Ancient Jerusalem: the Historical and Cultural Renovation of an Important Religious City
Ancient Jerusalem:
The Historical and Cultural Renovation of An Important Religious City
The city of Jerusalem, located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Northern edge of the Dead Sea, is one of the oldest and most important historical cities in the world. Being both a holy city and a royal capital, as it is described in the Hebrew Bible, Jerusalem represents a complex symbol of ancient Israel and early Judaism. The city’s iconic status and centralized prominence is the result of a series of complicated historical processes that occurred during the early years of the country’s development. Throughout the course of this paper, my focus and research will be geared towards examining both the unique historical development of the ancient city of Jerusalem, as well as how it came to be one of the most prominent religious cities in the world. In doing so, I will discuss several of the important institutions that leant great significance to the city, and talk about how specific events may have influenced the biblical perceptions of the so-called “holy city.” Lastly, I will discuss how Jerusalem’s cultural development fits within the historical context of ancient Israel, and how the portrayal of the city may have changed from the pre-exilic through post-exilic periods. For my first examination, I would like to introduce what I believe is one of the most important contributing aspects of Jerusalem’s development, something I will refer to as their cultural guidance. According to William Schniedewind, author of, How the Bible Became a Book, “When a text is central to a people or a nation, like the Declaration of Independence, the history of its interpretation can serve as a window into the history of that people” (Schniedewind, 5). In this case, the subjects whose history we will be interpreting are the people, and the nation of Ancient Israel, particularly the city of Jerusalem within it. Using Schniedewind’s methodology, I will exam how certain texts may
The Historical and Cultural Renovation of An Important Religious City
The city of Jerusalem, located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Northern edge of the Dead Sea, is one of the oldest and most important historical cities in the world. Being both a holy city and a royal capital, as it is described in the Hebrew Bible, Jerusalem represents a complex symbol of ancient Israel and early Judaism. The city’s iconic status and centralized prominence is the result of a series of complicated historical processes that occurred during the early years of the country’s development. Throughout the course of this paper, my focus and research will be geared towards examining both the unique historical development of the ancient city of Jerusalem, as well as how it came to be one of the most prominent religious cities in the world. In doing so, I will discuss several of the important institutions that leant great significance to the city, and talk about how specific events may have influenced the biblical perceptions of the so-called “holy city.” Lastly, I will discuss how Jerusalem’s cultural development fits within the historical context of ancient Israel, and how the portrayal of the city may have changed from the pre-exilic through post-exilic periods. For my first examination, I would like to introduce what I believe is one of the most important contributing aspects of Jerusalem’s development, something I will refer to as their cultural guidance. According to William Schniedewind, author of, How the Bible Became a Book, “When a text is central to a people or a nation, like the Declaration of Independence, the history of its interpretation can serve as a window into the history of that people” (Schniedewind, 5). In this case, the subjects whose history we will be interpreting are the people, and the nation of Ancient Israel, particularly the city of Jerusalem within it. Using Schniedewind’s methodology, I will exam how certain texts may