Israel'sIndigenousIndependenceandthePhilistineCurse

Afterthepostwarmiraclesof1948andtheestablishmentofthemodernStateofIsrael,the remnantofthreeancientdealscontinuedtoaffectthenation.TodaytheyaremanifestinGaza thestripoflandthataccommodatesapeoplewhodiminishIsraelfromitsownterritoryandthe capitulationtodesirebyJewishpeoplewhosuccumbtoothernationalidentities. TheindigenousrightsofIsraelisareestablished,recordedthroughJudaismandJewish practicesfromthedescendantsofAbraham.Noothernationpossessessucharecordorthe rightsthatemanatefromit,nootherpeoplecanarguecontinuityorprovetheirlineagethroughit. TherealizationandrecognitionofIsraelstribalheritagerightsthroughpactsanddealsthatdate backalmost4000yearsmustnotberelegatedbythesymbolismofmodernZionism. ThreedealsmadebyAvraham,YitzchakandDaviddelayedtherealizationofZionasa permanentplaceofpeaceforJewishpeople,ofJerusalemandthecompleteconquestofthe landofIsrael.DuringDavidsconquestheshatteredthelongheldinternationtribaldealsthat upheldthehonorofAvrahamandYitzchakintheeyesofnonIsraelitetribes,buthewasblinded intheprocess. AvimelechFatherKingofthePlishtim(Philistines),descendantsofNoah'ssonHam,realized histribalfuturewouldeventuallybelosttoIsrael,thereforeherequestedatreatythatthesonsof YitzchakwouldnottakeawayPlishtimland.Yitzchakcutanammah,astripofhisdonkeys leatherbridleandgaveitoverashisoath.ThelandrepresentedbythisammahonIsraels modernmapapproximatesGaza. InmakingthistreatyYitzchakreinforcedanearlierpacthisfatherAvrahamenteredwith AvimelechwhoassistedAvrahamtodefeatthefourmightykingsthatconqueredSodomand Gemora.Thepactwaslimitedto3generations,butYitzchakextendedit. AvrahamhadalsomadeasecondtreatyreferringspecificallytoJerusalemwithotherPlishtim tribes.WhenhewantedtobuythecaveofMachpelatoburyhiswifeSarah,theJebusites (Yevusi)whowererelativesoftheHittitesobjected.TheHittitesdemandedaconditionthat AvrahamsdescendantswouldneverconquertheJebusiteswholivedinJerusalem. Rivkah(Rebecca)wasrepulsedbytheprospectthatYaakov(Jacob)maymarryfromthe Hittites.Theysenthimawaytofindawifefromherbrothersfamily.Asaresult,hedidnotenter

atreatywiththeHittitespartlybecauseheleftthelandofIsraeltoestablishhisfamilyandfortune andonlyreturnedtowardtheendofhisfather,Yitzchakslife. TheJebusiteswhoenteredthecovenanteventuallymadetwoidols,oneablindman representingYitzchakwhowentblindandtheotheralamemanrepresentingYaakovwho limped.TheyplacedtheseidolsalongwithsevenironsheepatJerusalemsentranceasa remindertoIsraelsfutureleaders. FollowingIsrael'sreturnfromexileinEgypt,Yehoshua(Joshua)commencedaconquestofthe landandattackedJerusalem,alsoreferredtoasBeitEl,butYehoshuawasremindedofthe treatyoncemadebyhisdescendantsandhehonoreditallowingtheinhabitantstocontinuetheir tenure.Thesameoccurred,afterYehoshuasdeath,bythearmyofthetribeofYehuda.The Jebusiteresponsesoneachoccasionwastofurtherfortifythecityagainstfutureattacks. FourhundredyearslaterthetribesofIsraelwerebitterlydivided.AtthetimeofKingShaul(Saul aBenjamite),theshepherdDavid(aYehudaite)wasanointedKingbythepopularprophetand judgeShmuel(Samuel).InresponsetoacallingbyKingShaulwhilstfightingthearmyofthe Plishtim,DavidroseandkilledGoliaththegiantPhilistine.DavidwantedtoremoveGoliath's massivearmortodecapitatehim,butcouldnotfindawaytodoit.OnthebattlefieldUriahthe HittiteapproachedDavidandofferedtoresolvetheproblem.Uriah,whothoughtDavidwouldone daybeKingoverallIsrael,requestedaJewishwife.Oblivioustotheseriousmisappropriation, DavidenteredapactwiththeHittitetogiveawayanywomanofIsraelUriahchose.Thearmies ofShaulwereamazedatDavidstenacityandbraveryandKingShaulsjealousywasaroused. KingShaulsarmiespursuedDavidlikeadogformanyyears.Inarguablythemosttragicevent, DavidwenttoNov(thesiteofShmuelandtheMishkan,northofJerusalem)toseekrefugefrom theprieststhatlivedthere.DoegtheEdomite,thenloyaltoShaul,wasstudyingatthenearby yeshivaandwitnessedthehighpriestprovideimpoverishedDavidwiththePhilistineswordof Goliathand100loavesofbreadforDavidsmen.DoegreportedthistoShaulasabrewing rebellionbythepriestsandShaulgavepermissiontomassacrethe85priestskilledasaresult ofDoegstestimony. DavidlefttheproximityofKingShaulsarmyandsoughtrefugefromaPhilistineregionalchief AchishwhoprovidedhimimmunityandlandinZiklag.WhenallthePhilistinenationsfinallyarose againstIsraelandKingShaul,ZiklagwasdestroyedandthefamiliesofDavidandhismenwere kidnapped.Davidpursuedandrescuedthem,butIsraelwasdefeatedunderKingShaul.Hisson

