Bosnia and Bosnians

Bosnia and Bosnians

Bosnia (region)

Bosnia (Bosnian: Bosna; Serbian: Босна, pronounced [bɔ̂sna]) is an eponymous region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It encompasses roughly 80% of the country in the north, while the other eponymous region, the southern part, is Herzegovina. Bosnia is an informal use for the whole country.

The two regions have formed a geopolitical entity since medieval times, and the name "Bosnia" commonly occurs in historical and geopolitical senses as generally referring to both regions (Bosnia and Herzegovina). The official use of the name including both regions started only in the late period of Ottoman-rule.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnia_(region)


Bosnians

Bosnians (Bosnian: Bosanci, Croatian: Bosanci, Serbian: Босанци) are people who reside in, or descend from, Bosnia.

By the modern state definition, a Bosnian can be anyone who holds citizenship of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina as largely synonymous with the all-encompassing national demonym Bosnians and Herzegovinians. This includes, but is not limited to, members of the constituent ethnic groups of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Bosniaks, Bosnian Serbs and Bosnian Croats. Those who reside in the smaller geographical region of Herzegovina may thus prefer to stress themselves as Herzegovinians in a localized, regional sense.
Ethnic minorities such as Jews, Roma, Albanians, Montenegrins and others may consider Bosnian to be attached to their ethnicity (e.g. Bosnian Jews).

In addition, there is a sizable population in Bosnia and Herzegovina who believe that Bosnians are a people that constitute a distinct collective cultural identity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnians


Bosnian language

Bosnian (bosanski / босански [bɔ̌sanskiː]) is a standardized register of the Serbo-Croatian language, a South Slavic language,[3][4][5] used by Bosniaks. Bosnian is one of the three official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina,[6] along with Croatian and Serbian.

Standard Bosnian is based on the most widespread dialect of Serbo-Croatian, Shtokavian, more specifically on Eastern Herzegovinian, which is also the basis of Standard Croatian, Serbian, and Montenegrin. Until the dissolution of SFR Yugoslavia, they were treated as a unitary Serbo-Croatian language, and that term is still used in English to subsume the common base (vocabulary, grammar and syntax) of what are today officially four national standards, although the term is no longer used by native speakers.

The Bosnian standard uses both Latin and Cyrillic alphabets.[Note 1] Bosnian is notable amongst the varieties of Serbo-Croatian for having an eclectic assortment of Arabic, Turkish and Persian loanwords, largely due to the language's interaction with those cultures through Islamic ties.[7][8][9] This is historically corroborated by the introduction and use of Arebica (Matufovica) as a successor script for the Bosnian language, replacing Bosnian Cyrillic (Bosančica) upon the introduction of Islam; first amongst the elite, then amongst the public.[10] The Bosnian language also contains a number of Germanisms not often heard in Croatian or Serbian that have been in use since the Austro-Hungarian Empire.[11]

The first official dictionary in the Bosnian language, authored by Muhamed Hevaji Uskufi, was printed in the early 1630s,[12] while the first dictionary in Serbian was printed only in the mid-19th century.[13] Written evidence and records point to the Bosnian language being the official language of the country since at least the Kingdom of Bosnia, as further corroborated by the declaration of the Charter of Ban Kulin, one of the oldest written state documents in the Balkans and one of the oldest to be written in Bosančica.[14][15]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnian_language


Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina (i/ˈbɒzniə ənd hɛərtsəɡɵˈviːnə/; Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian Bosna i Hercegovina, pronounced [bôsna i xěrt͡seɡoʋina]; Cyrillic script: Боснa и Херцеговина), sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina, abbreviated BiH, and in short often known informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeastern Europe located on the Balkan Peninsula. Sarajevo is the capital and largest city. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for 20 kilometres (12 miles) of coastline on the Adriatic Sea surrounding the city of Neum. In the central and eastern interior of the country the geography is mountainous, in the northwest it is moderately hilly, and the northeast is predominantly flatland. The inland is a geographically larger region and has a moderate continental climate, bookended by hot summers and cold and snowy winters. The southern tip of the country has a Mediterranean climate and plain topography.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnia_and_Herzegovina


Bosnian Proverbs

Bird

¶ Latin: Bolje vrabac u ruci, nego golub na grani.
Cyrillic: Боље врабац у руци, него голуб на грани.
Translation: A sparrow in the hand is better than a pigeon on the branch.

Time

¶ Latin: Gvožđe se kuje dok je vruće. - Cyrillic: Гвожђе се кује док је вруће.
Translation: Iron is worked when it's still hot.
English equivalent: Strike the iron while its hot.
[Matković, umjetnosti, knijiževnost (1980). Forum. p. 391.]


References

Bosnian language

[1]^ "Accredited Language Services: An Outline of Bosnian Language History". Accredited Language Services. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
[2]^ Alexander 2006, pp. 1-2.
[3]^ David Dalby, Linguasphere (1999/2000, Linguasphere Observatory), pg. 445, 53-AAA-g, "Srpski+Hrvatski, Serbo-Croatian".
[4]^ Benjamin V. Fortson, IV, Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction, 2nd ed. (2010, Blackwell), pg. 431, "Because of their mutual intelligibility, Serbian, Croatian, and Bosnian are usually thought of as constituting one language called Serbo-Croatian."
[5]^ Václav Blažek, "On the Internal Classification of Indo-European Languages: Survey" retrieved 20 Oct 2010, pp. 15-16.
[6]^ See Art. 6 of the Constitution of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, available at the official website of Office of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina
[7]^ Algar, Hamid (2 July 1994). Persian Literature in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Oxford: Journal of Islamic Studies (Oxford). pp. 254–68.
[8]^ Balić, Smail (1978). Die Kultur der Bosniaken, Supplement I: Inventar des bosnischen literarischen Erbes in orientalischen Sprachen. Vienna: Adolf Holzhausens, Vienna. p. 111.
[9]^ Balić, Smail (1992). Das unbekannte Bosnien: Europas Brücke zur islamischen Welt. Cologne, Weimar and Vienna: Bohlau. p. 526.
[10]^ Dobraća, Kasim (1963). Katalog Arapskih, Turskih i Perzijskih Rukopisa (Catalogue of the Arabic, Turkish and Persian Manuscripts in the Gazihusrevbegova Library, Sarajevo). Sarajevo.
[11]^ ANDLER, CH (1915). Pan-Germanism: Its plans for German expansion in the World. Paris: Librairie Armande Colin. p. App. I, II - pp. 69–71.
[12]^ Sarajevo archiv
[13]^ "Gammel ordbok i ny drakt" (in Norwegian). University of Oslo. 2012-04-10.
[14]^ Čišić, Husein. Razvitak i postanak grada Mostara. Štamparija Mostar.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnia_(region)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnians
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnian_language

Hal Borland

Hal Borland

Hal Borland (May 14, 1900 – February 22, 1978) was an American author.


Quotes·Quotations by ***

***




http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Hal_Borland

Boris Pasternak (1890-1960)


Boris Pasternak (1890-1960)

Boris Leonidovich Pasternak (Russian: Бори́с Леони́дович Пастерна́к; 10 February [O.S. 29 January] 1890 – 30 May 1960) was a Russian language poet, novelist, and literary translator. In his native Russia, Pasternak's anthology My Sister Life, is one of the most influential collections ever published in the Russian language. Furthermore, Pasternak's theatrical translations of Goethe, Schiller, Pedro Calderón de la Barca, and William Shakespeare remain deeply popular with Russian audiences.

