Category Archives: hands

IS VIOLENCE OKAY WHEN FIGHTING VIOLENCE?

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Moses learned an important lesson about violence and anger here. In the first case, he observed violence against a fellow Israelite and responded by killing the perpetrator. Clearly, other options were open to him: reporting the misdeed, using his position to bring the power of the state to bear against the perpetrator, advocating a change in state labor laws. In the second case, he intervened when some annoying shepherds pestered a group of young women, This time he did not kill but drove off the nuisances.

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EVERYDAY LIFE IN BIBLE TIMES (HAND “TO RAISE OR STRETCH OUR” PT 2 OF 3)

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Apart from these examples of literally raising hands, we also find biblical examples of this action in two related figures of speech. The mutinous revolt against established authority is described as raising one’s hand against a sitting ruler. Shortly after David survived the coup attempt of Absalom, Sheba initiated a revolt against David (2 Sam 20:1). Joab characterized this act of aggression by stating that Sheba had “lifted up his hand against the king” (2 Sam 20:21; 18:28; Ezra 6:12). The violence behind this figure of speech is also present in the figurative

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EVERYDAY LIFE IN BIBLE TIMES (HANDS “TO RAISE OR STRETCH OUT” PT 1 OF 3)

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As students , we learned to raise our hand in the classroom to gain recognition to speak. The en masse raising of hands at a sporting event signals celebration. Neither of these forms of hand raising are apparent in the art and literature of the ancient Near East, but we do find both morals and gods depicted with uplifted hands in a variety of scenarios.

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