舊約詞匯 - H

Habakkuk

One of the Twelve Prophets; a sixth century Judean prophet who sought to understand God's purpose in sending the Babylonians to punish Judah. See Chapter 13.

Habiru

(sometimes spelled 'Apiru) An Akkadian term denoting persons or groups who were social and political outlaws from established society; existing in the ancient Middle East in the second and first millennia B.C.E. they appear as slaves, merchants, mercenary soldiers, bandits, and outlaws; some scholars link the term to the word Hebrew. See Chapter 3, Chapter 6.

Hagar

The servant of Sarah and one of Abraham's wives; the mother of Ishmael, who was driven away from the family by Sarah. See Chapter 2.

Haggadah

(adj. haggadic; Hebrew for "telling, narration"; sometimes spelled aggadah) Jewish term for non-halakic (nonlegal) matter, especially in Talmud and Midrash; it includes folklore, legend, theology, scriptural interpretations, biography, etc.; in a general sense, in classical Jewish literature and discussion, what is not halaka (legal subject matter) is haggada; technically, "the Haggadah" is a liturgical manual about the exodus from Egypt in the time of Moses used in the Jewish Passover Seder.

Haggai

A prophet who encouraged the Israelites to rebuild the temple after a return from the exile in Babylonia in the sixth century B.C.E. See Chapter 13.

Halakah

(adj. halakic; Hebrew for "going," i.e. how we go about our daily lives) Deals with practical guidance, rules, and expectations in Judaism; any normative Jewish law, custom, practice, or rite-or the entire complex; halaka is law established or custom ratified by authoritative rabbinic jurists and teachers; colloquially, if something is deemed halakic, it is considered proper and normative behavior.

Ham

One of the sons of Noah; he abused his father and Canaan, his son, was cursed for it.

Haman

The wicked opponent of Mordecai and the Jews in the book of Esther. See Chapter 16.

Hananiah

The Judean prophet who challenged Jeremiah over the issue of the yoke of Babylon. See Chapter 11.

Hannah

The wife of Elkanah and mother of Samuel; she prayed for a son; after Samuel was born she dedicated him to God's service at Shiloh. See Chapter 8.

Hanukkah

(Hebrew for "dedication") The Jewish festival of lights that commemorates the rededication of the Jerusalem temple to more traditional modes of Jewish worship by Judah the Maccabee around 164 B.C.E. after its desecration in the time of the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

Hasid(s)

(pl. hasidim; Hebrew for "pious one") The term may refer to Jews in various periods: (1) a group that resisted the policies of Antiochus IV Epiphanes in the second century B.C.E. at the start of the Maccabean revolt; (2) pietists in the thirteenth century C.E.; (3) followers of the movement of Hasidism founded in the eighteenth century C.E. by Baal Shem Tov. See Chapter 17.

Hasmonaean

Hasmon is the family name of the Maccabees, so the Maccabaean rulers are often referred to as Hasmonaean; the Hasmoneans included the Maccabees and the high priests and kings who ruled Judea from 142 to 63 B.C.E.

Hazor

A city in northern Canaan which resisted the Israelites but was conquered by Joshua. See Chapter 6.

Hebrew Bible

The collection of 24 books constituting the Old Testament according to the arrangement of the Jewish canon; it can also be referred to as the Tanak; originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic, it is the written canon of Judaism and the first half of the canon of Christianity. See Introduction.

Hebrew

The language of the Old Testament Israelites and the language in which most of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible was written. See Introduction, Chapter 3.

Hebrews

Another name for Israelites, usually used in reference to them before they settled in the Promised Land.

Hebron

A major city in Judah, the place from which David first ruled; Abraham and many other ancestors were buried here. See Chapter 8.

Hellenism

(adj. hellenistic; Greek for "Greekish") The civilization that spread from Greece through much of the ancient world from 333 (Alexander the Great) to 63 (dominance of Rome) B.C.E.; as a result, many elements of Greek culture (names, language, philosophy, athletics, architecture, etc.) penetrated the ancient Middle East. See Biblical Story, Chapter 17.

Hellenistic

Pertaining to Greek culture as disseminated by the conquests of Alexander the Great, and the rule of his successors.

Hellenization

The process of becoming enculturated by the ideals of Hellenism.

Hermeneutics

(from Greek for "to interpret, translate"; hence, "science of interpretation") It denotes the strategy of interpreting texts to enable them to be applied to circumstances contemporary with the interpreter; the term is often used with reference to the study of Jewish and Christian scriptures.

Hexateuch

The first six books of the Hebrew Bible; there may be an underlying assumption that these belong together historically.

Hezekiah

(715-687) A king of Judah; he restored the temple, reinstituted proper worship and received God's help against the Assyrians. See Chapter 9, Chapter 10.

High priest

The chief religious official in Israel; he offered the most important sacrifices to God on behalf of the people.

Hillel

Often called by the title "the Elder"; probably a Babylonian, Hillel was an important sage of the early Jewish period in Palestine around the turn of the era; his teachings convey the Pharisaic ideal, through many epigrams on humility and peace (found in Sayings of the Fathers 1-2); and were fundamental in shaping the Pharisaic traditions and modes of interpretation; in rabbinic lore, Hillel is famous for a negative formulation of the "golden rule" (recited to a non-Jew): "What is hateful to you do not do to your fellow man. That is the whole Torah, the rest is commentary. Go and learn it"; his style of legal reasoning is continued by his disciples, known as Beit Hillel ("House/School of Hillel"), and is typically contrasted with that of Shammai (a contemporary) and his school.

Historiography

The reconstruction of the past based on a critical examination of ancient materials.

Holiness code

Chapters 17-27 of Leviticus, which detail the laws for ensuring, protecting, and promoting holiness (sacredness, separateness). See Chapter 4.

Holy

(holiness) To set apart for God; to belong to God; to be pure. See Chapter 4.

Holy spirit

(sometimes termed the "holy ghost") In Judaism, the presence of God as evidenced in the speech of the prophets and other divine manifestations; in Christianity, understood more generally as the active, guiding presence of God in the church and its members.

Holy war

War authorized by God and led by him; Old Testament holy war called for the complete slaughter of the enemy and the dedication of all spoils to God. See Divine warrior. See Chapter 6.

Hophni

He and Phineas were two sons of Eli, the high priest at Shiloh; they died in battle at Aphek-Ebenezer fighting the Philistines.

Horeb

The term used in the Elohist and Deuteronomist sources to designate the location where God delivered the commandments and covenant to the Israelites through Moses, apparently the equivalent of Mount Sinai. See Chapter 3.

Hosea

One of the Twelve Prophets; an eighth century Israelite prophet who exposed the people's lack of faith in Yahweh. See Chapter 13.

Hyksos

Derived from Egyptian for "rulers of foreign countries," these Semitic rulers of Egypt from 1750-1550 B.C.E. were probably the people in control of Egypt during the sojourn of Joseph and Jacob's descendants. See Chapter 3.

Hymn

A song praising God, the king, Zion, or Torah that contains a description of why the object of praise is wonderful. See Chapter 14.