ANCIENT ISRAEL

Its

Life and Institutions

by

ROLAND de VAUX, O.P.

Translated

by

JOHN McHUGH

11

DARTON, LONGMAN AND TODD LTD

1 SPENCER COURT
140 142 WANDSWORTIf HIGH STREET
LONDON SW18 4JJ
(also published in

U.S.A.

by The McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York)

English translation Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd 1961

First published in Great Britain 1961
Second edition 1965

This paperback edition 1973

Reprinted 1974, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991,

1994 and 1998

This English translation is based on the original French edition

TO THE STUDENTS OF THE ECOLE BIBLIQUE

published in two volumes under the title Les Institutions de l'Ancien

Testament by Les Editions du Cerf, Paris

WITH WHOM I HAVE LEARNED

ISBN 0232512191

WHAT THIS BOOK CONTAINS

SEMNAR

KNAZSKY
".

eho
J::rantiSka Xaversk

BYSTRKA
NICA
Z
NI
K

'BANSKA

. dzapioW ' na:

k ' x' Io.'
prirast Dve cIS

.-

'l e..}!:J,

1/1M,1\ I

znaCka:
--'I

Printed and bound in Great Britain by

Redwood Books, Trowbridge, Wiltshire

NOTE ON NOMENCLATURE OF SOME

BOOKS OF THE BIBLE AND

CONTENTS

APOCRYPHA

Page

OR

the convenience of readers who are not familiar with the

nomenclature adopted in this book, the lists below show the
equivalents in the Authorized/King James Version, and in Douai
Challoner and Knox, where differences occur.

TRANSLATOR'S NOTE

I Chronicles
2.

Chronicles

Ezra
Nehemiah
[

Esdras

Esdras
Tobit
Ecclesiastes
Solomon
2

In this book
Josue
I Samuel ( 1 S)
2 Samuel (2 S)
1 ICings ( 1 K)
2 Kings (2 K)
1 Chronicles ( 1 Ch)
2 Chronicles (2 Ch)
Esdras (Esd)
Nehemias (Ne)

3 Esdras
4 Esdras
Tobias
Qoheleth (Qo)
Canticle (Ct) .

D-G., Knox
Josue
1 Kings
2 Kings
3 Kings
4 Kings
1 Paralipomena
2 Paralipomena
I Esdras
2 Esdras

Obadiah
Micah

Michaeas

Zephaniah

Sophonias (So)

Sophonias

Haggai
Revelation

Aggaeus

Aggaells

Sirach (Si)

Hosea

Apocalypse

(Ap)

3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

The Backgrolmd
Tribal Organizatioll
(a) The constitlltioll oj II tribe
(b) The 11l1ioll, divisioll and disappearance oj tribes
(c) The organization and government oj a tribe
(d) Tribal territory. War alld raiding
The Law oj Hospitality and Asylum
Tribal Solidarity and Bfood-Vcllgeancc
The Later DCIJelopl11ent oJ Tribal Orgal1izatioll ill Israel
Relics oj Nomadisl/l
The 'Nomadic Ideal' oj tile Prophets
The Rekabites

3
4
4
6
7
9
10
10
12
13

13

14

PART I

Tobias

Osee (Os)
Abdias (Abd)

Ecclesiasticus

2.

8.

Ecclesiastes
Canticle of Canticles (D-C.)
Song of Songs (Knox)
Ecclesiasticus
O see
Abdia s
Michaeas

Xl

INTRODUCTION

NOMADISM AND ITS SURVIVAL

I.

A.v./K.J.
Joshua
I Samuel
2 Samuel
I Kings
2 Kings

Vll

PREFACE

Chapter

FAMILY INSTITUTIONS

1. THE FAMILY

OJ 1lllat type II'<1S the Israelite Jamily?

Fatllily solidarity. The go' el
3. The later deldopl/lcllt oJ/alllily C/lstOI/lS
I.

2.

2. MARRIAGE

Apocalypse

3.

