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  • From: peter_kirk AT SIL.ORG
  • To: b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: parting thoughts
  • Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 12:58:56 -0500


Dear Peter,

Could I prevail upon you to send this last message? I thought I should say
something before exiting. It would save me the trouble of subscribing and
unsubscribing again.

Thank you.

lmb


Dear All:

I thought that, before I move on, I might informally summarize what has been
coming out in piece-meal fashion and then offer some unsolicited advice.

At 47 I thought it might be a good idea to consilate and write down my views
on the Hebrew Bible-Old Testament-Ancient Israel. I hit upon the idea of
writing a book in the form of the lectures I would deliver in an upper
division introductory course. In the course of doing so I made discovery or
came to the conclusion that Israelite tradition is essentially syncretistic.
More significantly, it was possible to recognize the syncretistic thinking
in certain traditions, such as genealogy, patriarchal itinerary, cult
traditions and especially Deut 32:7-9, Ex 3:13-5 and the masterpiece in Ex
6:2. How effective have been these strategies were needs no comment.

In terms of sequence, I recognize the dynamic of the tradition only after I
had determined that I was dealing with two gods of neighboring, but distinct
peoples. I came to this conclusion simply by trying to identify in
historical terms who was the El of Israel mentioned my Merneptah? I was
looking for 13th century Semitic deity in worshipped by a people bearing his
name in Palestine. The asking of the basic, exegetical question broke the
spell so skillfully cast so long ago. Suddenly my eyes were opened an I
could see the the two, and I could see how the two became intertwined. It
all made sense. Furthermore, I found that I could produce a synthetic and
coherent story of ancient Israel supported by primary texts--a good intro
course. It also became possible to define sub-types of El worship in the
north and Yahwism in the south. Ps 29 differs from Deut 32:7-9. Same basic
pantheon but the former being more Canaanite while the latter is decidedly
more Aramean. Indeed,!
the worship of El changed with the historical fortunes of the north.
Although one might gather the impression the El is not in the traditions,
this would amount the absurd notion that a people who were named for El ever
ceased to care about him. El was always the god of Israel as long as it
existed. It has to be so. Bethel remained House of El.

Yahwism is of two types. The older is Arabic Yahwism--Edom, Sinai. Yahweh is
a god of war, a fierce, bedouin chieftain, living in a society similar to the
list of the Chieftain of Edom in Gen 36. But this would be only a part of
the Arabic Yahwist who traveled the Sinai Peninsula, more like the
Midianites. I think that Sinai was a pilgrimage shrine, serving the entire
bedouin population. Recall the tradition that Elijah made such a journey. I
think that something of the warrior character of the people came to
expression with the birth of Islam. It is the spirit of a fierce warrior.
"Yahweh is a warrior, Yahweh in his Name!" When not leading his people into
battle, he reposed upon a throne or ark within his tent pavilion, ruling over
his people.

In second millennium, Abram the "Hebrew" "crossed over." from the Negev into
Canaan, bringing with him other "migrant" clans. The location of the
Ishmaelite as dwelling from the border of Egypt eastward indicated that they
were there closest relations--Isaac and Ishmael. It is no accident that
Hagar is an Egyptian. So we are probably looking at the bedouin groups that
just bordered the land. This is where Abraham would have "crossed over"
from. Makes sense.

I think that Abram actually did have a vision of some sort from Yahweh
telling him to migrate north. When he did, the Arab Yahwist became the
Hebrew Yahwist. The new location of Yahwism radically altered it character.
Yahweh here was not a god of war but of one who promised to show Abram and
his a new life of prosperity and plenty. Now the Yahwist has "nationalized"
this traditions making a place to dwell the whole nation of Israel. Still,
the essential characteristic of Hebrew Yahwism come through in the Abrahamic
traditions. The account of Lot's rescue by "Abram the Hebrew" seems to be
the oldest representation and most accurate description of the patriarch. I
noted also the 318 men Abram summoned seems to indicate that he went outside
of his own to secure the needed aid. Apparently Abram was the leader of a
sizeable community of Hebrews, organized as a network of clans that grew to a
people that after the takeover was administered from in Hebron. This means
that H!
ebrew Yahwists had been living among other peoples since Abram second
millennium migration, a tradition that remained to the Exile.

Syncretistic propaganda emerged with the victorious neighbors being given the
new name "Israel" to supplement "Jacob." It is a northern name, but it's
creation marked the making of a "brotherhood" between north and south. Also,
Yahweh was incorporated into El pantheon, becoming the "son of Elyon." The
Yahwist has Abraham building and consecration cult sites at Shechem and
Bethel as soon as he arrives in the land. This traditions teaches that
Yahwistic cult sites are officially established and legitimate. In the
patriarchal genealogy, the sequence is Abram (Hebrew) - Isaac (Aramean)-
Jacob (Aramean) - Joseph (Hebrew). Conclusion: it is a pseudo-kinship with
syncretistic intention just as is the tracing of all the tribes to one
patriarch. As with other examples, we see here an educated and deliberate
attempt to fuse the identity of different people. Most significant, however,
is we see a fusion of Arameans and Hebrews, each with their own patriarch,
indeed there own ori!
gins, history, and culture.

As I pondered the syncrestic intention of Ex 3:13-15, it made me think about
the Name given Moses. So, as with Israel, I set about to define it
historically. If anything, it is odd, elusive foreign. As I pondered its
structure, it became obvious that a verb represented the essence of the god.
Where do you find such a thing? I knew just enough about Egyptian religion
to recognize the same tradition. Then it was attributed to an Egyptian. In
that Levi means "to be attached to," I followed a suggestion I read that it
meant those Egyptians that "attached" themselves to the Hebrew cause, like
Moses and his siblings and others as well. The best source of Levitical
Yahwism is P, particularly his creation account. It is clearly dependent on
the Memphite Theology. It is no more Semitic in thought that is the Name.
Levitical monotheism goes back to the 28th century. It appears to have been
a very stable religion. I also noted that two priests overseeing the ark at
Shiloh ha!
d Egyptian names. Why? Only one answer. They were Egyptians, Levites, and
Levites at their worse. This shows that the Levitical priesthood descended
to Shiloh. An insight into Levitical thought at this time is shown by the
Song of Hannah, a traditional devotee of Levitical teachings, so much so that
her son Samuel was given to be raised as a Levitical protege.

Now my advice is this. Try reading the traditions with these considerations
in mind. Basically the components of the tradition are El worship in the
north, Yahwism in the south, and the Levitical priesthood scattered among
both. Read past the syncretism and see if things become more coherent and
understandable. If not, move on.

Farewell or unitl we meet,

L.M. Barre

P.S. To all teachers, please feel free to available yourself of an outline I
have produced for didactic purposes. I know how hard it can be to teach an
intro course. In fact, send me back yours if you wish. And now that I think
of it, I need someone to help me produce an intro textbook, someone who would
do at least the writing. Thanks.

Lloyd M. Barre, Ph.D.
Director
The Ptah Institute
barre AT c-zone.net
www.angelfire.com/ca2/AncientIsrael






  • parting thoughts, peter_kirk, 03/12/1999

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