3
PRIESTHOOD OF ISRAEL
The priesthood of Israel did not have any mystical power ove the population. This priesthood was established by the land. They were ordained by God Himself. They wer the representatives of Israel before the one true God. To have national priesthood was quite common in ancient times and Israel had no exception. But it is said, Israel priesthood did not have any connection with the deity of any kind. they were not mystically empowered over Israel populace.
They did not also practice occult activities in deviation - fortune telling and astrology, and comunication with the dead, sorcery).
The above said things were practiced among the pagans but not among God's people. Israel and if they did they were abomination unto the Lord. The priesthood of Israel was started by themselves, but it was done by God. The laws concerning the priesthood were also not implemented by themselves, but they were given comprehensive instruction for the duties of the priests and their requisite qualifications. the Aaronic priests and the livites who assited them were responsible for the areas of the temple. The priests kept the sanctuary in perfect orer from evening to morning before the Lord.
There are some important priests mentioned in the Scripture. According to the chronological order, Aaron and his sons were the first priests. After them, the next notable priest was Ezra. he was the son of Seraiah the last high prist of king
Solomons temple. Some great prophets like Ezekiel, Jeremiah and Zecharias were also the priests. Coming to the New Testament, Zecharias and his son John the Baptist were priests. Then the church fathers considered apostle John as a priest.
Due to this position John could have the access to the priests quarters, there by he became well known even to Caiphas the high priest.
Then for the priesthood geneology became a primary qualification.
According to the law of Moses, Israel priesthood was for the discendents of Aaron only as he was the son of Levi who was one of the sons of Jacob. God chose Aaron and his sons to maintain and to minister in the name of God. And that discending continued forever. It was considered capital offence if anybody other than the descendents of Aaron acted as priests. As declared by God, all priests should be Levites but all Levites need not be priests.
Aaron was a member of the descendents of the tribe of Jacobs son Levi. So it was quite clear that Israeli priesthood was a family dynasty and only Aaron's family was called to be priests. The sons of Aaron was a title synonym with the priesthood mentioned in the Bible. Even though both Aaron and Moses were brothers, only the descendents of Aaron became the priests based on the geneology. Therefore the priesthood of Israel was called the Levitical priesthood and also called a Aaronical priesthood.
It is said the Romans destroyed the Israel archives and the temple in 70 A.D.
Some other commentators speculated that Herod the Great of the Idumean descent order for the burning of Jewish archives in 37 b.C. so that he would not be challenged for the Jewish's throne. Whatever may be the outcome or result of the Roman attach on Jews geneological records were kept only at the family level in a Seber Yuchosin (geneology book).
1.Regarding Historical Facts
The geneological records of the ancient pre belongs found these records which indicated that Israel sociey, inheritance or property were based on tribal geneologies. According to the laws of Moses, the land of Israel can be based only but never sold and on the fiftieth year all the leased lands should be handed over to the owners. Then as per the law, the present and the history were referred to provide complete geneological proof of their qualifications for service. If the candidates geneology was not fully authentical in the public register, he would be barred from the temple service. But in the New Testament times its geneologies were validated by the Sanhedrin Coinel.
Roman historian Flavins Josephus testified in his record that a public geneological register existed during the second temple period. He mentioned as a proof of his own priestly ancestry from "Johathan the Hasnonean" high priest and from the family of priesthood. The information of Flavious Josephus, proved that the geneological records were carefully maintained especially for the priesthood.
Whoever wanted to take part in the priesthood, must take his wife's geneology from the concerned tribes and secure many witnesses for that.
Offsprings from the TabernaclePriesthood of Israel
Those geneological records were carefully stored in Jerusalem for the world
Jury. Josephus continued his explnation that the Roman burned the complete record of the concerned on the temple mound, but he did not say anything about the contents that were burnt. As a Sanhedrin was established in the temple they carefully authenticated the priesthood and geneologically the actual records were almost stored outset. In addition to that Josephus explained the plan of recovery for the purpose of preservation of these critical geneological records.
Inspite of the desaster, recovery plan the central repositary was never re instituted. They were largely disposed after 70 A.D. the Temple remained disolate.
The Sanhedrin fled Jerusalem and eventually disbanded a few centuries later.
Now a days the priestly lineage is often preserved by family surname like -
Cohen, and Kahen. These two words are from Hebrew language which means priest. Then this priesthood was through heritage was preserved by either Surnames such as - levey, levite, levian, lelburman, etc., The priestly and Levite ancetors are both identified in Jewish marriage contracts. Priests wer not allowed to preach God's word and if at all they wanted to serve God as preachers or teachers first of all they must be physically fit. The most popular medieval rabbi
Maimmedes pointed out two types of defects that would permanently disqualify a person to become a priest. So, physical qualification was a must in the struggle for the high priesthood in 40 B.C.
