Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Chavoux Luyt <chavoux AT gmail.com>]

Hi Jim

On 9 March 2012 16:52, <JimStinehart AT aol.com> wrote:
>
> It is unlikely that the names in the Patriarchal narratives are actual 
> names that the Hebrew author passively
> recorded, with such names having been given to the person at birth and 
> accordingly having nothing to do
> with the storyline of the Patriarchal narratives.  Rather, it is more 
> likely that the names in the Patriarchal
> narratives have been selected by the Hebrew author to embody a key 
> characteristic of the person who
> is being portrayed.
This is a pretty strong statement to make without any collaborating
evidence. To my mind it is much more likely that the actual names
(maybe Hebraized a bit) was used and that the author simply
highlighted any coincidental link between an actual name and an
incident in that person's life. Are there any other documents from the
ANE that presents itself as describing actual historical events, where
the names of the persons are simply made up?

The Late Bonze Age might be the time of the writing of the Torah
(perfectly in keeping with the dates assigned to Moses by most
archaeologists). Many of the points you make here could still be
valid, but that does not place the historical period of the patriarchs
in the Late Bronze Age. Can the origin of the name Haran that you
suggest here, not just as well fit with the Early or Middle Bronze
Age?

Shalom
Chavoux