Outside Russia, Pasternak is best known for authoring Doctor Zhivago, a novel which spans the last years of Czarist Russia and the earliest days of the Soviet Union. Banned in the USSR, Doctor Zhivago was smuggled to Milan and published in 1957. Pasternak was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature the following year, an event which both humiliated and enraged the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. In the midst of massive campaign against him by both the KGB[citation needed] and the Union of Soviet Writers, Pasternak reluctantly agreed to decline the Prize. In his resignation letter to the Nobel Committee, Pasternak stated the reaction of the Soviet State was the only reason for his decision.

By the time of his death from lung cancer in 1960, the campaign against Pasternak had severely damaged the international credibility of the U.S.S.R. He remains a major figure in Russian literature to this day. Furthermore, tactics pioneered by Pasternak were later continued, expanded, and refined by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and other Soviet dissidents.


Quotes·Quotation

Life

Man is born to live, not to prepare for life. Life itself, the phenomenon of life, the gift of life,is so breathtakingly serious!


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Pasternak

Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986)


Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986)

Jorge Luis Borges (24 August 1899 – 14 June 1986) was an Argentine writer who is considered one of the foremost literary figures of the 20th century. Most famous in the English speaking world for his short stories and fictive essays, Borges was also a poet, critic, translator and man of letters.


Quotes·Quotations by Jorge Luis Borges

Animal

¶ The minotaur more than justifies the existence of the labyrinth.
"Ibn-Hakim Al-Bokhari, Murdered in His Labyrinth", in The Aleph (1949); tr. Andrew Hurley, Collected Fictions (1998)

Quotations

¶ Life itself is a quotation.
[Quoted in Cool Memories (1987) by Jean Baudrillard, (trans. 1990) Ch. 5; heard by Baudrillard at a lecture given in Paris.]

Universe

¶ It is clear that there is no classification of the Universe that is not arbitrary and full of conjectures. The reason for this is very simple: we do not know what kind of thing the universe is.
[in "The Analytical Language of John Wilkins" in Other Inquisitions (1952), as translated by Will Fitzgerald]

¶ Universal history is the history of a few metaphors.
"Pascal’s Sphere" ["La esfera de Pascal"] (1951)


http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jorge_Luis_Borges

Booth Tarkington (1869-1946)


Booth Tarkington (1869-1946)

Booth Tarkington (July 29, 1869 – May 19, 1946) was an American novelist and dramatist best known for his novels The Magnificent Ambersons and Alice Adams. He is one of only three novelists (the others being William Faulkner and John Updike) to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction more than once.


Quotes·Quotations by Booth Tarkington

Automobile

¶ I'm not sure about automobiles. With all their speed forward, they may be a step backward in civilization.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booth_Tarkington

Booker T. Washington (1858-1915)


Booker T. Washington (1858-1915)

Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1858 or 59 – November 14, 1915) was an African-American educator, author, orator, advisor to Republican presidents, and black political leader. He was the dominant figure in the African-American community in the United States from 1890 to 1915. Representative of the last generation of black American leaders born in slavery, he spoke on behalf of the large majority of blacks who lived in the South but had lost their ability to vote through disfranchisement by southern legislatures. While his opponents called his powerful network of supporters the "Tuskegee Machine," Washington maintained power because of his ability to gain support of numerous groups: influential whites; the black business, educational and religious communities nationwide; financial donations from philanthropists, and his accommodation to the political realities of the age of Jim Crow segregation.

Washington was born into slavery to Jane, an enslaved woman, and a white father. His father was a nearby planter, in a rural area of the southwestern Virginia Piedmont. After emancipation, his mother moved the family to rejoin her husband in West Virginia; there Washington worked in a variety of manual labor jobs before making his way to Hampton Roads seeking an education. He worked his way through Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute (now Hampton University) and attended college at Wayland Seminary (now Virginia Union University). In 1876, Washington returned to live in Malden, West Virginia, teaching Sunday School at African Zion Baptist Church; he married his first wife, Fannie Smith, at the church in 1881. After returning to Hampton as a teacher, in 1881 he was named as the first leader of the new Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.

Washington attained national prominence for his Atlanta Address of 1895, which attracted the attention of politicians and the public, making him a popular spokesperson for African-American citizens. He built a nationwide network of supporters in many black communities, with black ministers, educators and businessmen composing his core supporters. Washington played a dominant role in black politics, winning wide support in the black community and among more liberal whites (especially rich Northern whites). He gained access to top national leaders in politics, philanthropy and education. Washington's efforts included cooperating with white people and enlisting the support of wealthy philanthropists, helping to raise funds to establish and operate thousands of small community schools and institutions of higher education for the betterment of blacks throughout the South. This work continued for many years after his death. Washington argued that the surest way for blacks to gain equal social rights was to demonstrate "industry, thrift, intelligence and property."

Northern critics called Washington's followers the "Tuskegee Machine". After 1909, Washington was criticized by the leaders of the new NAACP, especially W. E. B. Du Bois, who demanded a stronger tone of protest for advancement of civil rights needs. Washington replied that confrontation would lead to disaster for the outnumbered blacks, and that cooperation with supportive whites was the only way to overcome pervasive racism in the long run. At the same time, he secretly funded litigation for civil rights cases, such as challenges to southern constitutions and laws that disfranchised blacks. Washington was on close terms with national republican leaders, and often was asked for political advice by presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft.

In addition to his contributions in education, Washington wrote 14 books; his autobiography, Up From Slavery, first published in 1901, is still widely read today. During a difficult period of transition, he did much to improve the working relationship between the races. His work greatly helped blacks to achieve higher education, financial power and understanding of the U.S. legal system. This contributed to blacks' attaining the skills to create and support the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, leading to the passage of important federal civil rights laws.


Quotes·Quotations by Booker T. Washington

Happiness

¶ I began learning long ago that those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.

Responsibility

¶ Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility upon him, and to let him know that you trust him.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booker_T._Washington

Book of Isaiah


Book of Isaiah

The Book of Isaiah (Hebrew: ספר ישעיה‎) is the first of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, preceding Ezekiel, Jeremiah and the Book of the Twelve. (The order of the subsequent books differs somewhat in the Christian Old Testament).

The first 39 chapters prophesy doom for a sinful Judah and for all the nations of the world that oppose God, while the last 27 prophesy the restoration of the nation of Israel and a new creation in God's glorious future kingdom;[1] this section includes the Songs of the Suffering Servant, four separate passages referring to the nation of Israel, interpreted by Christians as prefiguring the coming of Jesus Christ.

Tradition ascribes authorship of the book to Isaiah son of Amoz, but for over a hundred years scholars have seen it as a compilation of writings from three different periods. The first, termed Proto-Isaiah (chapters 1–39), contains the words of the 8th-century BCE prophet with 7th-century BCE expansions; the second, Deutero-Isaiah (chapters 40–55), is the work of a 6th-century BCE author writing near the end of the Babylonian captivity; and the third, the poetic Trito-Isaiah (chapters 56–66), was composed in Jerusalem shortly after the return from exile, probably by multiple authors.[1][2][3][4]:pp. 558–562

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Isaiah


Introduction

Isaiah, one of the greatest of the prophets, appeared at a critical moment in Israel’s history. The Northern Kingdom collapsed, under the hammerlike blows of Assyria, in 722/721 B.C., and in 701 Jerusalem itself saw the army of Sennacherib drawn up before its walls. In the year that Uzziah, king of Judah, died (742), Isaiah received his call to the prophetic office in the Temple of Jerusalem. Close attention should be given to chap. 6, where this divine summons to be the ambassador of the Most High is circumstantially described.

