Rahab
Jonadab and the Rechabites
A recognition of the tradition of extreme purity,
of being compassionate towards all animals.
Job Recognizes the Tradition of Purity of the Tradition of Rahab,
or the Rechabites,
who did not even cultivate the ground,
so that they would not offend the creatures of the earth living
there,
and says that even they fear God's will.
In other words Job is saying that
"It doesn't matter if you're pure. God treats you the same."
"He is the maker of the Bear and the Orion,
the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,
miracles that cannot be counted.
When he passes me, I cannot perceive him.
If he snatches away, who can stop him?
Who can say to him "what are you doing?"
God does not restrain his anger;
even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet." 9: 9-13.
Rahab and Rechab may be seen as identical.
Jonadab the Rechabite.
The prefix of his name, Jona, comes from the Jana Tradition.
The Rechabites represented the pure remnant of original Judaism.
As is elaborated on in the chapter on the Etymology of Genesis, the prefix of Jonadab's name, Jona, like the name of Jonah, comes from the Jana (Gana) or Jain tradition. The Jain tradition of vegetarian renunciates (who refused even to till the soil because it is the home of living creatures) lived on in Judaism, no doubt from the very beginnings of Judaism. Though those beginnings have been obscured by the rewriting of the Torah in order to favor animal sacrifices, the Rechabite tradition existed into the days of early Christianity. It is a Rechabite who pleads for the life of James the brother of Jesus when he is being beaten. (Ecclesiastical History by Eusebius).
Orthodox writers have not discussed the Rechabites at length, because they represent a purity that threatens the status quo of the animal sacrifices. This is also why the Essenes were so succinctly dealt with by orthodox scholars, most of whom predictably claimed that the discovery of Essene writings, the Dead Sea Scrolls, did not threaten orthodox Judaism and Christianity.
Now excellent web sites exist on the net dealing with
the Essene, Nazarene, and Mandean vegetarian traditions, showing, to the
discerning reader, how they constitute the true remnant of vegetarian purity
associated with original Judaism.
God Wounds Job as Job had wounded and killed Animals.
In Job's mind God is not Just.
Though I were innocent, I could not answer him:
I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.
Even if I summoned him and he responded,
I do not believe he would give me a hearing.
He would crush me with a storm
and multiply my wounds for no reason.
He would not let me regain my breath
but would overwhelm me with misery.
We have seen that a storm killed Job's children.
Job recognizes Deity as God of the Storm, as Shiva was recognized by Sabeans
as the God of Thunder and Storm, God of the Whirlwind. Among the
Jews, this aspect of Deity is seen as the Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts, who
is in the cloud of fire that protects the Israelites from the Egyptians
pursuing them, and who guides him in their pilgrimage to Canaan, land of
milk and honey, named after Kannan, a name of Vishnu or Krishna among Tamil
Hindus.