The priest Mathatheas Antigamus became ambitious to occupy the seat of the high priest from his uncle Ayrcanus and at that time Judah was under Roman rule and Ayrcanus had full support from the Romans. In the meantime Antigonus rebelled against Roman rule and allied himself with the parthians (modern day
Iran) who wished to capture Syria and Judah from the Romans. In such conditions
Antiganus army interfered and liberated Jerusalem from Roman Authorities.
The narrator Josephus tried to maintain the complete information and kept it for the future generations to know. Those records also revealed that a meeting took place between Antiganus and Ayrcanus and the later happened to fall down on his knees by accident before his nephew Antiganus. And immediately Antiganus seized his uncles head cut a piece from each of his ears. This remarkable incident madke Ayreanus permanently crippled and handicapped and finally he was made physically disqualified to be the priest. And as he desired Antiganus occupied the honourable place of high priest office for three years only.
Priesthood of Israel
2.About Marriage
In the mean time Herod the great captured Jerusalem and Antiganus was executed by the Roman authorities with regard to the marriages of the priest - The common priests were not allowed to marry so as to maintain some purity. As a matter of fact Israel's priests were prohibited from marriage. At the same time they were allowed to marry a widow of a priest (Ezekiel 44:22). It is said the high priest was required to be married to Gods word or commandments. "And he shall have a wife. And the high priest should not marry a woman who had been previously married but the priest would be permitted to marry a woman of Jewish origin and Jewish descendent.
3.The Age Limit of the Priest
In the beginning of the introduction of the priesthood the age limit was thirty to fory years only. But after the Tabernacle came into existence, it required more men to serve the same and hence it was reduced to twenty five years. Then at the time of king David it was planned to build the temple and the age limit was further lowered to twenty years only and this is clearly mentioned in the book of Chronicles 23,24.
Priests who were more active would become lamie which means ritually impure and thereby they became disqualified to continue in the priesthood. The priest needed to be purified by washing their hands and feet at the leaver before they entered the temple or before they approached its altar. And also the priests were prevented from touching the dead body and at the same time permitted to mourn for the people who died or for the relatives. They were not allowed to drink wine or alcohal when they were doing service.
4.Regarding the Consecration
The priests were set aside for their consecration which was for seven days.
At that time Aarons and his sons were anointed. The Lord commanded "And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them that they may minister unto me in the priests office" (Exodus 30:30). But according to Rabbunic commentary only the high priests were anointed after this initial setting up of the priesthood.
In the first temple the high priests were anointed.
As Josephus explained during the first temple period the high priests were
Offsprings from the Tabernacle anointed with holy oil. But it is said the list of the ingrediants of that special oil was lost at the time of the second temple and the priests were not anointed when they entered the office. This was done with common people only.
During the seven day ceremony Aaron was to wear priestly garments each day and he was sacrified for his atonement. After that, he was anointed by pouring oil on his head. The blood and oil would be mixed from the sacrifice and smeared on his ear right hand limb and right leg toe. All this formality indicated that he was consecrated to the Lord.
Priesthood Organisation
In 143 B.C., the high priest Jonathan Maccabeas died. After his death, his brother Simon assembled the heads of the priesthood which was called great
Assembly. The members had to give religious directions to chose the next high priest and they finally appointed Simon only as the high priest.
This great assembly in the course of time changed its name as Sanhedrin which was Israels main religious organisation during the late second temple period. This great assembly or Sanhedrin was comprised of 'seventy one' members headed by the high priest who would preside over the meetings. Again the same Sanhedrin comprised of both religous and political parties. Then the Sadducees were the priests who maintained the activities of the Temple. It is said they were the descendents of Zadok the high priest to the temple of king Solomon.
The Pharisees were Rabbis and scribes. They were committed to the maintainane of synagogues and teach theology which showed a wonderful progress in Rabbunic Judaism. Their name in Hebrew means 'separate ones'.
Then the modern Sanhedrin was re established in 2004 October in Tibeias, the last meeting of the Sanhedrin.
It was actually dissolved about seventeen centuries ago, But only for its name sake it has been continued. Then its membership was based on Scholarship, achievements and the present Sanhedrin has no governmental authority, but the members used to address religious issues only.
