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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Potiphar's title

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  • From: Peter Kirk <peter.r.kirk AT ntlworld.com>
  • To: "Walter R. Mattfeld" <mattfeld12 AT charter.net>
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Potiphar's title
  • Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2003 07:21:10 -0700

On 10/07/2003 06:57, Walter R. Mattfeld wrote:

Peter Kirk wrote:

"No, Walter, this does not follow. In the Genesis account, it is not
Egyptians calling Potiphar a saris, it is the Hebrew author who is using
a Hebrew word, chosen as the best equivalent in Hebrew for Potiphar's
Egyptian title or rank. So we should look not for when the word might
have come into use in Egyptian, but when it might have come into use in
Hebrew."

Dear Peter,

When did Assyria come to dominate the land of Canaan and Israel/Judah,
introducing the Assyrian titularly _sa resi_ to the Hebrew vocabulary ? By
721 BCE Israel is carried off into Exile by the Assyrians and Judah falls to
the Babylonians in 586 BCE. It would appear to me that the 9th-6th centuries
would be the most likely time frame for an Assyrian title for a "governor"
to be introduced into the Hebrew vocabulary.

Now you are putting forward a sensible argument, based on the use of the word in Israel and not in Egypt. But the most you can prove by this kind of argument is that there was a final redaction of Genesis after this kind of date (already suggested by 36:31 etc), when possibly an archaic term was replaced by one in more current use.


Professor Redford examined the history of Egyptian names appearing in
Genesis, noting WHEN these names FIRST appeared in Egyptian records. The
viewing audience may have an interest in his observations :

As discussions of historicity and dating are off topic for this list, and as mockery of those who according to you 'see themselves as "defenders of Holy Writ"' most certainly is, I will not comment further.

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






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