Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - Re[6]: Date of the Exodus (still shorter)

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Peter Kirk"<peter_kirk AT sil.org>
  • To: <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>, <cisbell AT home.com>
  • Subject: Re[6]: Date of the Exodus (still shorter)
  • Date: Wed, 02 Feb 2000 12:50:40 -0500


Dear Charles,

A good question (at the end of your posting). I think the answer must
depend on which goal line we are aiming for. If we are aiming for a
theological understanding or studying the history of religions, then
this may not help. But this thread started as an attempt to date the
Exodus event and to recover as much as possible of the history behind
it. Now, if it can be demonstrated that the text we have could be the
account of the aftermath of an eruption, with appropriate theological
explanations, then we have the possibility of dating the events and
explaining how otherwise inexplicable (apart from recourse to the
miraculous) happenings could have taken place. This would also help to
answer those critics who argue that the Exodus account is a work of
fiction written a millennium or so after their supposed date. So this
is a possible approach to a historical question, not to a theological
one.

Sorry to confuse you with "ontology" and "epistemology". I'm no
professional in this area and I'm not even sure that I am using these
terms correctly. But I hope to impress others by using such terms. I
usually don't bother with such things. I'll try to avoid it in future!

Peter Kirk


______________________________ Reply Separator
_________________________________
Subject: Re[5]: Date of the Exodus (still shorter)
Author: <cisbell AT home.com> at Internet
Date: 01/02/2000 14:47


Shalom again, Peter:

Thanks for your posting. I appreciate your formulation. To bring this to
a point of "mostly" agreement, may I make only two short notations:
[1] I am out of my depth when the discussion turns to complicated things
(for me) like ontology and epistemology. Your explanation sounds to an
amateur like it has much to commend it.
[2] Let me work on my question a bit. I do not think any unique event a
"miracle." I think it merely a unique event. However, the ex post facto
interpretation of the event may be to view it as a miracle (as the case in
the recovery of Dave's father from a serious illness), as the biblical
narrators apparently did. So far, I think we agree. But I am asking
something quite specific. How does the POSITING of a volcano as the true
cause behind what Exodus calls the "strong hand [of YHWH]" advance the ball
towards the goal line?

Again, I have enjoyed our exchange. Kol Tuv Lekha, Gam le-MishpacHah.
Charles
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Kirk" <peter_kirk AT sil.org>
To: <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>; <cisbell AT home.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2000 8:09 PM
Subject: Re[4]: Date of the Exodus (still shorter)


> Dear Charles,
>
> Thank you for your response. I will try to answer your points below.
>
> Peter Kirk
>
>
> ______________________________ Reply Separator
_________________________________
> Subject: Re[3]: Date of the Exodus (still shorter)
> Author: <cisbell AT home.com> at Internet
> Date: 31/01/2000 09:27
>
<snip>





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page