6.The High Priest
The priesthood of Israel was organised under a high priest. The Bible also mentioned abot the high priest as the priest and chief priest (cohen, Harosh). The
Priesthood of Israel high priest is above all the financial advisors and officer of the temple. And he was also a responsible person of the spiritual matters of the whole nation. The office of the high priest was managed by the persons whose health was supposed to be in good condition. Being on the perfect health, the eldest son of Aaron was selected to occupy the place of his father.
During the time of the Roman rule the office of the high priest was purchased by the eligible family members and in term of the office was some times one year and some times life time and every priest should be conferred by the Sanhedrin. Altogether from Aaron to Roman distruction in 70 A.D. both the second temple and Jerusalem city about 80 high priests served Israel.
7.The Second Priest
Apart from the high priests, there were even deputyor assistant high priests who was officially called "bishop". He would do the service when the high priest was absent or disqualified due to some complaint or death. But the scripture called him captain of the temple. In addition to that hight priest and second priest for the temple activities, there were fourteen other members joined together and work for the improvement of the Temple. And this whole unit was called 'Temple
Council'. Their prime duty was to look after all the temle matters These mmbers were also called 'elders of the priests' or 'councillors'.
8.The Twenty Four Courses
At the time of king David this came into existence. He sub divided the preisthood into twenty four courses while making preparation for the first temple.
This was called family decisions or courses or watches. Some times Aaron's family, that is his son Eliazar at the same time some other family courses were formed through the house of Aarons second son Ishamar. Each course served a one week rouring shift from Sabbath to Sabbath.
These courses were duely recognized after major disruptions in the priesthood when king Joash came into power. The most important thing he did was he washed out the idolatry in the temple. he instructed the priests to recognize the Davidic courses. Finally all those priesthood family courses were re entroduced after the Israel returned frm their Babylonian captivity.
9.The Chief Priests
It is said that those twenty four members were called the chief of the priests
Offsprings from the Tabernacle or princes of the 'Sanctuary' and chief of the fathersof the priests. It is really wonderful and strange when these twenty four courses and their chief were referred to the twenty four elders and the angelic attendence in the heavenly temple.
When we come to the New Testament priod, these chief priests were antoganistic to the preachings and teachings of Jesus Christ and his followers. The chief priest like Caiphas who finally came to an agreement with Judas for the betrayal. And the matters went to the stage of of Condemning the inocent man
Jesus to death. As a matter of fact for the crucifixion of Jesus for no fault of Him, the chief priest Caiphas was responsible in particular.
The same authorities who tried for the crucifixion of Jesus issued warrants to Saul to bring the believers from the city of Damascus. Inspite of all that as Luke recorded that among the regular priests in Jerusalem a good number of priests were loyal and obedient to Jesus and the faith.
10.Priesthood Duties
Israel priesthood in the general was interceding for men before God. As written in the Bible they were chosen by God to come unto Him and meet with Him. It is mentioned in 1 Samuel that the priests along offered the sacrifices and also they inspected the sacrifices. They fired the burnt ashes on the altar. They offered animals on the altar for the sacrifice. They used to burn the daily insense and refresh the show bread on every Sabbath etc., Israel priests were given complete power to maintain all the activities of the temple. God gave them sole authority on the temple and charge of the altar. They were also authorised to look after the cleanliness of the temple vessels and to see whether they were kept at their proper places for use. As explained by a Rabbi ninety three sacred vessels were required for daily service. They looked into the neatness of the Menorah also twice a day. They make sure regarding cleanliness of transgression of the law at the temple. Finally the priests were incharge of the treasury of the temple and the national financial centre and guarded the inner gate every night.
11.Teaching of God's Law
The priests were instructed to teach the truth, the God's law to Israel. Then Aaron the first priest was commissioned to teach his chosen people all the statutes, which the Lord hath spoken with them through Moses. The preservation
Priesthood of Israel and teaching of God's law was specially planned to the priests. Moses happened to write the law and delivered them to the priests, the sons of Levi. As per the rules put forward, the priesthood would read the whole law before the people that gathered in the temple. Dring the Sukkot at every Sabbatical seveth year. The regular habbit of that day is still continued and recognized in the synagogues even at present. The recording of Torah (law of Moses) first started and read in Sabbath then it was repeated to the priests and then for a Levite the assistant of the priest.
It was the belief of the ancient rabbis that part of the God/s law was explained in the Talmud in 250 A.D. It was prepared by Moses and read by Joshua to the stiff necked Israel and only the written word of God has the divine authority.
1.The Priesthood Blessings "The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord shall make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up the countenance upon thee and give thee peace" (Numbers 6:24).
