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Yacob Puts Up A Stele Which He Names Beth-El

'House Of YAHWEH' (Bereshith 28: 18-19)

This is a further feature derived from the Canaanite religion, but from a remoter age, since it was a question of the erection of a 'standing stone', what is called in the West a menhir. This ritual act carried out by Yacob cannot be understood without some preliminary explanation.

During the prehistoric period mysterious Indo-European tribes swarmed into the West. Archaeology is in a position to follow their migrations owing to the fact that wherever they settled they erected megaliths in accordance with rules that were laid down fairly strictly. We have knowledge of the various ways in which these stones were put up. There was the isolated stone (menhir), and also the simple heap of boulders (cairn), built to fix a boundary between two spheres of influence and to ratify a sort of peace treaty. More complicated were the stones placed in lines (e.g. Karnak, Morbihan). Sometimes, also, they were arranged in a circle (Stonehenge, in England). Lastly, when one or more slabs were laid upon high vertical stones this primitive architectural form is known as a dolmen.

In ancient Asia and particularly in what is now Palestine and Yardania these types of megalithic construction were to be found. Were the invaders who, between 4500 and 4000 B.C. (approximate dates), settled in the Mediterranean Near East Indo- Europeans? Or did they belong to a Hittite branch? In the present state of our knowledge this is a question of some difficulty. In any case, we have here the cult of the standing stone introduced among the civilizations of the Near East.

Already, well before Abraham's arrival in Palestine, the Canaanites (a Semitic race and, we should remember, closely related to the Hebrews) who were the previous occupiers of the territory, worshipped stones put up in their sacred places, often on the top of mountains under the open sky. Sometimes the stele stood alone; at others several stones were arranged in a line or in a circle (cromlech). This last formation was called by the Hebrews gilgal and it gave its name to several set apart places in Palestine (hag-Gilgal).

The Canaanites called the raised stone beth-EI ('house of YAHWEH') so we may conclude that these steles were regarded as the dwelling of a supernatural being belonging to the polytheist pantheon. At first the stone stood in the centre of a sanctuary where it constituted the principal object of worship. Subsequently, the raised stone, set up in an open place, was to become a votive stele, a reminder to the deity of a petition made or granted; it could thus become a place of pilgrimage. Gradually in the Semitic world this religion of the raised stone became widespread. In the following centuries we find the Yisraelites paying homage to the menhirs which YAHWEH's faithful subjects venerated as the dwelling-place of their one and invisible YAHWEH. On this sacred stone it was customary to pour oil, perhaps wine also; incense was burned before it; on it were offered the first fruits of the harvest, the first from a batch of cakes that had been baked; on it were sacrificed the firstborn of the flock.

To summarize: probably this stone cult was of Indo-European origin and brought into the Near East by the migrations. It was then adopted by some of the Semitic tribes, the Canaanites especially, who occupied the territory before the arrival of the Hebrews. On a final analysis it was a pagan cult from which the sons of Abraham, in about 1800 B.C., had not yet been able to rid themselves. Twelve hundred years later, at the time of YermeYah, and to the prophet's great annoyance, some Yisraelites still bowed down before these stones saying, 'You have begotten me' (YermeYah  2: 27).

It is not surprising, therefore, to find Yacob when he awoke 'setting up a stele' at the place where YAHWEH, the Sovereign Ruler of Abraham, had spoken to him. To the Almighty, who had just manifested HIMSELF, it was fitting to offer a 'dwelling': it would be possible thus on occasion to communicate with HIM afresh, and if needs be renew the conversation. In accordance with the centuries-old ritual (but this is the first mention of it to be found in the Scriptures) Yacob poured a little oil over the stone. All this was strictly Canaanite practice.

Yacob's Vow

Yacob made this vow, “If YAHWEH goes with me and keeps me safe on this journey I am making, if HE gives me bread to eat and clothes to wear, and if I return home safely to my father, then YAHWEH shall be my Sovereign. This stone I have set up as a monument shall be a house of YAHWEH [beth-Ell, and I will surely pay you a tenth part of all you give me” (Bereshith 28: 20-22).

It is quite clear that the grandson was far from responding to YAHWEH's advances with the impulsive faith of his grandfather. Indeed, Yacob was still refusing to commit himself to a course of action which appeared to him to be far from clear and perhaps even dangerous. His mind was strongly imbued with paganism: YAHWEH must first give proof of HIS almighty powers and especially of HIS care for Yacob; HE is to furnish food and clothing and bring him back one day safe and sound to Yitschaq's tents; if YAHWEH does all this then HE will be Yacob's Sovereign. Yacob was still at the stage of 'human wisdom' and perhaps, still more, was inspired by pagan spiritual ideas to which an act of gratuitous love was entirely incomprehensible and conversation with the deity was strictly confined to bargaining.

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Yacob Called Yisrael Index  Yacob Sitemap   Scripture History Through the Ages   Yacob Called Yisrael  Yacob and Esau  Theft Of The Paternal Blessing  Flight, The Only Solution For Yacob  Yacob's Dream At Bethel  Yacob Puts Up A Stele Named BethEl  The Location Of Bethel  Importance Of The Well, A Meeting Place  Details Of The Mohar  The Sons Of Yacob  How Yacob Became Rich  Yacob Leaves The Land Of The Fathers  Treaty Between Yacob And Laban  Messages Between Yacob And Esau  Yacob Wrestles With YAHWEH  Two Brothers, Yacob and Esau Meet  Towards The Promised Land  The Departure From Shechem  The Conclusion Of Yacob

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