Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Niels Peter Lemche <npl AT teol.ku.dk>]

Before people start to think too much about the Habiru in this letter and in
many other Amarna letters, they should consult Mendenhall, The Tenth
Generation (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins, 1973), pp. 122-141, and Mario
Liverani, "Farsi Habiru", Vicino Oriente 2 (1979), pp. 65-77.  I am sure
that Ian H. with his access to Italian sources can dig it out. The habiru in
many Amarna letters do not constitute a social group; the term is often used
simply to smear the adversaries of the author of the letter in question in
the eyes of the Egyptians. The evidence in favor of this interpretation is
as a matter of fact quite strong. E.g. EA 288:44 (ÌR-Chepa to Farao): Look,
the subjects of Zimrida of Lakish/the slaevs have killed him and had turned
into Habiru. EA 148:46: (Abi-Milku of Tyre to Farao): The land of the king
has become habiru. EA 144:25: Zimrida of Sidon to Farao) All the cities that
the king has put in my hand have become Habiru, etc. etc.

NPL




> -----Original Message-----
> From: barre AT access1.com [SMTP:barre AT access1.com]
> Sent: Sunday, 06 February, 2000 01:56
> To:   Biblical Hebrew
> Subject:      Dating Jacob/Israel
> 
> Dear List, 
> 
> EA 289: "Should we do as Lab'aya, who gave Shechem to the enemy {habiru}?
> " 
> 
> Then Israel said to Joseph, "Behold, I am about to die, but El(ohim) will
> be with you, 
> and bring you back to the land of your fathers.  And I will give you one
> shoulder (sekem) 
> more than your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my
> sword and 
> my bow." 
> 
> Same event. 
> 
> Conclusions: 
> 
> 1.  Ad quem for Jacob ("northern tribes") in northern central highlands is
> the 14th century. 
> 2.  Ad quo for possession of Shechem also the 14th century. 
> 3.  First "datable" reference to "Jacob/Israel" now superseding
> Merneptah's stele. 
> 4.  By Merneptah, Israel had over a century to propagate in Israel a
> consolidate from 
> Shechem. 
> 5.  The Jacob group were regarded as habiru ("my sword and my bow"). 
> 
> Support: 
> 
> No conquest tradition of Shechem in Joshua. 
> 
> Thanks to Ian for translating (from Italian) and posting EA 286. 
> 
> LMB 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --------------------------- 
> L.M. Barre 
> www.angelfire.com/ca2/AncientIsrael
> <http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/AncientIsrael> 
> Point Loma, California 
> 
> 
> 
>