Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Yigal:

On Thu, Sep 15, 2011 at 1:26 PM, Yigal Levin <Yigal.Levin AT biu.ac.il> wrote:

> Karl,
>
> 1. I don't have the Hebrew text of 4QSama, but Abegg, Flint and Ulrich's
> translation has "put them to work making bricks".
>

That’s what the LXX has.

>
> 2. When I read this verse, it seems to me as if David is torturing the
> Ammonites, using various instruments, including something that has to do
> with bricks. But I don’t pretend to understand the details, not to mention
> the "ethical" side of it. The same is true for his treatment of the Moabites
> in 8:2.
>

The first three are recognizable steps in the production of iron (steel)
using the bloomery process of smelting. That required a lot of labor, and a
lot of wood to use as fuel.

>
> 3. You seem to assume that "only one pharaoh used fired bricks before the
> Greek era, and that was Raamesis II". This is the first time I've ever heard
> this claim. Could you point me to a reference? Not that it would convince me
> that Ramses II was the same as Necho, but interesting notwithstanding.
>

This is from Petrie, `Nebesheh and Defenneh', p. 18, 19, as quoted in
http://www.specialtyinterests.net/ramses2.html#crtd . This is a site that I
have previously said has some strange conclusions, but unless they are
lying, a pretty strong set of archaeological evidence.

>
> Yigal Levin
>
>
> Karl W. Randolph.