Texts in Conversation
Both the Aramaic inscription KAI 26 and the book of Deuteronomy have stipulations for dealing with secret or tacit covenant disloyalty by appealing to divine judgment. In both cases, such disloyalty brings about a curse with the intent to erase their legacy and lineage, a severe penalty in honor and shame cultures.
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KAI 26.iii
Canaanite and Aramaic Inscriptions
Ancient Near East
But if any king of kings, or prince of princes, or any man who is a man of renown, should erase the name of Azatiwada from this gate and put (his own) name (on it), or even should he covet this city and tear out this gate which Azatiwada made, and make for it a different gate and put his name upon it whether he tears it out with covetousness or with hatred and evil he tears out this gate—then may Baʿal-Shamem and El Creator-of-Earth and the eternal Sun and the entire assembly of the sons of the gods blot out that kingdom and that king and that man!
Date: 1200 B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
Deuteronomy 29:20
Hebrew Bible
19 When such a person hears the words of this oath he secretly blesses himself and says, ‘I will have peace though I continue to walk with a stubborn spirit.’ This will destroy the watered ground with the parched. 20 The Lord will be unwilling to forgive him, and his intense anger will rage against that man; all the curses written in this scroll will fall upon him, and the Lord will obliterate his name from memory. 21 The Lord will single him out for judgment from all the tribes of Israel according to all the curses of the covenant written in this scroll of the law.
Date: 6th Century B.C.E. (Final composition) (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... The Hittite and Aramaic treaties, then, like Deuteronomy 29 also deal with the eventuality of tacit rebellion. However, as the authorities cannot act as they do in chapter 13 against such passive violators of the covenant, their punishment must consequently be left to Heaven ... Similar formulations are repeatedly encountered in the epilogue sections or on the seal impressions of the ancient Near Eastern treaties ..."
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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