Table Of ContentISRAEL
ITS LIFE AND CULTURE
I—II
BY
JOHS. PEDERSEN
PROFESSOR OF SEMITIC PHILOLOGY IN THE UNIVERSITY
OF COPENHAGEN
GEOFFREY CUMBERLEGE POVL BRANNER
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS COPENHAGEN
LONDON
FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1926
REPRINTED (PHOTOPRINT) 1946
S. L. MOLLER, COPENHAGEN
HIS work was first published in the Danish language in 1920,
T
and the present edition deviates only on a few points from
the original. Here and there the text has been shortened a little,
while in other places details have been further elaborated. Most
of the alterations are due to the discovery of the Assyrian and
Hittite Laws which were made known shortly after the first ap
pearance of this book, the Hittite Law in particular giving valuable
contributions towards our understanding of the formation of
Israelitic culture. As an example illustrating Israel’s position in
the ancient cultures I have, in an additional note, given a short
summary of the marriage laws in the different codes. On the
other hand, I have left out a brief survey given in the Danish
edition of the treatment of the psychology of Israel, and its relation
to the general psychology of peoples as developed during the 19th
century. The English translation has been undertaken, in close
collaboration with myself, by Mrs. Aslaug Moller, M. A. of the
University of Copenhagen, and I take this opportunity of thanking
her for her great interest in the work, which has been made all the
more difficult, as the character of the subject has sometimes
necessitated the finding of expressions which, like their Danish
equivalents, may strike the reader as peculiar and perhaps not in
strict accordance with the common usus loquendi. For further
security it has been revised and the proofs read by Mr. H. Stewart
Maclaren. The indices have been compiled by my wife. References
to Bible texts apply to the Hebrew edition, and the translations are
undertaken direct from the latter, the wording, however, having
been kept as close to the Authorized Version as possible, while
Hebrew names are generally written as in English. In the transcrip-
tion of Hebrew and other Semitic words special signs have only
been used wherever absolutely necessary; thus, sh is used for the
Hebrew shin, and the fricative pronunciation of the explosive
mediae'after vowels is rendered by h (th, ph, etc.).
The cost of production of the English edition has been defrayed
by the Danish Rask-0rsted Fond, to which institution I wish to
express my deep sense of obligation. In the preface to the Danish
edition, which was dedicated to my colleague and friend Vilh.
Grônbech, I said that I hoped to be able to continue with a work
on the Israelitic cult and conception of the Holy. Hitherto I have
unfortunately been prevented by other works from carrying out
this plan, but I hope that it may prove practicable in a not too
distant future.
Copenhagen, January, 1926.
Johs. P.
. '!>' i
CONTENTS
CANAAN BEFORE THE IMMIGRATION OF THE Page
ISRAELITES ...................................................................... 1—11
Archaeology and geography, pp. 1—2. Canaanite peoples,
pp.-3—6. Cultural conditions during the Amarna period; the
petty kings and their Egyptian Overlord, pp. 6—11.
THE MAKING OF ISRAEL. HISTORY AND
SOURCES ......................................................................... 12-29
Accounts of the Old Testament partly patriarchal, partly
tribal immigrations, pp. 12—13. Historical value of pa
triarchal legends. Genesis and Book of Joshua only episodes
of immigration, showing the conception of a later period; so
also the account of the events centring round Mount Sinai,
pp. 13—20. Immigration scattered. Nomadic life in Canaan,
pp. 20—21. Fusion with Canaanites. Importance of monarchy
and the great cities towards transformation of Israel, pp.
21—25. Sources, pp. 26—29.
TRIBE AND CITY. SOCIAL ORDER ..................... 29-46
Systematic subdivision of Israel into tribes, families and
' fathers* houses artificial, pp. 29—30. Origin of tribe ir
regular, through covenants and wanderings; geographical .
conditions. Significance vague; leaves no trace in the laws,
pp. 30—40. The town and its community. Elders and their
authority. New ruling classes. Clients. Labourers and
slaves. Hetaeras and fatherless, pp. 34—36.