The vision of the Lord enthroned in glory stamps an indelible character on Isaiah’s ministry and provides a key to the understanding of his message. The majesty, holiness and glory of the Lord took possession of his spirit and, at the same time, he gained a new awareness of human pettiness and sinfulness. The enormous abyss between God’s sovereign holiness and human sinfulness overwhelmed the prophet. Only the purifying coal of the seraphim could cleanse his lips and prepare him for acceptance of the call: “Here I am, send me!”

The ministry of Isaiah extended from the death of Uzziah in 742 B.C. to Sennacherib’s siege of Jerusalem in 701 B.C., and it may have continued even longer, until after the death of Hezekiah in 687 B.C. Later legend (the Martyrdom and Ascension of Isaiah) claims that Hezekiah’s son, Manasseh, executed Isaiah by having him sawed in two; cf. Heb 11:37. During this long ministry, the prophet returned again and again to the same themes, and there are indications that he may have sometimes re-edited his older prophecies to fit new occasions. There is no evidence that the present arrangement of the oracles in the book reflects a chronological order. Indeed, it appears that there were originally separate smaller collections of oracles (note especially chaps. 6–12), each with its own logic for ordering, that were preserved fairly intact as blocks when the material was finally put together as a single literary work.

Isaiah’s oracles cluster around several key historical events of the late eighth century: the Syro-Ephraimite War (735–732 B.C.), the accession of Hezekiah (715 B.C.), the revolt of Ashdod (714–711 B.C.), the death of Sargon (705 B.C.), and the revolt against Sennacherib (705–701 B.C.). In 738 B.C., with the Assyrian defeat of Calno/Calneh (Is 10:9; Am 6:2), the anti-Assyrian league, of which Judah may have been the ringleader, collapsed, and both Israel and the Arameans of Damascus paid tribute to Assyria. By 735 B.C., however, Rezin of Damascus had created a new anti-Assyrian league, and when Ahaz refused to join, the league attempted to remove Ahaz from the throne of Judah. The resulting Syro-Ephraimite War was the original occasion for many of Isaiah’s oracles (cf. chaps. 7–8), in which he tried to reassure Ahaz of God’s protection and dissuade him from seeking protection by an alliance with Assyria. Ahaz refused Isaiah’s message, however.

When Hezekiah came to the throne in 715 B.C., Isaiah appears to have put great hopes in this new scion of David, and he undoubtedly supported the religious reform that Hezekiah undertook. But the old intrigues began again, and the king was sorely tempted to join with neighboring states in an alliance sponsored by Egypt against Assyria. Isaiah succeeded in keeping Hezekiah out of Ashdod’s abortive revolt against Assyria, but when Sargon died in 705 B.C., with both Egypt and Babylon encouraging revolt, Hezekiah was won over to the pro-Egyptian party. Isaiah denounced this “covenant with death” (28:15, 18), and again summoned Judah to faith in the Lord as the only hope. But it was too late; the revolt had already begun. Assyria acted quickly and its army, after ravaging Judah, laid siege to Jerusalem (701). “I shut up Hezekiah like a bird in his cage,” boasts the famous inscription of Sennacherib. The city was spared but at the cost of paying a huge indemnity to Assyria. Isaiah may have lived and prophesied for another dozen years after 701. There is material in the book that may plausibly be associated with Sennacherib’s campaign against Babylon and its Arabian allies in 694–689 B.C.

For Isaiah, the vision of God’s majesty was so overwhelming that military and political power faded into insignificance. He constantly called his people back to a reliance on God’s promises and away from vain attempts to find security in human plans and intrigues. This vision also led him to insist on the ethical behavior that was required of human beings who wished to live in the presence of such a holy God. Isaiah couched this message in oracles of singular poetic beauty and power, oracles in which surprising shifts in syntax, audacious puns, and double- or triple-entendre are a constant feature.

The complete Book of Isaiah is an anthology of poems composed chiefly by the great prophet, but also by disciples, some of whom came many years after Isaiah. In 1–39 most of the oracles come from Isaiah and reflect the situation in eighth-century Judah. Sections such as the Apocalypse of Isaiah (24–27), the oracles against Babylon (13–14), and probably the poems of 34–35 were written by followers deeply influenced by the prophet, in some cases reusing earlier Isaianic material; cf., e.g., 27:2–8 with 5:1–7.

Chapters 40–55 (Second Isaiah, or Deutero-Isaiah) are generally attributed to an anonymous poet who prophesied toward the end of the Babylonian exile. From this section come the great oracles known as the Servant Songs, which are reflected in the New Testament understanding of the passion and glorification of Christ. Chapters 56–66 (Third Isaiah, or Trito-Isaiah) contain oracles from the postexilic period and were composed by writers imbued with the spirit of Isaiah who continued his work.

The principal divisions of the Book of Isaiah are the following:

Isaiah 1–39

Indictment of Israel and Judah (1:1–5:30)
The Book of Emmanuel (6:1–12:6)
Oracles against the Foreign Nations (13:1–23:18)
Apocalypse of Isaiah (24:1–27:13)
The Lord Alone, Israel’s and Judah’s Salvation (28:1–33:24)
The Lord, Zion’s Avenger (34:1–35:10)
Historical Appendix (36:1–39:8)

Isaiah 40–55

The Lord’s Glory in Israel’s Liberation (40:1–48:22)
Expiation of Sin, Spiritual Liberation of Israel (49:1–55:13)

Isaiah 56–66

http://www.usccb.org/bible/


Quotes·Quotations by Isaiah, Old Testament, Bible

¶ Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow. [Isaiah 1,16-17]

¶ Come now, let us set things right, says the LORD: Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; Though they be red like crimson, they may become white as wool. If you are willing, and obey, you shall eat the good things of the land; But if you refuse and resist, you shall be eaten by the sword: for the mouth of the LORD has spoken! [Isaiah 1,18-20]

¶ Yet just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
And do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
Giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,

So shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me empty,
but shall do what pleases me,
achieving the end for which I sent it. [Isaiah 55,10-11]


References

[1]^ a b May, Herbert G. and Bruce M. Metzger. The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha. 1977.
[2]^ Williamson (1994), pp. 1–3]
[3]^ Lemche (2008), p.96
[4]^ a b Kugel, James L. (2008). "chapter 30: The Book of Isaiah(s)". How To Read the Bible: A Guide to Scripture, Then and Now. New York, NY: Free Press. pp. 538–568. ISBN 978-0-7432-3587-7.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Isaiah
http://www.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/1

Book of the Wisdom of Joshua ben Sira


Sirach

The Book of the All-Virtuous Wisdom of Joshua ben Sira[1] (pron.: /ˈsaɪræk/), commonly called the Wisdom of Sirach or simply Sirach, and also known as The Book Ecclesiasticus (/ɨˌkliːziˈæstɪkəs/) or Siracides (/saɪˈræsɨdiːz/) (abbreviated Ecclus.[2]) or Ben Sira,[3] is a work from the early 2nd century B.C. (approximately 200-175 B.C.) written by the Jewish scribe Joshua ben Sirach of Jerusalem. The book was not accepted into the Hebrew Bible and as a result the original Hebrew text was not preserved in the Jewish canon. However, various original Hebrew versions have since been recovered.

