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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Aramaic to Hebrew language switch?

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  • From: George Athas <George.Athas AT moore.edu.au>
  • To: Uri Hurwitz <uhurwitz AT yahoo.com>, B-Hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Aramaic to Hebrew language switch?
  • Date: Sun, 5 Sep 2010 13:37:12 +1000

Hi Uri!

I think you might have slightly caricatured the arguments of Young, Rezetko,
and Ehrensvärd. The logic of their argument is quite sound. What this means
in not that Gen 49, Exod 15 and Qohelet were written at the same time.
Rather, on purely linguistic concerns, they MIGHT have been. Their claim is
that it's hard to date a book on purely linguistic evidence when that
evidence is purely Hebrew. There are other non-linguistic factors that we can
use, and these would probably distinguish different milieus for the texts you
mention. However, linguistics of Hebrew alone can't do that. Otherwise, on
purely linguistic evidence, Exod 15 and the Habakkuk Pesher from Qumran are
contemporaneous. We know that can't be the case on the basis of other factors.

Their argument commends itself for its sound reasoning, and I recommend the
two volumes to Hebraists.

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






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