In revenge for the Midianite seduction (Num 25), Phinehas takes the sacred utensils from the Tabernacle and leads the war against Midian (Num 31). Many details in this story contradict other Priestly texts, giving us a glimpse into how the Priestly Torah was compiled.
Dr.
Ariel Kopilovitz
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Throughout the Bible, “Ishmaelite” is a collective term for eastern nomads. Why, then, does Genesis present their eponymous ancestor Ishmael as dwelling in the west? The answer can be found in the political realities of Persian period Yehud.
Prof.
Yairah Amit
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God reveals his name to Moses as “I am,” from the Hebrew root ה.ו.י, “being.” The name YHWH, however, originates in Midian, and derives from the Arabic term for “love, desire, or passion.”
Prof.
Israel Knohl
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The Midianite Origin of YHWH and Aniconism
Prof.
Israel Knohl
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In the ancient world, genealogy was not about family relations but about political alliances.
Dr. Rabbi
Zev Farber
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