חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת נִפְגָּשׁוּ צֶדֶק וְשָׁלוֹם נָשָׁקוּ: אֱמֶת מֵאֶרֶץ תִּצְמָח וְצֶדֶק מִשָּׁמַיִם נִשְׁקָף: גַּם ה' יִתֵּן הַטּוֹב וְאַרְצֵנוּ תִּתֵּן יְבוּלָהּ: צֶדֶק לְפָנָיו יְהַלֵּךְ וְיָשֵׂם לְדֶרֶךְ פְּעָמָיו:
Loving-kindness and truth met; justice and peace kissed. Truth will spring up from the earth; justice will look down from heaven. God will also bestow good and our land will yield its produce. Justice will go before God as God sets out on God's way.
[AJWS translation]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. What sort of world does this text describe?
2. What does it mean that "justice will go before God"?
1. What sort of world does this text describe?
2. What does it mean that "justice will go before God"?
Time Period: Biblical (early ancestors to 165 BCE)