1. Polygamy alld IllollOgalilY

2. The typical Israelite marriage
3. Choosing the bride
4. Ellgage/lleilts
5. Alarriage cerell/oll ies
6. Replu{iatioll at/.d divorce
7. Adultery and Jomicatioll
8. The lel'irate
THE POSITION OF \VOMEN. WIDOWS

19
19
2I
22
24
24
26
29
33

34
36
37

39

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

XIV

Page

Chapter
4. CmLDREN
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Attitude to childretl
Birth
The name
Circull1cisiol1
Education
Adoptioll

7.

4T

8.

42

9.

43
46
41)
5[

5. SUCCESSION AND INHERITANCE

53

6. DEATH AND FUNERAL RITES

5()

Treatment oj the corpse

Burial
Motlmillg rites
Rites concernillg Jood
Thefimeral lamentations
Illterpretatioll oj these rites

56

I.
2.
3.
4.
5.

6.

57
59

59

60
6r

PART

II

CIVIL INSTITUTIONS
1. POPULATION

65

2. THE FREE POPULATION: ITS DIVISIONS

68

Social elloltltion
2. The mm f rank and influence
3. The 'people the land'
4. Rich and poor
5. Resident aliens
6. Wage-earners
7. Craftsmen
8. Merchl711ts
I.

3.

(1)
69
70
72

RllI1alPay slaves
The ema1lcipation r slaves
State slaves

TE
E CONCEPT OF THE STA
4. THE ISRAELIT

of the State
Israel 171111 tfte 1IariOllS Eastern notiolls
es of Israel
2. The TlVei'le Trib
the 11101Wrchy
of
ll
3 The il1stitutio
hy
4 The Dual ]v[ollarc
el and Judah
5 The killgdollls of Isra
1mmity
6. The post-exilic coln
idea of the State?
elite
Isra
1711
e
Was ther

1.

THE KING
5. THE PERSON OF

Accession to the throne

2. The coronation rites
(a ) The setting: the sanctuary
(b) The investiture !/lith tile insignia
(c) The mlointing
(d) The acclamation
(e) The enthronement
(f) The homage
e
3 The coro11ation nam
ms
4 The enthrol1ement psal
our
savi
as
king
5 The
6. Divine adoption
7. The king mld worship
1.

LD
6. THE ROYAL HOUSEHO

74

1.

76

2.

76

78

SLAVES

80

The existence oj slavery in Israel

2. Slaves oj Joreign orighl
3. Israelite slaves
4. The number mId value of slatlCS
5 The position oj slaves
6. Female slaves

80

1.

Page

Chapter

41

80

XV

5
6.

The harem
The Great Lady
The royal clzi1drC11
The king's attendants
The royal guard
The royal estate

7. THE PRINCIPAL

82

1.

83

2.

84

86

OFFICIALS OF THE KING

The ministers of David and Solomol1

The master of the palace
The royal secretary
The royal herald

87
87
88
91
91
92
94
95
96
98
98
100
100
102
102
103
103
106
106
107
107
108

lIO
I II
II3
II5
II5
117
119
120
123
124
127
127
129
131
132

I
XVI

CONTENTS

Chapter
8.

THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE KINGDOM

I.
2.
3
4
5.

The kingdom oj David

The administratio/l under Solomol1
The districts ojJudah
The districts oj the kil1gdom oj Israel
Local administratioll

9. FINANCE AND PUBLIC WORKS

Royal revenues alld state revel1ues

2. 'Voluntary' or exceptio/wI contributions
3. Tithes
4. Forced labour
I.

,I

10. LAW AND J USTICE

Legislative codes
2. Eastern law in anciellt tillles
3 The sOl/rces oj Israelite law
4. Characteristics oj Israelite lall'
5. The hllg' s legislative alldjudidal powers
6. Judges azld cOllrts oj law
7. Procedure
8. Thej1ldg11lellt oj God
9. Pellalties
10. Private vellgeance alld Cities of Refl/ge
I.

