Biblical Hebrew Forum

[George Athas <George.Athas AT moore.edu.au>]

James, familiarity with the aetiological tale does not in any way lend 
credence to the historicity of that tale. Whether it was local nomads or 
distant pygmies who 'preserved' the tradition doesn't really matter all that 
much. There is nothing by which to make a statement either for or against the 
historicity of the aetiology. It might be an historical reminisce, it might 
not be. How do we know? We can't know for certain. Therefore, the option you 
are taking about an old and probably reliable tale is motivated by a personal 
assumption, not by an objective fact. You might well be right, but my point 
is that we simply cannot know, and it could go either way.

GEORGE ATHAS
Moore Theological College (Sydney, Australia)
www.moore.edu.au