Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Jonathan D. Safren" <yonsaf AT beitberl.beitberl.ac.il>]

Peter Kirk wrote:

> No, indicating that the final editing of the song was in (or after)
> the first temple period. I appreciate the problem you mention to Rolf
> Furuli, that it is hard or impossible to know which parts of the Torah
> are the work of later editors. But that does not nullify the
> possibility, even likelihood, that such a process has taken place.

   I would be interested in hearing your explanation of the process of 
editing of
the Song of the Sea, which is a beautifully constructed, well-integrated 
piece of
poetry with logical "plot development". It resembles (and reacts to) pagan 
epics
depicting the victory of the god over the sea-god and other gods, that end 
with the
construction of a temple and the divine enthronement. On this view of the 
Song of
the Sea see Cross, McCarthy, omter alia.
   Do you have other examples of edited Biblical (or Ugaritic or Babylonian or
English or American) poetry? Can poetry be "edited"? Amd if so, how would it 
sound?
   Pardon my ignorance; I don't specialize in poetry.
Yours,
--
Jonathan D. Safren
Dept. of Biblical Studies
Beit Berl College
44905 Beit Berl Post Office
Israel