The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels

223 Pages·1999·1.53 MB·English

by  Thomas Cahill

PUBLISHED BY NAN A. TALESE / ANCHOR BOOKS
imprints of Doubleday
a division of Random House, Inc.
1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036

ANCHOR BOOKS and DOUBLEDAY are trademarks of doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc.

This page constitutes an extension of this copyright page.

Book design by Marysarah Quinn
Maps by Jackie Aher

The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition of this book as follows:
Cahill, Thomas.
The Gifts of the Jews: how a tribe of desert nomads changed the way everyone thinks and feels / Thomas
Cahill.
p. cm. — (The hinges of history: vol. 2)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Judaism—History—To 70 A.D. 2. Jews—History—To 70 A.D. 3. Bible. O.T.—History of Biblical events.
4. Civilization—Jewish influences. I. Title. II. Series: Cahill, Thomas. Hinges of history: vol. 2.
BM165.C25 1998
909′.04924—DC21 97-45139
CIP

eISBN: 978-0-307-75511-7
Copyright © 1998 by Thomas Cahill
All Rights Reserved
First Nan A. Talese/Anchor Books
Paperback Edition: September 1999

v3.1
A caravan of Semitic traders of the patriarchal period, painted by an Egyptian artist for a tomb at Beni-
hasan c. 1900 B.C.
A caravan of Semitic traders of the patriarchal period, painted by an Egyptian artist for a tomb at Beni-
hasan c. 1900 B.C. The figure leading the procession (just after the two Egyptian officials pictured at right)
wears a “coat of many colors,” as does Joseph in the Book of Genesis.
TO KRISTIN

How but in custom and in ceremony
Are innocence and beauty born?
Ceremony’s a name for the rich horn,
And custom for the spreading laurel tree.
Everything an Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the power
of the world always works in circles, and everything tries to be round.
In the old days when we were a strong and happy people, all our
power came to us from the sacred hoop of the nation.… Even the
seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back
again to where they were. The life of a man is a circle from childhood
to childhood and so it is in everything where power moves.
—
BLACK ELK
Unless there is
a new mind there cannot be a new
line, the old will go on
repeating itself with recurring
deadliness: without invention
nothing lies under the witch-hazel
bush.
—
WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS
C
ONTENTS

Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Epigraph
INTRODUCTION:
The Jews Are It

I.
THE TEMPLE IN THE MOONLIGHT:
The Primeval Religious Experience

II.
THE JOURNEY IN THE DARK:
The Unaccountable Innovation

III.
EGYPT:
From Slavery to Freedom

IV.
SINAI:
From Death to Life

V.
CANAAN:
From Tribe to Nation

VI.
BABYLON:
From Many to One

VII.
FROM THEN TILL NOW:
The Jews Are Still It

Notes and Sources
The Books of the Hebrew Bible
Chronology
Acknowledgments
Index of Biblical Citations
General Index
About the Author
Acclaim for The Gifts of the Jews
The Hinges of History
Other Books by This Author