Moses Draws Water From the Rock by Francois Perrier, 1642, currently at the Capitoline Museums, Rome, Italy Ok. You know how for quite a few blog posts lately I've been complaining about how repetitive this part of the Old Testament is? That God is dictating His rules for cleanliness again and again and again? Well,…
The Blossoming of Aaron's Rod by Augustin Hirschvogel, circa 1550, currently at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Frankly, I'm getting tired of the Israelites and their whiny ways. I've said it before and I'm saying it again: you'd think that people who witnessed amazing natural and unnatural miracles nearly every week would be…
An Episode from the Exodus - A Storm of Quails Gathers Over the Israelite Camp by Pawel Franck (Paolo Fiammingo), painted circa mid-1500s We finally return to narrative with these chapters and I'm giddy with anticipation. No more long lists of laws, rules, animals, Tabernacle furnishings - only the Israelites' story from here on out,…
Image from an etching by Philip James de Loutherbourg from the opening page of Numbers from the Bible published by Thomas Macklin, 1791, currently at The British Museum A new book! Numbers! The name for this chapter in the Christian Bible comes from the Septuagint, the pre-Christian Greek translation of the Torah, and is based…
Moses and Aaron Rejecting a Hunchback, from the Bible Moralisée Part 1, 13th Century, Currently with the Bodleian Libraries, Oxford University, United Kingdom The NIV version of Leviticus 19 starts with the heading: "Various Laws" because it's a mish-mosh of laws for all ancient Jews, not just for the Jewish priests as related in previous…
'Aaron Casting Lots,' East Window of the Lincoln Cathedral, window built by Ward and Hughes, installed in 1855, Lincoln, United Kingdom Chapter 16 is all about how Aaron (and later high priests) should conduct the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur. God relates - through Moses - that it should be the tenth day of…
Scene from a Shechita, believed to be 15th Century, unknown artist and location So, remember in the previous blog post how Aaron and his sons were finally invested as the first Jewish priests and everything was awesome? Well, hold on to your hat because that happiness doesn't last long. Really, at all. Why are we…
Adoration of the Golden Calf, oil on canvas by Nicolas Poussin, c. 1634. From Fine Art Images/Heritage Image/age fotostock In Chapter 31, God is still talking to Moses on top of Mount Sinai and He says that He has chosen two men - Bezalel and Oholiab - for special artistic work. They are to oversee the metalcraft,…
Icon of Aaron, created in the 17th Century, at the Epiphanius Church of Cyprus God continues with His requirements of the Israelites in Chapter 28 with information about His new priesthood and what the priests should wear. Moses' brother Aaron has been designated the high priest, and below him as regular priests are his sons,…
God Creates Manna for the Israelites in Biblia by Anton Coberger, circa 1482, currently in the University of Edinburgh Image Collections As Chapter 16 opens, the Israelites have been traveling for a month and a half, and they're starting to complain again, this time because they're hungry. No, all the miracles performed on their behalf…
Penny Reads the Bible 