There are numerous citations of Sirach in the Talmud and works of rabbinic literature (as "ספר בן סירא", e.g., Hagigah 13a). Despite not finding ultimate acceptance into the scriptural canon of Judaism, it was read as scripture by some Jews. For instance, it was included in the canon of the Jewish Septuagint, the 2nd century BC Greek version of the Jewish scriptures used by Diaspora Jews. Sirach is accepted as part of the Christian biblical canon by Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican,[4] and most Oriental Orthodox but not by most Protestants. The Greek Church Fathers also called it the "All-Virtuous Wisdom", while the Latin Church Fathers, beginning with Cyprian,[5] termed it Ecclesiasticus because it was frequently read in churches, leading to the title liber ecclesiasticus (Latin and Latinised Greek for "church book").

In Egypt, it was translated into Greek by the author's grandson, who added a prologue. The Prologue to the Book of the All-Virtuous Wisdom of Joshua ben Sirach is generally considered the earliest witness to a canon of the books of the prophets, and thus the date of the text as we have it is the subject of intense scrutiny.


Quotes·Quotations by Sirach

Responsibility to Parents

¶ Whoever respects a father will in turn be happy with children, the day he prays for help, he will be heard. [Ecclesiasticus 3,5]

¶ Those who respect their father will live a long life; those who obey the Lord honor their mother. [Sirach 3,6]

¶ Kindness to a father will not be forgotten; it will serve as a sin offering—it will take lasting root. [Sirach 3,14]

The Rewards of Wisdom

¶ Wisdom teaches her children and admonishes all who can understand her. [Sirach 4,11]

¶ Those who love her love life; those who seek her out win the LORD’s favor. [Sirach 4,12]

¶ Those who hold her fast will attain glory, and they shall abide in the blessing of the LORD. [Sirach 4,13]

¶ Those who serve her serve the Holy One; those who love her the Lord loves. [Sirach 4,14]

¶ Whoever obeys me will judge nations; whoever listens to me will dwell in my inmost chambers. [Sirach 4,15]

¶ If they remain faithful, they will possess me; their descendants too will inherit me. [Sirach 4,16]

¶ I will walk with them in disguise, and at first I will test them with trials. Fear and dread I will bring upon them and I will discipline them with my constraints. When their hearts are fully with me, then I will set them again on the straight path and reveal my secrets to them. [Sirach 4,17-18]

¶ But if they turn away from me, I will abandon them and deliver them over to robbers. [Sirach 4,19]

True Friendship

¶ Pleasant speech multiplies friends, and gracious lips, friendly greetings. [Sirach 6,5]


Notes

[1]^ Or "…of Joshua son of Sirach", the literal translation of ben.
[2]^ [1]
[3]^ http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/ben-sira/
[4]^ http://prayerbook.ca/the-prayer-book-online/129-tables-of-lessons-page-xvi
[5]^ Testimonia, ii. 1; iii. 1, 35, 51, 95, et passim


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirach

Book of Ecclesiastes


The Book of Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes (pron.: /ɨˌkliːziˈæstiːz/; Greek: Ἐκκλησιαστής, Ekklesiastes, Hebrew: קֹהֶלֶת, Qoheleth, Koheleth), is a book of the Jewish Ketuvim (meaning Writings, one of the three sections making up the Hebrew bible) and of the Old Testament. The title is a Latin transliteration of the Greek translation of the Hebrew Koheleth, meaning "Gatherer", but traditionally translated as "Teacher" or "Preacher".[1]

Koheleth introduces himself as "son of David, king in Jerusalem," perhaps implying that he is Solomon, but the work is in fact anonymous and was most probably composed in the last part of the 3rd century BCE.[2] The book is in the form of an autobiography telling of his investigation of the meaning of life and the best way of life. He proclaims all the actions of man to be inherently hevel, a word meaning "vain", "futile", "empty", "meaningless", "temporary", "transitory", "fleeting," or "mere breath," as the lives of both wise and foolish men end in death. While Qoheleth clearly endorses wisdom as a means for a well-lived earthly life, he is unable to ascribe eternal meaning to it. In light of this perceived senselessness, he suggests that one should enjoy the simple pleasures of daily life, such as eating, drinking, and taking enjoyment in one's work, which are gifts from the hand of God. The book concludes with words that may have been added by a later editor disturbed by Koheleth's failure to mention God's laws: "Fear God, and keep his commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone" (12:13).[3]

Ecclesiastes has had a deep influence on Western literature: American novelist Thomas Wolfe wrote: "[O]f all I have ever seen or learned, that book seems to me the noblest, the wisest, and the most powerful expression of man’s life upon this earth — and also the highest flower of poetry, eloquence, and truth. I am not given to dogmatic judgments in the matter of literary creation, but if I had to make one I could say that Ecclesiastes is the greatest single piece of writing I have ever known, and the wisdom expressed in it the most lasting and profound."[4]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecclesiastes


Introduction

The Hebrew name of this book and of its author, Qoheleth, is actually a title, and it perhaps means “assembler” (of students, listeners) or “collector” (of wisdom sayings). The book’s more common name, Ecclesiastes, is an approximate translation into Greek of this Hebrew word. The book comprises an extended reflective essay employing autobiographical narrative, proverbs, parables, and allegories. An almost unrelenting skepticism characterizes the tone or outlook. The issues with which the author deals and the questions he raises are aimed at those who would claim any absolute values in this life, including possessions, fame, success, or pleasure. Wisdom itself is challenged, but folly is condemned.

The refrain which begins and ends the book, “Vanity of vanities” (1:1; 12:8), recurs at key points throughout. The Hebrew word, hebel (“vanity”), has the sense of “emptiness, futility, absurdity”: “I have seen all things that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a chase after wind” (1:14; 2:11, 17, 26; etc.). Everything in human life is subject to change, to qualification, to loss: “What profit have we from all the toil which we toil at under the sun?” (1:3). The answer is in the negative: No absolute profit or gain is possible. Even if some temporary profit or gain is achieved, it will ultimately be cancelled out by death, the great leveller (2:14–15; 3:19–20). Wisdom has some advantage over foolishness, but even wisdom’s advantage is only a temporary and qualified one.

Many would locate Ecclesiastes in the third century B.C., when Judea was under the oppressive domination of Hellenistic kings from Egypt. These kings were highly efficient in their ruthless exploitation of the land and people (4:1; 5:7). The average Jew would have felt a sense of powerlessness and inability to change things for the better. For Qoheleth, God seems remote and uncommunicative, and we cannot hope to understand, much less influence, God’s activity in the world (3:11; 8:16–17).

The book’s honest and blunt appraisal of the human condition provides a healthy corrective to the occasionally excessive self-assurance of other wisdom writers. Its radical skepticism is somewhat tempered by the resigned conclusions to rejoice in whatever gifts God may give (2:24; 3:12–13, 22; 5:17–18; 8:15; 9:7–9; 11:9).

