Contents of the “Slave Bible”
Genesis | Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 18, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45
Exodus | Chapters 19, 20
Deuteronomy | Chapters 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 28
Book of Samuel | Chapters 17, 24
I Kings | Chapters 3, 8, 17, 18, 21
II Kings | Chapters 4, 5
Chronicles | Chapter 17
Job | Chapters 1, 2, 3, 38, 39, 42
Proverbs | Chapters 1-24
Ecclesiastes | Chapters 1-12
Isaiah | Chapters 1, 5, 9, 11, 14, 40, 42, 44, 45, 47, 51, 53, 55, 58, 60, 61
Daniel | Chapters 1-9
Hosea | Chapters 6, 11, 14
Joel | Chapters 1, 2
Discussion Questions:
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Grab your favorite translation of the Tanakh. What is missing?
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What would enslaved people understand the narrative of the Tanakh (or “Old Testament” of their redacted KJV Bible) to be?
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Why might the enslavers have made these textual choices?
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What is the purpose of the Psalms? What words come to mind when you think about them as a body of texts?
(א) אֵל־נְקָמ֥וֹת יְהֹוָ֑ה אֵ֖ל נְקָמ֣וֹת הוֹפִֽיעַ׃ (ב) הִ֭נָּשֵׂא שֹׁפֵ֣ט הָאָ֑רֶץ הָשֵׁ֥ב גְּ֝מ֗וּל עַל־גֵּאִֽים׃ (ג) עַד־מָתַ֖י רְשָׁעִ֥ים ׀ יְהֹוָ֑ה עַד־מָ֝תַ֗י רְשָׁעִ֥ים יַעֲלֹֽזוּ׃ (ד) יַבִּ֣יעוּ יְדַבְּר֣וּ עָתָ֑ק יִ֝תְאַמְּר֗וּ כׇּל־פֹּ֥עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃ (ה) עַמְּךָ֣ יְהֹוָ֣ה יְדַכְּא֑וּ וְֽנַחֲלָתְךָ֥ יְעַנּֽוּ׃ (ו) אַלְמָנָ֣ה וְגֵ֣ר יַהֲרֹ֑גוּ וִ֖יתוֹמִ֣ים יְרַצֵּֽחוּ׃ (ז) וַ֭יֹּ֣אמְרוּ לֹ֣א יִרְאֶה־יָּ֑הּ וְלֹא־יָ֝בִ֗ין אֱלֹהֵ֥י יַעֲקֹֽב׃ (ח) בִּ֭ינוּ בֹּעֲרִ֣ים בָּעָ֑ם וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים מָתַ֥י תַּשְׂכִּֽילוּ׃ (ט) הֲנֹ֣טַֽע אֹ֭זֶן הֲלֹ֣א יִשְׁמָ֑ע אִֽם־יֹ֥צֵֽר עַ֝֗יִן הֲלֹ֣א יַבִּֽיט׃ (י) הֲיֹסֵ֣ר גּ֭וֹיִם הֲלֹ֣א יוֹכִ֑יחַ הַֽמְלַמֵּ֖ד אָדָ֣ם דָּֽעַת׃ (יא) יְֽהֹוָ֗ה יֹ֭דֵעַ מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת אָדָ֑ם כִּי־הֵ֥מָּה הָֽבֶל׃ (יב) אַשְׁרֵ֤י ׀ הַגֶּ֣בֶר אֲשֶׁר־תְּיַסְּרֶ֣נּוּ יָּ֑הּ וּֽמִתּוֹרָתְךָ֥ תְלַמְּדֶֽנּוּ׃ (יג) לְהַשְׁקִ֣יט ל֭וֹ מִ֣ימֵי רָ֑ע עַ֤ד יִכָּרֶ֖ה לָרָשָׁ֣ע שָֽׁחַת׃ (יד) כִּ֤י ׀ לֹא־יִטֹּ֣שׁ יְהֹוָ֣ה עַמּ֑וֹ וְ֝נַחֲלָת֗וֹ לֹ֣א יַעֲזֹֽב׃ (טו) כִּֽי־עַד־צֶ֭דֶק יָשׁ֣וּב מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וְ֝אַחֲרָ֗יו כׇּל־יִשְׁרֵי־לֵֽב׃ (טז) מִֽי־יָק֣וּם לִ֭י עִם־מְרֵעִ֑ים מִי־יִתְיַצֵּ֥ב לִ֝֗י עִם־פֹּ֥עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃ (יז) לוּלֵ֣י יְ֭הֹוָה עֶזְרָ֣תָה לִּ֑י כִּמְעַ֓ט ׀ שָׁכְנָ֖ה דוּמָ֣ה נַפְשִֽׁי׃ (יח) אִם־אָ֭מַרְתִּי מָ֣טָה רַגְלִ֑י חַסְדְּךָ֥ יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה יִסְעָדֵֽנִי׃ (יט) בְּרֹ֣ב שַׂרְעַפַּ֣י בְּקִרְבִּ֑י תַּ֝נְחוּמֶ֗יךָ יְֽשַׁעַשְׁע֥וּ נַפְשִֽׁי׃ (כ) הַֽ֭יְחׇבְרְךָ כִּסֵּ֣א הַוּ֑וֹת יֹצֵ֖ר עָמָ֣ל עֲלֵי־חֹֽק׃ (כא) יָ֭גוֹדּוּ עַל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ צַדִּ֑יק וְדָ֖ם נָקִ֣י יַרְשִֽׁיעוּ׃ (כב) וַיְהִ֬י יְהֹוָ֣ה לִ֣י לְמִשְׂגָּ֑ב וֵ֝אלֹהַ֗י לְצ֣וּר מַחְסִֽי׃ (כג) וַיָּ֤שֶׁב עֲלֵיהֶ֨ם ׀ אֶת־אוֹנָ֗ם וּבְרָעָתָ֥ם יַצְמִיתֵ֑ם יַ֝צְמִיתֵ֗ם יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ {פ}
(1) God of retribution, LORD,
God of retribution, appear! (2) Rise up, judge of the earth,
give the arrogant their deserts! (3) How long shall the wicked, O LORD,
how long shall the wicked exult, (4) shall they utter insolent speech,
shall all evildoers vaunt themselves? (5) They crush Your people, O LORD,
they afflict Your very own; (6) they kill the widow and the stranger;
they murder the fatherless, (7) thinking, “The LORD does not see it,
the God of Jacob does not pay heed.”