The priests promptly delivered God's blessings upon the people through a prayer known as priestly blessing which is in Hebrew (brikot kohamin). This blessing was given each day at the concluding morning service. The concerned persons would shout at one voice recite the brief wording which wa only in 15 words in Hebrew language. Perfectly made by the Lord. "The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord make His face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee.
TRhe Lord lift up His countenance upon thee and give thee peace". Priestly descendants were to pronounce the blessing. Let us hope and believe that these blessings may be familiar in our families now.
There were many duties which would bemainly done by the high priest. in this context he must as well enquire of the Lord using the Urim and Thummim.
The high priest must be served in the Holy of holies or an Yan Heppur or offer sacrifices to the sins of the priesthood or the nation, or officiate the consecration of the priest. Actually the high priest wasnot restricted to any particular service.
It must be in rotation, like the family four courses. Then he must become eligible to do any priesthood duty at any given time. But accordomg to Josephus the high priest officially would perform his duty on the seventh days of the new moons and on any other important festival. Then on the eve of the death of a high priest, all who were exiled to the cities of refuge for committing manslaughter would be freed from the exile, and they would go to their houses without any further punishment.
Offsprings from the Tabernacle
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THE UNHAPPY STORY OF DINAH
Jacob was also called Israel. He had twelve sons and one daughter and her name was Dinah. He was moving from one place to another with his big family and in such condition came to a place called Shechem. There, Jacob brought a piece of land around the city of Shechem and pitched the tents for the family.
Dinah was the only teenage daughter remained restless in her tent and weeping non-stop in her bed. There was no other girl of her age around that family to be friendly with her and console her in such position.
Her despair and hopelessness made her to keep her head under the pillow and remorse in agony. As written in the Bible, she was the only girl in the family of Jacob of her age and she had twelve brothers. The other women like her mother
Leah and nurse Deborah were older women to be with her and understand her feelings.
Dinah’s mother Leah particularly could not understand the problems and thoughts of that young girl. Added to that the pleading questions of her mother made things worse and even she refused to raise her head and look at her. At the age of fifteen, Dinah lost her chastity through the young prince of Shechem under unavoidable circumstances and with that incident she began to think her life came to an end. Her pain and anguish were magnified in her and she was drowned in grief.
Leah came out of her tent and called her nurse Deborah, and asked her to go to Dinah immediately to console her as she was not talking with anybody, not even looking at anybody. Leah hoped that Dinah might talk at least with Deborah because of her long stay in their house and her intimacy with the girl. So, with that impression Deborah also got confidence.
According to Leah, Deborah would certainly find out the reason of her daughter's restlessness and remorseness. Deborah wanted to do something as a last favour to that family because she was on the verge of her death due to her age.
The unhappy story of Dinah
She was ninety years old and she was suffering from fever at that time. As Leah instructed, Deborah went to Dinah but even to her she did not speak for some time. She patiently waited at the tent of Dinah and thought that she must solve the problem at any cost.
The old woman Deborah was dizzy and almost fainted but still waited patiently for her talk. Time and again Deborah warned Dinah regarding the dangers and problems the young girls would face when they were left out of the protection of the family members. As a lonely girl of her age in the entire family of Jacob, she spent her lonely life in her tent in sobbing and depression. Dinah was really a beautiful girl. She was a matured girl physically more than her age, but now she became a rebellious woman (girl). And Deborah as a family nurse tried her best in bringing up Dinah but failed in this affair only.
It was undoubtedly a difficult matter for an old woman like Deborah to accept failures at that moment. She did not actually teach Dinah regarding dangers and risks the young girls would face from young men in the society. She also failed in educating Dinah about the safety of her character. So Deborah confessed her negligence in this matter and said, “I must stop dwelling on my own place, I must wait here with her and pray for her”. She waited and waited on her dozing a little because of her age and fever.
All of a sudden Dinah sat upon her bed and screamed desperately. Deborah was surprised at this, went near her to console her, and if possible to hear what she would say. But Dinah screamed again and again and opened her mouth. She talked peacefully by saying, “why this should happen to me?”. Deborah became more sympathetic towards her from that time onwards and decided to stay with her but never to leave her alone. Then Dinah continued her talk and said “why such unhappy thing took place in my life only?”
After hearing the whole story Deborah answered in her feeble voice that Dinah went to the ‘Shechem’ city to see only wicked and abominable things. As she went alone, she was trapped by the young prince of Shechem who excessively assaulted her with the promise he would marry her. Deborah also said such thing would not have happened if she had not gone lonely into that wicked city. Dinah did not want scolding from anybody. She hoped that the man who spoiled her chastity made a promise he would marry her and she believed his words and she
Offsprings from the Tabernacle also loved him because he was the prince of Shechem.
