Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>]

On 16/07/2004 17:09, Yigal Levin wrote:

> Excuse me Harold, but just how do you know when Abraham lived in relation to
> Akhenaten?
>
>  
If we are to attribute any historical value at all to the Genesis and 
Exodus narratives, then it is clear that Abraham lived some centuries 
before the Exodus, and the latest time for the Exodus suggested by 
anyone, as far as I know, is the reign of Rameses II. The implication is 
that Abraham must have predated Akhenaten.

If we are to understand Genesis and Exodus as literary constructs with 
no historical value, then we have to place Abraham according to the 
setting in which the authors place him, which, according to the dates 
which these authors have put in their texts, date him around 900-1000 
years before David, and so long before Akhenaten.

In either case, Abraham, whether real or fictional, is presented as 
living long before Akhenaten.

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