To: kwrandolph AT gmail.com, b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Robert Alter on Joseph
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 2009 21:52:48 EDT
Karl:
Here is your own theory of the ages of people in the Patriarchal narratives:
“Is this history or not? If history, then this is evidence that for whatever
reason, people’s lives have been getting shorter.”
In the historical Bronze Age? Karl, are you serious? We have overwhelming
historical evidence to the contrary. You are saying that in the historical
Bronze Age (after any Flood), there were people who lived to the age to
which Abraham’s father Terakh is portrayed as living at Genesis 11: 31:
namely, the age of 205 years (where, in your view, “years” means 12-month
years)?
Are you serious about that, Karl? And women did like Sarah is portrayed as
doing, in your view, namely gave birth at age 90 years, in 12-month years?
In the historical Bronze Age?
Karl, if that’s your belief, then we’ve got nothing more to discuss on
this subject.