TARLAC STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

CENTER OF DEVELOPMENT IN TEACHER EDUCATION
Re-accredited Level IV by the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and
Universities of the Philippines (AACUP), Inc.

An Activity for

Hebrew Literature
Presented by:
MARIA CARYLL JOY CABALLERO
MONICA JOYCE CAPULONG
ANGEL GARCIA
CHRISTOPHER JOHN MACAPULAY
JASPER MATIAS
BSEd English-2C

Presented to:
MS. SHEILA MARIE DAVID
Course Instructor

March 2021
 BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY
The book of Deuteronomy (Hebrew: Devarim “Words”) which literally means “second law”
from the Greek words ‘deuteros’ and ‘nomos.’ Moses restates God’s commands to the new
generation which was originally given to the people of Israel forty years ago mentioned in the book
of Exodus and Leviticus. It is the last book of the five books of Torah also known as the “Five
books of Moses.” The book contains mainly the set or series of sermons addressed by Moses to all
of the Israelites before his death. Highlighting on the nation’s mistake in the past, Moses warns
the people not to make the same mistakes again as they reach the ‘Promised Land.’ Having Canaan
will fulfill God’s promises, but if the people fall into idolatry or refuse to obey the law, they will
be banished or exiled. The majority of the book of Deuteronomy sets around 1406 BC and takes
place near the Jordan River, which serves as a border between some quite unpleasant desert country
(you might think of scorpions, no water, few oases, and snakes) and the land of Israel, which is an
Eden in comparison to the deserts that surround it. More specifically, it is the final dividing line
between the Israelites and the Promised Land.
The underlying themes in Deuteronomy emphasizes God's uniqueness, the need for radical
centralization of worship, and compassion for the poor. Deuteronomy was characterized or
referred as the “Book of the Law,” (Joshua 1:8 KJV) due to the fact that Moses repeatedly explains
God’s laws and commandments to the new generation. Deuteronomy was preached by Moses in a
somber tone. It is broken up into three large sections: Chapters 1-11, Chapters 12-26, and Chapters
27-34.
In Chapter 1-11, Moses begins the first section with highlighting Israels’s rebellion and
resistance which has been going on for the last forty years and that sets up the part wherein Moses
challenges the new generation to be different from their ancestors or parents and respond to God’s
grace with love and obedience. Moses reminds the ten commandments as the basics of the
covenant: (1) No other gods, (2) No idols, (3) The God’s name, (4) Keep Sabbath, (5) Honor
parents, (6) No murder, (7) No adultery, (8) No theft, (9) No lying, and (10) No coveting. And
then, he also preach the famous line which is “Listen oh Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord alone.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” In
Jewish tradition, this is called the ‘Shema’ because the first Hebrew word in this line is Listen or
‘Shema Israel’ and this became a very important prayer in Judaism twice a day and it emphasizes
the Israelites exclusive commitment to their God, the one true God who loved and rescued them
from slavery because they’re about to go into land where people are worshipping many other gods
and Moses thinks that loyalty to their Lord, their God is the only way to live a proper life. Moses
wants us to notice the keywords which are ‘Listen’ and ‘Love.’ The word ‘Listen’ in Hebrew
means more than just let sound waves come into our ears, it includes the idea of responding to
what you hear, so for Israel this means responding to God’s grace by obeying the laws of the
covenant and then ‘Listen’ is always followed by ‘Love.’ ‘Love’ is the true motivation for obeying
the laws. Israel would not obey without ‘Love’ and they don’t truly love if they don’t ‘Listen’ or
obey, so there’s this tight connection between loving and listening that runs through the entire
book. Moses tells them that if they do listen and love, they will fulfill their original calling as the
family of Abraham to show all the nations the wisdom and justice of God and become a blessing
to them (Gen. 22:18 KJV).
