Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

>The coastal plain would be easier for travel than the highlands of
>Judah. Who knows which would have been cheaper? And whichever way you go
>(apart from through Moab), I guess, KA is en route from Israel to Eilat.

If they go down the coast, why don't they simply tap in at Gaza? Going down
the coastal plain is obviously not an option, whereas going south from the
Shephelah is. From the Shephelah Kuntillat Ajrud makes sense.

>(But could KA be en route from Israelite-controlled Moab to Egypt?)

(I think Edom is in the way. But then what's the source of your
"Israelite-controlled Moab"?)

>Don't
>forget there was no Suez canal as a short cut from the coastal plain to
>Eilat!

The trade route from Gaza to the gulf of Aqabah is assumed, Peter.

>So much for your "the only rational way for Israelites to get there
>[KA] is straight through this hypothesized Jerusalem territory".

?

>As for the 6-chambered gates in the 10th century, which "indicate that they
>were built by the same realm." This looks like confirmation of the Biblical
>account, which indicates that Judah and Israel were one at this time.

Shame it's at the wrong time. (This is heightened by Finkelstein's
re-evaluation of the archaeological chronology.)

>You
>continue, "In this case that realm was Israel, for we know that Megiddo and
>Hazor were Israelite." But what 10th century evidence do we have for that
>which rules out the alternative that they were under the control of Judah
at
>that time?

Nothing at all indicates it. You may as well propose China.

>As for Jerusalem being a village, you cannot be sure of that as
>you have no answer to the hypothesis that all remains from this period
>(including perhaps similar gates) were cleared away, or buried deeply,
>during the building of the platform of Herod's temple.

Such clearings away were the prerogative of large imperial states with a lot
of resources which is not the case here. Before suggesting it for Jerusalem,
why not show another example in the area.

>By the way, what has this discussion to do with Biblical Hebrew? Not much
if
>you are rejecting the evidence from the BH text!

Getting the dating of the text right should help you get a better idea of
the significance of the texts. But you already know that.


Ian