Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Harold Holmyard <hholmyard AT ont.com>]

Dear Shoshanna,

> OK they were "elders" (Numbers 11:16), "judges and officers" 
> (Deuteronomy 16:18).  Exodus 18:21 describes the moral character that 
> was required, and so does Deuteronomy 1:13.

HH: Right, I did not mean to take anything away from the position of 
elders or judges.

>  The Torah gives them 
> their authority in Deuteronomy 17:11,  In Deuteronomy 17:8, the Torah 
> says (when there will be the Temple) to go to the Priests, the 
> Levites and the Judge to ask them to judge in difficult matters.  The 
> Sanhedrin had more authority and power if it convened in the "place 
> which G-d shall choose" (ie, the Chamber of Cut Stone in the Temple), 
> than if it convened elsewhere  (Deuteronomy 17:10)
>  

Hh: This is a judicial context in Deuteronomy 17 and certainly implies 
that he proceedings are to occur to the central worship site in Israel.

> One of the functions of the Sanhedrin was to test a man claiming to 
> be a prophet and if he passed the test, he was proclaimed prophet by 
> the Sanhedrin, that was the only body that was allowed to do this. 
> Israel was commanded to choose a king in Deuteronomy 17: 14, 15 - 
> that G-d shall choose, meaning that he must be chosen with the 
> concurrence of both a prophet and the Sanhedrin.
>  

HH: That's interesting, and there is truth in it. That's what occurred 
with both Saul and David.

> G-d told Moshe to choose 70 men, who, together with him would be the 
> first Sanhedrin, and told Israel that they had authority.  I don't 
> remember by heart the description of their requirements, but they 
> certainly had to be "wise men" and versed in Torah law.
>  

Hh: Of course, you are right.

Yours,
Harold Holmyard