Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Jim:

On Sun, May 15, 2011 at 6:25 AM, <jimstinehart AT aol.com> wrote:

> Karl:
>
> 1.  You wrote:  “[The Patriarchs’ XBRWN] is the highest in altitude near
> Beersheba, which was described in Genesis as being a savanna, lots of grass
> with occasional trees and even small forests.”
>
> Not a single word in the Patriarchal narratives supports that view.
>
> (a)  The Hebrew words for “up” or “high” or “mountains” are never used in
> the Patriarchal narratives regarding the Patriarchs’ XBRWN, nor is there any
> indication whatsoever of high altitude.
>

Let’s see: desert oaks are found at higher altitudes, and there was a nearby
lookout point that could see many miles distance, both indication altitude.

>
> (b)  Biblically, we know that the Negev was not “a savanna with lots of
> grass”, because of Genesis 13: 3.  In coming back from Egypt, Abram does
> not proceed “by stages” until he and Lot are north of the Negev, and
> southwest of Bethel.…
>

Even a savanna can get overgrazed, especially by herds so large that they
were counted in the thousands. Abram and Lot both had such large herds.

>
> (c)  Historically, we know that Beersheba of the Negev was uninhabited in
> the Bronze Age.
>

That’s the picture given in Genesis, which is why it was such a good place
for a nomadic shepherd to winter his flocks.

>
> 2.  You wrote:  “In the vicinity were oak trees, enough to make them a
> noted feature of the landscape.”
>
> Biblically, we know that is not true because in the entirety of the Bible,
> there is not a single village, city or valley in southern hill country whose
> name is )LWN or )YLWN or in any other way refers to oak trees.
>

Irrelevant.


> The Biblical testimony is overwhelming that the place to find oak trees and
> places named in honor of oak trees was the Shephelah, west of Bethel, not a
> mountainous locale just northwest of the Judean Desert.
>

False.

>
> 3.  You wrote:  “As the highest altitude place, it would be prime summer
> pasturage for a nomadic shepherd like Abraham.”
>
> …Since YHWH promised all of Canaan to Abraham, why wouldn’t Abraham sojourn
> at the two best places in Canaan for sheep and goats?
>

Were they the best places? What do you know about taking care of sheep?

>
>
> Jim Stinehart
> Evanston, Illinois
>
>
You have not presented one whit of evidence to back up your claims. You
don’t know deserts. You don’t know shepherding. You don’t know history. You
don’t know Hebrew.

Karl W. Randolph.

Ps: watch for mutton prices to rise later this year. New Zealand, a major
sheep growing / mutton exporting country had a major freeze during the
lambing season, and shepherds reported up to 90% losses among the lambs.
Usually the temperatures are mild enough that the sheep could lamb out in
the open, but if freezes like this become more common, special lambing
booths will have to be constructed, like what Jacob built the first year
after he returned from Aram and tried overwintering in northern Canaan. The
Negev is usually mild enough that lambing could take place out in the open,
as well as being a savanna providing plenty of browsing.