Yonatan(Jonathan),Davidsclosestcompanion,andKingShaulwerebeheaded. KingShaulsdescendantcouldnothold(Benjamite)powersothetribalelderscametoKing DavidofYehudainHebronandappointedhimtheKingandallthetribesofIsraelacceptedhim. DavidimmediatelymarchedtoYevus,Jerusalem,builtontheborderofYehudaandBinyamin (Benjamin)tobringthefortifiedcitybackunderIsraelicontrol.Theinhabitants,livingunder Araunah(Ornan)theKingofYevus,tauntedDavidsmenremindingthemofthepactofthelame andtheblind.Davidpromisedmilitaryleadershiptothefirstmanthatconqueredthecity.Yoav, enteredthroughaconcealedwaterpipeandprovidedpassagetotheothersinhispartyhe becameDavid'sgeneral.Theyoccupiedthewatertowerandprogressivelytooktherestofthe city.TheyarguedwiththeinhabitantsthattheancientpactwasobsoletebecausethePhilistines hadonceattackedandfilledinYitzchakswells,buttheyallowedtheKingofYevustoliveamong thenewJewishoccupantsincludingKingDavid. UriahtheHittitewasgrantedtherighttomarryBatshevaconsideredtobethemostbeautiful womanintheland.UriahwasdispatchedalongwithYoavandhisarmytofightagainstthe Ammonites.Allsoldiersprovidedtheirwivesaconditionalbillofdivorceintheeventoftheir death.OneafternoonDavidcaughtaglimpseofBatshevaandsentforher.Davidlaywithher andsheconceived.Onreceivingthenewsofherconception,DavidrequestedUriahsreturn frombattleandencouragedhimtogohometohiswife,hopinghewouldliewithherandconfuse anypublicidentificationofthemorallyillicitconception.Uriahrefusedtogotohiswifeand respondedtotheKingtheArkofthecovenantlivesinatent(inthecityofDavid)myMaster YoavandmyMastersservantsareencampedinopenfields.WillIthencometomyhouseand laywithmywife?InresponseDavidsentUriahtothefrontlineswithasealedletterordering YoavtoplaceUriahinharmsway.YoavdidnotretaintheconfidentialityofDavidssealedletter, butcarriedouthisorders.YoavblamedDavidforthelossoflivesofsomeofhiscommanding officers.AgainstthebackdropofDavidssplendidreign,newsofhisindiscretionspreadfastand festeredamongthetribes,itcatalyzedaterribledecayinthekingdom. Batshevasbirthwascursed,DaviddidnotrepentuntiltheprophetNatanhighlightedhis indiscretionwhichcausedTheKingtoenterastateofgreatrepentance.Thebabydied,Davids behaviorturned(IIShmuel12:21)andhebegantolosecontroloverhisfragmentednation. BatshevassecondsonwasShlomo(Solomon)who,despitegreatinterfamilyupheaval, violenceanddeathamongDavidschildrenultimatelybecametheKingofIsrael. TheeffectofDavidsreignwastoprovidetheplatformforShlomotobuildthefirsttempleand

unifythefragiletribes.Itwasawonderfulperiodinthenationshistoryfondlyrememberedtothis day.EachtimeJewsclosetheArkcontainingtheTorahintemplesaroundtheworldwerepeat thewordsRenewusasintimesofold.ButShlomosreign,incontextofIsraelshistorywas shortandsoonafterhediedthedividednationexpresseditself,inallitsglory,throughthe upheavalthatresultedfromtheunpopularanointmentofShlomossonRehavam.Yerovamthe leaderofthetribeofEfrayim(fromYosef)rebelledusingEgyptashisbase.Hewasappointed KingovertenofIsrael'stwelvetribesthatsplitfromYehudaandwithitheplungedIsraelintothe mostdevastatingselfimposedperiodofenduringexilethatultimatelyledtotheirnearcomplete banishmentfromtheland. 2744yearspassedbeforethenationIsraelreturnedtotheirlandtoestablishthemodernstateof Israelin1948.Today65yearson,Israelcontinuestostrugglewithitsearlylegacy,butthe indigenousrightsofitsJewishpeopleareimpossibletodispute.