Israel and the Nations
Israel’s identity, covenant and purpose, and relationships with other nations.
35 articles- The Sabbath, Israel, and the NationsFrom the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”
- The Sabbath, Israel, and the NationsThe Sabbath is universal at its foundation, but acquires the meaning of holiness among the people of IsraelFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- “And in the Fourth Generation They Shall Come Back Hither”From the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”About 13 min readExtended studyPodcast (Hebrew)
- Why Did Rachel Steal the Teraphim?From the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”About 13 min readExtended studyPodcast (Hebrew)
- Jacob’s Burial JourneyFrom the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”
- Jacob’s LegacyFrom the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”
- “The God of the Hebrews”From the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”
- Sarah’s TestamentSarah recognized that gradual selection and refinement were necessary before the family could fulfill its vocationFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- “Abraham Begot Isaac”Abraham begot Isaac, whereas Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bore Ishmael to AbrahamFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Priests and IsraelitesFrom the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”
- Abraham’s and Isaac’s AgreementsGenesis and Deuteronomy present two approaches to foreign peoples in the land of IsraelFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Seventy SoulsThe biblical list expresses completeness rather than precise historical dataFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Jacob’s Serpent and Israel’s LionJacob-Israel’s sons embody his personality’s two extremes: cunning and direct confrontationFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- One FamilyJacob includes those who sin, founding one multifaceted peopleFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Who Knows Twelve?One completeness, many faces: tribal membership varies while the number remainsFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Jacob’s Burial Journey – The Fathers’ Deeds Foreshadow Their Children’sJacob’s funeral journey sets out the pattern of the future exodusFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- The God of the HebrewsThe exodus is a national story bearing universal significanceFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Through Righteous WomenEgyptian and Israelite women offer a moral alternative to oppression and crueltyFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- The DeceptionThe three-day journey was a stratagem misleading both Pharaoh and IsraelFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- “And after That I Will Go Out”Freedom requires complete severanceFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Why Does a Census Lead to a Plague?Lifting the head exposes a person to the LORD’s examination and, in large numbers, to a plague; the contribution atones and protects against judgmentFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Bezalel and OholiabFrom the head of the camp to its rear guardFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- The Secret of the NorthSlaughtering flock animals in the north symbolizes separation from Egyptian solar idolatry and devotion to the LORD who rules natureFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Priests and IsraelitesThe Torah extends some priestly holiness laws to all IsraelFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- The LORD’s Appointed Times or Israel’s?New moons are Israel’s appointed times and therefore absent from the LORD’s appointed timesFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- AbhorrenceEven when Israel breaks its covenant with the LORD, the covenant with the patriarchs remains validFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- “And Israel Joined Himself unto the Baal of Peor”Relations with Moab’s daughters led to worship; the act with the Midianite woman was itself worshipFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- “Other Gods”The declarations of divine unity proclaim the LORD's superiority over other gods rather than denying their existenceFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- “That Thy Days May Be Long”To thrive and endure as a people on the land, Israel must build a moral society founded on the Ten CommandmentsFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- The Place“The place which the LORD shall choose,” rather than “has chosen,” expresses a long historical process requiring spiritual and national maturityFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Thou Shalt Make Thee Twisted CordsDeuteronomy’s cords and Numbers’ fringes – between identity and holinessFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- A Privileged PeopleThe commandments are a special privilege as well as a duty, expressing Israel’s holy standingFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- “Him That Is Not Here”Moses emphasized that the Transjordanian tribes were included in the covenant although physically absent from the ceremony on Moab’s plainsFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- “The Word Is Very Nigh unto Thee”The Torah is very close to the people because, despite everything, Moses’ educational undertaking succeededFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Where Have the Patriarchs, the Exodus, and Sinai Gone in Ha’azinu’s Song?Ha’azinu omits events that do not serve its emphasis on the grave injury to the intimate wilderness bond between the LORD and His peopleFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
Podcast (Hebrew)