Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Historical memory was Re: Iron and Curses in Deuteronomy 28 (Gabe Eisenstein)

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Harold Holmyard <hholmyard3 AT earthlink.net>
  • To: "b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org" <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Historical memory was Re: Iron and Curses in Deuteronomy 28 (Gabe Eisenstein)
  • Date: Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:54:33 -0600

Bill,
I noticed this thread started by Gabe and would like to look at a slightly
different aspect from Deut 23: 12,14. If we recall the vast numbers of
people said to have undertaken the Exodus here are a few verses which seem
inconsistent with such a huge camp. I'm sure someone will point out that I'm
taking this out of context because it is supposed to be instructions about
what to do once they were in the land. That aside, my point is that the
instructions given in these verses are only workable if ``the camp'' is very
small. A ``camp'' of a number of square kilometers (square miles for our US
friends) could not use this method of sewage disposal.

I think this is some of the problem with trying to date the books. There
appears to be a kernel of historical memory within them overlaid with much
material from later times.

HH: If you look at the passage carefully, you will see that it is not talking about the whole camp of Israel, women and children and the aged included, but it is talking about a military expedition that is camped against an enemy. That is clear from verses 9 and 14:

9 "When you are encamped against your enemies, be careful to avoid anything offensive. 10 If there is a man among you who is unclean because of a bodily emission during the night, he must go outside the camp; he may not come anywhere inside the camp. 11 When evening approaches, he must wash with water, and when the sun sets he may come inside the camp.(a )12 You must have a place outside the camp and go there to relieve yourself. 13 You must have a digging tool in your equipment; when you relieve yourself, dig a hole with it and cover up your excrement. 14 For the LORD your God walks throughout your camp to protect you and deliver your enemies to you; so your encampments must be holy. He must not see anything improper among you or He will turn away from you.

HH: This strict behavior for wartime, a special need for cleanliness, is in keeping with some other Israelites traditions that suggest they viewed war as a holy activity where special cleanliness was called for:

CSB 1 Samuel 21:5 David answered him, "I swear that women are being kept from us, as always when I go out to battle.(a )The young men's bodies(1 )are consecrated even on an ordinary mission, so of course their bodies are consecrated today."

Yours,
Harold Holmyard








Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page