Ancient Israelite History

The Patriarchal Age: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

by Jacob Gluck

Patriarchal history in a nutshell (prior to Exodus):

Abram son of Terah leaves Ur in southern Mesopotamia and travels to Haran in NW Mesopotamia.

He then moves on to the land of Canaan. Isaac is born in Canaan.

Isaac’s son Jacob descends to Egypt due to a famine and his progeny is enslaved there until they are led out by Moses.

Abraham’s Migratory Journey

Patriarchal history is characterized by private affairs. Few references to public events. None correspond to persons/events of general hisory.

No extra-biblical record of events in Gen 14 (war of five kings of the plain vs. four Mesopotamian kings lead by Chedorlaomer king of Elam). No record of the names of the 9 kings involved.

No record of Melchizedek king of Salem (Gen 14).

No record of Abimelech king of Gerar (Gen 20, 26).

No mention of Potiphar (Egyptian officer), Hamor son of Shechem or Ephron the Hittite (citizen of Hebron).

List of Edomite kings (Gen 36) appears only in the bible.

Pharaoh of the Joseph story and Exodus is not mentioned by name.

Question: When did the patriarchs live?

Abraham 75-100, Isaac 60, Jacob 130. Total years spent in Canaan: 215

Period of slavery in Egypt: 430 (Exodus 12:40)

Construction of temple in 4th year of Solomon: 480 (1Kings 6:1)

Solomon is believed to have died approx. 930 BCE. 4th year of Solomon is 966 BCE

Biblical chronological scheme:

2091 BCE: Abraham’s departure for Canaan.1876 BCE: Descent of Jacob’s family into Egypt.1446 BCE: Exodus from Egypt.966 BCE: Construction of Solomon’s temple.

Problems with biblical chronology:1. Impossibly long life spans2a. 430 years is too long for 4 generations.2b. Internal inconsistencies (4th gen. vs. 12th gen. ; avg 143 vs. avg 39). 3. Conquest of Canaan in 1406 BCE? (40 years after exodus). No archeological evidence of widespread conquest in late 15th cent.Changes in material culture associated with appearance of Israelites is dated to 13th-12th cent. BCE (cf. Merneptah Stele 1207 BCE).

Listen to snippet of lecture by Israel Finkelstein

History and Rationality Series, Hebrew University, 2007. retrieved from youtube.

• Camels (Tel Jemmeh increase in adult camel bones in 7th cent.)

• Arabian goods: gum, balm and myrrh (common during Assyrian empire 8-7th cent.)

• Philistines (not before 1200 BCE)• Gerar (tel haror; in 8-7th cent it became heavily fortified

assyrian administrative stronghold in south).• Arameans (not mentioned before 1100 BCE.; establishment

of stone boundary by Jacob and Laban).• Ur of the Chaldees• Edom (no kings before 8th cent. Settlements reached peak in

7th cent.

The Merneptah Stele — also known as the Israel Stele or Victory Stele of Merneptah — is an inscription by the Ancient Egyptian king Merneptah (reign:1213 to 1203 BC), which appears on the reverse side of a granite stele erected by the king Amenhotep III. It was discovered by Flinders Petrie in 1896 at Thebes.The stele has gained much fame and notoriety for being the only Ancient Egyptian document generally accepted as mentioning "Isrir" or "Israel". It is also, by far, the earliest known attestation of the demonym Israel. For this reason, many scholars refer to it as the "Israel stele".The black granite stela primarily commemorates a victory in a campaign against the Libu and Meshwesh Libyans and their Sea People allies, but its final two lines refer to a prior military campaign in Canaan in which Merneptah states that he defeated Ashkelon, Gezer, Yanoam and Israel among others.[1]

Israel is wasted, its seed is no longer.