In the second section which are the Chapters 12-26 has a large block of laws and commands
and this is where the book gets its name Deuteronomy which means “second law.” In the first line
of the book, Moses explains and clarifies the laws, repeating and expanding it making them
relevant to the new generation. The laws are mostly about how Israel’s to worship God, laws about
their leadership structure, social justice, and the likes. After preaching all the laws, Moses warns
Israel of the consequences of their obedience or disobedience, or in his words, the ‘Blessing’ or
the ‘Curse.’ If they listen and love, they will experience blessing and abundance in the land, and
if they don’t there’s going to be cursed such as famine, plagues, and the likes which will get them
to be forced off their land into exile.
In the final section of the book specifically in the Chapters 27-34, Moses says “I set before you
today Life or Death, a blessing or a curse. So choose Life…” (Deuteronomy 30:19–20 KJV). but
then things get really interesting because after 40 years with the people, Moses knows that they’re
not going to obey and so he predicts their failure and even their future exile from the Promised
Land. And he focused on what he thinks is the true source of the problem that they have hard and
selfish hearts, it’s as if Israel is incapable of truly loving God in a way that brings about obedience.
But this problem is not unique to Israel, in fact, when Moses was using this language about blessing
and course, he’s tying Israel’s story all the way back to all humanity’s story from Genesis chapters
1 to 3. Adam and Eve were blessed by God just like Israel and given a choice to trust and obey
God like Israel and then they rebelled and brought a curse on the land like Moses knows Israel is
going to do. Moses being the servant of God, doesn’t give up hope entirely. He says that somehow
on the other side of Israel’s exile God promises to transform their hearts, so that one day they can
truly listen and love. In the final chapters Joshua has appointed as the new leader of Israel and the
Moses takes the entire law code, the one he just predicted Israel would break and put it into the
ark of the covenant. After that Moses hikes up to the top of a mountain, up there, the Promised
Land can be seen, and then he died which makes the book of Torah ended.
Deuteronomy’s teachings focus on loving and keeping God’s commandments (Deuteronomy
11:1) which is exactly what our savior Jesus Christ expects and wants us to do (John 14:15). One
of the highlighted scenes in the bible incorporating some verses in the Deuteronomy is when our
savior Lord Jesus Christ was asked on what is the greatest commandment and he cites the verse of
Deuteronomy 6:5, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,
and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30) He also quoted Deuteronomy
three times when the devil tempts him in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11).
 BOOK OF JEREMIAH
With the exception of the Book of Isaiah, which contains the acts of several prophets, the
biblical texts of the Old Testament. Jeremiah produces a lot of biographical and historical material,
in addition to the prophet's own words. This content is particularly significant because it displays
the prophet's identity more precisely than every other prophetic book shows the identities of its
writers. Furthermore, the text describes some of Jeremiah's most important incidents.
Jeremiah's life and teachings had a significant impact on the eventual growth of both
Judaism and Christianity. Many New Testament passages indicate that Jesus and Paul not only
embraced basic Jeremiah doctrines, but also put them at the forefront of their understandings of
the importance of faith. This is why Jeremiah, along with others, is widely regarded as one of the
greatest Hebrew prophets. Jeremiah's book contains oracles, names, prayers, and exhortations from
the prophet himself. The text is organized without regard for chronological or actual order and is
made up of materials supplied by others but important to Jeremiah's writing. We will summarize
the most relevant concepts found in Jeremiah's teachings. The book begins by reciting Jeremiah's
call to be a prophet, These passages are written from Jeremiah's later years, when it appeared to
him that Yahweh had a plan, or intention, for him even before Jeremiah was born. Jeremiah, like
Zephaniah, is said to be worried about the looming conquest of Judah by the Scythians. He believed
that his nation had been completely destroyed as a reasonable punishment for the crimes of its
people. His critics viewed the possibility that his predictions were not met in this regard as proof
that he was a false prophet. The revelation of the law book in the Jerusalem Church was a
significant event a few years after Jeremiah began his prophetic mission. This book was
proclaimed the Lord's name, and King Josiah incorporated it into the law of the land. This is the
main book of what is now known as the Book of Deuteronomy.
