Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Jonathan Bailey <jonathan.bailey AT gmx.de>]

Well, since nobody liked my post about doublets in paleo-Hebrew inscriptions
(probably the only Hebrew language post that I wrote in quite some time), I 
thought I
would join in on this off-topic discussion.

Could it be that the Hebrews were not the Hyskos? Perhaps the Pharaoh that 
made
Joseph ruler was a Hyskos king who was expelled and was replaced by 
Mitsraimite
Egyptian Pharaoh who then began to oppress all of the semitic peoples that 
had been
invited down by Joseph's friendly patron. The Hebrews, being one of the 
wealthiest
and most populous of the semitic groups in the area thanks to Joseph, were 
probably
not interested in leaving until well after the Hyskos expulsion as their 
fortunes
continued to wane and their social situation took a few turns for the worse.

Now I am not using this scenario to support a humanistic 13th century dating 
for the
Exodus. I just also notice that Dr. Mattfield is incorrect in asserting a 
1446+ masoretic
date for the Exodus. 1Ki 6:1 is not talking about 480 years from Solomon to 
the
entering in of, or conquering of Canaan. It is stating 480 years from the 
exiting of
Egypt to the building of the temple. Therefore, wandering, Joshua, etc. are 
not taken
into account. So we have Exodus at 1446, wandering until 1406, etc.

So a 15th century Exodus works well with a 16th century Hyskos expulsion 
according
to the scenario I painted above. Now I am not at all versed in really any 
area of
Egyptology, especially chronology, so would appreciate any criticisms of the 
idea that
one may have. I am also looking for introductions to the field of chronology 
in general,
particularly Egyptian chronology, that have been produced by unclouded 
scientific
minds.

To illustrate what I mean by unclouded, let me give 2 examples. I was talking 
about
this theme with a friend of mine who is up on his Egyptian history and he 
says the
Exodus must have been after the 13th century because we have Egyptian records 
of
2 egyptian cities cities being built by Hebrews in the 13th century. Now he 
overlooked
the possibility that not all the Hebrews left in the Exodus. This is a 
typical biblical
pattern. Not all the Hebrews warded off the angel of death with blood on the 
door. Not
all the Hebrews left exile in Babylon. Also, he did not conceive of the 
possibility that
some (if not most) of the Hebrews got scared and went back to Egypt. Also a 
biblical
theme. Check Jeremiah. Anyway, I am trying to find histories and 
chronological data
by people who know that if you find an ear of corn in a field it means you 
found a field
with an ear of corn in it, not necessarily a corn field. Such understanding 
seems to
escape most people, it seems.




"If there are many wisemen in a city, this means that the city will soon 
fall."
Babylonian proverb

Jonathan Bailey
Hochschule für Jüdische Studien
Heidelberg
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Column/9707/index.html