NOTES: Full stanza: Canaan is captive with all woe. Ashkelon is conquered, Gezer seized, Yanoam made nonexistent; Israel is wasted, bare of seedMaterial: Black graniteLanguage: HieroglyphicDiscovery: 1896 by Flinders Petrie: "Won't the reverends be pleased”Determinative used is for “people”, not country.The stele was discovered in 1896 by Flinders Petrie who located it in the first court of Merneptah's mortuary temple at Thebes.[2] It is now in the collection of the Egyptian Museum at Cairo, and a fragmentary copy of the stele was also found at Karnak.[3] Flinders Petrie called upon Wilhelm Spiegelberg, a German philologist in his archaeological team to translate the newly found massive granite stela. Towards the end of the text, Spiegelberg was puzzled by the mention of one symbol, that of a people or tribe whom Merenptah had victoriously smitten--"I.si.ri.ar?"[4] Petrie quickly suggested that it read: "Israel!"[4] Spiegelberg agreed that this translation must be correct. "Won't the reverends be pleased?" remarked Petrie.[4] At dinner that evening, Petrie who realized the importance of the find said: "This stele will be better known in the world than anything else I have found."[4]

Conclusion: patriarchal narrative in Genesis cannot be used as a historical resource. It should be interpreted on the basis of…1. distinctive literary history and purpose of composition2. development of the traditions upon which literary narrative is based.

Composite nature of patriarchal narratives: JEPD documentary hypothesis (JE during first temple, PD in exilic or post exilic period).

On the surface, therefore, biblical patriarchal history reflects the political and religious viewpoint of the (first temple) Judean monarchy and priesthood. “Ve’eskha legoy gadol”.

Accordingly, the figures in Gen 12-50 are typological pre-figurations of later Israelites and their neighbors --In many cases, eponyms.

Jacob assumes the eponym Israel and his twelve sons are the eponymous ancestors of the 12 tribes of Israel.

Eponymous ancestors of Israel’s enemies are born of incestuous union of Lot and his daughters Moab and Ben-ammi.

Jacob outwits Esau – who is called Edom-- and wins birthright and blessing.

Ishmael eponymous ancestor of desert tribes is child of Abram and Sarai’s Egyptian maid Hagar.

We need procedures to shed light on the “development of the traditions”, the pre-literary history of the Genesis stories 12-50.

Archaeological Method: William Foxwell Albright (Father Roland De Vaux, G.E. Wright, Ephraim A. Speiser & mid-nineteenth cent. archaeologists) school of thought:

Patriarchal narratives were composed no earlier than tenth cen. BCE. They are based on historically reliable traditions and preserve authentic details.Certain personal names, social customs, and legal practices in Bible correspond to known features of second-millennium culture in Mesopotamia, Syria and Canaan; yet are incompatible with the culture of the Israelite monarchy (time of its composition). Therefore, must be authentic.General cultural milieu could best be identified with early second-millennium BCE.

As a whole the picture in Genesis is historical and there is no reason to doubt the general accuracy of the biographical details and the sketches of personality which make the patriarchs come alive with a vividness unknown to a single extra-biblical character in he whole vast literature of the ancient Near East – W. F. Albright, The Biblical Period from Abraham to Ezra, 1963

We shall probably never be able to prove that Abram really existed, that he did this or that, said thus and so, but what we can prove is that his life and times, as reflected in the stories about him, fit perfectly within the early second millennium, but imperfectly with any later period. – G. Ernest Wright, Biblical Archaeology, 1962

Ur III rulers complaining of nonurban peoples (Amurru- westerners) laying claim to city land (invasion or immigration -- Amorite Hypothesis).

Abraham’s wanderings associated with Amorite movement, according to Albright.

Problem: Absence of urban centers

Patriarchal Period according to Albright

MB I 2100-1900 BCE

Arrival of new peoples; Abraham

MB II A 1900-1750 BCE

Un-walled villages in Syria and Canaan; city-states encouraged by Egyptians

MB II B 1700-1600 BCE

Egypt weakened; independent city-states prosper; Jacob; old-babylonian period/Hammurabi, “age of Mari” in Syria.

MB II C 1600-1550 BCE

Mesopotamia in 2nd millennium BC showing Mari in relation to Babylon

Royal archives at Mari (tel hariri) show co-existence of nomads with urbanites.