The Book of Ecclesiastes is divided as follows:

I.Qoheleth’s Investigation of Life (1:12–6:9)
II.Qoheleth’s Conclusions (6:10–12:14)
A.No One Can Find Out the Best Way of Acting (7:1–8:17)
B.No One Knows the Future (9:1–12:14)

http://www.usccb.org/bible/ecclesiastes/1


Quotes·Quotations by Ecclesiastes, Old Testament, Bible

¶ Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; better is a patient spirit than a lofty one. [Accomplishment | Ecclesiastes 7:8]


Citations

[1.]^ a b c Seow 2007, p. 944.
[2.]^ Rudman 2001, p. 13.
[3.]^ Seow 2007, p. 946-958.
[4.]^ Christianson 2007, p. 70.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecclesiastes
http://www.usccb.org/bible/ecclesiastes/1

Book of Proverbs


Book of Proverbs

The Book of Proverbs (in Hebrew: מִשְלֵי Mish'ley), commonly referred to simply as Proverbs, is a book of the Hebrew Bible. The original Hebrew title of the book of Proverbs is "Míshlê Shlomoh" ("Proverbs of Solomon"). When translated into Greek and Latin, the title took on different forms. In the Greek Septuagint (LXX) the title became "paroimai paroimiae" ("Proverbs"). In the Latin Vulgate the title was "proverbia", from which the English title of Proverbs is derived.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Proverbs


Proverbs is an anthology of collections of sayings and instructions. Many of the sayings and perhaps some instructions were composed in the monarchic period (late eleventh to the early sixth centuries). Editing of the whole book was done in the early postexilic period, in the view of most scholars; at that time chaps. 1–9 would have been added as the introduction. Whether the material originated among royal scribes (as 25:1 seems to suggest) imitating common literary genres, or whether it arose among tribal elders inculcating traditional ways, is disputed. The origin of the material, however, need not be imagined in an either/or scenario. Folk wisdom and observations could surely have been elaborated and re-expressed by learned scribes: “What oft was thought but ne’er so well expressed” (Alexander Pope). There can be no doubt, however, that Proverbs is sophisticated literature by talented writers, winning readers with its compelling portrait of wisdom and inviting them to see life afresh, “wisely,” through its wit, originality, and shrewd observation.

The primary purpose of the book is to teach wisdom, not only to the young and inexperienced (1:2–4) but also to the advanced (1:5–6). Wisdom in the ancient Near East was not theoretical knowledge but practical expertise. Jewelers who cut precious stones were wise; kings who made their dominion peaceful and prosperous were wise. One could be wise in daily life, too, in knowing how to live successfully (having a prosperous household and living a long and healthy life) and without trouble in God’s universe. Ultimately wisdom, or “sound guidance” (1:5), aims at the formation of character.

In the ancient Near East, people assumed that wisdom belonged to the gods, who were wise by reason of their divinity; human beings needed to have wisdom granted them by the gods. Creation accounts of neighboring cultures depict creation in two stages. In the first stage, human beings lived an animal-like existence, without clothes, writing, or kingship (proper governance). Over time, the gods came to realize that such a low grade of existence made the human race inadequate as their servants, so they endowed the race with “wisdom,” which consisted of culture (e.g., kingship) and crafts (e.g., knowledge of farming, ability to weave). Such wisdom elevated the race to a “human” level and made them effective servants of the gods. Furthermore, divine wisdom was mediated to human beings through earthly institutions—the king, scribes (who produced wise writings), and heads of families (fathers, sometimes mothers). These traditional mediators appear in Proverbs: the book is credited to King Solomon, and kings are respectfully mentioned as pillars of society (e.g., 16:12–15); writings are a source of wisdom (1:1–7); the father instructing his son is the major paradigm of teaching. Proverbs differs, however, from other wisdom books in concentrating on wisdom itself, treating it as a virtually independent entity and personifying it as an attractive woman. Other books urge readers to perform wise acts, but Proverbs urges them to seek wisdom itself and portrays wisdom as a woman seeking human beings as disciples and companions.

Chapters 1–9 introduce the book, drawing attention to wisdom itself and its inherent value rather than exhorting to particular wise actions. The chapters personify wisdom as a woman and draw an extended analogy between finding a wife, or founding and maintaining a house(hold), and finding wisdom. The collections following chap. 9 consist largely of independent, two-line sayings, yielding their often indirect or paradoxical meaning only to readers willing to ponder them. To reflect on the sayings is perhaps what chaps. 1–9 mean by living with Wisdom and dwelling in her house.

The Book of Proverbs can make an important contribution to Christians and Jews today. First, it places the pursuit of wisdom over the performance of individual wise acts. To seek wisdom above all things is a fundamental option and a way of life. Second, it portrays the quest as filled with obstacles. There are men and women who offer a substitute for the real thing; discernment is required. Third, the book teaches that acquiring wisdom is both a human task and a divine gift. One can make oneself ready to receive by discipline, but one cannot take so divine a gift. Fourth, wisdom is in the world but it is not obvious to people entirely caught up with daily activities. The instructions and the aphorisms of the book can free the mind to see new things. Christians will see in personified Wisdom aspects of Jesus Christ, who they believe is divine wisdom sent to give human beings true and full life. Yet there is a universal dimension to Proverbs, for in its attention to human experience it creates a link to all people of good will.

The genres and themes of Proverbs continued on in Sirach, Wisdom of Solomon, and the later Pirqe Abot (The Sayings of the Fathers), a treatise in the Mishnah, which became the object of commentary in Abot de Rabbi Nathan. The New Testament saw Jesus as a wisdom teacher and employed the tradition of personified wisdom of chaps. 2 and 8 to express his incarnation. The Letter of James is an instruction resembling those in Proverbs. Wisdom traditions influenced the Gospels of Matthew and Luke through a common source (see, e.g., Mt 11:25–27 and Lk 10:21–22, which seem to derive their father-son language, at least in part, from the parental language of Proverbs). The Gospel of John regards Jesus as incarnate wisdom descended from on high to offer human beings life and truth and make disciples of them, a view largely reflected in Proverbs 1–9. In later Judaism, Hebrew ethical wills, in which parents hand on to their children their wisdom, borrowed from the genre of instruction.

The original audience of the instructions and sayings seems to have been male. The father addresses his son, marriage is finding a wife, success often is serving the king or farming effectively. The book itself, however, expands the traditional audience of youths (1:4) to include older, more experienced, people (1:5). It broadens the father-son language by mentioning the mother, and incorporates sayings on human experience generally. The father teaching his son becomes a model for anyone teaching a way of life to another person. The canonical process furthered such inclusiveness, for Proverbs was made part of the Bible that addresses all Israel.

