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  • From: Dave Washburn <dwashbur AT nyx.net>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Josiah's book of the Law
  • Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 09:23:23 -0600

It would depend on what it was written on and how it was stored, as well as
how airtight the chamber for it was.

On Tuesday 02 August 2005 19:20, Kevin Riley wrote:
> Is it likely that a manuscript would have survived in reasonable condition
> for that long?
>
> Kevin Riley
>
> -------Original Message-------
>
> From: Dave Washburn
> Date: 08/03/05 01:09:03
>
> The recent discussion that included Josiah and the discovery during his day
> triggered a memory of something I read a long time ago, and I want to toss
> it
> out for discussion if nobody minds.
>
> Merrill F. Unger, in his book "Archaeology and the Old Testament" (Grand
> Rapids: Zondervan, 1954) p. 281 says in part that "it was customary in
> ancient times to place documents in the foundations of buildings as is done
> even to the present day [1954, at least]." He suggests that the Book of the
> Law that Josiah's priests discovered had been placed in the cornerstone of
> the Temple by Solomon, and that during the extensive repairs to the Temple
> that Josiah directed, the stone masons and carpenters came across this
> deposit and reported it to the priests. Hence the rediscovery of the Book
> of the Law. Unger also notes that Nabonidus, around the 6th century BC (BCE
> if you prefer) liked to dig into foundations of buildings to see what sorts
> of documents were cached away therein.
>
> I'm wondering what folks here think of this idea as an explanation of the
> discovery during Josiah's reign.
>
> --
> Dave Washburn
>
>
>
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--
Dave Washburn
http://www.nyx.net/~dwashbur
"Well, if I'd wanted a safe life, I guess I wouldn't have
married a man who studies rocks." - Betty Armstrong (Fay Masterson)




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