Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

Dear Waalter,
You are ignoring your oft-repeated statement that certain cities, such
as Heshbon and Dibon, were not settled until the Iron Age. So, first of
all, why not place the Isreaelite traditions reltaing to them in the
Iron Age?
Secondly, why do the Biblical traditions about the Exodus and the
traditions about the conquest of Heshbon and Jericho have to be those of
the same groups?
I could make a case for the Transjordan Conquest traditions being from
the same stream tradition as the Jacob-returning-from-Aram traditions,
and posit a settlement/conquest of Northern Transjordan by peoples close
to the Arameans ethnically and linguistically - amd derive evidence from
the language of the Deir Alla Inscription. This immigration/conquest
would be a another wave in the same line as the Moabites and Ammonites
(who are descedndants of Lot, Abraham's kinsman, and also from Upper
Mesopotamia.
More later.

--
Jonathan D. Safren
Dept. of Biblical Studies
Beit Berl College
44905 Beit Berl Post Office
Israel