Biblical Hebrew Forum

[JimStinehart AT aol.com]

Karl: 
 
You wrote:  “You have yet to make the case that the cities that you mention 
are anywhere else than south of Hebron, where history, archaeology and 
linguistics all
 put them.”
 
Let’s take your theory of the case seriously and see if it works.  You view 
all 10 towns listed at Joshua 15: 55-57 as being located south of the city of 
Hebron.  In particular, you have asserted repeatedly that I am in error in 
maintaining that Ziph, Timnah, Jezreel, Maon and Carmel are not located south 
of 
the city of Hebron.
 
Let’s check it out.
 
1.  The land south of the city of Hebron is not very good land.  It is the 
Northern Negev Desert, which has never supported a large human population.  
True, there were some towns there in Biblical times.  Yet south of Hebron is 
not 
an urban area, to say the least.  It is hard to imagine more than about a 
dozen 
or so towns being located in the poor land south of the city of Hebron, in 
the Northern Negev Desert.
 
2.  I Samuel 30: 26-31 lists about 10 towns south of the city of Hebron.  
That would be most, if not quite all, of the towns that existed south of the 
city 
of Hebron.  I Samuel 30: 31 then says that those were  a-l-l  of the places 
where David hung out in those days.
 
3.  Now let’s see if any of the 10 towns at Joshua 15: 55-57, all of which 
you see as being located south of the city of Hebron, are places where David 
hung out south of the city of Hebron.
 
Is Ziph listed at I Samuel 30: 26-31?  No.  What about Timnah?  No.  Jezreel? 
 No.  Maon?  No.  Carmel?  No.  Should I go on?  Not a single one of the 10 
towns listed at Joshua 15: 55-57 is a place south of the city of Hebron where 
David hung out.
 
Why?  Because no town listed at Joshua 15: 55-57 is located south of the city 
of Hebron!!!  (Or southeast of the city of Hebron.)
 
Your theory of the case cannot withstand a review of the Biblical evidence.  
There is no “history, archaeology and linguistics” from prior to the common 
era to support your view either.  You’re 0 for 10 in matching city names at 
Joshua 15: 55-57 with the towns south of the city of Hebron where young David 
hung out.  That’s the same batting average as mainstream scholars on this 
issue.
 
Jim Stinehart
Evanston, Illinois

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