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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Joseph: Israel - Hyksos - Egypt

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  • From: Peter Kirk <peter AT qaya.org>
  • To: tladatsi AT charter.net
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Joseph: Israel - Hyksos - Egypt
  • Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2005 00:29:53 +0000

On 14/11/2005 23:59, tladatsi AT charter.net wrote:

Peter,

I believe Ex 1 was writen principally to make a *Theological* point. The
literary effort merely serves the theology. There was obviously a great deal
of history between Joseph and Moses. At best only a miniscule fraction is
reported in Ex 1. The author only reported enough history to make the
theological point. I beileve a general rule for the MT is that literature
and history are merely theology's handmaindens.


Well, you may be partly right. There was doubtless a lot of Egyptian history happening, but the author was concerned with the (theological) history of Israel and God's dealings with them. And on that front nothing much happened for centuries (as far as we know) and so the period could be passed over in near silence.

But I don't accept your last sentence. And you have ignored my main point, which was that you assumed a date of composition many centuries after the event. You may be right, but to assume it begs all sorts of interesting questions.

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





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