A depiction of the ancient city of Mari, located in present-day Syria, western bank of Euphrates river

Years active: 2900-1759Destroyed by: HammurabiFamous for: over 25,000 cuneiform clay tablets in Akkadian language; Ishtar temple; “most westerly outpost of Sumerian culture”.Excavated by: Andre Parrot 1933-1975Traded with: Hazor and laish in northern CanaanBnai Yamin nomads, peaceful people, census-takers,

Tablet of Zimri-limTablet of King Zimri-Lim of Mari, ca. 1780 BC, Louvre Museum

1. Names in patriarchal narratives are of Amorite type: Jacob, Abram?, Isaac, Joseph2. Social and legal parallels between bible and second-millennium ANE.2a. According to Nuzi tablets (Hurrian culture, kingdom of Mitanni 1500-1300 BCE) barren wife must provide slave woman. Sarai-Hagar. Child may not be expelled (cf. Ishmael). Slave adoption. Hurrian influence widespread in Canaan.2b. Wife-sister parallel (according to Speiser).Summary: customs are without parallel in later times. Thus, early second-millennium origin of biblical traditions.

Map of the near east circa 1400 BCE showing the Kingdom of Mitanni at its greatest extent

Hurrian-speaking people. 1500-1300 BCE.1372 – Hittites conquer Mitanni, west of the EuphratesEastern portions (including Nuzi) are conquered by Assyria.Capital was located at headwaters of the Khabur river valley

Google map of upper EuphratesArrow points to modern Kirkuk, Iraq, near town of Yorghan Tepe, where ancient Nuzi was located. Nuzi was the site’s Hurrian name. Akkadians called it Gasur. Excavations under auspices of ASOR 1925-31. approx. 5,000 tablets discovered to date.

Nuzi TabletsFrom the website COJS.org (Center for Online Judaic Studies)

Problems with Albright’s reconstruction of events.1. New evidence suggests pastoral peoples had been present all along. Cause of urban collapse: overpopulation, drought or famine. No widespread immigration. Period is part of EB age.2. Dimorphic lifestyle present all along and presumably continued into LB age.Therefore, no reason to associate with Abram’s wanderings.

3. Nuzi practices reflect widespread Mesopotamian custom.4. Amorite names continued into LB age (Ugaritic names of “Joseph” type and Amarna Canaanite names). Attestation of Abram is dubious, while certain in LBA. Joseph-type name is widely distributed across ANE history.5. Barren woman practice common in later periods. Ex: marriage contract from Nimrud 7th cent.6. Adopting “brother” is usually not future husband.7. Wife-sister claim is deception, not legal procedure.

A Different Approach to pre-literary history: Martin Noth and (his teacher) Albrecht AltIsrael was formed by a gradual amalgamation of clans and tribes.It’s impossible that all tribes knew all the traditions about pre-settlement period:patriarchs, captivity in Egypt and Exodus, wandering in the wilderness, revelation at Sinai, conquest of CananNoth drew on the “form-critical” method devised by Hermann Gunkel; “history of traditions” (reconstruction of history).

Patriarch Region Place-namesAbraham Judean hills

(Sothern Canaan)Oaks of Mamre, near Hebron;

Isaac Negev (southwestern Judah)

Beersheba; Beer-lahai-roi

Jacob Central hill country (Ephraimite hills)

Shechem; Bethel; Gilead?

Joseph || Shechem; Dothan

Form-critical method of determining origin of biblical patriarchal traditions: connection with a particular place/region.

History of Religion(die religionsgeschichtliche Schule).

commentary on Genesis (1901) in which he applied his “form-critical” method. Goal: identify the sitz im leben that produced a given text.

Distinguished from source criticism.

Further developed by Martin Noth.

Noth: Most immediate ancestor of Israel, Jacob, is linked with heartland; therefore, oldest tradition.Genealogical additions: Isaac & Abraham.Blending of traditions is southern; therefore, priority of Abraham.Blending took place not before Davidic monarchy (when Judah was ascendant over Israel) but before authorship of J patriarchal narrative.NOTE: Earliest tribal list makes no mention of southern tribes (Judges 5:14-18). (Slide 35)Development of the tradition is coeval with development of Israel itself.Patriarchs are inaccessible as historical figures (only “tradition” can be traced).

