Biblical Hebrew Forum

[<gs02wmr AT panther.Gsu.EDU>]

shalom,

I'd like to get anyone's opinions on the following message:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 18 Aug 2000 11:47:40 -0700
From: Djehuti Sundaka <ahuguley AT ix.netcom.com>

There are significant biblical indications that the Zadok priesthood 
was
in fact indigenous to
Yerusalem and not descended from the Leviym who had become priests in
YisraEl and originally known as the Shasu Yhw.  This explains a lot of
the antagonism to be found in the E/D traditions towards the Zadokiym 
as
well as why the E narrative focuses on the Exodus concerning nationhood
in contrast to the J narrative's focus on David.  As the descendants of
the Shasu Yhw, the most significant moment in history would have been
the moment in which the Shasu Yhw had become the priests of YisraEl and
Yhw/Yhwh had been identified as YisraEl's god.

The occasion for "In The Day" (i.e. the 'J' narrative) having been
written in the first place would probably have been in response to the
political challenge of the Baal/Asherah cult of around 843 bce.  With a
recent victory over that cult in the securing of the throne of Yehudah,
a national epic would have been appropriate for creating an ancient
Covenant identity that pointed to the time of greatest national
prosperity to have been enjoyed and to be enjoyed again upon adherence
to the Yhwh Covenant.  All of the human characters and events to have
been mentioned before Judges 5, including the culture specific
renderings of the Creation and Flood accounts, would have been
introduced to the world for the very first time in "In The Day".  Thus,
the presentation of "In The Day" would have been the true birth of the
Covenant of Yhwh as we know it today.