Tanakh & the Ancient Near East Index – Parashat Vayetze

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Overview

Knowledge of the history, law, cultic practices and realia of the Ancient Near East can often shed much light on Tanakh. This index contains a list of links to articles which touch on the connections between Tanakh and ancient cultures.

Rachel’s Theft of the Teraphim

Shawn W. Flynn, in his article The Teraphim in Light of Mesopotamian and Egyptian Evidence, explores the role and use of teraphim in general.
Moshe Greenberg’s article Another Look at Rachel’s Theft of the Teraphim summarizes (and questions) the view, based on archaeological evidence, that possession of the teraphim served as proof of inheritance rights.
Ktziah Spanier, by contrast, argues in her article Rachel’s Theft of the Teraphim: Her Struggle for Family Primacy that Rachel intended to assert her progeny’s status over that of Leah’s progeny.

Anachronisms?

In Tanakh and Archaeology (3), R. Amnon Bazak discusses claims that certain details included in the Patriarchal narratives appear to be anachronistic, and brings several approaches to resolve the issue. For example, he points to arguments that camels were not yet domesticated by the era of the Patriarchs but notes that newer archaeological evidence demonstrates that the picture is not so clear. Domestication did indeed begin in ancient times, though in a limited way. This fits well with the Biblical account of the period, in which camels do not play a central role, their numbers are small, and they are possessed mainly by the wealthy.

Yaakov and Lavan

Listen to Understanding Patriarchal Narratives in Light of the Ancient Near East, by Professor Barry Eichler, for information about how many aspects of the interactions between Yaakov and Lavan can be better understood in the context of ancient agreements and practices between owners of flocks and their shepherds

Visual Aids

Sleeping Customs

Olam Hamikra explains that it was common practice in the Ancient Near East for a person to sleep on his back and place a hard object under his head to elevate it, and includes pictures of such artifacts.

Ritual Monuments

Olam Hamikra includes a picture of an ancient "מצבה", a stone that was used in ritual and was consecrated through the pouring of oil over it.

Birthing Stones

Olam Hamikra includes pictures of an ancient birthing-stool and a statue depicting an ancient birthing scene, which demonstrate Rachel’s intent in stating that Bilhah would bear her children on Rachel’s knees.

דודאים (Mandrakes)

Olam Hamikra includes pictures of the plants and fruits of the mandrake.