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| A non-Israelite who was known for communicating with the God of Israel and other gods. King Balack of Moab called him to curse the Israelites who were advancing on his land, but God commanded Balaam to bless the Israelites. He obeyed God. |
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| A city established as a place to which those accused of murder could flee for protection until trial. If found guilty they could remain under its protection |
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| The telling of the story of the life of the nations of the Israelites from the perspective of the paradigm set out in Deuteronomy (that is, faithfulness brings blessing to the nation and the faithfulness brings blessing to the nation and unfaithfulness will bring defeat and disaster). The books of Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, and 1 and 2 Kings are all written from this perspective and are called deuteronomistic histories. |
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| The story of the Israelites escaping slavery in Egypt. This story becomes the foundational story for their understanding of themselves and God. |
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| Leviticus 17-26, the section that defines the ways the people of Israel are to live so that they are holy. Thus, they please God and are different from the people around them. |
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| Two spies who were sent to check on the Canaanites that are not believed by the people. They are the only two out of the ten that say that the Israelite army would be able to take them on. Because the people did not listen to Joshua and Caleb's message from God, Joshua and Caleb and the only ones not sent out to wander in the wilderness. |
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| Agreement bewteen God and the Israelites that was given to Moses on Mount Sinai. God agreed to make the Israelites God's special people and the people agreed to make God their only god and to obey God's other laws. |
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| Mountain on the Sinai Peninsula (in today's Egypt) where Moses received the Law from God. It is also known as Mount Horeb. |
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| The festival within Judaism that commemorates the exodus from Egypt. It is a pilgrimage feast that also celebrates the New Year. It is during the time of this festival that Jesus is crucified. |
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| Grandson of the first Israelite high priest, Aaron. He is best known for killing an Israelite man and a Midianite woman who had married. In Numbers 25, such intermarriages caused Israelites to worship foreign gods. In Numbers, his killing of the couple stops a plague. |
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| The state of readiness to enter the presence of God. Its opposite is unclean. |
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| The most basic confession within Judaism. It is taken from Deuteronomy 6:4, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one" (this is an alternative translation in the footnote of the NSRV) |
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| Portable worship structure described in Exodus that served as a temple for God while the Israelites were in the wilderness. |
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| The ten most basic instructions given to Moses on Mount Sinai. These set basic religious and moral code that serve as an important element of God's covenant with Israel. |
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