Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Dora Smith" <villandra AT austin.rr.com>]

Yup, I got what Jacob promised Joseph.  And I also bcaught Joseph's
(re)burial site.

I found my bible atlas and identified the two tribes, the sons of Joseph,
but not the mountains Shechem was located between nor Mount Ephraim.

In the lingo of the times, the three tribes would have been described as
closely related if they were politically and historically close to each
other.   Many who see Shechem as central to it all think that Manasseh and
Ephraim formed a covenant that was the beginning of Israel, which they
celebrated  at Shechem, and Benjamin was intimately involved in Israel's
prehistory.

As for provable, everything I said is completely proven.   Maybe you aren't
up on it.

As for the rest of it - it reads like you're trying too hard.

Yours,
Dora Smith
Austin, Texas
villandra AT austin.rr.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Yigal Levin" <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il>
To: "b-hebrew" <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Saturday, July 03, 2004 5:05 PM
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Benjamin


>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dora Smith" <villandra AT austin.rr.com>
>
> > The southern edge of Mount Ephraim?
>
> The two sons of Joseph were Manasseh and Ephraim, which, in accordance to
> Jacob's blessing (Gen. 48:5). Joseph's younger full brother (Rachel's only
> other son) was Benjamin. Not surprisingly, all three tribes "settled" in
the
> same area, with Manasseh in the north, Ephraim in the center and Ben-Yamin
> on the south. And if you're looking for Shechem again, have a look at Gen.
> 48:22, at what Jacob promisses Joseph (in Hebrew!).
>
> >
> > Shechem itself has a fascinating history.   The stories about it in
> Genesis
> > appear to tell of relations and covenants between its Hurrian masters
and
> > the Hebrew chieftains who grazed their flocks nearby.   It is made
> > absolutely clear by the fact that we are told of it at all, that the
> Hebrews
> > worshipped at the sacred altar just outside of Shechem which eventually
> > became the great migdal temple of Shechem.   Now, the god of Shechem,
> "Lord
> > of rthe Covenant", appears to be extremely similar to the Hurrian god
> Mitra
> > (later Mithras); the god of justice who covenanted with his people to
> > provide them with life itself in exchange for their loyalty.
> >
>
> None of this is provable in any way.
>
> > I think it's the "Israel Stele" though I could have that wrong, that
tells
> > that Merenptah, pharaoh of Egypt, around 1220, I think,
>
> Actually, the date that is accepted today is 1207/6.
>
> > conquered four cities of Canaan and "Israel".
>
> Actually three: Ashkelon, Gezer and Yeno'am, which are listed from south
to
> north. Then comes "Israel".
>
>
>  A little-known set of temple artwork in one
> > of the funerary temples, attributed to different pharaohs because it was
> > usurped twice but actually from the reign of Merenptah, DEPICTS this
> > campaign.   The four Canaanite cities, in order, a battle in a field in
> open
> > hill country with a very technologically sophisticated chariot being
> driven
> > by people dressed exactly like Canaanites, and off to the side, lines of
> > "Shasu", ie, "beduoin" or nomads of the hills, since they ranged all the
> way
> > through the Transjordan from the Negev to Syria and were a substantial
> > element of the hill country and in some cases cannot be distinguished
from
> > Apiru.
> > The battle scene in the hill country was the defeat of Israel - and it
> makes
> > it absolutely clear that "Israel" was a coalition of Canaanite (mostly
> > Hurrian) chieftains of cities like Shechem, and Apiru and other nomadic
> > elements who were around.
>
> This is all a matter of interpretation, since it's not clear just who, in
> the picture, is supposed to be "Israel". If you ask me, they are the same
as
> the Shasu, and have nothing to do with the Apiru.
>
> >
> > A shockingly obscure fact
>
> Only obscure to people who don't bother to learn history. Read any text on
> the history of the Levant during the Bronze Age.
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