mmco78

John, I agree that them leaving Moseroth and going other places is the important point. That was what initially clued me in that there seemed to be a bit of BS with the apologetic explanation. (I forgot to emphasize the “left” part in my OP). Till’s article you posted also points out the logical incoherence of them walking in a big circle to arrive back in Moseroth….er I mean, the district of Moseroth where Mount Hor was, destroying one more “feasible” explanation.

I definitely look forward to checking out your article when I have a bit more time to digest the information. It’s the weekend and the sweet siren of the mountains is calling. Thanks for the continued discourse as I have been able to build a pretty strong case.

Minimalist

Two centuries of archaeological excavation in Egypt has failed to locate any evidence to support the myth that there were ever significant numbers of "Hebrew" slaves.

Excavations at Avaris (Tel-el-Daba) have found remnants of a group known as the Hyksos, who were rulers of the 15th Dynasty, not slaves. They were evicted by a successful revolt let by the pharaoh, Ahmose I who chased them back to Canaan c 1550 BC and set the stage for four centuries of Egyptian domination of Canaan. Historically there is thus no room for any "exodus." Based largely on the political situation and what towns were actually in existence at the time, Professor Israel Finkelstein of Tel Aviv University sets the writing of the exodus story in the 7th century.

None of this stops idiots like Ron Wyatt from looking for this stuff and there are plenty of other idiots who are willing to believe him.

http://egyptsites.wordpress.com/2009.../tell-el-daba/

premjan

The slaves were in Babylon (Nebuchadnezzar), I think many of the dire prophecies and epithets (whore, tower etc.) were against Babylon.

Minimalist

A common misconception. I quote from Amy Dockser Marcus' book The View From Nebo (or via: amazon.co.uk), published in 2000, pg 174.

premjan

Interesting, I thought they were enslaved and later freed by Cyrus etc.

Minimalist

Thanks, Toto...I keep forgetting that.


The Jews certainly did not act like "freed slaves" when Cyrus permitted the return. In fact, most stayed in Babylon (and later, Baghdad) which maintained a thriving Jewish community for 2400 years until the foundation of the State of Israel caused massive upheavals.

It now appears that the Babylonians only removed the upper classes of society leaving the peasantry to work the land under Babylonian supervision. Given that the average life span was much shorter back then the notion that many of the "exiles" would have been able or willing to make the return trip seems unlikely. Most likely those who returned were their children or grandchildren and these had grown up as Babylonians under the conditions noted above.

Scholars such as Philip R. Davies and Niels Peter Lemche suggest that the relative handful who were sent "back" were in fact loyal Persians who were expected to assume control of the various provinces which Persia had inherited as a result of capturing Babylon. The story they were given was meant to tell those who remained behind that their 'rightful' rulers were back. The Persians could have sent the army to do this but they were involved in a serious revolt on their eastern border and Cyrus was in fact killed putting down that revolt.

The Persian province of Yehud, OTOH, remained a loyal and faithful (if not terribly important) vassal until Alexander the Great rolled through the area.