Criticism of NothHomeric and Ugaritic literature are characterized by extended, complex narratives (at oral stage of transmission).Anthropological research shows that: kinship patterns are central to self-definition, creating complex genealogical narratives as a device for self-definition.Stories are NOT mere etiologies of ethnic relationships.Genealogical structure of story is a feature of pre-literary development.

A modern Approach: Selective application of past methods: Archaeology, philology and tradition history, supplemented by sociology and anthropology.

Patriarchal stories (Gen 12-50) contain kernel of authentic history.Patriarchal narratives are ideology, not history.Biblical writers are drawing upon and interpreting pre-Israelite traditions.Gunkel: Sign of older tradition - one that is anomalous in its present literary context but intelligible in an earlier context. “fragments of an earlier whole”. Example: sexual escapades of sons of God with daughters of men (Gen 6) which perhaps is pre-Israelite, Canaanite tradition (sons of “El” – high god of Canaanite pantheon).

1. Priority of Abraham suggests inter-tribal relationship of Davidic-Solomonic period (12 tribes).

Judges 5 (Song of Deborah) preserves different tribal list. No mention of Judah and Simeon. Machir and Gilead replace Manasseh and Gad (ca. mid 12th cent BCE, after authorship of Merneptah Stele).

Israelite identity derived is authority and found expression in the ancestral traditions of biblical patriarchal narratives.

א יד ��י נ {פ�ריםמ� ר, } ש��ר�ש��ם } ב, } אח�ריך� ס יןב�ע�מ�ל�ק �מ� �י {�נ { } { ; ר, ��י נ מ� ס מיך� ב�ע�מ�

כ�יר { מ� { , ס, �מ�ח�ק�ק�ים �ר�דו �ל�ןי ��בו ז �מ� {ו ר, } ב��ש��בט מ�ש��כ�ים } ס. } �ש"�רי טוס�פ�ר {ב��יש"��שכ�רו { } { , - ר, �יש"��שכ�ר ו ס ��ב�ר�ה ד ע�ם

} { ; , �ו�ת ב��פ�לג ס ב��רג�ל�יו �ח ש��ל ב��ע�מק ב��ר�ק ��ן �ב�ןכ - ר�או ח�ק�ק�י, ��ד�ל�ים ג} ר}

} ס. } {טזל�ב { , } { , , ר ל�ש��מ�ע ס �תים המ��ש��פ� ב��ין � �ש�ב�ת� י ל�מ��ה} { - , } { ; ר ח�ק�ר�י ��דו�ל�ים ג �ב�ן ר�או �ו�ת ל�פ�לג ס ע�ד�ר�ים ש��ר�קו�ת

} ס. } ��ל�ע�ד יזל�ב { ג { , ס, ש��כ�ן ��ן �ר�ד הי ןב��ע�בר �ד� {ו ר, } } { ; ס �ו�ת �י נ א& �ר �גו י {א�ש��רל�מ��ה ר, } ל�חו�ף �ש�ב י

} { . , } ס, } �ו�ן יש��כ מ�פ�ר�צ�יו �על ו ס מ��ים �ן יחי �ב�לו {ז ר, } } { -- ס �ת ל�מו �פ�ש�ו נ ח�ר�ף �ל�יעם פ�ת� �נ {ו { , ר: מ�רו�מ�י על

.ש"�דהTotal of ten tribes. Gilead replaces Gad. Makhir replaces Manasseh. Simeon and Judah missing (Levi is not counted as tribe).

Central hill country: Ephraim, Benjamin.

Galilee: Issachar, Zebulon, Dan,

Naphtali.

Transjordan: Reuben, Makhir, Gilead.

Phoenician coast: Asher

2. Ethnic boundary-marking.

Most Early Israelites were probably indigenous to Canaan. Conflict with valley dwellers caused them to identify in provenance and genealogically with the “east” (Mesopotamia, Transjordan, Aram) and not the Egypto-Canaanite west.

