Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Walter R. Mattfeld" <mattfeld12 AT charter.net>]

I thank all for the many contributions and insights on this issue. I recall 
that the Classical Greeks had a similar notion. Some histories and plays 
(so-called "Tragedies") mention a curse befalling a "house" and its 
"descendants" for the sins of some remote ancestor. Some have suggested this 
notion was developed to reign in the avarice and greed of the sinner. That 
is to say, he might curb his anti-social behavior being aware that it would 
affect not just himself  but his "innocent" future descendants who would 
also pay or suffer for his crimes. We know, from archaeology that the Greeks 
have a long connection via trade with the ancient Near East, their wares 
being found in ancient Egypt, Syria, and Canaan from Late Bronze Age to Iron 
Age times. Perhaps this notion of innocent children (descendants) being 
punished for some remote ancestor's trespass or sin, was part of the 
religious "baggage" of the Late Bronze Age (1560-1200 BCE) and Iron Age 
(1200-587 BCE) worlds ?

Regards, Walter
Walter Reinhold Warttig Mattfeld y de la Torre, M.A. Ed.
mattfeld12 AT charter.net
www.bibleorigins.net