Karl, I'm not going to get into a debate about this, both because George closed the thread and because I know that whatever I write will not convince you anyway, but you keep presenting what is a very small minority opinion among professional archaeologists and historians of the period as if it were the commonly held view. There is nothing in your final statement, "the historical records and archeology seem to indicate that Israel entered Egypt during the third dynasty, and left during the 13th. The Hyksos period started after the Exodus. With the Exodus dated by the Bible about 1450 BC. But is also brings the destruction of those cities into Abraham’s time", that represents the consensus among professional archaeologists and historians of the period.
Yigal Levin From: K Randolph [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, March 28, 2011 7:09 AM To: Yigal Levin Cc: [email protected] Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Hebron and Sodom (was: gen. 25 (tam?)) Yigal: On Sun, Mar 27, 2011 at 9:02 PM, Yigal Levin <[email protected]> wrote: -----Original Message----- >From K Randolph The text indicates that near Hebron was a place from which Sodom could be viewed. Archaeologists have identified the ruins of Sodom, to the south and east of the Dead Sea. There is no reason to question that Hebron is the same city as the one that Abraham knew. Logically and textually, it makes sense, as well as from history and archeology. > Karl, this is misleading. "Archaeologists" have not "identified the ruins of Sodom, to the south and east of the Dead Sea". I assume that you are referring to Bab ed-Dhra', which is an Early Bronze Age city near the south-eastern shore of the Dead Sea. Identifying it with Sodom assumes, of course, that the story of Sodom occurred at the end of the EB (c. 2200 BCE), which is a very small minority opinion. Yes, I agree that is a minority opinion, but so is the identification of the first grand vizier in Egypt during the third dynasty, who was Asiatic and not Egyptian, who saved Egypt from a seven year famine, who concentrated power into the hands of pharaoh, and who died at the age of 110. And assuming it did, how could we know that this place, or any other that you have in mind, is actually Sodom and not Gomorrah, Admah or Zeboim? There were five cities found, four of which were destroyed at the same time by fire. True, the identification of the ruins is done in the order they are named in Genesis. Actually, if you look at a map (or actually go there!) you will see that what is visible from the Hebron area (not from the city itself, but from the ridges to its east - but yes, I agree that it is the same city that we know today) is the NORTHERN end of the Dead Sea, NOT the southern end. So taking the story literally, THAT'S where one should look for Sodom. What is said in the story is that Abraham and the three guests went a short distance from Hebron, to where they could overlook the Rift Valley. I have not been to Hebron, but I have stood on the heights overlooking another rift valley, that one in New Mexico. On a clear summer day, especially when the sun is partially behind one, one could see details over a hundred miles away down in the valley. I suspect the same holds true for the view from near Hebron. I’d be surprised if the whole of the Dead Sea is not visible from the lookout near Hebron. Yigal Levin The sticking point in this discussion is the timing—when were the different periods of time? While I am not an expert in history, the historical records and archeology seem to indicate that Israel entered Egypt during the third dynasty, and left during the 13th. The Hyksos period started after the Exodus. With the Exodus dated by the Bible about 1450 BC, that wreaks havoc with Jim’s theory, as well as with many other historical theories out there. But is also brings the destruction of those cities into Abraham’s time. Karl W. Randolph. _______________________________________________ b-hebrew mailing list [email protected] http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew
