Abstract
In the Hebrew Bible, there is a change in understanding socio-economic vulnerability. Between first and second temple texts, there is a marked shift. In First Temple texts, we see references to the poor as members of a vulnerable socio-economic class. The poor are those who lack money, stability, and a support system. Texts such as the Pentateuch refer to the poor as those who need to be looked after and taken care of by the wealthy. A remarkable development happens, however, because of the Babylonian exile. Although references to the poor continue to include socio-economic exigency, they begin to include those who are spiritually dependent on God. This development of a piety based in one’s exigency vis-à-vis God shows the unique ways that the Ancient Israelites conceived of vulnerability. The intention of this paper is to trace the development of this semantic expansion through words such as עָנִי in order to highlight how a religious worldview intersects with economic poverty within the Hebrew bible. This, in turn, will help those in the modern world to appreciate poverty in a new light.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2025 Special Focus—Fragile Meanings: Vulnerability in the Study of Religions and Spirituality
KEYWORDS
Hebrew, Hebrew Bible, Old Testament, Vulnerability, Socio-Economic Poverty, Israel, Judaism
