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b-hebrew - Re[2]: Kenyon etc (Peter Kirk)

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  • From: Peter_Kirk AT SIL.ORG
  • To: yonsaf AT beitberl.beitberl.ac.il
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re[2]: Kenyon etc (Peter Kirk)
  • Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 16:45:51 -0500 (EST)


Dear Jonathan,

I understand your difficulty here. But I wonder if the various
conquest narratives can really be shown to be unhistorical, or simply
that they cannot all be confirmed by archaeology etc. Yes, there are
some difficulties with particular sites and with the details of
particular passages, though I did understand that Hazor was destroyed
and burned at about the right time. But as I understood it, the
archaeological record does indicate a break at the right time, with
the destruction or abandonment of many and the further occupation of
some at a lower level of sophistication. Maybe the Sea Peoples were
partly responsible, but I do not see any contradiction with the
general picture of an Israelite invasion and partial occupation at
that time.

I have no trouble in accepting that the Israelite invaders were not
all physical descendants of Jacob but included others who joined them
in Egypt (the "mixed multitude" of Ex. 12:38) and during the
wilderness period. The genealogies in 1 Chronicles make it clear that
absolute racial purity was not an issue even at quite a late period.

As for the question of XEREM at Jericho, well, we have the evidence
that it was not reoccupied for several centuries, until a time which
accords with the notice in 1 Kings 16:34 that it was rebuilt in Ahab's
time - a notice which also picks up Joshua's curse. Note also 2 Kings
2:19-22 which surely reflects a (different?) tradition that Jericho
was abandoned because of bad water, but that some measures were taken
to provide good water in the rebuilt city.

Peter Kirk




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