(8) Take heed, you most brutish people;
fools, when will you get wisdom? (9) Shall He who implants the ear not hear,
He who forms the eye not see? (10) Shall He who disciplines nations not punish,
He who instructs men in knowledge? (11) The LORD knows the designs of men to be futile.
(12) Happy is the man whom You discipline, O LORD,
the man You instruct in Your teaching, (13) to give him tranquillity in times of misfortune,
until a pit be dug for the wicked. (14) For the LORD will not forsake His people;
He will not abandon His very own. (15) Judgment shall again accord with justice
and all the upright shall rally to it.
(16) Who will take my part against evil men?
Who will stand up for me against wrongdoers? (17) Were not the LORD my help,
I should soon dwell in silence. (18) When I think my foot has given way,
Your faithfulness, O LORD, supports me. (19) When I am filled with cares,
Your assurance soothes my soul.
(20) Shall the seat of injustice be Your partner,
that frames mischief by statute? (21) They band together to do away with the righteous;
they condemn the innocent to death. (22) But the LORD is my haven;
my God is my sheltering rock. (23) He will make their evil recoil upon them,
annihilate them through their own wickedness;
the LORD our God will annihilate them.
God of retribution, appear! (2) Rise up, judge of the earth,
give the arrogant their deserts! (3) How long shall the wicked, O LORD,
how long shall the wicked exult, (4) shall they utter insolent speech,
shall all evildoers vaunt themselves? (5) They crush Your people, O LORD,
they afflict Your very own; (6) they kill the widow and the stranger;
they murder the fatherless, (7) thinking, “The LORD does not see it,
the God of Jacob does not pay heed.”
(8) Take heed, you most brutish people;
fools, when will you get wisdom? (9) Shall He who implants the ear not hear,
He who forms the eye not see? (10) Shall He who disciplines nations not punish,
He who instructs men in knowledge? (11) The LORD knows the designs of men to be futile.
(12) Happy is the man whom You discipline, O LORD,
the man You instruct in Your teaching, (13) to give him tranquillity in times of misfortune,
until a pit be dug for the wicked. (14) For the LORD will not forsake His people;
He will not abandon His very own. (15) Judgment shall again accord with justice
and all the upright shall rally to it.
(16) Who will take my part against evil men?
Who will stand up for me against wrongdoers? (17) Were not the LORD my help,
I should soon dwell in silence. (18) When I think my foot has given way,
Your faithfulness, O LORD, supports me. (19) When I am filled with cares,
Your assurance soothes my soul.
(20) Shall the seat of injustice be Your partner,
that frames mischief by statute? (21) They band together to do away with the righteous;
they condemn the innocent to death. (22) But the LORD is my haven;
my God is my sheltering rock. (23) He will make their evil recoil upon them,
annihilate them through their own wickedness;
the LORD our God will annihilate them.
(א) לְ֭כוּ נְרַנְּנָ֣ה לַיהֹוָ֑ה נָ֝רִ֗יעָה לְצ֣וּר יִשְׁעֵֽנוּ׃ (ב) נְקַדְּמָ֣ה פָנָ֣יו בְּתוֹדָ֑ה בִּ֝זְמִר֗וֹת נָרִ֥יעַֽ לֽוֹ׃ (ג) כִּ֤י אֵ֣ל גָּד֣וֹל יְהֹוָ֑ה וּמֶ֥לֶךְ גָּ֝ד֗וֹל עַל־כׇּל־אֱלֹהִֽים׃
(1) Come, let us sing joyously to the LORD,
raise a shout for our rock and deliverer; (2) let us come into His presence with praise;
let us raise a shout for Him in song! (3) For the LORD is a great God,
the great king of all divine beings.
raise a shout for our rock and deliverer; (2) let us come into His presence with praise;
let us raise a shout for Him in song! (3) For the LORD is a great God,
the great king of all divine beings.
