HOMOSEXUALITY IN HISTORY AND THE SCRIPTURES

Some Historical and Biblical Perspectives on Homosexuality

Ronald M. Springett

Biblical Research Institute

General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Washington, DC 20012

Copyright © 1988 by the Biblical Research Institute

6840 Eastern Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20012

Acknowledgements

Texts credited to NEB are taken from the New English Bible (©) The Delegates of the Oxford University Press and the Syndics of the Cambridge University Press, 1961, 1970. Used by permission.

Texts credited to NIV are from The New International Version. Copyright (©) 1978 by New York International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

The Scripture quotations marked RSV are from the Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1946, 1952, 1971 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, and are used by permission.

Abbreviations

AB Anchor Bible

ANET Ancient Near Eastern Texts

Ant. Antiquities

ATR Anglican Theological Review

BSac Bibliotheca

BTB Biblical Theology Bulletin

CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly

EncJud Encyclopedia judaica

HTR Harvard Theological Review

IB Interpreter’s Bible

IDB Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible

IDB Supp. Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, Supplement

JAAR Journal of the American Academy of Religion

JAOS Journal of the American Oriental Society

BJL Journal of Biblical Literature

JEA Journal of Egyptian Archaeology

JHS Journal of Hellenic Studies

NASB New American Standard Bible

Transliteration of Hebrew and Greek Alphabets

1. Hebrew Alphabet

Consonants

א = ’

ב = b

ג = g

ד = d

ה = h

ו = w

ז = z

ח = ch

ט = ṭ

י = y

כ = k

ל = l

מ = m

נ = n

ס = s

ע = ‘

פּ = p

פ = ph

צ = ṣ

ק = q

ר = r

שׁ = sh

שׂ = ś

תּ = t

ת = th

Masoretic Vowel Pointings

			ָ	ַ	ֲ	=	a
ֵי	ֵ	ֶי	ֶ	ֱ	ְ	=	e
				ִי	ִ	=	i
		וֹ	ֹ	ׇ	ֳ	=	o
				וּ	ֻ	=	u

2. Greek Alphabet

α = a

β = b

γ = g

δ = d

ε = e

ζ = z

η = ē

θ = th

ι = i

κ = k

λ = l

μ = m

ν = n

ξ = x

ο = o

π = p

ρ = r

σ = s

τ = t

υ = u

φ = ph

χ = ch

ψ = ps

ω = ō

̔ = h

Contents

Acknowledgements

Abbreviations

Transliteration of Hebrew and Greek Alphabets

Preface

Chapter 1

What Is Homosexuality?

Definitions of Homosexuality

The Condition Separated From the Act

Homosexuality As Natural

The Psychological Thesis

Homosexuality As a Chosen Sin

What Causes Homosexuality?

The Genetic Thesis

Hormonal Factors

The Prenatal Thesis

Psychosocial Factors

What Do Homosexuals Do?

Chapter 2

Old Testament Historical Background

Egypt

Babylon and Assyria

Cult Prostitute

Canaanite and Hittite

Canaanite Practice

Chapter 3

The Texts of the Old Testament

The Use of Scripture

The Bible As Opposed to Homosexuality

The Bible As Condoning Homosexuality

Old Testament Texts Cited With Reference to Homosexuality

The Case of Sodom

The Mosaic Laws

The Idolatry Thesis

The Outrage in Gibeah

Secondary Old Testament Texts Cited With Reference to Homosexuality

The Case of Jonathan and David

Noah and Ham

Ruth and Naomi

Chapter 4

New Testament Historical ...