Biblical Hebrew Forum

[jimstinehart AT aol.com]

Prof. Yigal Levin:
 
On a different, but related, thread, you wrote two things.
 
First, you wrote this:  “Questions about language, geography, the text itself 
are allowed.”
 
Then later, you wrote this:  “I also have answers to most of Jim's claims, 
but since one of the moderators has declared the thread closed, I'll keep my 
comments to myself. :-).”
 
I am hoping that your comment #1 still stands:  “Questions 
about…geography…are allowed.”
 
If your comment #1 still stands, and questions about geography are permitted, 
then let me repeat my question to you which I previously raised on this 
particular thread, which is exclusively about geography: 
 
“Please tell us if you have inscriptions in the secular history of the 
ancient 
world south of the Dead Sea or in the Negev [or in the Sinai Desert] for any 
one or more of the names (1) Horites, (2) El-paran, (3) QD$, (4) En-mishpat, 
(5) Amalekites, (6) Amorites, 
(7) Hazezon [all of which appear at Genesis 14: 6-7].”
 
I would greatly appreciate learning from your expertise in the field of 
Biblical geography as to my question about those 7 names of peoples and 
places at Genesis 14: 6-7.
 
If I am not permitted to ask that question, or if you decline to answer that 
question, please say so.  Otherwise, I am banking on your comment #1, when 
you said “Questions about…geography…are allowed.”
 
You are one of the world’s leading experts in this field, having at a minimum 
published at least one peer-reviewed article that is directly on point, as to 
QD$.  We would all (not just me) learn a lot from your answer.  Why do you 
seem a bit reluctant to answer such a straightforward question, which falls 
squarely within one of your fields of expertise?  Either there are 
non-Biblical inscriptions from the ancient world for one or several or all of 
those 7 names that attest such names south of the Dead Sea, in the Negev, or 
in the Sinai Desert, or not.  Agreeing to keep the historicity of the 
Patriarchal narratives completely out of it, the objective question remains 
whether there are inscriptions from the secular history of the ancient world 
that back up the 2,500-year-old unanimous view of all Biblical analysts (both 
scholarly and non-scholarly) as to the underlying geography of the 
Patriarchal narratives.  The identity and geographical location of those 7 
specific names is of critical importance in understanding the underlying 
geography of the Patriarchal narratives, I believe you would agree.
 
Is there any non-Biblical evidence from the ancient world to place any one or 
more of those 7 names south of the Dead Sea, in the Negev, or in the Sinai 
Desert (or close to any of those very southerly locales)?  Either there is, 
or there isn’t.  Is you is, or is you ain’t?  Professor, we just want to 
learn from your expertise, that’s all.  
 
Jim Stinehart
Evanston, Illinois






-----Original Message-----
From: Yigal Levin <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il>
To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Sent: Sat, Feb 13, 2010 12:40 pm
Subject: [b-hebrew] $WB, Gen 14 and Amarna 197


The verb $WB is used hundreds of times in the Bible, with several different,
ut related, meanings. Its basic meaning is "to turn" (and is related to SWB
ith a samekh). It often does mean "to RE-turn", but not always. In Ex.
3:20, the Israelites leave Succoth and encamp at Etham. In 14:1-2 God
rders Moses to tell them to "$wb" and encamp before Pi-Hahiroth between
igdol and the sea before Baal-Zephon. This text is similar to that of Gen.
4, since it is also an itinerary. $WB here does not mean "return to point
f origin" but simply "turn around". Similarly in Gen. 14: 7, all $wb means
s that the invading kings got as far as El-Paran and then did an
bout-face. All of the rest of the place-names listed are known to be in the
ead Sea or Negev areas. None, except in your fantasies, are in the north.
A 197 says nothing about a "year 14", nor does most of the action take
lace in Transjordan. Ashtaroth is not the main player there, but rather
murru, in Lebanon, and Kumudi in the southern Beqa'a Valley. There is no
ign of a "Hittite" invasion. All the writer claims, is that some of the
ther rulers are in league with Hatti. 
 
I think you've stated your case. No-one else is buying. Now let's move on. 
 
 
Yigal Levin
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