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Teacher Resource Bank
GCE Religious Studies
Explanation of Terms
Unit 1F: Old Testament
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Teacher Resource Bank / GCE Religious Studies / Explanation of Terms Unit 1F: Old Testament / Version 1.0
EXPLANATION OF TERMS
GCE Religious Studies Unit 1F: Old Testament
Term
Definition
Abraham
Traditionally, the ‘father of the Jewish people’. He is also a highly
respected figure in the Christian and Muslim traditions.
Ancient Near East
(ANE)
The countries and societal issues which surrounded, and included,
ancient Israel.
anointing
The act of pouring oil over the head of someone as a sign that he
was chosen by God to be king and enjoyed a unique relationship with
him. Anointing was carried out by priests or prophets.
Amos
8th century prophet to the Northern Kingdom (Israel), who denounced
the social and religious practices of the upper and middle classes.
He warned that the ‘Day of the Lord’ was imminent, and that it would
mean disaster.
Apocrypha
Books which are accepted as canonical by the Catholic and Orthodox
Church but which are disputed within some other churches.
authorities
Those in government or other positions of power and influence. In
pre-exilic Israel, the authorities were the king and his advisers, and
the chief priests associated with the Jerusalem or Bethel temples.
Bible
Sacred book of Christians containing both the Old and New
Testaments. For Jews, Bible is Torah, Nevi’im and Ketubim
(Tanakh), which Christians call the Old Testament.
Canaan
The name given to ancient Palestine before it was occupied by the
Jews. It was referred to in the Bible as the land promised by God to
the Israelites.
conquest
The traditional view that after the wilderness wanderings, the
Israelites entered and dominated Canaan by conquest. The book of
Joshua records a series of lightning defeats inflicted by Joshua on
various Canaanite city-states.
covenant
c A binding agreement made in the presence of God.
d God’s unconditional promises as, for example, in the Noahic
covenant (Genesis 9 v 8).
Elijah
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9th century prophet to the Northern Kingdom of Israel, who came into
conflict with Ahab and Jezebel (the king and queen) and who
defended Yahwism against Baalism.
Copyright © 2008 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
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Teacher Resource Bank / GCE Religious Studies / Explanation of Terms Unit 1F: Old Testament / Version 1.0
Term
Definition
exclusivity
The refusal to accept the ideas and practices of others. In pre-exilic
Israel, this was the official attitude of Yahwism to possible Canaanite
influences.
Exodus
c The escape of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.
d The second book of the Torah / Old Testament in which Moses
leads the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and receives the Ten
Commandments from God.
free will / freedom
Having the ability to choose or determine one’s own actions.
Genesis
The first book of the Torah / Old Testament.
Hebrew
c The language spoken by ancient Israel and in which the books of
the Old Testament were written.
d The name by which individual Israelites in the earliest period of
Israel’s story were known.
inclusivity
A willingness to embrace other ideas and practices. In pre-exilic
Israel, this was seen in the open attitude shown by many Israelites to
Canaanite ideas and practices.
Israel
① New name given to the patriarch Jacob. (Literally means ‘one
who struggles with God’.)
② The name used in the Old Testament for the Jewish people as a
whole.
③ The name of the Northern Kingdom. This nation was created by
the division of the Kingdom and came to an end in 721 BCE.
④ The modern Jewish country in the Middle East.
Kings
① Rulers of Israel and Judah from the 11th – 6th centuries BCE
d The name given to two books of the Old Testament.
kingship
The position, power and prerogative relating to being a king.
Moses
Hebrew prophet and leader, who led the Jews out of Egypt. He
received the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai.
nationhood
The state of being a nation, i.e. of being organised under a single
government with common customs, origins and aims and of being
recognised as such by those outside.
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Copyright © 2008 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
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Teacher Resource Bank / GCE Religious Studies / Explanation of Terms Unit 1F: Old Testament / Version 1.0
Term
Definition
Old Testament
Christian name for the books of the Bible written almost entirely in
Hebrew, relating to ancient Israel.
prophets
Those people who have been specifically chosen by God to
communicate messages to others.
Revised Standard
Version
An English translation of the Bible published in the mid 20th century.
Samuel
The 10th century prophet who was also the last of Israel’s judges and
who also performed priestly functions. He anointed as king both Saul
and David.
Saul
The first king of Israel, who was anointed by Samuel.
slavery
The state of bondage to another individual, institution or nation. In
the time of Moses, some of the ancestors of Israel were slaves in
Egypt, set to work on Egyptian building projects.
syncretism
The fusion of elements from different religions. In the pre-exilic
period of Israel’s history, the religious beliefs and practices of many
Israelites contained Canaanite and Yahwist elements.
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