On Priests and Jericho in the Second Temple Period
The history of Second Temple period Jericho was to a great extent the history of "priestly" Jericho. The fertility of the Jericho region as well as its adminstrative importance apparently attracted a large priestly population to the site rather early during the Second Temple period. The pr...
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
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| Published: |
Penn Press
1988
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| In: |
The Jewish quarterly review
Year: 1988, Volume: 79, Issue: 1, Pages: 23-48 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | The history of Second Temple period Jericho was to a great extent the history of "priestly" Jericho. The fertility of the Jericho region as well as its adminstrative importance apparently attracted a large priestly population to the site rather early during the Second Temple period. The priestly population of Jericho grew when the area was further developed by the Hasmoneans who built royal estates there. Talmudic tradition also refers to a large priestly settlement. According to the rabbis, a priestly course would be divided in halves: one half would go up to Jerusalem to officiate in the Temple while the other half of the course would go to Jericho to arrange supplies for their brethren serving in the Temple. It is my contention that this reflects Hasmonean policy attempting to regulate and control priestly prerogatives. The large priestly population of Jericho is also verified by the numerous ritual baths discovered there. Although the fortunes of the Jericho priests took a turn for the worse after the Hasmonean period, the history of Jericho continued to be determined to a great extent by the priestly population which remained there. Talmudic tradition apparently refers to the attempt of local priests to save their land or crops from being commandeered by Herod. The fertile Jericho valley became crown property toward the end of the Second Temple period. A number of talmudic traditions relating to the priests of Jericho can be understood only in light of the imperial status of Jericho and in particular in relation to the economic and political conditions to which the priests were subject there. In spite of all this, however, the priests persevered and continued to set the tone in Jericho. |
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| ISSN: | 1553-0604 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: The Jewish quarterly review
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.2307/1454416 |