Discussion Questions:
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What is the message of the Psalm for Wednesday?
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What emotions does this Psalm evoke? Be as specific as possible.
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What is the role of the Divine in this Psalm?
(א) עַ֥ל נַהֲר֨וֹת ׀ בָּבֶ֗ל שָׁ֣ם יָ֭שַׁבְנוּ גַּם־בָּכִ֑ינוּ בְּ֝זׇכְרֵ֗נוּ אֶת־צִיּֽוֹן׃ (ב) עַֽל־עֲרָבִ֥ים בְּתוֹכָ֑הּ תָּ֝לִ֗ינוּ כִּנֹּרוֹתֵֽינוּ׃ (ג) כִּ֤י שָׁ֨ם שְֽׁאֵל֪וּנוּ שׁוֹבֵ֡ינוּ דִּבְרֵי־שִׁ֭יר וְתוֹלָלֵ֣ינוּ שִׂמְחָ֑ה שִׁ֥ירוּ לָ֝֗נוּ מִשִּׁ֥יר צִיּֽוֹן׃ (ד) אֵ֗יךְ נָשִׁ֥יר אֶת־שִׁיר־יְהֹוָ֑ה עַ֝֗ל אַדְמַ֥ת נֵכָֽר׃ (ה) אִֽם־אֶשְׁכָּחֵ֥ךְ יְֽרוּשָׁלָ֗͏ִם תִּשְׁכַּ֥ח יְמִינִֽי׃ (ו) תִּדְבַּֽק־לְשׁוֹנִ֨י ׀ לְחִכִּי֮ אִם־לֹ֢א אֶ֫זְכְּרֵ֥כִי אִם־לֹ֣א אַ֭עֲלֶה אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלַ֑͏ִם עַ֝֗ל רֹ֣אשׁ שִׂמְחָתִֽי׃ (ז) זְכֹ֤ר יְהֹוָ֨ה ׀ לִבְנֵ֬י אֱד֗וֹם אֵת֮ י֤וֹם יְֽר֫וּשָׁלָ֥͏ִם הָ֭אֹ֣מְרִים עָ֤רוּ ׀ עָ֑רוּ עַ֝֗ד הַיְס֥וֹד בָּֽהּ׃ (ח) בַּת־בָּבֶ֗ל הַשְּׁד֫וּדָ֥ה אַשְׁרֵ֥י שֶׁיְשַׁלֶּם־לָ֑ךְ אֶת־גְּ֝מוּלֵ֗ךְ שֶׁגָּמַ֥לְתְּ לָֽנוּ׃ (ט) אַשְׁרֵ֤י ׀ שֶׁיֹּאחֵ֓ז וְנִפֵּ֬ץ אֶֽת־עֹלָלַ֗יִךְ אֶל־הַסָּֽלַע׃ {פ}
(1) By the rivers of Babylon,
there we sat,
sat and wept,
as we thought of Zion. (2) There on the poplars
we hung up our lyres, (3) for our captors asked us there for songs,
our tormentors,aMeaning of Heb. uncertain. for amusement:
“Sing us one of the songs of Zion.” (4) How can we sing a song of the LORD
on alien soil? (5) If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
let my right hand wither;bOthers “forget its cunning.” (6) let my tongue stick to my palate
if I cease to think of you,
if I do not keep Jerusalem in memory
even at my happiest hour.
(7) Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites
the day of Jerusalem’s fall;
how they cried, “Strip her, strip her
to her very foundations!” (8) Fair Babylon, you predator,cWith Targum; others “who are to be destroyed.”
a blessing on him who repays you in kind
what you have inflicted on us; (9) a blessing on him who seizes your babies
and dashes them against the rocks!
there we sat,
sat and wept,
as we thought of Zion. (2) There on the poplars
we hung up our lyres, (3) for our captors asked us there for songs,
our tormentors,aMeaning of Heb. uncertain. for amusement:
“Sing us one of the songs of Zion.” (4) How can we sing a song of the LORD
on alien soil? (5) If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
let my right hand wither;bOthers “forget its cunning.” (6) let my tongue stick to my palate
if I cease to think of you,
if I do not keep Jerusalem in memory
even at my happiest hour.
(7) Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites
the day of Jerusalem’s fall;
how they cried, “Strip her, strip her
to her very foundations!” (8) Fair Babylon, you predator,cWith Targum; others “who are to be destroyed.”
a blessing on him who repays you in kind
what you have inflicted on us; (9) a blessing on him who seizes your babies
and dashes them against the rocks!
Discussion Questions:
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What is the message of the Psalm 137?
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Why might this Psalm be the one that Frederick Douglass referenced in his speech: What, To the Slave, Is the Fourth of July?
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How are these Psalms connected to the concept of Freedom?
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How do these texts connect to your concept of Tzedek, Teshuvah and/or Tikkun Olam?