THE REBELLION of Absalom has been quashed but a new one rises up in its place: As David returns to Jerusalem accompanied by members of his tribe, the Judahites, the northern tribes arrive along the way and confront the men of Judah. This leads to the short-lived rebellion of Sheba the son of Bichri, which highlights the ongoing tension between Judah and the northern tribes and foreshadows the eventual division of the kingdom in the days of Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
Filed under Bible Study, Old Testament
James J. Tissot, ‘The Valiant of Gibeon’ (1896-1902), The Jewish Museum, New York. Click for larger image.
OUR OLD Testament study this week moves to a new phase of David’s life as he is declared king of Judah. The rest of the tribes, however, elect to follow Saul’s son, Ish-Bosheth (called Eshbaal, or “man of Ba’al”, in 1 Chronicles 8:33), who decided that Saul’s headquarters at Gibeah was just a little too close to the territory of Judah, David’s tribe.
Filed under Bible Study, Old Testament
WE ALL remember the song: Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, and the walls came tumbling down.
Today, we study the conquest of Canaan by the Israelites, revisiting the concept of kherem (sanctioning persons or things because they are forbidden–either cursed or due to Yahweh’s exclusive ownership or use), and examining what appears to be military campaigns through the hill countries of Judah and Israel specifically targeted at the giant clans known as the Anakim–descendants of the Nephilim who were in the land before the Flood.
Click to enlarge. Poster by Josh Byers – www.JoshByers.com.
Filed under Bible Study, Old Testament
