Biblical Hebrew Forum

[jimstinehart AT aol.com]

Dear Dr. George Athas:

My last post posed the Hebrew grammar issue at Genesis 14: 4 as follows:

“[E]-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g  would check out perfectly, if the second half of 
Genesis 14: 4 says “And Year 13 they rebelled”, while not saying how it is 
usually translated:  “And in the 13th year they rebelled.”  From the 
standpoint of Hebrew grammar, what is your analysis of the second half of 
Genesis 14: 4?”

To that you responded:  “Jim, the question doesn't interest me as it 
interests you. And I think it a gross overstatement to claim that this is the 
greatest biblical mystery of all.  I suspect few if any others agree with 
your estimation of the problem.”

Does your answer/non-answer imply that my proposed Hebrew grammar analysis of 
the second half of Genesis 14: 4 has merit?  If my Hebrew grammar analysis 
was in error, I would have expected you to attack it on the merits, for 
example by pointing to Biblical examples that contradict it, rather than 
saying that the general subject area I have raised “doesn't interest me as it 
interests you.”  I hope I am not out of line to take your answer/non-answer 
as possibly implying that my proposed analysis of the Hebrew grammar of the 
second half of Genesis 14: 4 is a reasonable position to take on a 
grammatical basis.

As to the non-grammatical issue that you have raised twice now, you and I can 
agree to disagree as to how super-ultra-exciting it would be to know the 
exact year in which Abram is portrayed in Genesis as first settling at the 
Patriarchs’ Hebron.  If we knew exactly  w-h-e-n  Abram first settled at the 
Patriarchs’ Hebron, then on that basis we could figure out  w-h-e-r-e  the 
Patriarchs’ Hebron is located (northeast Ayalon Valley in the LBA vs. 
southern hill country in EBA or MBA), and  w-h-y  Lot is oddly portrayed as 
going east (rather than north or south) in leaving Bethel, shortly after the 
text makes that controversial reference to the Canaanite and the Perizzite.  
Pretty soon we might figure the whole thing out, including (if we’re thinking 
big) at long last even identifying  w-h-o  the historical Girgashites 
[Gera-ge-%i-ya/GR-G-%-Y] and Jebusites [I-bu-uS-ya/YBWS-Y] at Genesis 15: 
19-21 are.  Every name at Genesis 15: 19-21, and everything said in chapter 
13 of Genesis, checks out historically in spades if Year 12 was when Abram 
first settled at the Patriarchs’ Hebron, whereas as far as I can see, those 
Biblical texts seem largely inexplicable on any other proposed timing.  
Although to me that set of issues is the most exciting Biblical mystery out 
there, I respect your view that few other people may share that particular 
passion of mine.

Honestly, I was primarily simply trying to get from you your analysis of the 
Hebrew grammar of the second half of Genesis 14: 4, since I greatly respect 
your knowledge of Hebrew grammar.  (I would still  l-o-v-e  to hear your 
analysis of the Hebrew grammar of the second half of Genesis 14: 4.)

Jim Stinehart
Evanston, Illinois