Un jour, Une Œuvre,
20/05
Figurines or
Small Plaques AO 16716 Richelieu room 2 showcase 4 (10-14) These figurines or small plaques show household gods or idols. They vary in size greatly: man-sized (1 Samuel 19:13) or much smaller.
Small plaques or Teraphim, household gods
They could therefore be put in the ‘basket' of a camel’s saddle. Owning these ‘teraphim’ had an impact on rights regarding family inheritance A144, which may explain the motivation of Rachel. - Genesis 31:29-34, note
An archaeological discovery made at Nuzi revealed the existence of a patriarchal law under the terms of which the possession of household gods gave a man the ownership rights over the property of his deceased father-in-law. Examples of biblical declarations confirmed by the excavations of Nuzi are so numerous that the Supplément au dictionnaire de la Bible (vol. VI, columns 663-672) devotes more than eight columns to them in small type. Teraphims were sometimes consulted to make predictions. - Ezekiel 21:21; 2 Kings 23:24. In Israel, their idolatry persisted. “Moving forward in arrogance is
like having recourse to magical powers
and teraphims” the Prophet Samuel
had warned. - 1 Samuel 15:23.
