day.
Gallilee
Region in the northern central hills of Palestine west and northwest of the city of Galilee.
Gilead
A region in the Transjordan plateau south of the Yarmuk river and north of the dead sea, bisected by that Arnon river.
Hasmonean
Adjective derived from the name Hasmon, an ancestor of Jewish priestly family, used to describe the family of the Maccabees and their successors.
Hellenization
The spread of Greek culture and language through the ancient near East in the centuries following the conquests by Alexander the great.
Iron Age
Period of time in the ancient near East when iron became the metal of choice for making most tools. There was a period of overlap between the Bronze Age and the iron age (Th Philistines worked with iron before Israel did).
Jordan River
The main river in Palestine. It flows from north to south beginning from its source in the extreme north of the rift valley and ending at the Dead Sea.
Judea
Later, Latinized name for Judah.
Judah
One of Jacobs 12 sons. The large southern region in the central hills of Palestine inhabited by the tribe of Judah.
Levant
The region along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean sea including Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine.
Major Prophets
The larger prophetic books.
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and sometimes Lamentations.
Mesopotamia
The land in the Middle East around in between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Minor Prophets
The 12 smaller books of prophecy, which were together as a single book in ancient times.
Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zachariah, and Malachi.
Moab
And ancient people descended from Abraham’s nephew Lot. They inhabited the Transjordan plateau east of Dead Sea. Also, the region inhabited by these people.
Negev
Extreme southern portion of the central hills in Palestine. It is a very dry wilderness region.
Palestine
The region consisting in ancient times of Israel and the western part of Jordan, also called Canaan.
Parity Covenant
A covenant made between two parties roughly equal in status or power.
Patriarchs
The term used to describe the great mail ancestors of the people of Israel – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Pentateuch
From the Greek for “five books”; the five books of Moses (Gen, Ex, Lev, Num, & Deut), also called the Torah.
Pharisees
An ancient Jewish sect that arose in the two centuries before Christ. They resisted Hellenistic influence in Jewish religious belief and practice.
Plain of Acco
The portion of the coastal plain in Palestine that is directly west of Galilee and extends southward to Mt. Carmel.
Plain of Philistia
The portion of the coastal plain in Palestine from Joppa in the north to Gaza in the south. This region was named after the Philistines, who inhabited this plain throughout most of the Old Testament era.
Plain of Sharon
The portion of the coastal plain in Palestine south of Mt. Carmel to the city of Joplin. In ancient times this plane was mostly marsh and dense forest.
Polytheism
The belief in and worship of more than one god.
Ptolemaic
Adjective used to describe the ancient Greek kingdom founded in Egypt by Ptolemy the Great, one of the successors of Alexander the Great.
Saducees
And ancient Jewish upper class sect that arose in the two centuries before Christ. Their beliefs were heavily influenced by Hellenistic philosophy. Therefore, the Sadducees denied the resurrection of the dead and the existence of angels.
Samaria
The region in the central Hills directly west of the Jordan River, South of the Sea of Galilee, and north of the Dead Sea. Also major city in this region.
Sea of Galilee
Body of water in the north part of the rift valley through which the Jordan River flows.
Seleucid
Adjective used to describe the ancient Greek kingdom founded in Mesopotamia, Syria, and Palestine by Seleusis I, one of the successors to Alexander the great.
Semitic
Adjective used to describe related languages and peoples of the ancient near East including the Israelites, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Arabs, Assyrians, and Babylonians.
Shephelah
The foothills in Judah between the coastal plain and the central hills.
Suzerainty Covenent
The covenant imposed by a suzerain on his vassal.
Suzerain
A superior ruler to whom faithfulness and submission are due.
Tanak
Jewish acronym for the Old Testament (Torah, Neviim, and Kethivim).
Torah
Hebrew for “law” or “instruction.” It is also used in a narrow sense to denote the five books of Moses.
Yahweh
Personal name of God in the Old Testament.
