Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>]

On 17/11/2004 18:30, gfsomsel AT juno.com wrote:

> ...
>
> > As for the dating of the Ugaritic texts, there was a debate in this 
> > forum not long ago concerning the accuracy of traditional dates. But 
> > even the earliest dates for the Ugaritic literature that I have seen 
> > (ca. 1200 BCE) is still well after Moses (who wrote ca. 1450-1400 
> > BCE). If Rohl and others like him are correct, even that date is a 
> > couple of centuries too early.
> >
> >    
> That's an absurd date for this supposed figure.  BTW:  There probably was
> a "Moses" to whom many legends accreted, but this was not the Moses
> portrayed in the Pentateuch.
>
>  
George, I'm surprised at you saying that ca. 1450-1400 is an absurd date 
for Moses. You say that a Moses probably existed, but at what time would 
you date him? Although the majority scholarly opinion is probably now 
for a 13th century Exodus, there are many serious scholars of all kinds 
of persuasions who date some kind of Exodus event to the 15th century, 
based in part on the dates in 1 Kings 6:1. These scholars agree on the 
approximate date even though they differ widely on the historical 
context of the Exodus: the arrival of the Hyksos, the expulsion of the 
Hyksos, or the reign of Tuthmosis III (I think). You are calling a lot 
of theories absurd!


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