The
Hebrew Title “Apprentice” (na’ar)
The apprenticeship system in ancient Israel is indicated
by the Hebrew title na’ar, which is known both in biblical texts and
inscriptions. It is sometimes translated as “a youth” in the Bible, but in many
instances the youth is serving as an apprentice in a profession. The translation
of this term has been the subject of a great deal of discussion, partly because
of its seemingly broad semantic range. The standard biblical Hebrew dictionary offers
its first definition as “lad, adolescent” and its second definition as “young
man”; however, this seems misleading, since many of the passages cited for such
definitions could just as easily be translated as “servant” or “apprentice.”
For example, in the Joseph narrative we read about a na’ar “who was the
servant of the chief steward” (Gen 41:12). Joshua, the servant of Moses, is
also given the title na’ar (Exod 33:11). The prophet Balaam also has two
servants who are called by the title na’ar (Num 22:22). Gideon has a
servant named Purah who is his na’ar (Judg 7:10-11). One could be
designated as a na’ar from birth (e.g., Judg 13:7; Jer 1:5-6), but the na’ar
could be of various ages. Most famously, the young boy Samuel was made the na’ar
of Eli (1 Sam 3:1). He was his apprentice. How long did Samuel remain a na’ar?
Presumably until the death of Eli, at which time he took over the position of
Eli and ceased to be a na’ar (1 Sam 4:18). Being the na’ar had
nothing to do with Samuel’s age but rather was related to Samuel’s relationship
to Eli. In short, he was apprenticed to Eli.
One of the most curious uses of na’ar is for King
Solomon. Solomon actually calls himself a na’ar when addressing God,
even though he has just become king (1 Kgs 3:7). Obviously, Solomon uses na’ar
as a metaphor It is a self-deprecation that has to do not with age but with experience
and relative position. He is newly found on the job as king. So he tells God
that he is his apprentice. If we understand the metaphor of God as the ultimate
king, then Solomon was indeed his na’ar. The metaphor further extends to
the conception of the king as the “son of God” (e.g., Ps 2:7), since son is
also a metaphor for apprentices. (William M. Schniedewind, Who Really Wrote
the Bible: The Story of the Scribes [Princeton: Princeton University Press,
2024], 25-26)
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