Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Ruthy & Baruch <alster AT bezeqint.net>]

Shalom Walter!

On a tour of the area, I heard once that both Deir Debwan and Deir Shebab,
both Christian names, are named for Elisha's killing children (Shabab) with
bears (Debwan), between Bethel and Jericho.  Maybe someone else on the list
can say how accurate this is.

Kol Tuv,
Baruch Alster
Kochav Ya`akov, Israel


----- Original Message -----
From: Walter Mattfeld <mattfeld AT mail.pjsnet.com>
To: Biblical Hebrew <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Sent: Saturday, July 15, 2000 8:28 PM
Subject: Shebarim (descent of ?) & Beth-Aven (Proposals)


> One of life's little mysteries is what to make of  Joshua's Shebarim,
> mentioned in association with the rout of the Israelite army by the
> inhabitants of Ai.
>
> ""The men of Ai killed about thirtysix of them, pursuing them outside the
> gate as far as Shebarim, and cutting them down along the descent." (Josh.
> 7:5, Tanakh, 1988)
>
> Scholars are not sure where this place is. Some have suggested it refers
to
> some landform perhaps "quarries." It is evidently, associated with some
kind
> of descent in the vicinity of Ai.
>
> I note a small village just to the northeast of Beitin (Bethel ?) called
> khirbat Deir Shebab, near this village is a track that descends past
> et-Tell, following the valley formed by wadies Muheis and Asis, which lie
on
> et-Tell's (Ai's ?) northside. Although this track lies north of et-Tell,
it
> ends at Beitin. Another track goes eastward from Beitin towards khirbet el
> Mukatir and et-Tell and on towards Deir Dibwan. From Dibwan a track heads
> due north to link up with the track descending from Shebab at Wadi Asis
(cf.
> Map titled "Jerusalem," 1:40,000 Survey of Egypt, April 1918).
>
> I note that there appears on this map only two ways to get to the vicinity
> of et-Tell and Deir Dibwan from Jericho. One can ascend via the track
going
> up from Mukhmas (biblical Michmash ?) or one can ascend via the track
going
> up to the vicinity of Rummon and from there link up to the track ascending
> the valley on the north side of Ai/et-Tell, up to Shebab where it turns to
> Beitin.
>
> I make the following proposals. The descent of Shebarim is the track
> descending from Shebab, descending along the north bank of Wadies
> Muheis-Asis, and on to the vicinity of Rummon, where link-up is made for
the
> track going on to Jericho.
>
> The topography and the tracks on the map suggest the Isrealites were
fleeing
> back from whence they had come. They possibly fled east down the slope
from
> et-Tell, and in the vicinity of Deir Dibwan took the track from that area
> heading for Rummon and the link-up artery to Jericho. The track from
Dibwan
> to Rummon crosses at the point that the track from Shebab ends, at Wadi
> Asis. So, I guess one might say they were heading in the direction of the
> descent of Shebab (Shebarim ?) at its southern terminus to link up with
the
> Rummon track and back to Jericho.
>
> If I had to pick a site for Beth-Aven (Hebrew bet awen), I would be
looking
> for something near et-Tell which might preserve the Hebrew root `wn, and
> that would be Deir Dibwan. Problem is, I don't know if any ancient ruins
> exist at Deir Dibwan of the Iron Age.  We are told that Beth-aven was west
> of Michmash. There is a track going up "somewhat westerly" (WNW) of
Mukhmas
> to Dibwan. Looking at the map grids, from the vicinity of the Jerusalem
> grid, I note that Deir Dibwan is one grid west of Mukhmas. Some scholars
> prefer Tell el Miriam due west of Mukhmas for Beth-Awen, problem is, it
> isn't east of Bethel (Beitin). I note the map reveals the Deir Dibwan area
> is the end of forested or cultivated slopes, to the east is only barren
> wilderness. If  Beth-Aven/awen is Dibwan, perhaps the cultivated lands set
> it off as an area beyond which was the wilderness, "the wilderness of
> Beth-Aven" ? Beth-Aven is said to be east of Bethel and near Ai
(Josh.7:2),
> but west of Michmash (1Sam 13:5).
>
> These are only suggestions, I wouldn't want to bet my life on any of this
> speculation !
>
> All the best,
>
> Walter
>
> Walter Reinhold Warttig Mattfeld
> Walldorf by Heidelberg
> Baden-Wurttemburg
> Germany
>
>
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