Article
God-fearers (theosebeis)
Pieter W. van der Horst
Article
Tertullian, c. 160–c. 240 CE
Eric Rebillard
Article
Cyril of Alexandria
Matthew R. Crawford
Article
conversion, Jewish
Matthew Thiessen
There is little evidence of conversion to Israelite religion or Judaism in Jewish scriptures. For instance, while later rabbis understood the book of Ruth to portray the conversion of Ruth to Judaism, the book itself repeatedly refers to her as a Moabite, even after she declares to her mother-in-law Naomi that “your people will be my people, and your God will be my God” (Ruth 1:16). Similarly, the Hebrew text of Esther 8:17 portrays numerous Gentiles Judaizing: “Many peoples of the land Judaized because fear of the Jews fell upon them.” The Septuagint translation (LXX) adds that this “Judaization” included circumcision. While some scholars believe that this verse refers to conversion, the author claims that this action was taken only out of fear of the Jews. These Gentiles did not Judaize out of religious conviction; rather, they merely pretended to be Jews to avoid Jewish retaliation for the violent machinations of Haman.
Article
Biblical Archaeology
Aren Maeir
Article
Ḥimyar, kingdom of
Yosef Yuval Tobi
The beginning of the Ḥimyari kingdom is reckoned at 110