Whatever might be the hope of Dinah, everything in the house went against her, though her father Jacob and some of her brothers were brooding over the matter, Simeon and Levi both went and brutally murdered the entire members of the royal family and all men in the city. And it is said they took away their properties also. But Dinah in her teens (teenage) was unable to understand this entire unhappy thing.
There were no young men other than her family members either to love or to marry because all the city young men were gentile and uncircumcised; Jacob’s was the only family which had direct link with God. The prince of Shechem was also a heathen family but Dinah did not know all the difference. In her thoughts and dreams she already became his wife.
She also dreamed how much Shechem loved her, she thought how she should live and behave with him in that royal palace. But all her imagination was shattered by the death of the prince. Jacob’s family was God fearing where as the prince was heathen and uncircumcised and her brothers could not compromise with that. The main reason for the killing of the prince was he defiled her as she was the girl of fifteen years only. So the miserable death of the prince made her more miserable.
She was unable to guess what her future would be. Actually both were happy as they loved each other and planned even to marry with the consent of her family. But luck was not in their favour. Eventually the prince was murdered and she was left alone only to broad over the incidents that occurred. Their love must be spontaneous, perhaps love at first sight. But his heinous and sinful act made her brothers to take that hasty action of killing him.
This gruesome murder made her desperate. She did not know what to do; when was unable to guess how her future would be. It was only her two brothers
Simeon and Levi who went and killed the prince as he was a heathen, an idol worshipper. In such circumstances, Dinah was angry and told Deborah that she too wished to die as her lover had been killed. The unbearable act of Dinah and the prince made her brothers murderers and her father was afraid of those people for what had happened. Dinah also told the old woman Deborah that her father would be hated in all the land for having such cruel and merciless men as his sons.
As Shechem was killed Dinah also wished to die with the presumption they might The unhappy story of Dinah join in their death.
Some scholars made different interpretations regarding the tragic, violent and confusing Biblical story. It is from the book of Genesis. Some other scholars were of the opinion as how Jacob experienced God’s punishment for his mischievous behavior when he was young. We all know how he deceived his own brother
Esau, for birth right and his father who was blind in order to get his blessings on the advice of his selfish mother and finally fled to his mothers brother Laban.
Jacob stayed in the house of his uncle for fourteen years and served him for the sake of his two daughters Leah and Rachel. Another group of scholars doubted the very behavior of Dinah towards Shechem that caused insult to her father. Though she was brought up in perfect conditions, circumstances made her plunge into immoral activities; inspite of her moral and religious upbringing.
She happened to do all that unknowingly because she entered into that wicked city Shechem. She went alone. The story of Dinah’s life can be a good moral lesson to the present teenagers of any country. If they move alone like
Dinah in a strange place without the knowledge of the parents or friends or other family members, they might face the same type of consequences in their life.
At the same time we may get doubt whether the story of Dinah in the Bible was for a moral story for future generations. As a matter of fact, the story of Dinah and her lover Pagan prince Shechem, then their fateful tragic end, as the consequences of their love became one of the dramatic at the same time realistic story in the entire Bible. We can presume that no other writer or reader can deny this fact. Sometimes this kind of incidents occurs in our life inspite of our alertness. Both Dinah and her lover the prince walked on the wrong track unknowingly.
So to say both were different people culturally and religiously and even socially. Dinah was from a God knowing family, where as Schechem was pagan.
They were like east and west that never join together. As they walked wrongly, the consequences of that was they had committed an unpardonable sin. Even after their heinous act they remained loving each other. Then the prince planned to take her to his palace and keep her as one of the family members. Dinah also dreamed of many things in that royal palace. But their dreams remained as dreams. And we are told this entire story to believe. And what actually happened was different.
It is said the Shechem prince seized Dinah as she was alone and slept with her
Offsprings from the Tabernacle
and made her humble towards him.
If we look into the Hebrew translation of the Holy Bible, it is written, “He took her by force”. As the matter interpreted the prince Shechem did not rape her but seduced her. Yet, if God permits this turbulant story would be an example to all young Christian teenaged girls, though it is confusing to them. Basing on this story much might be said or written about the innocent and desperate Dinah who happened to go to the city alone and enjoy herself by looking at beautiful shops with wonderful things inside and also young boys and girls with attractive dresses and so on.
