Biblical Hebrew Forum

[dwashbur AT nyx.net]

On 7 Nov 2007 at 10:28, JimStinehart AT aol.com wrote:

>
> Where Was Jacob's  Ladder?
> The geographical locale of Jacob's Ladder is  a surprisingly important key 
> to
> understanding the Patriarchal  narratives.
> In this post, we will see that the  traditional view of the geographical
> locale of Jacob's Ladder cannot be  right.  In a later post we can  figure 
> out
> where Jacob's Ladder was actually  located.
> I.  First Visit to Bethel/Luz
> The Jacob's Ladder experience takes place at  Bethel/Luz.  Here are the key
> initial lines of text:
> "And Jacob went out from  Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran.  And he lighted
> upon the place, and  tarried there all night, because the sun was set....  
> And
> he  called the name of that place Beth-el, but the name of the city was Luz 
> at
> the  first."  Genesis 28: 10-11,  19
> As I read Genesis 28: 10-11, Jacob got to  Bethel/Luz one day after leaving
> Beersheba.  Thus Bethel/Luz must be one day's travel  time from Beersheba, 
> no
> more, no less.
[snip]

This is a wonderful example of eisegesis.  It doesn't say the trip only took 
one day.  It says
he headed toward Haran, doesn't say how long he was on the road before he 
came to a
particular place.  Nothing in this text requires his arrival at this place 
one day after leaving
Beersheba.  It gives no time indicators at all, you're supplying those all on 
your own.

Dave Washburn
Why do it right when you can do it again?