Jeremiah lived during a pivotal time in Hebrew history. His public ministry continued
throughout King Josiah's reign (640–609 B.C.) until the fall of Jerusalem and the beginning of his
imprisonment. King Jehoiakim (609–598 B.C.) and King Zedekiah (597–586 B.C.) were vehement
opponents who threatened King Jehoiakim's existence many times. After the fall of Jerusalem, the
Babylonians permitted him to stay in his homeland, and many of his fellow citizens were
enthralled. Later, he was taken to Egypt against his will by an exile party that decided it was
important for them to leave Jerusalem. In all of Jeremiah's teachings, the overriding theme is the
human experience of faith, as opposed to merely outward forms of worship. The most important
aspect of true religious experience, according to him, is a person's friendship with Yahweh.
External acts of worship, such as offering offerings, paying vows, and attending Temple services,
have no significance unless they lead to a transformed existence in which Yahweh's spirit takes
control of a person's mind and core. Person religious experience is the primary focus in all of
Jeremiah's teachings, in contrast to simple outward modes of worship. Genuine faith, according to
him, is defined by a person's relationship with the Lord. External worship, such as making a
sacrifice, taking a vow, and attending temple services, has no significance unless it contributes to
a transformation in a person's mind and heart.
Jeremiah's own religious life is revealed in large part through his documented prayers, which
demonstrate the prophet's close relationship with the deity he worshipped. These prayers often take
the form of discussions, with a sincerity and authenticity seldom seen in prayer. Yahweh's heart
and mind were opened by Jeremiah, who did not hesitate to speak the truth. When he felt Yahweh
was being unfair to him, he voiced his dissatisfaction simply and unequivocally.However, his
prayers were never monologuing in which he spoke. After speaking, he would listen to Yahweh's
answer, and the whole conversation would have a deeper meaning than a formal prayer. In later
generations, Jeremiah came to admire and respect him for his personal integrity, bravery, and
remarkable insights.
Since Jeremiah prophesied in the final years of Judah before God's people were banished to
Babylon, the book's overall theme of judgment makes sense. Indeed, the first 45 chapters are
mainly concerned with Judah's impending judgment as a result of its unbelief and disobedience.
These incidents, however, have a sense of grace about them. The original covenant between God
and the Israelites in the Sinai desert (Exodus 24:1–18) was made nearly nine hundred years before
the fall of Jerusalem. Such a long period of time demonstrates God's great patience and
compassion, allowing His people to repent of their sinful ways—a lifestyle they had begun not
long after the initial covenant was made (32:1–35).
 BOOK OF PSALMS
Book of Psalms, in both its original Hebrew and its numerous translations, is probably the best-
known book of the Hebrew Bible. For more than two millennia it has captivated and inspired a
wide variety of readers and worshipers. Subsequent attempts in the Western tradition to create
moving liturgical poems, be they private or public devotions, have not replicated the expressive
force of Psalms.
Going beyond literary devices, beyond artfulness, beyond authorship, to recognize two salient
characteristics of the Psalms. First, the Psalms embody a coherent view of a world governed by a
single powerful, providential God, one who cares for human needs and attends to human prayer
and praise. Second, we cannot escape the distinctive voice of the “Psalmist”—that is, the authors
of the various Psalms, whoever they might be. This voice both speaks to an attentive God and
allows the worshipful person to use the voice for his or her own communication.
The book of Psalms is a remarkable collection of Hebrew poetry focused on prayer and worship
of God for His past faithfulness present love and future hope in spite of life’s tremendous
difficulties. The book of Psalms was written to help us worship God. It teaches us to day and night
meditate upon God’s Word and it provides an enormous amount of material to use in that time of
private worship and reflection. Regardless of any life situation, whether it be betrayal or victory,
deep loss or joyful gain, a time of confusion or a time of celebration, there is an appropriate psalm
for that season.
Traditionally, the psalms are separated into five books, and many poems are further
distinguished by brief titles attributing the given work to a specific author, though these titles were
probably added at a later date by an editor or group of editors of the psalms; the authorship of the
psalms is uncertain at best. Because the subject matter of the psalms ranges from the events of
King David’s dynasty to the exile of the Israelites in Babylon, the poems may have been composed
anywhere from the tenth century b.c. to the sixth century b.c. or later.
