Ancient Hebrew Views of the City

Natasha Z. Johnson

Professor Barry

Classics 308

19 September 2007

Ancient Hebrew Views of the City

There are varying opinions on the attitudes of the Hebrew authors towards ancient cities. Wilson states that the "standard scholarly view" of the early Hebrews, points to a nomadic group whose view of the city is one of skepticism and fear. They thought the city to be a place of corruption, both political and social. According to Wilson this is problematic because there is little evidence to support this theory (Wilson, 5). However, there is evidence to support the claim that the Israelites believed the city to be a sacred place. They believed that the city, especially the city of Jerusalem, was a gift from God Ð'- their birthright.

There were cities which early Hebrew authors identified as being corrupt places to be feared. Sodom and Gomorrah are examples of cities which were to such an extreme that they were said to have been destroyed (along with the people living in the city) by God for wickedness.

24 Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and GomorrahÐ'--from the LORD out of the heavens. 25 Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the citiesÐ'--and also the vegetation in the land. (Genesis 19:24-25 NIV)

Early Hebrew authors believed this to be the punishment for cities that were corrupt. They must have been aware of dangers of the city.

Likewise, they must have been aware of man's tendency towards superciliousness. The story of the tower of Babel tells of man's certainty that he could build a tower that would allow him to reach heaven (Genesis 11:1-9). The apparent advantage of creative imagination does not cloud the fact that man was overconfident in his attempt at such an endeavor.

According to the book of Genesis, as far back as the beginning of human life on earth, Hebrews were believed to have been familiar with the city. Cain's son Enoch reportedly built the first city (Wilson, 8). This is a considerably different notion from the standard thought that the Israelites were nomadic.

26 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: 27 "How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites. 28 So tell them, 'As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you the very things I heard you say: 29 In this desert your bodies will fallÐ'--every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. 30 Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. 31 As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected. 32 But youÐ'--your bodies will fall in this desert. 33 Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert. 34 For forty yearsÐ'--one year for each of the forty days you explored the landÐ'--you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.' 35 I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this desert; here they will die." (Numbers 14:26-35 NIV)

The book of Numbers, chapter 14, tells the story that the reason the Israelites wandered the desert for forty years was because of their sins. This leads me to believe that the Israelites were not nomadic by choice. They had not been nomadic in the past. Their wandering was because of their inability to settle in a permanent location. Even though they had been slaves in a foreign land, the Israelites were very much use to city dwelling. When their forty years of wandering in the desert ended, they conquered and settled in the land of Canaan, the land which their God had promised to them.

After conquering many of the cities in Canaan, King David moved the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, making Jerusalem both the political and spiritual capital (Wilson, 9). As the religious center of Israel, Jerusalem also came to be called the city of God.

11 The LORD swore an oath to David,

a sure oath that he will