She must have visited that kind of city perhaps for the first time in her life. If we look into this affair from the point view of Jacob this heart breakings incident was nothing but the real punishment to Jacob for the sin of his past life. Jacob in his early life deceived his brother Esau for the birth right and also his old father
Isaac to get his blessings on the advice of his mother because she loved him more.
On the other hand we cannot come to a hasty conclusion that God would punish people by remembering their past incidents. And also we can assertain them that God would not stoop down to that level of punishing His own children.
If at all God wants to punish His children, He would do that with love only. And God seemed to have done the same thing in this case. This story is nothing but the human emotions and a desire for vengeance that played a pivotal role in this tragic story that had gone to the level of a melodrama.
Dinah in her immature and uncontrollable emotions did that sinful act as some people also do in such conditions. In the same manner prince Shechem also behaved in his weak moment and defiled her. Then Dinah’s brothers came to know this tragic event and became furious. They immediately went and killed the young prince and others. Had the brothers thought a while, the result of their revengeful act there is every possibility that the whole city would have vengeance against that single family of Jacob. So, the main purpose of the “sin” is that it makes people to react in different ways to do something wrong and then face the consequences.
There is no doubt Jacob was heartbroken in this matter. He really valued his name and fame and his personal integrity. He wanted to keep up all these qualities among his neighbours. But regarding this incident Jacob cried unto his two sons, Simon and Levi who committed the murder and said, “you have brought trouble
The unhappy story of Dinah on me, by making me odious to the inhabitants of the land the Canaanites and the perizzites.
But the words of Jacob are different in King James version of the Bible. It is said “you have troubled me, to make stink among the inhabitants of the land”.
There is no doubt Jacob experiened mental agony because of his daughter and sons. He was fully ashamed of the situation. We can imagine that God must have given Jacob a different situation in his life. When Jacob was young, we see according to the Bible, he ran away from his house to his uncle Laban’s, afraid of his brother Esau. On the way he dreamed, and in that, God appeared to him and took a promise. But he broke his promise. It appeared that Jacob slightly slipped away from his faith in the meantime.
As we find in the Bible, while Jacob was coming to his home land with his two wives and children it so happened Rachael his second wife carried some idols in her baggage for which her father ran after them. When they met they had hot discussion between Laban and Jacob and finally Laban went back with the idols.
Our faith and belief are that God would certainly come to our rescue in times of need. God reminded Jacob about the forgotten vow and asked him to go to Bethel and build the promised altar to the Lord God. God wanted to take back the wandering Jacob into His fold and also take away the tragic scene of his daughter Dinah. He really treated Jacob as a father treats his son.
God is always our redeemer when we are in trouble or in tragic circumstances. Jacob obeyed God, built an altar at Bethel and continued his relationship with God. Jacob remembered God when he was in trouble and just at that time their nurse Deborah died. Jacob buried that old woman under an oak tree near the altar at Bethel with love and affection. We can presume and believe that the comment of some writers that the very conduct of the Dinah was influenced by the indifferent attitude of Jacob towards God.
Offsprings from the Tabernacle
5
SAMSON AND DELILAH
According to the Bible there are four persons who were born in extraordinary circumstances, with some purpose of God. Two of them were from the Old Testament and two from the New Testament. As per the chronological order the first one was Isaac, born to Abraham and Sarah at their old age. And He chose the children of Abraham as His own people who are called Israel. The second blessed one was Samson. He was also born to aged parents for the purpose of suppressing the Philistians who were troubling Israel. God got His work done through Samson.
Then the third person was John the Baptist from the New Testament. His parents were Zachariah and Elizabeth, who were too old to begat children. God had some purpose to be fulfilled through John the Baptist. He was born to testify about the coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. John baptised people and used to say, "I baptise you with water, but who comes after me, will baptise you with fire and Holy spirit”. John the Baptist was used as an instrument to tell about the coming Messiah to the people.
The fourth one is also from the New Testament. He was Jesus Christ. He was born to virgin Mary, a young teenage girl who was only betrothed but not yet married. The birth of Jesus was only through the Holy Spirit from God”.
Here, I am going to deal with the story of Samson and Delilah. According to the Biblical information, Samson was the most powerful man in the entire history of Judah. God has some purpose to be done by Samson. God wanted to eliminate the Philistines who had become a perpetual menace to Israel. So for that purpose
God selected the old parents, who had already crossed the age of begetting children.