The Book of Proverbs has nine sections:

Title and Introduction (1:1–7)
Instructions of Parents and of Woman Wisdom (1:8–9:18)
First Solomonic Collection of Sayings (10:1–22:16)
Sayings of the Wise (22:17–24:22)
Further Sayings of the Wise (24:23–34)
Second Solomonic Collection, Collected under King Hezekiah (25:1–29:27)
Sayings of Agur and Others (30:1–33)
Sayings of King Lemuel (31:1–9)
Poem on the Woman of Worth (31:10–31)

Part II is judged by many scholars to contain ten instructions (1:8–19; chap. 2; 3:1–12, 21–35; 4:1–9, 10–19, 20–27; chap. 5; 6:20–35; chap. 7), three wisdom poems (1:20–33; chap. 8; 9:1–6 + 11, 13–18), and two interludes (3:13–20; 6:1–19).

http://www.usccb.org/


Quotes·Quotations by Book of Proverbs

First Solomonic Collection of Sayings

¶ Better a dry crust with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife. [Proverbs 17, 1]

¶ The evildoer gives heed to wicked lips, the liar, to a mischievous tongue. [Proverbs 17, 4]

¶ Whoever mocks the poor reviles their Maker; whoever rejoices in their misfortune will not go unpunished. [Proverbs 17, 5]

¶ Children’s children are the crown of the elderly, and the glory of children is their parentage. [Proverbs 17, 6]

¶ Fine words ill fit a fool; how much more lying lips, a noble! [Proverbs 17, 7]

¶ A bribe seems a charm to its user; at every turn it brings success. [Proverbs 17, 8]

¶ Whoever overlooks an offense fosters friendship, but whoever gossips about it separates friends. [Proverbs 17, 9]

¶ A single reprimand does more for a discerning person than a hundred lashes for a fool. [Proverbs 17, 10]

¶ The wicked pursue only rebellion, and a merciless messenger is sent against them. [Proverbs 17, 11]

¶ Face a bear robbed of her cubs, but never fools in their folly! [Proverbs 17, 12]

¶ If you return evil for good, evil will not depart from your house. [Proverbs 17, 13]

¶ The start of strife is like the opening of a dam; check a quarrel before it bursts forth! [Proverbs 17, 14]

¶ Whoever acquits the wicked, whoever condemns the just—both are an abomination to the LORD. [Proverbs 17, 15]

¶ Of what use is money in the hands of fools when they have no heart to acquire wisdom? [Proverbs 17, 16]

¶ A friend is a friend at all times, and a brother is born for the time of adversity. [Proverbs 17, 17]

¶ Those without sense give their hands in pledge, becoming surety for their neighbors. [Proverbs 17, 18]

¶ Those who love an offense love a fight; those who build their gate high* court disaster. [Proverbs 17, 19]

¶ The perverse in heart come to no good, and the double-tongued fall into trouble. [Proverbs 17, 20]

¶ Whoever conceives a fool has grief; the father of a numskull has no joy. [Proverbs 17, 21]

¶ A joyful heart is the health of the body, but a depressed spirit dries up the bones. [Proverbs 17, 22]

¶ A guilty person takes out a bribe from the pocket, thus perverting the course of justice. [Proverbs 17, 23]

¶ On the countenance of a discerning person is wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. [Proverbs 17, 24]

¶ A foolish son is vexation to his father, and bitter sorrow to her who bore him. [Proverbs 17, 25]

¶ It is wrong to fine an innocent person, but beyond reason to scourge nobles. [Proverbs 17, 26]

¶ Those who spare their words are truly knowledgeable, and those who are discreet are intelligent. [Proverbs 17, 27]

¶ Even fools, keeping silent, are considered wise; if they keep their lips closed, intelligent. [Proverbs 17, 28]


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Proverbs
http://www.usccb.org/
http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/
http://www.usccb.org/bible/proverbs/1

Book of Psalms


Psalms

The Book of Psalms (Tiberian: Təhillîm; Modern: Tehillim, תְהִלִּים, or "praises"), commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible, the Christian Bible, and the Islamic Zabur. Taken together, its 150 poems "express virtually the full range of Israel's religious faith."[1]


Quotes·Quotations by Psalms, Old Testament, Bible

¶ For you are my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake lead me and guide me. (Psalms 31:4)

¶ This is the day the LORD has made;
let us rejoice in it and be glad. (Psalms 118:24)


References

[1]^ a b Harris, Stephen L., Understanding the Bible. Palo Alto: Mayfield. 1985. "Psalms" pp. 161–164


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psalms

Book of Job

Book of Job


Quotes·Quotations by Book of Job

¶ Is not life on earth a drudgery, its days like those of a hireling?
Like a slave who longs for the shade, a hireling who waits for wages,
So I have been assigned months of futility, and troubled nights have been counted off for me.
When I lie down I say, “When shall I arise?” then the night drags on; I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.
My flesh is clothed with worms and scabs; my skin cracks and festers;
My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle; they come to an end without hope.
[Book of Job 7,1-6]


http://www.usccb.org/bible/job/

Book of Joshua

Book of Joshua

The Book of Joshua (Hebrew: ספר יהושע‎ Sefer Y'hoshua) is the sixth book in the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its 24 chapters tell of the entry of the Israelites into Canaan, their conquest and division of the land under the leadership of Joshua, and of serving God in the land.[1] Joshua forms part of the biblical account of the emergence of Israel which begins with the exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, continues with the book of Joshua, and culminates in the Judges with the conquest and settlement of the land.[2] The book is in two roughly equal parts, the story of the campaigns of the Israelites in central, southern and northern Canaan and the destruction of their enemies, followed by the division of the conquered land among the twelve tribes; the two parts are framed by set-piece speeches by God and Joshua commanding the conquest and at the end warning of the need for faithful observance of the Law (torah) revealed to Moses.[3]

Almost all scholars agree that the book of Joshua holds little historical value for early Israel and most likely reflects a much later period.[4] Rather than being written as history, the Deuteronomistic history – Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings – was intended to illustrate a theological scheme in which Israel and her leaders are judged by their obedience to the teachings and laws (the covenant) set down in the book of Deuteronomy.[5]

Although tradition holds that the book was written by Joshua, it is probable that it was written by multiple editors and authors far removed from the times it depicts.[6] The earliest parts of the book are possibly chapters 2–11, the story of the conquest; these chapters were later incorporated into an early form of Joshua written late in the reign of king Josiah (reigned 640–609 BCE), but the book was not completed until after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 586, and possibly not until after the return from the Babylonian exile in 539.[7]


The Book of Joshua presents a narrative of the way Israel took possession of the land of Canaan, making it the land of Israel. This process is swift and inexorable, and is followed by an orderly division and disposition of the land among the twelve tribes, with a concluding ceremony of covenant renewal.

The theological message of the book is unmistakable. God has been faithful to the promise of the land. If Israel relies totally on the Lord for victory; if Israel is united as a people; if the law of herem is kept and no one grows rich from victory in war—then and only then will Israel possess the land.

The Israelites are led by Joshua, the successor of Moses, and the book is at pains to show not only how Joshua carries on the work of Moses but how the “conquest” of Canaan is continuous with the exodus from Egypt. This is seen in the repeated insistence that, as the Lord was with Moses, so he is with Joshua; and, especially, in the crossing of the Jordan River, which is patterned after the crossing of the Red Sea.

The book preserves older traditions of Israel’s settlement in the land, especially in the division of the land among the tribes. As with Deuteronomy and the whole Deuteronomistic History (see introduction to Deuteronomy), the fall of the Northern Kingdom in 722/721 B.C. shows its influence throughout. As addressed to the needs of a late preexilic audience, then, the book should be read not so much as imparting information about how Israel took over the land of Canaan, many centuries before the composition of the book, as teaching a lesson about how Israel is to avoid losing the land.

