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• First, a short introduction where you state 1) claim (or thesis, ie., how you’d answer the
research question I posed), and 2) explain the argument that will proceed in paper. • Second,
analysis of argument in 3-5 pages • Last, a thorough conclusion, in which you summarize your
argument, moves made in paper, and talk about the implications of your paper. Implications
could be literary, historical, or theological. 4-5 pages

First, answer: why are these two topics (migration as evil/causing suffering) constantly
married in all the genres/texts of the HB/OT (i.e., why the different writers join these two
themes)? Here you may use Carr and the OT to help answer this.

- Growing pains
- Migration is not evil; the journey is hard
- Exodus

Then, answer: If you can come up with an overarching question about

God-migration-suffering that the Judean biblical writers are wrestling with the most in the
anthology of the HB/OT that we’ve read so far, what would it be? What is your biblical
evidence? Use a biblical story, a prophetic text, a lament, or a combination of these texts to flesh
out an argument (i.e., a thesis).

- “Why do bad things happen to people?”

- Hebrews - Moses

For example, you may argue that a particular story or stories are the key interpretative
texts of a book, or central to the understanding of a certain prophet, or a lament, etc, that point to
the most pressing question the biblical writers are wrestling with. Here is where you come up
with an interpretation, so no need to use Carr, my lectures, etc.
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Growing Pains are Real

My paper will be on two ideas. The first one is that migration in the form of an evil, and

the causation of suffering is commonly linked throughout the texts of the Old Testament due to

the misunderstanding of growing pains. I talk about growing pains in terms of the difficulties one

faces during major periods of change. The idea that migration in of itself is evil is not one I agree

with, but rather, see it more as a natural correlation during times of change. The second idea I

will talk about is that the question of, “Why do bad things happen to people?” The term ‘bad’ is

subjective, and the events that the Hebrew people had to go through can be seen through

different perspectives, as it does not necessarily have to be considered ‘bad’, but rather,

necessary evils in order for better change to come.

The connection between migration and suffering might appear to be purposely done at

first, considering the number of times it comes up in the Old Testament. However, I believe that

suffering is commonly connected with changes. Growing pains are real in any situation, with

migration being no exception. God tends to nudge these groups of people in what He considers

to be the right direction, and He cannot do that unless He gives them an incentive. The biggest

example of this is shown in Exodus when God promised Moses and the Hebrew people a land all

for themselves where they do not have to be the slaves of anyone.

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Everything happens for a reason, and while the things that happen to us may sometimes

appear to be painful can actually be beneficial in the long run. There are things beyond our

control, and it is important to be able to recognize that and to hold out hope. In Exodus, God

showed the Hebrews the longer route to Israel in order to avoid a war occuring in the shorter

route. Considering how scarce information was at this time, it is possible that these group of

Hebrews never found out about this war that happened, so they could have never known why the

longer, forty year route was necessary. No journey is easy, and it is how we respond to the things

that occur in our life that reveal our character.

However, every migration that God pushed for was not necessarily due to positive

changes in their lives. While God is known to have a plan, some of his plans involved the

punishment for sins, which is what some of these migrations involved. Although, it is important

to note that the anamorphic view of God that the Hebrews display in the Old Testament make it

hard to determine which punishments might have come from God and which were simply natural

disasters they had to endure for nature’s sake. In Exodus, he makes sure that the Hebrew people

who end up living in the Promised Land are the children of the people who left Egypt. He

purposely makes it so that the original generation of travelers do not make it, as it was his

punishment for all the complaining and doubts they had during the journey.

The biblical authors grappled with a variety of questions during the writing process, as

they were dealing with a major existential crisis. I believe that the biggest question on their mind

was, “Why do bad things happen to people?” as they could not fathom why they were going

through such terrible times. The Old Testament being written during the Exile of the Hebrew

people creates a context to the pessimistic view the Hebrew people held of God and their overall

circumstances. This view is clearly represented in the Lamentations, as they question God’s
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reasoning and complain about their exile. They feel defeated and unheard, as in the fifth

Lamentation called, “A Plea for Mercy,” they pool together a community voice to talk about how

badly they are being treated in Babylon, and how they urge for the good old days.

Originally, I was going to phrase this overarching question as, “Why do bad things

happen to good people?” However, the word good is very subjective. Growing up in a

non-christian household, I have never truly grappled with the idea of sins and sinning. In reading

the Old Testament, the Hebrew people seemed to me to be fairly good people. Though in

consideration of the fact that my concept of sinning is underdeveloped, I have no idea what was

considered to be a ‘good’ person to God and to the Hebrews in the Old Testament. Without

attaching this adjective, the point still stands as to why these bad things were happening to

people in general. What amount of sins could possibly incur that amount of punishment? In the

story of Genesis, God punished Adam and Eve in a way that included the rest of all humanity.

Personally, I would not consider Adam and Eve bad people for eating that forbidden fruit,

however, God had his own reasonings and ways of distributing punishments for sins that does

not make sense to me.

The idea of the suffering involved in migration simply being growing pains connects to

this question of, “Why do bad things happen to people?” It is all about the perspective you

choose to view it from. As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, good is subjective, but so is

bad. The Old Testament has very strong, “Why me?” vibes, which is completely understandable.

However, in changing your perspective, there is more to these migrations than simply suffering.

It is a time of change and growing, and viewing these difficulties as necessary changes in order

to grow into a better person would have changed the Old Testament completely, in the sense of

looking at God and the things they went through in a different, more positive light. While I may
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not be a Christian, I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, and while it is easy

to complain and cry out against the circumstances we find ourselves in, it is important to always

keep in mind that there may be a reason this is happening to you and that outcome will be better

than the circumstances you originally wanted to be in.

In conclusion, migration is not evil suffering but rather a necessary growing pain in

between the reality you are leaving and the reality you are moving towards. As the evidence in

every migratant’s story shows, things are not as easy as black and white since there are a variety

of factors involved in this topic. The question of “Why do bad things happen to people?” circles

back to the first question of the correlation between migration and suffering. Growing pains are a

necessary ‘bad’ in order to better appreciate the good, as well as in terms of growing as a better

individual. Stating something as good or bad is very subjective, therefore, it is important to

understand the context and the outcome of things in the Bible, as the Hebrew people viewed all

the things that occurred to them in a negative way. Changes always come with difficulties, but it

is the perspective you focus on that can change these difficulties to new, exciting challenges.