Many of the psalms rehearse episodes of Israel’s history, especially the story of Israel’s exodus
from Egypt and its arrival in the promised land. Psalm 137 is a beautiful lament of the early days
of Israel’s captivity in Babylon. The poem opens with the image of the Israelites weeping by the
banks of the Babylonian rivers, longing for Jerusalem, or Zion. When their captors ask the
Israelites to sing for them, the Israelites refuse, hanging their harps on the branches of the willow
trees. The poet asks, “How could we sing the Lord’s / song / in a foreign land?” (137:4). The poem
ends with a call for vengeance on the Babylonians. It acts as an earnest reminder both to the exiled
Israelites and to later biblical readers of the importance of the promised land for the celebration of
the Jewish faith.
Psalms are the most heartfelt songs we can imagine that represent every different occasion in
life — moments of great joy and gratitude as well as moments of great sorrow and perplexity. In
the Book of Psalms, you will find verses that will surprise you with their perfect fit with events in
your own life at any given time. We can always turn to Psalms for inspiration — with a humility
that yearns to know God better, to feel His tender presence, and, ultimately, to rejoice and praise
God's goodness.
 SONGS OF SOLOMON
The Song of Solomon, also known as Canticle of Canticles or Song of Songs, is an Old
Testament book from the Ketuvim, or "Writings" portion of the Bible. It is widely regarded as the
greatest song ever written. The book is a compilation of love poems spoken alternately by a man
and a woman, whose author is unknown (Solomon's name is a later addition). The book fails to
tell a coherent narrative. Several of the poems systematically depict the beloved's elegance and
excellence. The Song of Solomon has been interpreted in a variety of ways, but the most common
interpretation was allegorical.
The poetry is written in the form of a conversation between a man (the King) and a woman
(the Shulamite). The book can be divided into three sections: courtship, marriage, and maturing
marriage. The song starts before the wedding, with the bride-to-be wishing to be with her betrothed
and anticipating his intimate caresses. She does, however, recommend allowing love to grow
naturally and in its own time. The king compliments the Shulamite's beauty, assuaging her self-
consciousness regarding her appearance. The Shulamite has a dream in which she is separated
from Solomon and must search the city for him. She locates her beloved with the assistance of the
city guards and clings to him, transporting him to a safe place. She repeats her admonition not to
force love when she wakes up. On the wedding night, the husband acknowledges his wife's beauty
once more, and the wife invites her husband to partake of all she has to share in highly symbolic
language. God blesses their marriage as they make love. The husband and wife go through a tough
period as their marriage progresses, which is symbolized in another dream. The Shulamite rejects
her husband in this second dream, and he flees. She searches the city for him, overcome with guilt;
but, instead of assisting her, the guards beat her, symbolizing her troubled conscience. The couples
reconcile and the story comes to a happy conclusion. Both the husband and wife are confident and
comfortable in their love as the song ends, singing of the lasting essence of true love and longing
to be in each other's company.
It was composed in the early years of Solomon's reign. This would put the composition date
around 965 B.C. The setting was in Jerusalem, or someone who went there once. The Song of
Songs is divided into eight chapters and has 117 verses, each of which praises and expresses love.
It starts with a woman longing for her man's kiss and ends with the recognition that love is "as
deep as death." Their love is both satisfying and equal, she desires him, he desires her, and we
know by the end that their happy marriage will happen. The Song of Solomon has been interpreted
in a variety of ways, the most common of which are allegorical, dramatic, cultic, and literal. The
allegorical interpretation of the book among Jews sees it as an allegory of God's love for the
Israelites, with whom he has made a sacred covenant. For the Christians, they see it as reflecting
Christ's covenantal love for his church. Song of Solomon or Song of Songs is a love poetry in its
genre, and since it was a dialogue between a man and a woman sharing their love for each other,
the style used in the book was speech. Metaphors and Symbolism was applied on the book.
Some have attempted to view Song of Songs as a representation of God's unfailing love for His
people. Some believe it is a book of wisdom about what an ideal love union between a man and a
woman looks like because of its lyrical language and sensual themes. We are offered the kind of
love union conceived and ordained by God in Song of Songs, one that is full of pure and powerful
sensuality, reverence, appreciation, and adoration.