I!I
I

11. ECONOMIC LIFE

I.
2.

3
4
5.
6.
7
8.
9

Lallded property
Family property alld large estates
COlweyallces and similar Jormalities
Deposit a/1d hiring
Loarzs
SeCtlrities
Sureties and bail
The Sabbatical Year
The JI/bilee Year

12. DIVISIONS OF TIME

I . Ancient Eastern calelldars
2. The Israelite calendar. The day
3 The I/lollth
4 The weele

CONTENTS

Page
133
133
133
135

137
137

164
J(14
166
167
169
170
171
172

I.

MILITARY INSTITUTIONS
213
214
218
219
222
225

2. FORTIFIED CITIES AND SIEGE WARFARE

229
229
232
233
236
238

I. A people IIIlder arms

2. The professional army
(a) The corps oj mercenaries
(b) The chariotry
3. The conscript af/lly

I.

2.
3.
4.
5.

183

186

Fortified tOlVns
Ramparts
Fortified gates and citadels
Siege tVazfare
The water supply

3. ARMAMENTS

Offensive weapons
2. Difel1sive arms
I.

241
241
244

A short IIl ilitary history oj Israel

2. The conduct oj tVar
3. The consequences oj tVar

247
247
250
254

THE HOLY WAR

I. The cOl1cept oj the holy war, and its rites
2. The holy wars at the beginning f Israel's history
3 Religion and the wars under the monarchy
4. The religious wars oj the Maccabees
5. The 'Order oj the War' from Qumrml

258
258
261
263
265
266

4. WAR
I.

5.
178

III

1 . TIm ARMIES OF ISRAEL

173

180

Israelite ' metrology

Linear measures
Measures oj capacity
Measures of weight
The coillage
,

PART

175
178

195
195
196
199
203
206

13. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

139
139
139
140
141
143
143
144
146
147
150
152
155
157
158
160

Page
188
190
193

Chapter
5. The year
6. The beginnil1g oj the year
7. The eras

2.
3
4
5

XVIl

CONTENTS

XVlll

PART

CONTENTS

IV

Chapte r

3. THE TEMPLE AT JERUSALEM

RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS
Chapter

, il

'I

INTRODUCTORY
1. SEMITIC SANCTUARIES
1 . Sacred territory
2. The sacred character of places of cuTtic l/Jorship
3 The choice of places of worship
(a) Theophanies
(b) Sacred waters
(c) Sacred trees
(d) Heights
4. Ziggurats
5. Temples
6. 'High places'
(a) The name
(b) The situatioll fthe 'high places'
(c) The evidence of archaeology
(d) Cultic installations
(e) 'High places' and funeral services
(f) The lawfulness f'high places'

2. THE FIRST ISRAELITE SANCTUARIES

1 . The places where the Patriarchs worshipped

(a) Shechelll
(b) Bethel
(c) Mambre
(d) Beersheba
(e) COIclusioll
2. The desert sanctuary: the Tellt
3 The Ark of the COVel1allt
4 The sallctuaries in the lmtd of Israel before the buildillg oftlze Temple
(a) Gilgal
(b) Shiloh
(c) Mispah ill Bwjal/lin
(d) Gibeol1
(e) Ophra
(f) Dan
(g) Jerusalelll

Page
27I

274
274
276
276
277
277
278
279
28I
282
284
284
284
284
285
287
288
289
289
289
291
292
293
293
294
297
302
302
304
304
305
306
307
308

I. Solomon's Temple
(a) The buildings
(b) Analogies and itifluences
(c) The site of the Temple
(d) Furnishings of the Temple
(e) The Temple as a national sanctuary
2. The history of Solomon's Temple
3. The post-exilic Temple
4. The theology of the Temple
(a) The Temple as the seat of the dillille prescllce
(b) The Temple as the sign of electioll
(c) Symbolism of the Temple
(d) Opposition to the Temple

4. THE CENTRALIZATION OF THE CULT

1.

