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Freethought & Rationalism ArchiveThe archives are read only. |
05-12-2006, 07:18 PM
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#31 | |
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I believe Ahab is mentioned in a letter of Hiram of Tyre. I don't know of anyone earlier than that. But my information is about 50 years out of date. There may have been more discoveries recently. |
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05-12-2006, 10:40 PM
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#32 | |
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I'm sure I read somewhere that King Ahab is the earliest person in the Bible for whom we have exta-Biblical references. Sorry, I can't remember where I read it. So I have no citations to support this view. |
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05-13-2006, 01:35 AM
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#33 |
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My bid for the earliest certain historical figure is Shoshenq I of Egypt, Shishak of 1 K 11:40, although naming the city Raamses and its territory in Exodus 1:11 (but see Gen 47:11) implies Ramses II who rebuilt the city and hence the name.
The mention of Omri and Ahab are quite interesting. We can't actually identify Omri as a person cited in the Assyrian epigraphy which talks of 1) byt Xmry, the house of Omri, and 2) Jehu son of Omri, though the bible says that Jehu was not of the Omrid line. Shalmaneser III mentions Ahab of Israel, without linking him to Omri, in the 6th year of his reign and Jehu son of Omri in the 18th year. It's strange that the Assyrians simply refer to Ahab as of Israel. I guess we should assume that this was the first direct contact between Assyria and Israel and that Assyria didn't have enough information to give a paternal connection. spin |
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