Modern readers may be put off by the description of battles and their aftermath, the destruction of everyone and everything in the cities taken under the “ban” (herem). The ban was practiced in the ancient Near East, in Israel and elsewhere, but in Joshua the wholesale destruction of the Canaanites is an idealization of the deuteronomic idea that pagans are to be wiped out so they will not be an occasion for apostasy from the Lord (cf. Dt 7:1–6); note in particular the artificial, formalized description of destruction of towns in Jos 10:28–39. It should be remembered that by the time the book was written, the Canaanites were long gone. Progressive revelation throughout Israel’s history produced far more lofty ideals, as when the prophets see all the nations embracing faith in Yahweh, being joined to Israel, and living in peace with one another (Is 2:2–4; 19:23–25; 45:22–25; Zec 8:22–23), and the New Testament teaches us to love even our enemies (Mt 5:43–45).

A comparison of Joshua with the account of Israel’s early history found in the first chapter of the Book of Judges shows that Israel’s emergence as the dominant presence in the land was a slow and piecemeal affair, not achieved at one stroke and with great ease: the Book of Joshua, with its highly idealized depiction of the “conquest,” is a theologically programmatic cautionary tale about what the people are to do and not do in order to avoid the fate of the Northern Kingdom in losing the land.

The Book of Joshua may be divided as follows:

Conquest of Canaan (1:1–12:24)
Division of the Land (13:1–21:45)
Return of the Transjordan Tribes and Joshua’s Farewell (22:1–24:33)


References

[1]^ McConville (2001), p.158
[2]^ McNutt, p.150
[3]^ a b Achtemeier and Boraas
[4]^ Killebrew, pp.152
[5]^ Laffey, p.337
[6]^ Creach, pp.9-10
[7]^ Creach, pp.10-11


http://www.nccbuscc.org/bible/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Joshua

Book of Deuteronomy

Book of Deuteronomy

The Book of Deuteronomy (from Greek Δευτερονόμιον, Deuteronomion, "second law"; Hebrew: דְּבָרִים‎, Devarim, "[spoken] words") is the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible, and of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch. The Hebrew title is taken from the opening phrase Eleh ha-devarim, "These are the words..."; the English title is from a Greek mis-translation of the Hebrew phrase mishneh ha-torah ha-zoth, "a copy of this law", in Deuteronomy 17:18, as to deuteronomion touto - "this second law".[1]

The book consists of three sermons or speeches delivered to the Israelites by Moses on the plains of Moab, shortly before they enter the Promised Land. The first sermon recapitulates the forty years of wilderness wanderings which have led to this moment, and ends with an exhortation to observe the law (or teachings); the second reminds the Israelites of the need for exclusive allegiance to one God and observance of the laws he has given them, on which their possession of the land depends; and the third offers the comfort that even should Israel prove unfaithful and so lose the land, with repentance all can be restored.[2]
While traditionally accepted as the genuine words of Moses delivered on the eve of the occupation of Canaan, a broad consensus of modern scholars now see its origins in traditions from Israel (the northern kingdom) brought south to the Kingdom of Judah in the wake of the Assyrian destruction of Samaria (8th century BCE) and then adapted to a program of nationalist reform in the time of King Josiah (late 7th century), with the final form of the modern book emerging in the milieu of the return from the Babylonian exile during the late 6th century.[3]

One of its most significant verses is Deuteronomy 6:4, the Shema, which has become the definitive statement of Jewish identity: "Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one." Verses 6:4-5 were also quoted by Jesus in Mark 12:28-34 as part of the Great Commandment.


References

[1]^ Miller, pp.1-2
[2]^ Phillips, pp.1-2
[3]^ a b Rogerson, pp.153-154


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Deuteronomy

Book of Numbers

Book of Numbers

The Book of Numbers (from Greek Ἀριθμοί, Arithmoi; Hebrew: במדבר‎, Bəmidbar, "In the desert [of]") is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible, and the fourth of five books of the Jewish Torah.[1]

Numbers begins at Mount Sinai, where the Israelites have received their laws and covenant from God and God has taken up residence among them in the sanctuary.[2] The task before them is to take possession of the Promised Land. The people are numbered and preparations are made for resuming their march. The Israelites begin the journey, but immediately they "murmur" (complain or kvetch) at the hardships along the way. They arrive at the borders of Canaan and send spies into the land, but on hearing the spies' report the Israelites refuse to take possession of Canaan and God condemns them to death in the wilderness until a new generation can grow up and carry out the task. The book ends with the new generation of Israelites in the plain of Moab ready for the crossing of the Jordan River.[3]

Numbers is the culmination of the story of Israel's exodus from oppression in Egypt and their journey to take possession of the land God promised their fathers. As such it draws to a conclusion the themes introduced in Genesis and played out in Exodus and Leviticus: God has promised the Israelites that they shall become a great (i.e. numerous) nation, that they will have a special relationship with Yahweh their god, and that they shall take possession of the land of Canaan. Against this, Numbers also demonstrates the importance of holiness, faithfulness and trust: despite God's presence and his priests, Israel lacks faith and the possession of the land is left to a new generation. The book has a long and complex history, but its final form is probably due to a Priestly redaction (i.e., editing) of a Yahwistic original text some time in the early Persian period (5th century BCE).[4]


References

[1]^ Ashley, p.1
[2]^ Olson, p.9
[3]^ Stubbs, pp.19-20
[4]^ a b McDermott, p.21


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Numbers

Book of Leviticus


Book of Leviticus

The Book of Leviticus (from Greek Λευιτικός, Leuitikos, meaning "relating to the Levites"; Hebrew: ויקרא‎, Vayikra, "And He called") is the third book of the Hebrew Bible, and the third of five books of the Torah (or Pentateuch).

The English name is from the Latin Leviticus, taken in turn from Greek and a reference to the Levites, the tribe from whom the priests were drawn. In addition to instructions for those priests, it also addresses the role and duties of the laity.[1]

Leviticus rests in two crucial beliefs: the first, that the world was created "very good" and retains the capacity to achieve that state although it is vulnerable to sin and defilement; the second, that the faithful enactment of ritual makes God's presence available, while ignoring or breaching it compromises the harmony between God and the world.[2]

The traditional view is that Leviticus was compiled by Moses, or that the material in it goes back to his time, but internal clues suggest that it originated in post-exilic (.e., after c.538 BCE) Jewish worship centred on reading or preaching.[3][4] Scholars are practically unanimous that the book had a long period of growth, that it includes some material of considerable antiquity, and that it reached its present form in the Persian period (538–332 BC).[5]

Leviticus is commonly cited[6][7][8] for its statements against homosexuality (King James Version: "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death.")[9] and condoning slavery. ("Both your male and female slaves, whom you shall have")[10]


Quotes·Quotations by Leviticus, Old Testament, Bible

¶ You shall not steal. You shall not deceive or speak falsely to one another. [Various Rules of Conduct | Leviticus 19,11]

¶ You shall not exploit your neighbor. You shall not commit robbery. You shall not withhold overnight the wages of your laborer. You shall not insult the deaf, or put a stumbling block in front of the blind. [Various Rules of Conduct | Leviticus 19,13-14]

¶ You shall not act dishonestly in rendering judgment. Show neither partiality to the weak nor deference to the mighty, but judge your neighbor justly. [Various Rules of Conduct | Leviticus 19,15]

