Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Ian Hutchesson" <mc2499 AT mclink.it>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Christine Bass <christinebass AT home.com>
To: Biblical Hebrew <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Date: lunedì 20 novembre 2000 20.15
Subject: Re: Paper offering


>It appears to me that certain posts, including this one below, seem to have
>intentions that do not abide by the guidelines for this list,
>
>>( Proselytizing ("seeking to convert someone to a certain religious
faith")
>>is also not appropriate. )
>
>seeking to convert subscribers to humanism, atheism, agnosticism and the
>like.

I definitely don't agree, Christine. There seems to be no effort to convert
anyone to anything. You are free in your analysis to find Walter's arguments
coherent and logic or to find them not so. If you have any complaints with
his logic, I'm sure he'll be happy to discuss it with you, but I don't think
you should accuse him of proselytizing.

One needs to approach texts from all angles. The one which Walter is
proposing may not be fruitful, but then again it may, and one needs to deal
with the approach on its merits not with your presuppositions.

I may not agree with Walter. In fact, I find the connection of Abraham is
probably quite late. Although Abraham is promised that his seed will
prosper, it is in fact the seed of Jacob that prospers. His twelve sons are
in fact those who become known as Israel. Jacob is quite a popular figure in
the prophets, yet Abraham doesn't get much mention at all (4x in Isaiah --
mainly late Isaiah --, once only in Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Micah).

Attempts at dating traditions are very important for any reconstructions of
the significance of language, and for our knowledge of the development of
religious thought.


Ian