“Hebrew” came to assume the meaning “beyond the river”.

Genealogical structure of patriarchal tradition is of LBA.

Indications of traditions being rooted in pre-Israelite period.1. Theophoric names (indicate that patriarchs worshipped El).2. Location of patriarchal homeland in Syro-Mesopotamia.1a. “Names of tribes do not give single indication of Yahweh’s existence.” – Albrecht Alt. Explicit by E and P. Ishmael, Israel, Bethuel in J while generally referring to the deity as Yahweh until Moses’ time: Joshua, Jochebed.1b. High god of Canaanite pantheon is El according to Ugaritic texts – F. M. Cross. (El shaddai – sacred mountain. El Elyon). See www.theology.edu/ugarbib.htm for more)1c. “Israel” of pre-monarchic times.

E – Ex 3:13-16

, יג - , - �י �א�מר�ת� ו יש"�ר�א�ל �י ��נ ב אל ב�א א�נ�כ�י ��ה ה�נ ה�א(ל�ה�ים אל מ�ש�ה �אמר� י ו , - - ; א�מר, מ�ה �ש���מו מה �ל�י �א�מ�רו ו א�ל�יכם �י ש��ל�חנ א�בו�ת�יכם א(ל�ה�י ל�הם

, ידא�ל�הם. - מ�ש�ה אל א(ל�ה�ים �אמר� י אה�יה ו א�ש�ר , אה�יה �ה; � כ �אמר� י ו . , , א�ל�יכם �י ש��ל�חנ אה�יה יש"�ר�א�ל �י ל�ב�נ א(ל�ה�ים טות�אמר עו�ד �אמר� י ו

, - - , יש"�ר�א�ל- �י ��נ ב אל ת�אמר �ה� כ מ�ש�ה �האל �הו א(ל�ה�י י א�ב�ת�יכם א(ל�ה�י ; , א�ל�יכם �י ש��ל�חנ ע�ק�ב י �אל�ה�י ו יצ�ח�ק א(ל�ה�י , אב�ר�ה�ם ל�ע�ל�ם- י ש���מ� זה

�ר � ד ל�ד�ר �כ�ר�י ז �זה .ו

P - Ex 6:2-4

, ב ; - , א�ל�יו �אמר� י ו מ�ש�ה אל א(ל�ה�ים �דב��ר י �ה ו �הו י �י נ , ג. א� �א�ר�א ו ; -- - - י- �� ש�ד ב��א�ל ע�ק�ב י �אל ו יצ�ח�ק אל אב�ר�ה�ם , אל �י נו�דע�ת� ל�א �ה �הו י י �ש��מ� ו

-- ד. ל�הם - , - א�ת �ען ��נ כ ארץ את ל�הם ל�ת�ת א�ת��ם ב��ר�ית�י את ה�ק�מ�ת�י �גם ו - , �ב�ה� ��רו ג א�ש�ר ג�ר�יהם מ� ארץ

2a. Haran is in middle Euphrates region of Syro-Mesopotamia. (slide 45) Later, Aram. “Arami Obhed abhi”. Before 12th cent BCE, region of Haran was home of Amorites. This provides historical context for this anomalous tradition. 2b. Amorites were pastoralists and agriculturalists. Spoke NW semitic. In Akkadian “El Amurru”.Equivalence between El and Yahweh was made by the Moses group who escaped from Egypt via Midian.Traditions then merged into a single epic.

Haran in Syria

Are the Patriarchs genealogical fiction?Amorite dynasties of Hammurabi and Shamshi-Adad share common genealogical tradition.Jerahmeel, great-grandson of Judah, an Israelite tribe in the Negev.Other fictitious eponyms: Moab, Ben-ammi, Shechem son of Hamor. Ishmael, possibly.In Edomite Geneaology, Eliphaz is hero of past, whereas Teman, his son, is tribal name. In Job, Eliphaz the Yemenite.Some traditional heroes vs. many fictitious eponymic names.

