Blogger’s Note: The Old Testament records a perceived history covering a mythical interpretation of the history of the Jewish people – which features an often-negative caricature of the other (non-Jewish) that live around the Jewish communities. This includes a racist demonisation of the Samaritans – a Jewish sect which chose to establish their own Temple in the place where they lived – different to the main Temple situated in Jerusalem. Indeed, so bad was this racism that it even permeates into the New Testament as the story of the “Good Samaritan” – implying that all Samaitans are “bad”. The narratives in Genesis continuously discuss the need for the Jewish people to dominate those who live in Palestine and the surrounding other countries. These (non-Jewish) people are to be “enslaved” and used for every conceivable activity – including sexual abuse involving young and old alike. Jewish people, as presented in Genesis, often prefer to marry their cousins, nieces, and nephews – with other close couplings also considered. Sexual activity with close married relatives is also common-place. The point of this post, however, is to give the Biblical (Jewish) origin of the legally-binding term “Testimony” – which involves the man swearing on the authority of the testicles. In the story below, a servant is forced to “touch” the testicles of Abraham as a means of sealing a deal or confirming an understanding. As the Jewish people still maintain these traditions – it is an easy task to decipher the otherwise camouflaged language contained within the Bible. ACW (11.4.2024)
By now Abraham was an old man, well on in years, and the Lord had blessed Abraham in every way. Abraham said to the senior servant in his household, the steward of all his property. ‘Place your hand under my thigh (b) and I am going to make you swear by the Lord, God of heaven and God of earth, that you will not choose a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I live; but will go to my native land and my own kinsfolk to choose a wife for my son Isaac.’ The servant amswered him, ‘What if the girl does not want to follow me to this country? Should I then take your son back to the country from which you come?’ Abraham replied, ‘Be sure that you do not take my son back there. The Lord, God of heaven and God of earth, who took me from my father’s home, and from the land of my kinsfolk, and who spoke to me and promised me an oath, “I shall give this country to your descendants” – he will now send his angel ahead of you, so that you can get a wife for my son from there. If the girl refuses to follow to you, you will be quit of this oath to me. Only do not take my son back there.’ – And the servant placed his hand the thigh of his master Abraham, and swore to him that he would do it.
Footnote (b): Contact with the genital organs, as in 47:29, makes the oath inviolable.
Holy Bible, Revised New Jerusalem Bible – Study Edition – Darton, Longman, and Todd, (2019), Pages 35-38 – Genesis 24: 1-9
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 