Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>]

On 07/07/2004 16:05, wattswestmaas wrote:

> Dear peter, thankyou, I have just seen the photo, interesting.  You said
> that this was the traditional sight.  Is there evidence for this? I am not
> looking for 100% just an idea of how probable.
>
> Thankyou Chris.
>
>
>
> .
>
>  
Well, for some evidence to hand, from conservative sources:

NIV Study Bible (Exo 17:1): "/Rephidim./ Probably either the Wadi 
Refayid or the Wadi Feiran..."

The New Bible Dictionary (REPHIDIM): "The site of Rephidim is uncertain, 
the usual suggestion being the Wadi Refayid in SW Sinai."

Rand McNally Bible Atlas, p.112: "E.H. Palmer... imagines the Rephidim 
events as having occurred in the Wadi Feiran."

Keller, The Bible as History, p.136: The chapter opens "Rephidim is now 
Feiran", and Keller devotes two pages to justifying this.

To go back to your original question, Keller quotes Flinders Petrie:

"The Amalekites must have been trying to defend Wadi Feiran from foreign 
invaders. If the climate has not changed... Today at a rough estimate 
5,000 to 7,000 nomads live with their flocks on the Sinai peninsula. 
Israel must therefore have been about 6,000 strong since the battle with 
the Amalekites appears to have been indecisive." This reasoning doesn't 
seem very strong to me, but it may be the best guide we have got.

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/