Natasha Z. Johnson
Professor Barry
Classics 308
19 September 2007
Ancient Hebrew Views of the City
There are varying opinions on the attitudes of the Hebrew authors towards ancient cities. Wilson states that the "standard scholarly view" of the early Hebrews, points to a nomadic group whose view of the city is one of skepticism and fear. They thought the city to be a place of corruption, both political and social. According to Wilson this is problematic because there is little evidence to support this theory (Wilson, 5). However, there is evidence to support the claim that the Israelites believed the city to be a sacred place. They believed that the city, especially the city of Jerusalem, was a gift from God their birthright.
There were cities which early Hebrew authors identified as being corrupt places to be feared. Sodom and Gomorrah are examples of cities which were to such an extreme that they were said to have been destroyed (along with the people living in the city)......
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Approximate Word Count: 1267
Approximate Pages: 5 (260 words per double-spaced page) |