Term
| What was the basic Deuteronomic theology as it pertained to David and Jerusalem. |
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Definition
The two basic principles underlying the basic Deuteronomic theology are land and covenant. “Land” would refer to the whole Promised Land, given by God. “Covenant” would refer to the Mosaic covenant, which was conditional on the basis of obedience.
The modification under David suggests that Jerusalem becomes a central substitute for land as a whole, known as the “city of David.” The covenant is now focused on the covenant with David, that God would establish David’s house in Jerusalem forever.
Even in New Testament times, this translates into later expectation for the coming of the Messiah, a new king of the line of David, who would restore Jerusalem and the land. |
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Term
| With regard to Solomon, be able to discuss or describe his rise to the throne, his character, weaknesses, and contributions. Be able to list five characteristics or contributions and four negative elements of Solomon’s reign. |
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Definition
Solomon was born in the palace and rose to the kingship with the blessing of David and through the execution of his opposition. He secured the throne by force.
He was a lesser person than David, centered upon political self-gratification.
He was ambitious and selfish, lacking a touch for the common people.
While having the reputation for wisdom and great wealth, he proved to be rather despotic,
levying heavy taxes and forced labor.
He exploited the people heavily and allowed religious syncretism, which resulted in religious
apostasy.
His positive contributions included great building projects, the building of the Temple,
commerce and trade, modernization of the army, and sponsorship of the wisdom tradition within Israel. |
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Term
| List at least 4 causes of the division of the monarchy |
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Definition
Oppressive policies of Solomon that were to be continued (1 Kgs. 12).
Geographical differences that existed between the northern and southern parts of the country. Tribal loyalties and conflicts.
Absence of strong charismatic or gifted leadership.
Outside pressures from Shishak in Egypt, rising power of Syria and later Assyria. |
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Term
| Compare and contrast the degree of stability of the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah. How did this vary religiously and politically? |
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Definition
The southern Kingdom of Judah was smaller and much more stable politically, because it was ruled over by one who was of the line of David with the exception of Queen Athaliah. All of the kings belonged to David’s line.
The northern Kingdom of Israel was larger and much less stable politically, because there was a rather constant change of ruling dynasties established through revolution. Nine different ruling families are represented.
Although the biblical historian stresses the religious unfaithfulness of the northern Kingdom of Israel, there is also the suggestion that there was not much difference, religiously speaking, between the northern and southern kingdoms. |
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Term
| On what bases did the Deuteronomic historian judge the kings of the northern Kingdom of Israel? How did they fare in his evaluation? |
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Definition
The biblical historian judges all of them on two bases: (1) Were they of the line of David? (2) Did they lead their people to worship at the Temple in Jerusalem?
None of the kings in the north qualified on either account, such that the biblical historian “flunks” every king who ruled in the north. |
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Term
| What two kings of Judah receive a clean record from the Deuteronomic historian? Why is this? |
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Definition
The kings in the south did not fare much better. Ten kings “flunk” because they did “what was evil in the sight of Yahweh.” Six receive “passing marks.” Only two are given “A’s.”
Hezekiah and Josiah receive “A’s” because they instituted far-reaching religious reforms. |
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Term
| Identify the following persons as to their association with the northern or southern kingdoms, i.e., who are they? What is their basic achievement or significance? Be specific. Jereboam I, Rehoboam, Omri, Ahab, Jezebel, Jehu, Jereboam II, Uzziah, Athaliah, Hezekiah, Josiah, Manasseh. |
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Definition
Jereboam I–first king of the northern Kingdom of Israel, who “caused Israel to sin” by establishing rival worship centers at Dan and Bethel.
Rehoboam–son of Solomon, who was the first king of the southern Kingdom of Judah. Omri–king of Israel who purchased and established capital city of Samaria in the north. Ahab
was his son and belonged to his dynasty.
Ahab– king of Israel who sponsored worship of Baal who was challenged by Elijah.
Jezebel– wife of king Ahab of Israel, who supported Baal worship and killed Yahweh’s prophets. Jehu– encouraged by Elisha, he brought about revolution in Israel by overthrowing the dynasty
of Ahab
Jereboam II– longest reigning king of Israel (786-746 BCE), who brought the northern kingdom
to the peak of power.
Uzziah– long reigning king of Judah (783-742 BCE), during whose reign Isaiah began to
prophesy.
Athaliah– mother of Amaziah, king of Judah, who was killed by Jehu in his purge of the house of
Ahab in Israel. She usurped the throne, sought to wipe out the line of David, and ruled
as queen for several years, until killed by priestly restoration of the line of David. Hezekiah– king of Judah who sponsored sweeping religious reforms, praised by the biblical
historianJosiah– king of Judah who sponsored sweeping religious reforms, praised by the biblical historian.
Manasseh– the most evil king of the southern Kingdom of Judah, whose long reign represented a time of great religious apostasy. |
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Term
| What was the “sin of Jereboam which caused Israel to sin”? |
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Definition
| The sin of Jereboam was the establishment of two rival temples to the Temple in Jerusalem. One was at Dan in the northern part of Israel, the other was at Bethel in the southern part of Israel, just north of Jerusalem. |
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Term
| What is the meaning of the terms hozeh, roeh, and nabi’? |
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Definition
The terms hozeh and roeh would suggest one who is a “seer” or one who is able to discern the
future, i.e., “one who predicts the future.”
