Biblical Hebrew Forum

[JimStinehart AT aol.com]

James Christian:
 
The first historical monotheistic leader of a people in the Bible is  
Jacob. 
 
The first historical monontheist in the Bible is Abraham.
 
In secular history, Akhenaten was both, though Akhenaten's brand of  
semi-monotheism was, so unlike Judaism, very unattractive and totally  
unsuccessful, while also having a completely different deity from Judaism.   
Having 
said that, however, many of the terrible problems that Akhenaten  struggled 
with in his tortured reign seem to have been endured by the Biblical  
Patriarchs as well.  Both had to deal with an aggressive ruler of  Shechem 
who was 
trying to entice tent-dwelling people into making that  upstart ruler the 
greatest power in central Canaan.  Both had to cut  off all relations with 
their 
irate father-in-law from far-off Naharim on the  upper Euphrates River.  
And most importantly of all was that truly  unnerving "four kings against 
five", involving a powerful attacking ruler  with a Hittite kingly name, 
which 
potentially seemed to threaten to destroy  everything for everyone.  And "the 
iniquity of the Amorites" didn't  help.
 
Now let me ask you a question.  What story in the Patriarchal  narratives 
would you suggest as being a story that has no correspondence to  Years 12-14 
at Amarna, unlike the foregoing key four foreign policy  issues?
 
Jim Stinehart
Evanston, Illinois