Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

Karl, I would love to see where you're getting this from. As far as I know, the answer to David's question is no: there is now known evidence, outside of the Bible itself, that a people/tribe called Amalek ever existed. The fact that later writers, already with the biblical text, identified Arabian tribes that they were familiar with with the biblical Amalek is not proof of anything. By the way, the same is true for the Midianites, the Gorgashites, the Jebusites and several other groups.

 

Yigal Levin

 

From: b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of K Randolph
Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2013 9:37 PM
To: David Kolinsky
Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Amalek's attacks before the big battle of Ex 17:8?

 

David:

 

On Thu, Jul 11, 2013 at 8:56 AM, David Kolinsky <hadeesh AT sbcglobal.net> wrote:

Is there any extra- biblical evidence that a people named AMaLeQ ever existed?

 

David Kolinsky

Monterey, CA

 

I just Googled your question and apparently there are several. Another name for them was “Amu” and apparently from Arabic traditions, in ancient times moved from central Arabia and took over Egypt. One of their gods was called Heth and the ruins of a temple to Heth was found in Avaris.

 

Karl W. Randolph.