THE FAMILY, THE FATHER’S HOUSE AND THE
PEOPLE ............................................................................... 46—60
Tribe, family and father’s house not sharply defined, pp.
46—47. Family defined from a qualitative point of view;
* every unity a family, meaning a common life; mishpaha
and We ph, pp. 47—50. The father’s house is the family as
denoting household, but otherwise identical with family;
II
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sometimes denoting totality, pp. 51—54. “The people”, 'an,
also of family and other unities, in particular the nation,
pp. 54—57. Brother, kinsman and fellow, pp. 57—60.
THE FORMATION OF THE FAMILY .................... 60-81
Marriage; husband and wife. The man centre of the house
hold. pp. 60—64. Choice of wife; forbidden degrees of
relationship; importance of marriage, pp. 64—70. Wife helper
of husband; polygamy. Motherhood, pp. 70—74. Paternal
and maternal kin, pp. 74—77. Levirate marriage, pp. 77—81.
THE PROPERTY OF THE FAMILY ........................ 81—96
Property follows the family. Encroachments of monarchy
and great cities, pp. 81—83. Lost property to be taken over
by the nearest of kin; community of property no rule, pp.
83—85. Attempts to prevent social revolutions, pp. 85—89.
Order of inheritance, pp. 89—96.
I.
THE SOUL, ITS POWERS AND CAPACITY
THE SOUL ....................................................................... 99-181
The soul not part of man, but man as a totality with a peculiar
stamp. Other souls, pp. 99—100. Sensation and mental
image, pp. 100—102. nephesh, riiach and lebh denote the to
tality with its peculiar stamp; will the central element.
Differentiation of the three terms, pp. 102—106. Thought
determined by volition, directed towards action, pp. 106—108.
To think is to appropriate a totality, pp. 108—109. Concep
tion a totality manifesting itself in the detail, not closely
defined, but determined by character. Capacity of char
acterization, pp. 109—112. Formation of sentences a forma
tion of totalities. Nominal and verbal phrases; the latter
governing the account. Verb tenseless. Perfect describes
action as independent totality; imperfect describes it as
preparatory and supplementary, pp. 113—115. Logical
context subordination of other totalities. Logical particles
denote phrases of collateral circumstances; no distinction
made between phrases indicating reason, consequence,
cause, simultaneity, further explanation and relative phrases,
pp. 115—120. Character of description, pp. 120—123.
Striving after totality and movement. Immediate sensation,
pp. 123—125. Terms for thinking, pp. 125—126. Thinking
practical. Wisdom, p. 127. Mental processes not successive.
Action and result implied by the thought. Counsel, pp. 128
Ill
Page
—131. Responsibility of the man. Perception containing
matter. Action manifestation of mental unity, pp. 132—133.
Dreams realities, possibly manifestations of action not
yet carried into effect. Responsibility for dreams. Joseph,
pp. 133—137. Truth of dream depending upon mental force
of dreamer, pp. 138—140. Vision analogous with dream.
Visions of prophets before the war. Micaiah ben Imlah, pp.
140—145.
The soul an organism with centre of force, pp. 145—146.
Craving to be filled, pp. 146—149. The soul emptied, de
stroyed, pp. 149—151. Soul and life. Life tantamount to
activity and manifestation, not differing from soul, pp. 151
—156. Transformation of soul, pp. 156—157. Prophets.
Ecstatic state and outward manifestations. Visions of prophet
and valiant deeds of hero, pp. 157—162. Disruption and
sending out of the soul, pp. 162—164.
Communication of soul, pp. 165—166. The force of a
word dependent upon the contents of the soul, pp. 167—168.
“Symbolic” actions and tokens, pp. 169—170.
The body outward expression of the soul; its individual
parts are the soul. Spirit, heart, blood, bones, bowels, reins,
liver, head, eyes, face, pp. 170—176. Flesh and spirit, i. e.
weakness and strength; flesh is soul, pp. 176—179. Death a
weakening of the soul, pp. 179—180. Relation towards dead
bodies, p. 181.
