Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Walter R. Mattfeld" <mattfeld12 AT charter.net>]

Dear Peter,

Mettinger (p.51) noted that the two bronze plaques (I showed only ONE of the
plaques) were dated between 593-588 BCE and found at Memphis. This would
associate them with either Pharaoh Psamtik II [Psammetichus II] (595-589
BCE) or Wahibre [Apries] (589-570 BCE) of the 26th Dynasty.

Mettinger does NOT identify the "chest-like portable throne" as having
anything to do with the Ark of the Covenant- that is my proposal. He is
concerned in identifying certain aspects of Atenism and Amen-Re as "possible
precursors" to Israelite Aniconism (pp.49-56).

Mettinger:

"With the exception of the brief Amarna interlude, Amun-Re was the state god
of Egypt during the whole periodof the New Kingdom...That Amun is well known
in Syria and Palestine appears from the Amarna letters and the Ugaritic
texts. He had 9 temples in this area, one of them in Gaza...Now, even if one
does not accept Sethe's suggestion [1929:119-22] that Amun was the original
form of Yhwh, it seems likely that Amun lent features to the Canaanite El,
and whatever the details, the El features make up a major component of the
concept of Yhwh. There is thus a possibility that Amun did play a role in
the formation of the notions of Yhwh." (p.54. Tryggve N.D. Mettinger. _No
Graven Image ? Israelite Aniconism in Its Ancient Near Eastern Context._
[Coniectanea Biblica Old Testament Series 42] Stockholm, Sweden. Almqvist &
Wiksell International. 1995. ISBN91-22-01664-3. paperback. 252 pages)

Mettinger is intrigued by Egyptian texts which proclaim that Amun's true
form is unknown, and sees a "possible link" with Yahweh's form being
unknown, that is, when Israel looked into the fire that was Yahweh atop
Mount Sinai they saw NO FORM, only fire, hence they were told they could
make no image of Yahweh (De 4:11-15).

De 4: 11-15 RSV,
"And you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while the mountain
burned with fire to the heart of heaven, wrapped in darkness, cloud and
gloom. Then the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire; you heard
the sound of words, but SAW NO FORM; there was only a voice...Since youSA NO
FORM on the day that the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the
fire, beware lest you act corruptly by making a graven image for yourselves,
in the form of any figure..."

Mettinger:
"...it is said, among other things, that "none of the gods knows his true
form...we do not know thy image...we do not know thy body." (pp.50-51.
Mettinger)

Regards, Walter
Walter Reinhold Warttig Mattfeld, M.A. Ed.
mattfeld12 AT charter.net
www.bibleorigins.net


----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Kirk" <Peter_R_Kirk AT hotmail.com>
To: "'Walter R. Mattfeld'" <mattfeld12 AT charter.net>
Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2003 5:08 PM
Subject: RE: [b-hebrew] Ark of the Covenant, Egyptian Pototype ?


Walter, can you please tell us, i.e. the  list, where this was found (you
should know as you state that it was you who found it!), and from what
Pharaoh's reign or which dynasty it dates?

Peter Kirk
peter.r.kirk AT ntlworld.com
http://web.onetel.net.uk/~peterkirk/


> -----Original Message-----
> From: b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:b-hebrew-
> bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Walter R. Mattfeld
> Sent: 12 April 2003 21:26
> To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
> Subject: [b-hebrew] Ark of the Covenant, Egyptian Pototype ?
>
> As some viewers may be aware, the Ark of the Covenant was described as
> possessing a box or chest called in Hebrew "aron" and a Mercy Seat or
> Hebrew
> "kapporeth." Moses apparently had the device made at Mount Sinai, and he
> was
> understood to have been at one time a prince of Egypt. So the search for a
> "possible Egyptian prototype" for Yahweh-Elohim's portable throne
> intrigues
> some scholars.
>
> I am pleased to announce that I have found a chest-like portable throne
> for
> the god Amon-Re, who was honored in the Late Bronze Age (the Exodus being
> dated to this period by some scholars) as the mighty warrior-god who
> delivered into the hands of his people ALL THE LAND OF CANAAN, just as
> Yahweh-Elohim was to accomplish "the same feat" for his people, Israel.
>
> Although the CHEST-LIKE portable throne example is late, of the 6th
> century
> BCE, nevertheless a number of its details are attested in earlier portable
> thrones of the Pharaohs in the Late Bronze Age.
>
> Those possessing an interest in all this are invited to access the
> following
> url for an illustration of Amon-Re's CHEST-like portable throne, "a
> possible
> precursor " (?) to the Ark of the Covenant.
>
> http://www.bibleorigins.net/AmonReportableThrone.html
>
> http://www.bibleorigins.net/Egyptianportablethrnes.html
>
> Regards, Walter
> Walter Reinhold Warttig Mattfeld, M.A. Ed.
> www.bibleorigins.net
> mattfeld12 AT charter.net
>
>
>