¶ You shall not hate any of your kindred in your heart. Reprove your neighbor openly so that you do not incur sin because of that person. Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your own people. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. [Various Rules of Conduct | Leviticus 19,17-18]


References

[1]^ Wenham, p.3
[2]^ Gorman, pp.4–5, 14–16
[3]^ Wenham, p.8 ff.
[4]^ Gerstenberger, p.4
[5]^ a b Grabbe (1998), p.92
[6]^ http://www.vpr.net/npr/152466134
[7]^ http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2012/04/mtvs-dan-savage-whacked-by-ptc-for-anti-bible-remarks.html
[8]^ http://www.patheos.com/blogs/slacktivist/2004/07/16/the-abominable-shellfish/
[9]^ Leviticus 20:13 KJV
[10]^ Leviticus 25:44-46


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leviticus

Book of Exodus


Book of Exodus

The Book of Exodus or, simply, Exodus, (from Greek ἔξοδος, Exodos, meaning "going out"; Hebrew: שמות‎, Šemot, "Names") is the second book of the Hebrew Bible, and of the five books of the Torah (the Pentateuch). The Greek and English name originates with the Septuagint translation of the 3rd century BCE.

The book tells how the children of Israel leave slavery in Egypt through the strength of Yahweh, the god who has chosen Israel as his people. Led by their prophet Moses they journey through the wilderness to Mount Sinai, where Yahweh promises them the land of Canaan (the "Promised Land") in return for their faithfulness. Israel enters into a covenant with Yahweh who gives them their laws and instructions for the Tabernacle, the means by which he will dwell with them and lead them to the land.

Traditionally ascribed to Moses himself, modern scholarship sees the book as initially a product of the Bablyonian exile (6th century BCE), with final revisions in the Persian post-exilic period (5th century). Carol Meyers in her commentary on Exodus suggests that it is arguably the most important book in the bible, as it presents the defining features of Israel's identity: memories of a past marked by hardship and escape, a binding covenant with the God who chooses Israel, and the establishment of the life of the community and the guidelines for sustaining it.


Quotes·Quotation by Old Testament, Bible

Exodus

¶ I have been a stranger in a strange land. [Exodus 2:22, Bible]

¶ You shall not steal. You shall not give false evidence against your neighbour. You shall not set your heart on your neighbour's house. You shall not set your heart on your neighbour's spouse, or servant, man or woman, or ox, or donkey, or any of your neighbour's possessions. [20:15-17]

¶ But if her death will have followed, he will repay a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, a scrape for a scrape, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise. [21:23-25]

Book of Genesis


Book of Genesis

The Book of Genesis (from the Latin Vulgate, in turn borrowed or transliterated from Greek γένεσις, meaning "origin"; Hebrew: בְּרֵאשִׁית‎, Bərēšīṯ, "In [the] beginning"), is the first book of the Hebrew Bible (the Tanakh) and the Christian Old Testament.[1]

The basic narrative expresses the central theme: God creates the world and appoints man as his regent, but man proves disobedient and God destroys his world through the Flood. The new post-Flood world is equally corrupt, but God does not destroy it, instead calling one man, Abraham, to be the seed of its salvation. At God's command Abraham descends from his home into the land of Canaan, given to him by God, where he dwells as a sojourner, as does his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob. Jacob's name is changed to Israel, and through the agency of his son Joseph, the children of Israel descend into Egypt, 70 people in all with their households, and God promises them a future of greatness. Genesis ends with Israel in Egypt, ready for the coming of Moses and the Exodus. The narrative is punctuated by a series of covenants with God, successively narrowing in scope from all mankind (the covenant with Noah) to a special relationship with one people alone (Abraham and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob).[2]

The book's author or authors appear to have structured it around ten "toledot" sections (the "these are the generations of..." phrases), but many modern commentators see it in terms of a "primeval history" (chapters 1–11) followed by the cycle of Patriarchal stories (chapters 12–50).[3] For Jews and Christians alike, the theological importance of Genesis centers on the covenants linking God to his Chosen People and the people to the Promised Land. Christianity has interpreted Genesis as the prefiguration of certain cardinal Christian beliefs, primarily the need for salvation (the hope or assurance of all Christians) and the redemptive act of Christ on the Cross as the fulfillment of covenant promises as the Son of God. Tradition credits Moses as the author of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and most of Deuteronomy, but modern scholars increasingly see it as a product of the 6th and 5th centuries BC.[4][5]


Quotes·Quotations by Genesis

The Story of Creation

¶ God looked at everything he had made, and found it very good. [Genesis 1,31]


References

[1]^ Hamilton (1990), p.1
[2]^ a b c Bandstra (2004), pp. 28–29
[3]^ Kessler, Deurloo (2004), pp.3–7
[4]^ Van Seters (1998), p.5
[5]^ a b Davies (1998), p.37


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Genesis

Old Testament


Old Testament

The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism. The number of these writings varies markedly between denominations, Protestants accepting only the Rabbinic canon but dividing it into 39 books, while Catholics, the Eastern Orthodox, Coptic and Ethiopian churches recognise a considerably larger collection derived from the ancient Septuagint.

The books can be broadly divided into the Pentateuch, which lists the Mosaic Law and tells how God selected Israel to be his chosen people, the history books telling the history of the Israelites from their Conquest of Canaan to their defeat and exile in Babylon, the poetic and "wisdom" books dealing, in various forms, with questions of good and evil in the world, and the books of the biblical prophets, warning of the consequences of turning away from God. For the Israelites who were its original authors and readers these books told of their own unique relationship with God and their relationship with Proselytes, but the over-arching Messianic nature of Christianity has led Christians from the very beginning of the faith to see the Old Testament as a preparation for the New Covenant and New Testament.


Quotes·Quotation by Old Testament, Bible

Genesis

Exodus

¶ I have been a stranger in a strange land. [Exodus 2:22, Old Testament]

¶ You shall not steal. You shall not give false evidence against your neighbour. You shall not set your heart on your neighbour's house. You shall not set your heart on your neighbour's spouse, or servant, man or woman, or ox, or donkey, or any of your neighbour's possessions. [Exodus 20:15-17, Old Testament]

¶ But if her death will have followed, he will repay a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, a scrape for a scrape, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise. [Exodus 21:23-25, Old Testament]

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Joshua

Judges

Ruth

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

1 Kings

2 Kings

1 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

Ezra

Nehemiah

Tobit

Judith

Esther

1 Maccabees

2 Maccabees

Job

Psalms

Proverbs

Ecclesiastes

Song of Songs

Wisdom

Sirach

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Lamentations

Baruch

Ezekiel

Daniel

Hosea

Joel

Amos

Obadiah

Jonah

Micah

Nahum

Habakkuk

Zephaniah

Haggai

Zechariah

Malachi


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Testament

Bob Moawad


Bob Moawad

Bob Moawad is Chairman and CEO of Edge Learning Institute. From the front lines of American education to the boardrooms of some of our nation's most prestigious Fortune 500 companies, Bob Moawad has earned a well-deserved reputation as a tireless teacher, coach, leader, speaker, author, innovator, benefactor, visionary, consultant, "edutainer", and friend.


Quotes·Quotation

Advice

¶ If you are too busy to help the people around you succeed, you're too busy.

Success·Failure

¶ People are in great need of your praise when they try and fail, than when they try and succeed.