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    Sefire Treaty

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    Jason Wan
    The document summarizes key points about the Sefire Treaty, an important 8th century BC Aramaic treaty discovered in Syria. It describes the treaty as being between two kings of unequal power, with one king imposing obligations on the other (a suzerain-vassal relationship). The primary purpose of such "suzerain treaties" in the ancient Near East was to secure the interests of the powerful king and ensure allegiance and support from the weaker vassal king. The document notes this suzerain-vassal relationship resembles the one between God and the people of Israel.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Sefire Treaty

    Uploaded by

    Jason Wan
    52 views1 page
    The document summarizes key points about the Sefire Treaty, an important 8th century BC Aramaic treaty discovered in Syria. It describes the treaty as being between two kings of unequal power, with one king imposing obligations on the other (a suzerain-vassal relationship). The primary purpose of such "suzerain treaties" in the ancient Near East was to secure the interests of the powerful king and ensure allegiance and support from the weaker vassal king. The document notes this suzerain-vassal relationship resembles the one between God and the people of Israel.

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    The document summarizes key points about the Sefire Treaty, an important 8th century BC Aramaic treaty discovered in Syria. It describes the treaty as being between two kings of unequal power, with one king imposing obligations on the other (a suzerain-vassal relationship). The primary purpose of such "suzerain treaties" in the ancient Near East was to secure the interests of the powerful king and ensure allegiance and support from the weaker vassal king. The document notes this suzerain-vassal relationship resembles the one between God and the people of Israel.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    52 views1 page

    Sefire Treaty

    Uploaded by

    Jason Wan
    The document summarizes key points about the Sefire Treaty, an important 8th century BC Aramaic treaty discovered in Syria. It describes the treaty as being between two kings of unequal power, with one king imposing obligations on the other (a suzerain-vassal relationship). The primary purpose of such "suzerain treaties" in the ancient Near East was to secure the interests of the powerful king and ensure allegiance and support from the weaker vassal king. The document notes this suzerain-vassal relationship resembles the one between God and the people of Israel.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
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    Thursday, 26 April 2018

    Sefire Treaty

    Thompson, J. A., The Ancient Near Eastern Treaties and the Old
    TestamentLondon: Tyndale, 1964.

    - [10] … there is extant in three recensions an important Aramaic treaty between


    Mati’ilu of Arpad and Bar-ga’ayah of KTK, discovered near the market town of
    Sefiré, south-east of Aleppo, by some local tribe-people. The treaty dates to the
    middle of the eighth century B.C.

    - Some Characteristics of the Near Eastern treaties

    - [10] Two broad classes:



    parity treaties: two treaties in opposite directions in which two kings of more or
    less equal importance bound each other to identical obligations.

    suzerain treaties: imposed by powerful kings on their vassals. An inferior ruler was
    bound to obey stipulations imposed on him by his suzerain.

    - [10-11] It is the typical suzerain-vassal relationship with bears a closer


    resemblance to the relationship which existed between YHWH and His people
    Israel.

    - [11] Primary purpose of all suzerain treaties: to secure the interest of the great
    king and to guarantee the allegiance and the economic and military support of the
    vassal… Presumably it was open for any vassal to reject the proposal in dire
    consequences. The case was somewhat different with the Assyrians who held out
    no such promises but depended on intimidation and threat of divine visitations
    with curses in case of infidelity.

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