1Sam 27:10

. , -- - , ח&ד�ש��ים �אר�ב��ע�ה ו �מ�ים י �ים פ�ל�ש��ת� ב��ש"�ד�ה �ד ו �� ד �ש�ב י א�ש�ר ��מ�ים הי ר פ� מ�ס� �ה�י י ו: ח ) ( - , ��ה ה�נ ��י כ �ה�ע�מ�ל�ק�י ו �ר�י ��ז �הג ו והגרזי �ר�י ��ש�ו הג �אל ��פ�ש��טו י ו �ש��יו א�נ ו �ד ו �� ד �על י ו

. - , , , מ�צ�ר�ים ארץ �עד ו �ר�ה ש�ו � ב�ו�א�ך מ�עו�ל�ם א�ש�ר ה�א�רץ �ד טי�ש��בו�ת ו ד� ��ה �ה�כ ו , ; , ��ים- ל �ג�מ ו ח�מ�ר�ים ו �ב�ק�ר ו צ�אן �ל�קח ו �א�ש���ה ו א�יש� �ה �חי י �ל�א ו ה�א�רץ את

. - , א�כ�יש�, אל ��ב�א י ו ��ש��ב י ו ים �ב�ג�ד� ; יו - , �ו�ם הי �ש�ט�ת�ם פ� אל א�כ�יש� �אמר� י �אמר ו� י ו , - , - - �י, הק��ינ נגב �אל ו ��רח�מ�א�ל�י הי נגב �על ו �ד�ה �הו י נגב על �ד ו �� .ד

1Sam 30:29

: כו , - ��ה ה�נ �ל�אמ�ר ל�ר�ע�הו �ד�ה �הו י �י �ק�נ ל�ז מ�הש���ל�ל �ח �ש�ל י ו צ�ק�לג אל �ד ו ד� ��ב�א י ו} ר } ל�כם

} { . ס, �ה �הו י �ב�י א�י מ�ש���לל {כזב��ר�כ�ה { } { - ר �לא�ש�ר ו ס א�ל ב��ב�ית לא�ש�ר } { . } { , ס- ת��ר ��י ב �לא�ש�ר ו ס נגב {כחב��ר�מו�ת ר } �לא�ש�ר ו

} { } { , } ר } �לא�ש�ר ו ס ב��ש"�פ�מו�ת �לא�ש�ר ו ס ב�ע�ר�ע�ר } ס. } �מ�ע {כטב��אש��ת� { } { , ר �לא�ש�ר ו ס ב��ר�כ�ל �לא�ש�ר ו

, } { , �י הק��ינ ב��ע�ר�י �לא�ש�ר ו ס ��רח�מ�א�ל�י הי .ב��ע�ר�י

1Chro 2:9 ; ג - , -- , ע�ר �ה�י י ו �ית ע�נ ��נ הכ �ע ש�ו מ�ב�ת �לו נו�לד ש��לו�ש��ה �ש��ל�ה ו �ן �או�נ ו ע�ר �ד�ה �הו י �י ��נ ב } { . -- , ס � �מ�ית�הו י ו �ה �הו י �י ב��ע�ינ רע �ד�ה �הו י , דב��כו�ר , , ��ו ל �ל�ד�ה י ���תו �ל כ �ת�מ�ר ו

} { . , - ; - ס- ח�מ�ש���ה �ד�ה �הו י �י ��נ ב ��ל כ �רח ז �את ו רץ פ� . האת , - �ל �ח�מו ו חצ�רו�ן פרץ �י ��נ ב } { וס} { . -- , ס ח�מ�ש���ה ��ם ��ל כ �ד�רע ו �ל� �כל�כ ו ן �ה�ימ� ו �א�ית�ן ו �מ�ר�י ז זרח �י �ב�נ , זו �י �ב�נ ו

} { . , ס-- ב�ח�רם מ�על א�ש�ר יש"�ר�א�ל עו�כ�ר ע�כ�ר �ר�מ�י { חכ { . , ס �ה ר�י ע�ז א�ית�ן �י �ב�נ ו-ט , - - -- - , �ב�י ��לו כ �את ו ר�ם �את ו �רח�מ�א�ל י את �לו נו�לד א�ש�ר חצ�רו�ן �י �ב�נ ו .