THE BLESSING ............................................................. 182—212
b'rakha is the power to live, varying according to the character
of the soul, p. 182. Expressed in “counsel”, p. 183. David
type of him whose blessing increases, Saul of him who loses
the blessing. Their mutual relation, pp. 183—190. The pa
triarchs bearers of the blessing. Jacob in house of Laban,
pp. 190—192. The blessing inherited, communicated to sur
roundings; pp. 192—193. God is with the blessed, imparts
strength to his soul, pp. 194—195.
Efficiency and power to succeed, pp. 196—197. Wisdom
and understanding, pp. 198—199. The man rich in blessing,
barukh, hands down the blessing as the property of his
family; it is communicated to his sons, pp. 199—200. To
bless is to impart mental power, pp. 200—201. Blessing
communicated in gifts and greeting; necessary at meeting
and parting; must be mutual, pp. 202—204.
Power of blessing propagation; by its means the soul
grows, pp. 204—207. The blessing of women, pp. 207—208.
Wealth and fertility, pp. 209—211. Success in war and rule,
pp. 211—212.
IV
Page
HONOUR AND SHAME .............................................. 213-244
Honour the contents and value of the soul, p. 213. Job’s
conception of honour: to be the one who gives and who
counsels, pp. 213—216. Gideon and Jephthah: to carry
others by counsel and deed. Honour must be fought for, the
Bedouins’ ideal of honour. Samson, pp. 216—223. The old
idea of honour harmonious. Later a despotic type; Canaanite
influence, pp. 223-226.
Honour expressed in the body. Clothing, pp. 226—228.
Property, p. 228. Honour “weight” of the soul, k&bhodh,
strength, hayil, is created by blessing, pp. 228—230. Honour
individual. Woman’s honour, pp. 230—232. Lack of chivalry
towards women, pp. 232—233.
The weaker yields honour to the strong, increases his
greatness. Praising. Gifts, pp. 234—236. Terms for honour,
pp. 237—238. Honour is soul, pp. 238—239.
Shame is defeat, lack of blessing, pp. 239—241. En
croachment upon the body, pp. 241—242. Humiliation before
others, p. 243. Demands for the shaming of the enemy, pp.
243—244.
NAME ................................................................................ 245—259
Name the soul with its blessing and honour, p. 245. Name
acts, p. 246. To speak and act in one’s name, pp. 246—247.
Name is renown, i. e. the achievement of the soul. Achieve
ment creates name. The tower of Babel, pp. 247—249. Name
and property, p. 250. Name pillars, p. 250—252. Giving
of name; changing of name, pp. 252—253. The man bears the
name of his fathers, pp. 253—254. Progeny identical with
name, p. 254. Extermination of name, pp. 255—256. Memory,
pp. 256—257. Community of name makes community of soul.
Adoption, pp. 257—258. Firstborn the greatest share of
name of father, pp. 258—259. Name common property of
family, p. 259.
II.
COMMON LIFE AND ITS LAWS
PEACE AND COVENANT .......................................... 263-310
The soul must live in community and share blessing with
others. Solitude a misfortune, p. 263. Community and
harmony called shaldm, peace, properly speaking totality;
community of will. Its dissolution in the great cities, pp. 263
—265. Peace within family. Breach of peace. Family a
psychic unity, pp. 265—269. Individual involves “house”,
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pp. 269—275. Community of town and people, pp. 275—276.
Community through the generations. Fathers’ share in fate
of successors, pp. 276—278.
Covenant of friendship. David and Jonathan; conflict
between pact of kin and pact of friendship, pp. 278—284.
Relation between shalom and b'SHh, p. 285.
Covenant the presupposition of life and action. Excludes
conflict; mutual security, pp. 285-287. Union of souls by
covenant more or less intimate. Its striving after expansion.
Gen. 34, pp. 287—291. Common responsibility of covenanters,
p. 292. Covenant not placing parties on equal footing. Right
to demand, pp. 293—296.