God sent an angel with a message to the parents of Samson. He wanted to suppress the Philistines, through the abnormal strength of Samson. So, physically he appeared to be more than a giant. He reigned Israel as a judge for twenty years,
Samson and Delilah was honored and respected for his wisdom and extraordinary superhuman strength. He was so strong and a dare devil, he happened to kill a lion as if it was a rabit like thing. In another occasion, when his own people the Israelites, bound him and handed over him to the enemies the Philistines, he freed himself from the ropes as if they were twins. Then he attacked them with no other weapon than a jawbone of a donkey and killed hundreds of them. The Philistines treated the Israelites as their dead enemies and so Samson was born to suppress them and he created terror among them as a single man till his death.
At the time of his birth an angel instructed his aged parents, how he should be brought up. As the angel said, Samson should remain as a nazarite. He should not drink heavy wine. He should not cut his hair, nor shave his head and finally dedicated to the noble service of God, to check the troublesome Philistines. And finally the parents obeyed and raised him by following instructions of the angel.
And from his birth the strength of God remained with him (in his body).
Therefore, to capture such a man who was the embodiment of such abnormal strength became a national emergency to Philistines. The strong military and the iron fetters could not do anything to the Samson because his power and strength was from God. Once he was forced to exhibit his strength before them. Then Samson uprooted two iron door pillars and crumpled a city gate. So, it became cruel necessity for the Philistines to investigate and find out where his strength did lie.
There is no doubt, Samson was a successful judge to Israel and he was filled with supernatural strength. But he was a weak person in something. He was a womanizer. He already visited two women probably prostitutes and already became popular among such women. In such circumstances, he was attracted more to the beautiful Philistine harlot by name Delilah. Actually Samson visited some women and he found Delilah more beautiful so he finally settled with her.
The Philistine leaders, princes etc., finally planned to capture Samson through the help of the harlot Delilah. So as to catch him and trap him through her, each prince offered about eleven hundred silver pieces to her to find out the real strength of Samson so, that he would be caught and be taken into their custody and finally kill him. But Samson was destined to be trapped by that deceitful harlot to face tragic events.
Samson became a slave to the external beauty of Delilah and in his weak
Offsprings from the Tabernacle moment he would say, “Delilah, I had known many women, but I have never loved anyone but you”. He also pulled her close to him and said “Delilah, I love you”.
His behavior towards her showed that he was very much infactuated by her valuptuonsness. When she was free from Samson she would simply laugh at his broad bearded face. Poor fellow, he could not understand the cunning attitude of that woman who was acting like that for money.
So, when she laughed at him, he asked her why she was behaving like that.
She replied for that cunningly whether he loved her better than any other woman.
Then Samson replied that he was open to her as the heart of a shepherd boy. In her curiosity, she enquired where his strength and magnificent power remained and she wished to know if anything could bend him. So that he would become an ordinary man.
She again insisted whether he really loved her. But Samson laughed at her deceitful nature and doubt then said if he was bound with seven forest wood fiber cords still green and strong not yet dried then he would become normal like any other man. Delilah believed his words and clapped her hands. Immediately a Philistine prince who was hiding in the house of Delilah came out with the fresh wood fiber cords and gave them to Delilah. She then tied Samson with them and called for the Philistines and at the same time shouted to Samson to save himself.
But he gave least importance to her treacherous plan. He came out of the fiber cords as if it was a thread and came to Delilah with laughing.
She asked him again where his enormous strength was. She stressed more this time. He played a trick with her this time by saying that if he was tied with a heavy bend of new, unused rope as if it was dreed vines, while Samson was laughing, she too pretended to be laughing and played a lovers game. But on one hand the Philistine princes were hiding in Delilah’s house ready to catch him at any moment and on the other, she waited to finish her job by trapping him, and find out his secret of strength and then handover him to the Philistines and finally got her promised money from the princes.
Delilah wanted money only but not love as poor Samson thought. He did not know such men do whoredom only for money and nothing else. He frequented her house because he was mad after her. His mind was filled with her only. He was influenced by her slim and slender body, her enchanting perfumes, how she used
Samson and Delilah to embrace him, all these things stamped in his mind and he was unable to forget her.
Delilah too pretended to have loved him, but really she was brooding over her master plan for the sake of money. When she enquired again where his strength lie he said, she need not give any signal to Philistine lords because
Samson knew they were hiding in her house itself. But this time she thought he would tell the truth. So she pretended not to be in hurry to find the secret of his strength as both went closer, she kissed him, and cradled his leg for a while and finally lulled him to sleep.
