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  • From: peter_kirk AT sil.org
  • To: <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re[2]: historiography
  • Date: Thu, 30 Dec 1999 12:44:11 -0500


No, I am not kidding. I accept that the Mesha inscription is not very
long and so there is a limit to what can be deduced from it. But I
understand that it shows linguistic features which are clearly akin to
those of the historical books but are not found in later Hebrew - as a
specific example, the narrative WAYYIQTOL. No doubt there are also some
differences. The corpus can in principle be extended by looking at the
admittedly few other known pre-exilic Hebrew inscriptions e.g. the
Lachish letters, I don't actually know whether this would help my
argument. Anyway, the main point, as Ken Litwak points out, is that the
Hebrew of the historical books is very different from that of the DSS,
and the Mesha inscription is merely a control to justify the suggestion
that different means older.

If the Mesha inscription is an orange and DSS Hebrew is an apple, and
in biblical Hebrew I find segments and a thick orange skin, well we
have an orange or maybe its relative a mandarin but not an apple!
Maybe arguments on that level appeal to you better than mathematical
ones.

I have not read anything by NPL which answers the arguments which I
have put forward. Has he written any? I would be grateful for any
references, as I have written to NPL himself. OK, I admit it, I have
not read anything by NPL, but I trust that I have got a good idea of
his position from this list.

By the way, what do you mean by "DH"? If you mean "documentary
hypothesis" which is how these intials weere used earlier in this
thread, I am not talking about that. I suppose you mean
"deuteronomistic history", but if so I think you ought to explain
yourself more clearly.

Peter Kirk


______________________________ Reply Separator
_________________________________
Subject: Re: historiography
Author: <jwest AT highland.net> at Internet
Date: 29/12/1999 18:31


Peter, Moshe, et al.,
The Mesha inscription shows that the DH is early? You're kidding right?
You think that a fragmentary inscription, brief, and of limited vocabulary,
is capable of bearing the comparative linguistic weight you have heaved onto
it? I disagree. You are truly comparing apples with oranges.
And Moshe, i couldn't care less about mathematics vis a vis biblical
historiography.

In short I think our problem is one of communication. You are talking about
one thing and I another. You are talking about math and I am simply
suggesting that you actually take the time to read NPL's stuff. So I have a
simple question- so that we are all on the same page- Moshe- have you read
any of Niels' stuff? Peter?

best,

Jim

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jim West, ThD
jwest AT highland.net
http://web.infoave.net/~jwest



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