People and roles in the Hebrew Bible
The redeemer, the go-between, the sheep-breeder: who people were in ancient Israel, in the words the text uses.
moledet(moledeth)מוֹלֶדֶת
kindred, birthplace
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־אַבְרָם לֶךְ־לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ
“The LORD said to Abram: Go from your land, from your kindred, and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you. (Genesis 12:1)”
megurim(magur)מְגוּרִים
sojournings; the place you lived as a guest
וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב אֶל־פַּרְעֹה יְמֵי שְׁנֵי מְגוּרַי שְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה
“And Jacob said to Pharaoh: The days of the years of my sojournings are a hundred and thirty years. (Genesis 47:9)”
noqed(noked)נֹקֵד
sheep-breeder, sheep-master
דִּבְרֵי עָמוֹס אֲשֶׁר־הָיָה בַנֹּקְדִים מִתְּקוֹעַ
“Amos 1:1 — The words of Amos, who was among the sheep-breeders of Tekoa.”
go'el(goel)גֹּאֵל
kinsman-redeemer — the near relative obligated to rescue you
כִּי־יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ וּמָכַר מֵאֲחֻזָּתוֹ וּבָא גֹאֲלוֹ הַקָּרֹב אֵלָיו וְגָאַל אֵת מִמְכַּר אָחִיו׃
“If your brother becomes poor and sells part of his property, then his redeemer, his nearest kinsman, shall come and redeem what his brother has sold. (Leviticus 25:25)”
melitzמֵלִיץ
go-between: interpreter, advocate
וְהֵם לֹא יָדְעוּ כִּי שֹׁמֵעַ יוֹסֵף כִּי הַמֵּלִיץ בֵּינֹתָם׃
“And they did not know that Joseph understood, for the interpreter was between them." — Genesis 42:23”
Yaacov, native Jerusalemite
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