Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Yigal Levin <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il>]

Karl, I'm not going to get into a debate about this, both because George 
closed the thread and because I know that whatever I write will not convince 
you anyway, but you keep presenting what is a very small minority opinion 
among professional archaeologists and historians of the period as if it were 
the commonly held view. There is nothing in your final statement, "the 
historical records and archeology seem to indicate that Israel entered Egypt 
during the third dynasty, and left during the 13th. The Hyksos period started 
after the Exodus. With the Exodus dated by the Bible about 1450 BC. But is 
also brings the destruction of those cities into Abraham’s time", that 
represents the consensus among professional archaeologists and historians of 
the period.

 

 

Yigal Levin

 

From: K Randolph [mailto:kwrandolph AT gmail.com] 
Sent: Monday, March 28, 2011 7:09 AM
To: Yigal Levin
Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Hebron and Sodom (was: gen. 25 (tam?))

 

Yigal:

On Sun, Mar 27, 2011 at 9:02 PM, Yigal Levin <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il> wrote:

-----Original Message-----
>From K Randolph

The text indicates that near Hebron was a place from which Sodom could be
viewed. Archaeologists have identified the ruins of Sodom, to the south and
east of the Dead Sea. There is no reason to question that Hebron is the same
city as the one that Abraham knew. Logically and textually, it makes sense,
as well as from history and archeology.

>

Karl, this is misleading. "Archaeologists" have not "identified the ruins of 
Sodom, to the south and east of the Dead Sea". I assume that you are 
referring to Bab ed-Dhra', which is an Early Bronze Age city near the 
south-eastern shore of the Dead Sea. Identifying it with Sodom assumes, of 
course, that the story of Sodom occurred at the end of the EB (c. 2200 BCE), 
which is a very small minority opinion.


Yes, I agree that is a minority opinion, but so is the identification of the 
first grand vizier in Egypt during the third dynasty, who was Asiatic and not 
Egyptian, who saved Egypt from a seven year famine, who concentrated power 
into the hands of pharaoh, and who died at the age of 110.
 

And assuming it did, how could we know that this place, or any other that you 
have in mind, is actually Sodom and not Gomorrah, Admah or Zeboim?


There were five cities found, four of which were destroyed at the same time 
by fire. True, the identification of the ruins is done in the order they are 
named in Genesis. 


Actually, if you look at a map (or actually go there!) you will see that what 
is visible from the Hebron area (not from the city itself, but from the 
ridges to its east - but yes, I agree that it is the same city that we know 
today) is the NORTHERN end of the Dead Sea, NOT the southern end. So taking 
the story literally, THAT'S where one should look for Sodom.

What is said in the story is that Abraham and the three guests went a short 
distance from Hebron, to where they could overlook the Rift Valley. I have 
not been to Hebron, but I have stood on the heights overlooking another rift 
valley, that one in New Mexico. On a clear summer day, especially when the 
sun is partially behind one, one could see details over a hundred miles away 
down in the valley. I suspect the same holds true for the view from near 
Hebron. I’d be surprised if the whole of the Dead Sea is not visible from the 
lookout near Hebron. 


Yigal Levin

The sticking point in this discussion is the timing—when were the different 
periods of time? While I am not an expert in history, the historical records 
and archeology seem to indicate that Israel entered Egypt during the third 
dynasty, and left during the 13th. The Hyksos period started after the 
Exodus. With the Exodus dated by the Bible about 1450 BC, that wreaks havoc 
with Jim’s theory, as well as with many other historical theories out there. 
But is also brings the destruction of those cities into Abraham’s time.

Karl W. Randolph.