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Ancient Hebrew Views Of The City

Natasha Z. Johnson
Professor Barry
Classics 308
19 September 2007
Ancient Hebrew Views of the City
There are varying opinions on the attitudes of the Hebrew authors towards ancient cities. Wilson states that the "standard scholarly view" of the early Hebrews, points to a nomadic group whose view of the city is one of skepticism and fear.   They thought the city to be a place of corruption, both political and social. According to Wilson this is problematic because there is little evidence to support this theory (Wilson, 5). However, there is evidence to support the claim that the Israelites believed the city to be a sacred place. They believed that the city, especially the city of Jerusalem, was a gift from God – their birthright.
There were cities which early Hebrew authors identified as being corrupt places to be feared. Sodom and Gomorrah are examples of cities which were to such an extreme that they were said to have been destroyed (along with the people living in the city) by God for wickedness.
24 Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the LORD out of the heavens. 25 Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land. (Genesis 19:24-25 NIV)
Early Hebrew authors believed this to be the punishment for cities that were corrupt. They must have been aware of dangers of the city.
Likewise, they must have been aware of man's tendency towards superciliousness. The story of the tower of Babel tells of man's certainty that he could build a tower that would allow him to reach heaven (Genesis 11:1-9). The apparent advantage of creative imagination does not cloud the fact that man was overconfident in his attempt at such an endeavor.
According to the book of Genesis, as far back as the beginning of human life on earth, Hebrews were believed to have been familiar with the city. Cain's son Enoch reportedly built the first city (Wilson, 8). This is a...