Sunday, August 4, 2019
The Sotah Ritual in Ancient Israel Essay -- Book of Numbers Religion I
The Sotah Ritual in Ancient Israel Introduction      The ritual of the sotah from the book of Numbers is a fascinating passage to read in the Hebrew Bible. For one thing, this ritual deals with the idea of a man being able to bring his wife to trial, even if he has no evidence against her. While such an instance might be seen as negative treatment of women, others might explain it as the Israelites’ constant concern over the idea of impurity. Another interesting aspect of the sotah rite is that it is the only example of an ordeal similar to those practiced in other cultures of the Ancient Near East. While other ordeals are told mostly in story form, Num. 5:11-31 is the only instance in which the actual process of an ordeal is laid out point by point. Finally, the ritual merits attention due to its continued practice even after the Temple was destroyed, as is depicted in the Talmud. These reasons and more are evidence as to why this small 20 verse passage has been subject to such scrutiny and study over the co urse of the years. Adultery in the Hebrew Bible The ritual for the â€Å"errant woman†in Numbers 5:11-31 is only one of many instances in the Old Testament that deals with the crime of adultery. The crime is described throughout the books in the Hebrew Bible, such as Genesis 20:6, Lev. 18:20, Ezek. 18:6, Ps. 51:6, and Mal. 3:5. A variety of texts discuss the evil of adultery. The Israelites held the act in such harsh light, that a commandment against committing adultery is found in the Decalogue. This certainly indicates that extra-martial affairs were viewed in a severe manner. In the Hebrew Bible, adultery is considered a capital crime, punishable by the population stoning the adulterous wife and her lover to death. Deut. 22:20 commands this communal punishment in order to â€Å"sweep away evil from Israel.†The question remains as to why this crime was considered to be such a transgression. Several explanations exist to account for the seriousness of the crime. A significant aspect of life in the Ancient Near East was the importance of the family line. One of the most frightening ideas in the Bible is the punishment of karet, an Israelite’s being cut off from the community. This is understood as early death and childlessness, or the death of one’s descendants . Such an event could result from an unfaithful wife conceiving a son with the adulterer. I... ...der: Westview Press,     1998. McKane, William. â€Å"Poison, Trial by Ordeal, and the Cup of Wrath.†Vetus     Testamentum. Vol. XXX (1980). McKeating, Henry. â€Å"Sanctions Against Adultery in Ancient Israelite Society with Some Reflection on Methodology in the Study of Old Testament Ethics.†Journal for the Study     of the OldTestament. Vol. XVII (Mar. 1979). Milgrom, Jacob. â€Å"A Husband’s Pride, A Man’s Prejudice: The Public Ordeal†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Bible     Review. Vol. XII. (Aug. 1996). Morgenstern, Julian. â€Å"Trial By Ordeal Among the Semites and in Ancient Israel.†     Hebrew Union College Annual. Vol. II, (1925). Neusner, Jacob. The Talmud of the Land of Israel: An Academic Commentary to 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Divisions, Atlanta: Scholar’s Press, 1998. -----------------. The Talmud of the Land of Israel: A Complete Outline of the 2nd, 3rd, and     4th Divisions, Atlanta: Scholar’s Press, 1998. Pardee, Dennis. â€Å"Marim in Num. 5.†Vetus Testamentum. Vol. XXXI (1985). Phillips, Andrew. â€Å"Another Look at Adultery.†Journal for the Study of the Old      Testament. Vol. XX (July, 1981). Sasson, Jack M. â€Å"Num. 5 and the Waters of Judgment.†Biblische Zeifschrift. Vol. XIV     (1972).
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