While he was in deep sleep for she wound the seven locks of his thick brown hair into the cloth of her loom. Then she made a shrill cry that caused him to wake up from his deep sleep. He jumped on his feet turned loose the pin from the loom along with the cloth. When Samson did all, Delilah thought she was fooled again. She got angry and fell into his arms. And he thought she was everything to him. His mind became blurred with the external beauty of Delilah but he could not understand the crooked plan of her. So with that impression he remained in her magic.
He forgot God. He forgot the main purpose of his coming into this world through his old parents. He forgot that he was a mighty judge of Judah (the Israel).
He became a womanizer.
Now he did not want to play anymore with her and so revealed the secret of his strength. Actually, his strength would have answered at least a thousand men at a time. But he confessed that his strength was from God. He was a Nazarit from birth. He took vowth never to cut his hair nor shave his face. If he cut his hair and shave his head his strength would go from him immediately and he will become an ordinary man.
Delilah did not give any signal to call any body at this time. She was very cautious. So that Samson would not get any doubt. Her woman’s intinct prompted her that he would not lie anymore and she discovered truth in his face. The Philistine lords had been watching all the time hiding themselves behind curtains in her house. She went close to Samson, and began to caress him by embracing his massive head and said she was in love with him. It was undoubtedly a wonderful hypocracy. For her cheating words he expressed his deep love for her.
Both went into happy mood for a while and then she lulled him to sleep with her
Offsprings from the Tabernacle tender words and soft kisses on his long hair by keeping him on her lap.
She saw him in deep sleep. She at once gave signal and in no time the lord and the razor flashed on his head. After the last lock was cut Delilah thought the strength had gone from his shoulders. The condition of Samson became pathetic.
He became a common man. Much might be said on both sides regarding the down fall of Samson. But much more is said about Delilah in the Bible, who was considered by the scholars and readers as one of the most heartless and wicked women that we come across in the Bible.
The Biblical Delilah was a primitive woman, but still remains in our memory for her extra ordinary performance of her character. She played her part as a lady villain we might call, to the best of ability. This is the story that happened more than three thousand years back. So we must congratulate her for her wonderful action.
Some scholars of the nineteenth century commented about Delilah’s evil heart and other qualities in wonderful phrases –"her immorality and her love of filthy lucre”etc. They were more than right in their comment. Delilah was anything and everything says the book of Proverbs "that a woman is not supposed to be ." People who read the story of Samson and Delilah in the Bible would certainly understand the true and unique character projected. Those writers were of the opinion that there may be some house wives with some ulterior motives like Delilah may try to do some harm to their husbands. This kind of women who are outwardly “moral and not use sex” as a primary act. Whatever may be the opinion of different people “deceit is deceit” and “treachery is treachery”. This is also “sin” as the “sin” of Delilah. At the same time, we have to remember the cultures the social conditions and spiritual standards of those days of Samson which were completely different from ours.
It was casually mentioned in the Bible, that “Samson went to Gaza and there he saw an harlot and he went into her” (Judges 16:1). The main purpose of mentioning the character of Delilah is that, we are concerned to her deceitfulness rather than her immorality and the moral we learn from the story is that we must be honest to ourselves. We may feel deceitfulness among women in different ways. Some women systematically practice deceit by criticizing the husbands before the children in their absence and defend themselves.
As Delilah used her tactful razors to trap Samson the womanizer, our
Samson and Delilah present women use their tactful razors, to rap their husbands, our razors are called ‘womanly wils’, ‘womenly wires’, 'womenly deceit'.
But in different instances a woman has hunted till she found men weak points and then sometimes they try to blackmail their husbands. In the same manner Delilah did something to Samson in those days to trap him. And modern
Delilahs is reverting to type - Mother Eve’s type – The first woman wished to be “in contol”. So she grabbed the forbidden fruit, knew her husband’s weakness for the fruit, tempted him to eat and there our trouble started.
After Samson was caught, he was taken to Gaza and the Philistines pulled out his eyes. He was made blind. Then he was forced to remain in the prison house. In the meantime his hair grew as the previous one and again he became a mighty man. But the Philistine lords were planning to sacrifice Samson to their dragon god and celebrate the happiest occasion. Now Samson was without eyes.
With the help of a boy, Samson came and stood between two heavy pillars of the huge building wherein all the Philistine leaders were enjoying themselves.
Then he prayed to God by saying, “O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee strengthen me I pray that only this once. O God, that at once I may be avenged of the Philistines for my eyes” (Judges 16:28).
Then he held the two pillars of the strong building and pushed them. With that the whole building fell down and all the people in the house were killed. He also died along with them. This is the tragic end of Samson. There is also a play “Samson and Delilah”.
Offsprings from the Tabernacle