Tomasic
RL 200
Fall 2000
Conspicuous consumption separated the distinctly different social classes in Jerusalem. The upper-class, like the kings and prophets, were able to eat meat whenever they chose. The lower-class rarely ate meat. Other food items evident in early Jerusalem were any items that were easily traded with Jerusalem, like oil and spices. The "Virtual Tour" said, "Some scholars think that sugar cane reached the region in this period," (njeru/eb61.htm). The food is significant because it shows the economic status of individuals in Jerusalem, the trading practices and everyday agricultural life of the ancient world, and the people's devotion to God and His covenant.
There are many ancient sites in the "Virtual Tour." The most significant sites, though, are those which depict the fortified walls surrounding the cities. The "Virtual Tour" showed the complexity in building the walls by offering a quote from the book of Isaiah; "According to Isaiah (22:9-10): "And you took note of the many breaches in the City of David... and you counted the houses of Jerusalem and pulled houses down to fortify the wall," (...njeru/eb25.htm). The work involved in the creation of the walls show that the Israelites were hardworking and obedient to their king, since the king ordered laborers to tear down homes and use their stones to build the walls for protection. The walls also show the constant warfare during the First Temple Period. The walls were erected to keep enemies from invading the Promised Land. Continual struggles to claim land occurred during King David's time because people tried to expand their culture and their empires. David's actions show this need for expansion. The "Virtual Tour" says, "From his small capital David ruled over a vast kingdom, taking advantage of the temporary decline of Egypt in the south and of Aram in the north," (...njeru/eb25.htm). His desires to expand into Egypt and Aram shows that kings during his time were concerned with claiming vast a territories because property and land meant wealth and power. To signify his power, King David expanded his kingdom. This is significant because people must understand the motives of ancient Israelite kingdoms before they can understand the prophets' opinions of the king and the controversy over the power given to the kings. This is also important because Israelites felt they needed a king for protection and political organization.
When King David appeared as a cartoon during the "Virtual Tour," I was surprised. This portrayal made David seem like a fun and entertaining human instead of as a power-hungry, faithful king. King David was the most important person during the First Temple Period. He brought unity and prosperity to Israel by declaring Jerusalem its capital and by bringing the Ark of the Covenant to the city. "Traditionally David is described as a splendid combination of spiritual potency and military acumen, a passionate character, and a penchant for court machinations," according to the "Virtual Tour" (...njeru/eb31s.htm). I always envisioned David as a small and weak person. Because of all of his victories in battle and his caricature on the tour, I realized that he was as ruthless, power-hungry, and powerful as any other king. It is important to see David as powerful in order to understand how he was able to unify Israel, defeat his enemies, force Israelites to act as he wanted them to, and be disliked by the prophets and other Israelites. David's harshness and power is depicted in 2 Samuel 8:2. This verse says, "He (David) made the prisoners lie down on the ground and put two out of every three of them to death." Although harsh, David was still devoted to God and frequently worshipped him. 2 Samuel 7:18 says, "Then King David went into the Tent of the Lord's presence, sat down and prayed." His devotion to God set an example for his constituents and faith in the Almighty was renewed.
The First Temple Period was distinct from other ancient times. Its clothing and food showed devotion to God and purity. Food also showed the importance of agriculture and social class in Israelite society. The historical sites, like the fortified wall around the city of David, highlighted the constant warfare and fight for power during King David's era. The people during the period, like King David, also represented the attitude, behavior, and faith of the Israelite people. Some questions about the period still remain unanswered, though. Was King David as the Bible and the "Virtual Tour" suppose or was he just an ordinary king? Is he an accurate representation of the Israelites? Did all people share the clothing and food customs or were those reserved for only certain people? What other aspects of life created the Israelite world? The "Virtual Tour" offered a great detail of information about the First Temple Period. After analyzing King David and his time, I will see the man in a whole new light. He was not a holier-than-thou king. He was powerful and prayed to God for victories, like all kings of the ancient world. To me, King David is not as special as the Bible suggests because other kings are identical to him, and he is not extraordinarily religious, pure, or moral. Despite my new view, the "Virtual Tour of Jerusalem" was a great guided tour through many aspects of the ancient Jerusalem society.
http://jeru.huji.ac.il/njeru. Accessed November 8, 2000; 12:31 PM