2.

3.
4.
5.

6.

Central sanctuary or sole sanctuary?

Solomon's Temple and rival sanctuaries
(a) The attraction of Jerusalem
(b) The religious schism of Jeroboalll
(c) Dan alld Bethel
(d) Other sanctuaries
Reforms aiming at centralizatioll
Deuteronomy
Later sanctuaries outside Jerusalelll
(a) The temple at Elephantine
(b) The temple at Leontopolis
(c) The temple at Garizil1l
The origin.of synagogues

5. THE PRIESTLY OFFICE

1.
2.
3.
4.

5
6.
7

The name
The illstallation of priests
The priest and the sanctuary
Priests and divine oracles
(a) The ephod
(b) Urim alld Thummim
(c) The decreasing importm1ce of oracles gillen by priests
The priest as a teacher
The priest and sacrifice
The priest as mediator

XIX

Page
3I2
3I2
3I3
3I7
318
319
320
32I
322
325
325
327
328
329

331
331
332
332
333
334
335
336
337
339
340
341
342
343
345
345
346
348
349
349
352
352
353
355
357

'[
I

Chapter
6. THE LEVITES
I. EtYlJlology
2. The hereditary priesthood
3. The priestly tribe oJ Levi
4. Historical deucloplllcnt
(a) NOIl-Leuitical priests
(b) Levite priests
(c) Priests alld Levites
5. Levitical towns
6. vVas there ever a non-priestly tribe wiled Lcui?
7. The origill oj the Levites

7. THE PRIESTHOOD IN JERUSALEM UNDER THE MONARCHY

I. Ebyathar and Sadoq
2. The descelldants oj Sadoq
3. The priests alld the kings
4. The hierarchy
5. The reveIJues oj the clergy
6. The lower-ranking persolJnel
7. Were there prophets attached to the Temple?
8.

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

xx

THE PlUESTHOOD AFTER THE EXILE

I. Priests and Levites down to the period oj Esdras and Nehemias
2. The Levites ill the work oj the Chronicler
(a) The Levites and the Ark
(b) The singers
(c) The door-keepers
(d) Other LeviticalJunctions
3. 'SOilS oj Sadoq' alld ' Sons ojAaron'
4. The high priest
(a) His titles
(b) The illvestiture oj the high priest
(c) The high priest and the idea r kingship
(d) The successioll oj high priests
5. The revenues r the Temple alld oj the clergy
(a) The Temple
(b) The clergy

9. ALTARS

Pre-Israelite altars in Palestine

2. Israelite altars outside the maill sanctuary
3. The altars used in the desert
I.

Page
358
358
359
360
361
361
362
364
366
367
369

372
372
375
376
377
379
382
384
387
388
390
391
391
392
393
394
397
397
398
400
401
403
403
404
406
406
407
409

Chapter
4. The altars ill Solol/lo/l's Telllple
(a) The altar f holocausts
(b) The altar f pelfumes
5. The altar oj Ezechiel
6. The altars ill the second Tcmplc
7. The religiolls sigl1ijicallce oj altars
10.

TI-IE RITUAL OF SACRIFICE

Holocausts
Conl/I/ullioll sacrijices
3. Expiatory sacrifices
(a) Sacrifice Jor sill
(b) The sacrifice 4 reparation
(c) The distillctioll betwcell sacrifice for sin aHd the sacrifice of
reparation
Vegetable
fJeril1g5
4
The
shew
bread
5
6. o.fJerillgs oj incense
I.

2.

11. THE HISTORY OF SACRIFICE IN ISRAEL

1.
2.
3.
4.
).
6.
12.