The term nabi’ suggests one who is a “spokesman.” It is this term which describes the nature
and function of those usually considered “prophets” in the Old Testament, like an Isaiah or a Jeremiah. |
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Term
| Discuss the role of the prophet with regard to politics in the Old Testament. Why was the prophet better suited than he priest to be Yahweh’s spokesman during times of political crisis? |
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Definition
The true prophet in the Old Testament was one who proclaimed the will and way of Yahweh and called the people back to covenant faithfulness. They were spokesmen who proclaimed, such that their messages were oral before they were ever written down. Their function was to speak for God and to tell what he was doing or what he was about to do. They were very much involved in politics and sometimes instrumental in overthrowing political regimes or on the other hand encouraging the king to remain faithful to Yahweh.
The priest and the false prophet were interested in maintaining the status quo, which was not always in accord with the will of God. They offered ritualistic tradition or what the king wanted to hear, while the true prophet proclaimed God’s living, dynamic word for the present. The future would be determined by how the people responded to God in the present. They could offer advise, encouragement, and hope in times of crisis. |
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Term
| Why is it better to see the Old Testament prophets as “reformers” rather than “innovators”? |
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Definition
| The prophets were not seeking to call the people or the king to do new things, but rather they basically called the people and the king back to covenant faithfulness to Yahweh. Hence, they sought to establish a positive future on the basis of the reformation of the present and faithfulness to Mosaic covenant. |
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Term
| What is the basic concern of the prophets? List at least four things. |
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Definition
1. They insisted on fierce devotion to Yahweh.
2. They championed the ethical ideals and demands of the Mosaic covenant tradition.
3. They preached divine purpose, judgment, promise.
4. They were reformers who demanded wholehearted covenant allegiance.
5. They attacked tolerant syncretism and priestly abuses.
6. They addressed social and religious pathologies which created injustice and suffering.
7. They had a disciplined discernment of wisdom.
8. They rejected social abuses, caste systems, and exploitation.
9. They understood the cruciality of the present, in the light of the past and the future.
10. They offered a call for obedience, correction, hope, and assurance.
11. They sought to call the people back to the Mosaic covenant as the source of Israel’s faith.
12. They offered new vitality and meaning to the Mosaic foundation. |
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Term
| Name two eighth century prophets who prophesied to Israel. Name two eighth century prophets who prophesied to Judah. |
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Definition
Note the concern is for prophets during the 8th century BCE ( c. 750-700 BCE). Prophets to Israel–Amos and Hosea
Prophets to Judah–Micah and Isaiah (Isaiah 1-39) |
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Term
| List two prophets who prophesied either during or after the Exile. |
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Definition
During the Exile–Jeremiah, Ezekiel
After the Exile– Deutero-Isaiah, Habbakuk, and most of the rest |
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Term
| Briefly characterize the Assyrians and delineate their importance for Old Testament studies. |
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Definition
| The Assyrians were very cruel and warlike. They destroyed the northern Kingdom of Israel, and according to their usual practice, took the people out of the land and resettled the survivors elsewhere, mixing them among other peoples. The ten tribes of the northern kingdom thus are lost from history. |
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Term
| What is the significance of the Moabite Stone? |
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Definition
| While the Old Testament barely mentions Omri (1 Kgs. 16.21-28), king Mesha of Moab on this monument stone refers to Israel as the “land of the house of Omri,” thus testifying to Omri’s greatness as a king. |
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Term
| In what year did the northern Kingdom of Israel fall? To whom? What was the capital city? What was the result of this fall? |
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Definition
| The northern Kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians in 722/1 BCE, when the capital city of Samaria was captured and destroyed. |
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Term
| Characterize the Babylonians and delineate their importance for Old Testament studies. Compare and contrast them with the character of the Assyrians. |
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Definition
| The Babylonians brought the southern Kingdom of Judah to an end, with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. They carried the bulk of the people into a Babylonian exile, but they were rather lenient towards them. They allowed them to maintain their ethnic and religious identity during the exile, such that there was a defined people who could return to Judah from exhile. |
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Term
| In what year did the southern Kingdom of Judah fall? To whom? What was the capital city? What was the result of the fall? |
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Definition
| The southern Kingdom of Judah fell to the Babylonians in 587/6 BCE, when the capital city of Jerusalem (as well as the Temple) was captured and destroyed. |
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Term
| What is the date and the characterization of the deportations to Babylon? |
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Definition
There were three deportations.
The first in 598/597 BCE, at which time the Babylonians carried away plunder and more than
10,000 leaders and skilled workers among the people (cf. 2 Kgs. 24.12-16).
The second in 587/6 BCE, at which time the remainder of the royal family was carried away and
the city of Jerusalem and Temple were destroyed (cf. 2 Kgs. 25).
The third in 582 BCE, when the remaining people of rank and skill were deported to Babylon. |
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Term
| List at least four things that made the Exile significant for the history of the religion of Israel. |
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Definition
They had to work through literal and theological wreckage–had the Babylonian gods defeated or done away with their God, Yahweh? (“God, how could you let this happen to us?”)
They concluded the Exile had happened, not because Yahweh had been defeated, but because God had allowed the destruction as punishment for their sin.
They developed a conception of monotheism–God was God over all the earth, not just Palestine. With the universalization of the rule of God, they developed a concept of God as Creator as well
as Redeemer.
They developed a hope for the future, along with the expectation of a Messiah.
Post-Exile, they sought to make the Torah to be the rule of faith within the restored community. They developed alternative ways of worship, such as the synagogue and study of Torah. |
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Term
| What were the conditions of the Exile? How did the people of Judah fare? What problems did they face? |
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Definition
| Conditions were much better in Babylon, than the people of the northern Kingdom had faced under the Assyrians. They were allowed to maintain their own identity in their own community, such that they could worship their own God. The Judean king was even cared for by the Babylonian king. They fared pretty well. They had to work through some significant theological problems in order to understand why the Exile had happened and to understand just who God really was. |
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