The gift is a communication of soul; necessary between
members of same covenant, pp. 296—298. Art of life to give
gifts. Abraham, Jacob and Esau, pp. 298—301. Gifts between
master and vassal, pp. 301—302. Exchange of weapons and
clothes; bodily touch, handshake, kisses, pp. 302—303. To
bless each other is to give each other peace. Peace and bles
sing belong together, pp. 303—304.
Making of covenants by hand shaking, kisses, meals,
because the covenant manifests itself in these, pp. 304—306.
Momentary, separate covenants; can be very intimate, pp.
306—307. Covenant can be deposited into a stone, pp.
307—308.
Dissolution of covenant dissolution of common life and
the soul; the covenant having its roots in divine forces and
being made in holy places; the gods are in the union, pp.
308—309. Creating right and duty. Love the basis of all com
mon life; feeling of kinship. To love one’s neighbour, pp.
309—310.
PEACE AND SALVATION .......................................... 311—335
Peace the entirety of the soul; not contrast of war, but victory,
expansion, pp. 311—312. Comprises happiness and harmony
with others, pp. 312—314. To be inviolate. Health of the
body; long life. Fertility, pp. 314—316.
Weight later on attached to unchecked growth, pp. 316—
317. Enemies exterminated or entirely subjected, pp. 317—
320. Demand for security, pp. 320—322. Abolition of war
presupposes uncontested rule of Israel, pp. 322—325. Wild
beasts are to be made away with or become tame, pp. 325—
326. Rest the ideal; the curse of labour; great profit claimed,
pp 326—327. To die in peace. Life of man like life of
plant. Peace opposite of fight and strenuous effort, pp.
328—329.
VI
Page
Salvation properly speaking “spaciousness”, expansion:
not negative, salvation implies victory, p. 330. To save is
to impart strength. The chief the saviour, pp. 330—331.
Salvation more momentary than peace; denotes all happi
ness, contrast of trouble, pp. 332. Transformed to mean
unchecked growth; Psalm 91. All evil to be done away
with. Abolition of death, pp. 332—334. Salvation never
deliverance from corporeal life; earthly happiness, pp. 334
—335.
RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUTH ............................... 336—377
Righteousness the health of the soul. To be whole, pure, firm,
straight means to act in accordance with the essence of the
soul, pp. 336—337. Righteousness, sedhek, denotes the normal,
implies strength, p. 338. Also truth is the power to main
tain oneself, pp. 339—340. Presupposes the covenant. Right
eousness and truth like love maintenance of covenant.
Maintenance of self and covenant, power and will in one,
pp. 340—342. Claim of justice depends upon position within
covenant; demand of the weak for assistance, demand of the
strong for honour. Mutual acknowledgment, pp. 342—345.
He who does not fulfil the covenant towards the other be
comes unjust towards him. To justify is to re-establish the
covenant and restore to normal conditions, pp. 345—347.
To “make true”, i. e. faithful, is to acknowledge the man, pp.
347—348.
' To judge is to maintain the covenant in outward as well
as in inward relation, to give to everyone his just claim,
pp. 348—349. Whole of life a “judging”, mishpat-, it denotes
the kind and habit of the soul, right and duty, the standard
of its behaviour, pp. 349—351. Essentially tantamount to
sedhek. Constantly to be created in social life, pp. 351—352.
Law an expression of rights and duties given with the
covenant. Not enforced from without, but identical with
character of soul, pp. 352—353. Law of kinship. Respect
for the totality of the man. Compassion towards the weak.
Clients, pp. 353—358.
Justice the force creating blessing. Goodness and hap-
jriness of the righteous parallel manifestations of health.
“Wholeness” both righteousness and happiness, pp. 358—
359. Righteousness victory; peace and salvation. Fertility,
pp. 359—360. Not an abstract claim, but to give and take
according to one’s ability and position in the covenant, pp.
360—361. The “way” is the quality and destiny of the soul;
me two belong together. Presupposition: the justice of God,
pp. 361—362.
