Topical Bible: Jonathan: A Scribe

◄ Jonathan: A Scribe ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

Jonathan, identified as a scribe in the Old Testament, plays a role in the administrative and religious life of ancient Israel. His mention in the Scriptures, though brief, provides insight into the function and importance of scribes during the biblical era.

Biblical References:

Jonathan is mentioned in the context of King David's reign. In 1 Chronicles 27:32, we read: "Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a counselor; he was a man of insight and a scribe. Jehiel son of Hachmoni attended the king’s sons." . This passage highlights Jonathan's dual role as both a counselor and a scribe, indicating his significant position within the royal court. His designation as a "man of insight" suggests that he possessed wisdom and understanding, qualities essential for his responsibilities.

Role and Function:

The role of a scribe in ancient Israel was multifaceted. Scribes were responsible for recording, copying, and preserving important documents, including legal texts, royal decrees, and religious writings. They were often educated individuals who possessed the skills necessary for reading and writing, which were not widespread among the general population. As a scribe, Jonathan would have been entrusted with the accurate transmission of information, a task that required precision and integrity.

In addition to his scribal duties, Jonathan served as a counselor to King David. This role would have involved providing advice and guidance on matters of state and possibly religious affairs. His position as a counselor underscores the trust and respect he garnered from the king, further emphasizing his importance in the administration of the kingdom.

Historical and Religious Context:

The period of King David's reign was marked by significant political and religious developments. As Israel transitioned from a loose confederation of tribes to a centralized monarchy, the need for skilled administrators like Jonathan became increasingly important. Scribes played a crucial role in maintaining the continuity and stability of the kingdom by ensuring that laws and decrees were properly documented and communicated.

From a religious perspective, scribes were instrumental in preserving the sacred texts and traditions of Israel. Their work laid the foundation for the transmission of the Scriptures, which would later be compiled into what is now known as the Old Testament. Jonathan's involvement in this process, though not explicitly detailed, would have contributed to the preservation of Israel's religious heritage.

Legacy:

While Jonathan's specific contributions as a scribe are not extensively documented, his mention in the biblical narrative highlights the essential role scribes played in the life of ancient Israel. His wisdom and service to King David reflect the broader responsibilities and influence of scribes in shaping the spiritual and political landscape of the nation. Through his work, Jonathan would have helped to ensure the continuity of Israel's religious and cultural identity, a legacy that endures through the biblical text.

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Jeremiah 37:15,20
Why the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made that the prison.
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Jeremiah 38:26
Then you shall say to them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan's house, to die there.
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Library

The World's Wages to a Prophet
... Wherefore the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him in prison
in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made that the prison.16. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the worlds wages to a.htm

Carried Captive into Babylon
... O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee; that
thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 37 carried captive into.htm

How David Brought under the Philistines, and the Moabites, and the ...
... He also made Seisan the scribe, and committed the command over the guards of his ...
called to mind the covenants and the oaths he had made with Jonathan, the son ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 5 how david brought.htm

Traditionalism, Its Origin, Character, and Literature - the ...
... If Ezra is described in Holy Writ [450] as a ready (expertus) Scribe,' who had ... places
the origin of these two schools in the time of Jonathan, the successor of ...
/.../chapter viii traditionalism its origin.htm

In Jerusalem when Herod Reigned
... at last taken by Simon, the brother and successor of Jonathan, and levelled ... Law,
respectfully followed by his disciples; and the quick-witted, subtle Scribe. ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter i in jerusalem when.htm

From John Yeardley's Conversion to the Commencement of his Public ...
... 7 mo.15.""Cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die
there." These words of our weeping prophet have sensibly affected my heart ...
/.../chapter i from john yeardleys.htm

The Old Testament Canon from Its Beginning to Its Close.
... Nehemiah was a statesman, not a priest or scribe; a politician, not a ... Jonathan, Judas
Maccabaeus's successor, when writing to the Lacedaemonians, speaks of the ...
/.../davidson/the canon of the bible/chapter ii the old testament.htm

Synagogues: their Origin, Structure and Outward Arrangements
... Thus, both the Targum Jonathan and the Jerusalem Targum represent Jacob as an attendant ...
that "the book of the law" was discovered by Shaphan the scribe in "the ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 16 synagogues their origin.htm

Criticism of the Sacred Text.
... The easiest reading"that which most naturally suggests itself to the scribe"has
less ... Of the Targums, those of Onkelos and Jonathan alone are capable of ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xvii criticism of the.htm

First Attempts on Jerusalem.
... preaching, they were surpassed by the orator of the synagogue, the casuist, and
the sofer or scribe, although the ... Compare the Targum of Jonathan, Isaiah 12:3.]. ...
/.../renan/the life of jesus/chapter xiii first attempts on.htm