Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Jim:

On Wed, Oct 28, 2009 at 7:26 AM, <JimStinehart AT aol.com> wrote:

>
> Prof. Levin:
>
> …
> The pinpoint historical accuracy of Genesis 14: 7, in the context of the
> well-attested secular history of Late Bronze Age northern Canaan, is
> absolutely stunning.
>

What you refuse to accept is that your “well-attested secular history” is
not well-attested. Rather it is based on a religious myth perpetrated by
Egyptian priests who wanted to make Egyptian history look older than it is.
As long as we didn’t have archaeology, the myth makers could get away with
their myths. But with archaeology, we now see that the Amarna letters
reflect ninth and eighth centuries BC, which would make Thutmosis late tenth
century BC, in other words, iron age rulers. This disconnect between
“secular history” and archaeology has been known for over half a century,
but the way that academia has treated dissidents from the politically
correct line has made it that your myth is still perpetrated. So much for
your “secular history”.

As for bronze age history, so few documents survive from it that most
surviving histories have no corroboration from other sources.

What I see in you is not uncommon in academia, namely that a professor
becomes so enamored with his own theories that when new data is found that
contradict his theories, that he refuses to acknowledge that data. It is a
rare professor who has the humility and honesty to acknowledge that the
theories for which he is famous and for which he has received academic
praise, have been negated by later research and for that later
acknowledgment he loses his honor to become an academic pariah. Many
professors would prefer to live a lie.

I grew up in academia, both my parents were professors.

Do you recognize why some of us have trouble taking you seriously?
Linguistics, history and archaeology don’t support your theories.

Karl W. Randolph.