The critical theory

General considerations
Holocausts and coml1nmion-sacrifices
Expiatory sacrifices
Vegetable oJ
Conclusion

THE ORIGIN OF ISRAELITE RITUAL

I. Mesopotamian sacrifice
2. Sacrifice among the al1ciel1t Arabs
3. Ca/J(/anite sacrifice
4. The origin oj the sacrificial ritllal oj Israel
5. HUlllan sacrifice in Israel
(a) Human sacrifices in historical texts
(b) Prophetical texts
(c) The law COl/caning the first-bom
(d) Sacrifices to lI-foloch

13. THE RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE OF SACRIFICE

I. Was sacrifice a gift to a malevolent or a selfish deity?
2. Dicl sacrifice achietJe union with the deity by magic?
(a) Union with a god by man's eating a divine victim

xxi

Page
410
410
4I I
412
412
413

415
415
417
418
418
420
420
421
422
423
424
424
425
426
429
430
432
433
433
435
438
440
441
442
443
443
444
447
447
448
448

11"

CONTENTS

XXll

3.
4

5.

(b) Union with a god by the immolation of a Jlictim representing

man
448
Was sacrifice a meal taken by the god?
449
Outline of a theory of sacrifice
451
(a) The gift
451
(b) Commlmioll
453
(c) Expiation
453
Polemic against sacrifices
454

14. SECONDARY ACTS OF THE CULT

Liturgical prayer
(a) Prayer and the cult
(b) The place and time of prayer, etc.
2. Rites of purification and of de-consecration
(a) Sacrifices and abltttiolls
(b) The ashes of the red heifer
(c) The ritual for leprosy
3 Rites of consecration
(a) General remarks
(b) Vows
(c) The Nazirites
I.

15. THE LITURGICAL CALENDAR

The ordinary services in the Temple

(a) The daily services
(b) The sabbath
(c) The new mOOI1
2. The religious calendars
(a) The Elohistic Code of the Covenant
(b) The Yahwistic Code f the Covenant
(c) Deuteronomy
(d) The Law of Holiness
(e) Ezechiel
(f) The rules for sacrifice given in Numbers
(g) Later feasts
I.

I
I

I;

16. THE SABBATH DAY

The Hame: its etymology

2. Was the sabbath of Babylonian origin?
3 Was the sabbath o..fCanaanite origin?
4 Was the sabbath of Qenite origin?
I.

CONTENTS

457
457
457
458
460
460
461
462
464
464
465
466
468
468
468
469
469
470
471
471
472
472
473
473
473

XXlll

C hapter
.
5. The antiquity I tire sabbath
6. The religious significance of the sabbath
7. The history of the sabbath

Page
479
480
482

17. THE ANCIENT FEASTS OF ISRAEL

Thefeasts of the Passover aHd of UII/eavelled Bread

(a) The historical developmellt
(b) The oright of the Passover
(c) The origin of thefeast of Un/eavCIled Bread
(d) Their collllection with the history of salvatioll
2. The feast of Weeks
3. The feast of Tents
(a) The names of thefeast: its illlportance
(b) Its historical developlllellt
(c) Its dates
(d) The oright of theJeast
4. Was there a New Year/east?
5. Was there a feast f the Enthronement of Yahweh?
1.

18. THE LATER FEASTS

The Day of Atonelllent

(a) The ritual of expiatioll
(b) The goat 'for AZlIzel'
(c) When was the feast instituted?
2. The feast of tlte Hanukkah
(a) The origin mtd history ftlre/east
(b) Tire rites: the HamlHalt alld the feast of Tents
(c) Was there allY pagan irif/uellce in the orill or the rites oj the
Hanukkah?
3. TheJeast of Purim
(a) Its date and its rites
(b) Purim and the Book of Esther
(c) The origin of thefeast
I.

490
492
493
495
495
496
498
500
5 02
504
507
507
5 07
5 08
5 09
5 IO
510
5 TJ

513
514
514
515
515

BIBLIOGRAPHY

519

GENERAL INDEX

553

INDEX OF PROPER NAMES

559

INDEX OF SEMITIC FORMS

5 68

INDEX OF BIBLICAL REFERENCES

57!