Biblical Hebrew Forum

[formoria AT carolina.rr.com]

Can the reference to the "fields of Zoan" in Psalm 78:12-43 be explained as 
an attempt by a pre-exilic redactor to keep his sacred texts relevant to its 
audience? The OT does not say that the fields of Zoan were the Pharoanic 
residence OR the capital of Egypt during the time of the Exodus. In fact it 
does not identify the nature of the fields of Zoan, except to say that it was 
in the land of Egypt. In fact, the name Zoan, in some African traditions, 
simply means "departure" or "motion". The passage takes on a deeper meaning 
when rendered as "the fields of departure".

Does anyone on the list know if this word is originally a Hebrew word or 
something else? Further, has anyone done an analysis of whether or not the 
reference to Zoan in Numbers 13:22 is the same word as that in the Psalm 
which can be translated as "departure"? If so, then the author of Numbers 
13:22 could simply have been trying to say that Hebron was built seven years 
before the "departure" in Egypt. There might be no connection to 
Avaris/Tanis/Pi-Rameses here in these instances. I realize the long-standing 
identification of Avaris/Tanis/Pi-Rameses with Zoan, and I know it's no small 
matter to challenge it, so no flames here, please.

Best Salaams,

Brian