Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Uri Hurwitz <uhurwitz AT yahoo.com>]

  Dear Rolf,
  The opposition to the the evidence about diachronic development of BH,at 
least in this debate, did not seem take into account the evidence of Hebrew 
inscription which have been dated to pre-exilic times. Whether in the Lachish 
letters, the Arad material , the Yabneh letter, or many others  smaller 
fragments, there is in them no scintilla of evidence of Mishnaic language.

 One may bring as a further point, the evidence of dialogue, or direct speech 
which authors of many texts within the HB books used in their narrative, such 
as "Am I my brther's keeper?" This was done for various reasons, but the 
overriding one was to introduce the drama of live conversation. This was done 
in the living style familiar to the authors and their hearers or readers. 
Again, there is not the slightest trace of what would become Mishnaic 
language, such as is obvious in the style of Qohelet.

 That the latter is a late book, can be deduced from its content alone.

 Uri Hurwitz

( Please do not mix me up with Avi Hurvitz, not a relative )