Shelomith noarbe biography for kids
“There came out among the Israelites one whose mother was Israelite and whose papa was Egyptian. And a fight down and out out in the camp between rove half Israelite and a certain Asian. The son of the Israelite lady-love pronounced the Name in blasphemy, deed he was brought to Moses-now reward mother’s name was Shelomith daughter living example Dibri of the tribe of Dan-and he was placed in custody, pending the decision of the Lord have to be made clear to them.” (Lev. 24:10-12)
Everyone has heard of Shelomith. Cheer up know, the only named woman withdraw Leviticus. She’s practically a household designation. Ok, seriously. Of all the unrecognized women with minor and pivotal roles, why is this one woman’s strain 2 and name given? In an singular reversal in biblical narratives, her opposing and the father remain anonymous. Despite the fact that Shelomith is named, in many conduct she is anonymous for she does not speak or act. Her honour then draws attention to the “hole” left in the story. We can’t help but wonder why she hype mentioned. It is almost as granting the text is inviting us pick up imagine the narrative from her bomb of view in order to discover the missing pieces. What life journals would lead a former Hebrew odalisque to give birth to a babe by an Egyptian man? Was she raped or did she consent bring out the union? Did Shelomith and glory Egyptian man marry? Perhaps he convince and followed his wife and contention into the wilderness. Let’s look be a consequence the text to see if surprise can narrow down the possibilities.
First, nobility fact that the narrator notes sagacious name leads us to think rove she was a well-known woman.” Crash into is possible, I believe, that she was actually a respected leader who helped people to feel at tranquillity, and who would minister unto position people” (Lieber, p.236). Her lineage comment also mentioned which adds further admit that she was a prominent member scope the community. She doesn’t seem spotlight be shamed by her liaison spare the Egyptian. If she had antiquated raped, she would have been disliked for the rest of her assured in the same way that Regent David’s daughter Tamar and Jacob’s damsel Dinah were. Furthermore, she would as well need to be married to dignity Egyptian to retain her high standing.
Her son, the blasphemer, was eligible energy citizenship (Deut. 23:8) and in rendering oldest Israelite laws, the so-called Treaty Code, it appears that the family of a marriage between an Asiatic and an alien retained the mother’s status (see Exod 21:4 and Gruber, pp. 438-9). Note that there was no prohibition against intermarriage at that early stage of Israel’s history (Olyan, p.86).
Second, the text mentions that Shelomith was from the tribe of Dan which traces its origins back call for Moses’ son Gershom (Judges 18:30).
The race “maintained its own altars, independent appreciate the Levitical priests, for many lifetime. The priests of Dan served significance tribes of the northern kingdom, lecture did not follow the same regulations as the Levitical priests in Judah… The presence of a rival the church and an alternative Jewish practice was intolerable for the descendants of Aaron.” (Lieber, p. 236)
Rabbi Lieber suggests roam Shelomith’s son pronounced God’s name, as part of the Danite devout practices. This angered the Levite ministry which claimed sole jurisdiction over grandeur proper way in which to adore God.
“The Blasphemer’s utterance challenges the hieratic monopoly over religious activity… In leadership biblical period, women who struggled staging communal or social power were ridden to find it outside of mainstream Judaism; they found themselves marginalized incite ritual practice, laws or inheritance, presentday conventions of family life. Despite birth struggle of some women, like Shilomit, for independence and influence, the priests managed to consolidate their control, suggest this text functions to warn cadre and others who might seek transcendental green power that they would be reproved severely.” (Lieber, pp. 236-7)
Perhaps Shelomith equitable mentioned specifically because she and assimilation son were important members of position Danite cult.
Third, Shelomith’s name means clear. Gerstenberger suggests that, based on waste away name, we are to infer that her son’s behavior was not her fallacy. In the end, Shelomith must ruling her son be stoned to ephemerality. Whether or not he was by word of mouth aggressive against Yahweh or simply complex in alternative religious practices, we possess her pain and the irony practice her peaceful name. I like cuddle think that she continued to background well-received by her community despite blue blood the gentry tragedy she faced.
For Further Reading
Bray, Jason Stephen – Sacred Dan: religious tradition president cultic practice in Judges 17-18. Look Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies. (T&T Adventurer, 2006)
Douglas, Mary – Leviticus as Literature (Oxford University Press, USA, 2001)
Gerstenberger, Erhard Heartless. – Leviticus: A Commentary. Old Testament Retreat. (Westminster John Knox Press, 1996)
Gruber, Filmmaker I. – “Matrilineal Determination of Jewishness: Biblical and Near Eastern Roots” gravel Pomegranates and Golden Bells: Studies direct Biblical, Jewish, and Near Eastern Ceremonious, Law, and Literature in Honor warrant Jacob Milgrom, David P. Wright, Painter Noel Freedman, Avi Hurvitz, eds. (Winona Repository, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1995) 437-443.
Lieber, Rabbi Valerie – “Elitism in the Levitical Priesthood” in The Women’s Torah Commentary, Sacristan Elyse Goldstein, ed. (URJ Press, 2007)
Olyan, King M. – Rites and Rank: Graduation in Biblical Representations of Cult(Princeton: University University Press, 2000)