[b-hebrew] The three trajectories

LM Barre l_barre at yahoo.com
Thu Jan 29 14:30:44 EST 2009


As I stated, there are three main socio-religious trajectories that may be used to synthesize ancient Israel and so its literary traditions.  The oldest is the El trajectories, reaching back to Mesopotamia in the third century.  El migrated to Aram, Phonecia and Israel in the second century.  Jacob was a "perishing tribe" through starvation and migrated to Jacob-el and became the 10 tribes of Israel.
 
The Yahwists, on the other hand, came from the area of Midian in Northwest Arabia.  Yahweh is an Arabian god.  He was a god of war--"Yahweh is a warrior, that's what his name means!" (Ex 15:3).  These were the Shasu.
 
Amunmoses came to the throne in Egypt. He was a Yahwist who made worshipped Khepera.  Because he resisted Hebrew oppression, he left with the Hebrews and went into the desert.  E preserves the itinerary.  Many legends sprung up about his journey through the Sinai wilderness, like Taberah.
 
The Yahwists mounted an offensive and took southern Palestine.  Yahweh became the god of Judah.
 
It was not until the opporession of Hazor did Yahwism come to the Northern tribes of Israel under the Yahwist cheiftain, Deborah.  As her song tells us, many tribes were too afraid to battle Hazor and Sisera.  This is why her song shames them.  But she suceeded in uniting Israel on Yahwism for the first time.  In my view, her contribution makes here better than King Saul.
 
I have noting but disgust and contempt for David.  See the "Apology of David."  The eternal dynastry of David is nothing but pure propaganda.  In the "Last Words of David," he gives order to purify his kingdom.  Solomon and Rehoboam were also oppressive, evil kings.
 
I have many detail in my book,  History and Tradition in Early Israel.  It is available from wheatmark.com or from your local bookstore or online.
 
So the three trajectories are Elsim, Yahwism and Elohimism (Mushite):
 
El           Yahweh    Elohim
Jacob      Abram      Moses
Israel       Judah      Levites
E            J              P
 
LM Barré
the unknown god
http://freewebs.com/lmbarre
 


      


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