Phillip Lerner, «Redefining h)lth. An Assurance of Israel’s Return
to the Land in Jethro’s Covenant», Vol. 87 (2006) 402-411
Though it is recognized that Exod 18,1-12 contains treaty making elements, there
seems to be very little evidence of the nature of this treaty. The term h)lth is reexamined
and redefined as “the suffering that is encountered due to the helpless
nature of being forsaken”. The phrase wnt)cm r#) h)lth lk, found in Exod 18,8,
is demonstrated to be a technical phrase with certain common characteristics that
is used as surety that Israel will be fully restored to their land. In addition to
providing more details of Jethro’s covenant, this phrase, in combination with
several other terms in Exod 18,1-12, narrows the possibilities regarding the
covenant’s nature and function.
Redefining halth 411
friendship. Depending on the purpose of wntaxm rça halth lk, this mutual pact
was established to specifically exclude or oppose Egypt. The other possibility
is that it was formed as an action siding with Israel against or at least over
other local tribes, such as the Amalekites. This reason could fit with both
possible scenarios, either agreeing to the justice of Israel’s conquests in
contrast to those they have fought or just siding with them in a more general
sense.
If hbwf is taken to mean a more general covenant, then the technical
phrase was brought to prove either 1) that they are a worth backing, assured
to be established and strong and not entangled in further conflict with Egypt,
or 2) they are not a threat to Jethro’s people, since they will be moving on. If
Jethro agreed to sanction their conquest or to side with their claims then the
phrase was used as proof their conquest was just, or at the least, that they were
assured to be the ones to come out on top.
Hopefully, this study will have served as a springboard for further
research into the ramifications of the definitions proposed here. hal
specifically, due to its widespread use, might produce some useful results.
Also, we have further advanced the examination of Jethro’s covenant. Now it
would seem that further study of Jethro’s covenant must take into account the
proof brought in the phrase wntaxm rça halth lk, an assurance of Israel’s
return to “their†land is brought, strengthening whatever Jethro ratified.
58 Ussishkin Street Phillip LERNER
Jerusalem, Israel
SUMMARY
Though it is recognized that Exod 18,1-12 contains treaty making elements, there
seems to be very little evidence of the nature of this treaty. The term halth is re-
examined and redefined as “the suffering that is encountered due to the helpless
nature of being forsakenâ€. The phrase wntaxm rça halth lk, found in Exod 18,8,
is demonstrated to be a technical phrase with certain common characteristics that
is used as surety that Israel will be fully restored to their land. In addition to
providing more details of Jethro’s covenant, this phrase, in combination with
several other terms in Exod 18,1-12, narrows the possibilities regarding the
covenant’s nature and function.