8 Matching Annotations
  1. Oct 2023
  2. claudemariottini.com claudemariottini.com
    Standing Stones in the Old Testament
    8
    1. chrisaldrich 17 Oct 2023
      Jacob took the stone (ʼben) and “set it up as a pillar (massebah) and poured oil on the top of it” (Genesis 28:18). This standing stone was dedicated to Yahweh, therefore the use of a stone as a massebah was not forbidden.

      Jacob's use of a stone as a massebah wasn't forbidden because it was dedicated to Yahweh.

      Genesis 28:18 massebah 'ben sacred stones standing stones
    2. chrisaldrich 17 Oct 2023
      There are several occasions where the massebah is not associated with pagan worship. When the massebah is associated with the worship of Yahweh, the massebah is accepted as a valid expression of commitment to Yahweh.

      Massebah for pagan worship: - Exodus 23:24 (https://hypothes.is/a/r3m5QmyDEe6SC8eLYcJE1Q) - Hosea 10:1 (https://hypothes.is/a/4PK2GGyDEe6wZg_r2YpVCA ) - 2 Kings 18:4 - 2 Kings 23:14

      Massebah for worship of Yahweh: - Genesis 28:18 Jacob's pillow (https://hypothes.is/a/NF5p8Gx6Ee65Rg_J4tfaMQ)<br /> - Genesis 31:44-45 Jacob and Laban's covenant - Exodus 24:4 - Joshua 24:25-27

      massebah sacred stones biblical stones Exodus 23:24 Hosea 10:1 2 Kings 18:4 2 Kings 23:14 Genesis 28:18 Genesis 31:44-45 Exodus 24:4 Joshua 24:25-27 what's good for the goose is good for the gander hypocrisy standing stones
    3. chrisaldrich 17 Oct 2023
      in violation of the demands of the covenant, the people of Israel erected sacred stones dedicated to other gods (Hosea 10:1). In their religious reforms, both Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:4) and Josiah (2 Kings 23:14) destroyed the sacred pillars which the people of Israel had dedicated to the worship of Baal.

      Link to https://hypothes.is/a/r3m5QmyDEe6SC8eLYcJE1Q

      sacred stones massebah Hosea 10:1 2 Kings 18:4 2 Kings 23:14 Baal Hezekiah Josiah
    4. chrisaldrich 17 Oct 2023
      During the establishment of the covenant between Yahweh and Israel, the people were commanded to destroy the sacred stones of the Canaanites, “You must demolish them and break their sacred stones (masseboth) to pieces” (Exodus 23:24).

      In neighboring cultures in which both have oral practices relating to massebah, one is not just destroying "sacred stones" to stamp out their religion, but it's also destroying their culture and cultural memory as well as likely their laws and other valuable memories for the function of their society.

      View this in light also of the people of Israel keeping their own sacred stones (Hosea 10:1) as well as the destruction of pillars dedicated to Baal in 2 Kings 18:4 and 2 Kings 23:14.

      (Link and) Compare this to the British fencing off the land in Australia and thereby destroying Songlines and access to them and the impact this had on Indigenous Australians.

      It's also somewhat similar to the colonialization activity of stamping out of Indigenous Americans and First Nations' language in North America, though the decimation of their language wasn't viewed in as reciprocal way as it might be viewed now. (Did colonizers of the time know about the tremendous damage of language destruction, or was it just a power over function?)

      massebah masseboth sacred stones biblical stones Exodus 23 Canaanite religion The Covenant orality and memory colonization Exodus 23:24 Hosea 10:1 2 Kings 18:4 2 Kings 23:14 Baal songlines Indigenous languages
    5. chrisaldrich 16 Oct 2023
      Absalom set up a massebah for himself as a memorial for he said, “‘I have no son to keep my name in remembrance’; he called the massebah by his own name” (2 Samuel 18:18).

      Use of massebah for remembrance of a name...

      Potentially used for other factors? translation? context?

      See also: https://hypothes.is/a/oqgH4mx9Ee68_dMgihgD0A (Rachel's massebah in Genesis 35:19-20)

      biblical stones massebah stone memorials headstones grave markers Absalom standing stones 2 Samuel 18 orality and memory archaeology of orality monuments sacred stones
    6. chrisaldrich 16 Oct 2023
      When Rachel died, Jacob set up a massebah at her grave; “it is the massebah of Rachel’s tomb, which is there to this day” (Genesis 35:19–20).

      Use of a standing stone or massebah (pillar) to mark a grave in Genesis 35:19-20.

      Certainly could have been other than to simply mark a location and may have been used to mark and remember the knowledge of Rachel as well as the family's experiences with Rachel, a practice which is still commonplace when visiting burial locations.

      sacred stones massebah headstones grave markers monuments stone memorials Genesis 35 Rachel Jacob standing stones biblical stones
    7. chrisaldrich 16 Oct 2023
      Israel was forbidden to set up sacred stones, pillars: “you shall not set up a pillar (massebah), which the LORD your God hates” (Deuteronomy 16:22).

      Relationship to the first two commandments against worshiping other gods and the use of idols?

      How does this relate to the standing stone found in the room at Khirbet Qeiyafa from the time of David?

      Dates of this text with respect to Khirbet Keiyafa?

      Canaanite religion massebah pillars Deuteronomy 16 Khirbet Qeiyafa orality and memory archaeology of orality sacred stones sacred texts open questions
    8. chrisaldrich 16 Oct 2023
      The pillars or sacred stones were stones set apart for religious use. The word massebah comes from the Hebrew word nasab, a word which means “to stand.”
      massebah standing stones Hebrew translations biblical stones pillars sacred stones talking rocks nasab
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