Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Ray Clendenen" <rclende AT lifeway.com>]

Ray Clendenen@BSSBNOTES
12/20/99 03:07 PM

Ray Clendenen wrote:

> > This is an example of begging the question. The point being made is
only
> > valid if the critical model of Israel's history is presupposed.
According
> > to the biblical text as it stands, not only was the cult already
> > centralized when Lev. 17 was written, but Israel was living at the time
> > surrounding the sanctuary. If this was actually the case, this would
> > explain why profane slaughter could be forbidden, since it could all be
> > done at the sanctuary.
>
> Do you mean to say that any time some family in Beersheba or Arad or
> whatever wanted
> to have a barbecue thay had to make the arduous journey all the way to
> Jerusalem? I
> guess that explains why the ancient Israelites ate so little meat! So the
> standard of
> living must have shot up by the time of the Deuteronomistic reform.
> --
> Jonathan D. Safren
>
> No, I mean that according to the biblical text, when Lev. 17 was written
> Israel was living altogether in one place at Mt. Sinai.
>
> Ray Clendenen

If you claim that, then you also have to say that Lev. 17, like the rest of
the
Pentateuch, was given for all time. The only sacrifice which was given as a
one-time affair was the first Paschal lamb sacrifice of Ex. 12, and this
was
replaced by the Paschal offering law of Deut. 16 for the Israelites once
they
were to enter the Land.
Sincerely,
--
Jonathan D. Safren

There are some steps missing in your argument that I'm unable to supply.
How did you arrive at the conclusion that the Pentateuchal laws were
necessarily intended to be "for all time." There is no indication in the
text that the sentence in Lev 17:7 ("This shall be to them a law for all
time, throughout the generations") applies to more than the command not to
sacrifice to the goat demons. The expression ledor, "throughout the
generations," occurs 13 times in Leviticus, and 26 times in the rest of the
Pentateuch. I see no reason the expression should be taken to apply
necessarily to the entire Pentateuch if there are textual reasons to
believe that certain laws have been changed.

Ray Clendenen