Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Charles David Isbell" <cisbell AT home.com>]

Again to Dave Washburn:

I apologize for over-defensiveness and also if I attribute to you positions
that you do not take.  One of the problems with such a list is that I cannot
always sort out exactly who said what.  Sometimes it might be better if only
two were dialoguing back and forth sequentially before others chimed in with
their side lights.  I am as guilty as anyone else here, so accept my part in
a sometimes less-than-clear strand of argumentation.
I am glad to know that I have erred in painting you in with those who offer
the unusually high pillar of fire to explain an unusually long column of
Hebrews marching across the desert.  I consider such an assumption to be the
last refuge of the truly desperate.

As to your formulation ["Unless we insist on projecting our ideas of how
history should be written back on the ancients, this is perfectly good
history from the writer's point of view."], I am in full agreement and have
written  similar words myself elsewhere.

I accept that you made no personal references and intend no personal
disrespect in return.  And I am happy to remove you from the list of those
who believe in the volcano as the rabbinic "sod" interpretation to unlock
the mysteries of Exodus.

Please see my response to Peter.

Kol Tuv,
Charles