Abraham. Link to page 3 mapAbraham never appears as tribal or local designation. He may have been historical individual before he became legendary. Abram and Abraham are variants.Abraham’s origin in Mesopotamia could be ethnic boundary-marking. Still connection to Haran is very precise in J narrative and thus seems authentic. Terah, Nahor and Serug are eponymous ancestors of towns in vicinity of Balikh river. Assyrian text (mari archives?): Til Turakhi, Til Nakhiri, and Sarugi.Abraham seems to unite all of early Israelite settlement.“Abraham” appears in Sheshonk inscription 925 BCE (Pic follows).

Haran on Balikh river in Syria

Harran was a major ancient city in Upper Mesopotamia whose site is near the modern village of Altınbaşak, Turkey, 24 miles (44 kilometers) southeast of Şanlıurfa. The location is in a district of Şanlıurfa Province that is also named "Harran".A few kilometers from the village of Altınbaşak are the archaeological remains of ancient Harran, a major commercial, cultural, and religious center first inhabited in the Early Bronze Age III (3rd millennium BCE) period. It was known as Ḫarrānu in the Assyrian period; possibly Ḥaran (ח�ר�ן) in the Hebrew Bible; Κάῤῥαι or Carrhae under the Roman Empire; Hellenopolis (῾Ελληνὀπολις 'pagan city') in the Early Christian period; and Ḥarrān (ان in the (حر.Islamic period.[1][2]

Temple at Karnak where Sheshonk inscripion was found

The Karnak Temple Complex—usually called Karnak—comprises a vast mix of ruined temples, chapels, pylons, and other buildings, notably the Great Temple of Amun and a massive structure begun by Pharaoh Ramses II (ca. 1391–1351 BC). Sacred Lake is part of the site as well. It is located near Luxor, some 500 km south of Cairo, in Egypt. The area around Karnak was the ancient Egyptian Ipet-isut ("The Most Selected of Places") and the main place of worship of the eighteenth dynasty Theban Triad with the god Amun as its head. It is part of the monumental city of Thebes. Karnak contained an early temple built by Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten). link to youtube video: raiders of the lost ark

, כה - ) ( ; , מ�צ�רים � מלך ש��יש�ק שושק ע�ל�ה ר�חב�ע�ם � למ�לך יש��ית הח�מ� �ה ב�ש���נ �ה�י י ו . �ש��ל��ם- �רו י , כועל - , - , - - �ל � הכ �את ו � המ�לך ב��ית או�צ�רו�ת �את ו �ה �הו י ב��ית א�צ�רו�ת את ��ק�ח י ו

, - - א�ש�ר; ��ה�ב הז ��י �נ ג מ� ��ל כ את ��ק�ח י ו 1ל�ק�ח Kings 14:25 ה�ש��ל�מ .ע�ש"�ה

This Karnak temple wall depicts a list of city states conquered by Shoshenq I in his Near Eastern military campaigns.

Indiana: "The Hebrews put the broken pieces in the Ark. When they settled in Canaan, they put it in the Temple of Solomon ."Colonel Musgrove: "ln Jerusalem."Indiana: "Where it stayed for many years, until, whoosh, it's gone."Major Eaton: "Where?"Indiana: "Nobody knows where or when. An Egyptian Pharaoh, Shishak, invaded Jerusalem about 980 BC, and may have taken the Ark to the city of Tanis and hidden it in a secret chamber called the Well of Souls. About a year after the Pharaoh returned to Egypt, the city of Tanis was consumed by the desert in a year-long sandstorm. Wiped clean by the wrath of God."

Isaac.Clear biblical associations with northern negev.This area not settled before end of Late Bronze Age.Archaeology shows deep well dug in 13th cent BCE.Late tradition (12th cent.). Perhaps southern development of the tradition in Davidic times.Isaac is unattested outside the bible. Could be personal, tribal, or geographic. “may god smile”.Amos 8th cent. uses Isaac as parallel to Israel. ת ט��ב��מו �ש�מ�ו �נ ו

, - ; ב�ח�רב, �ר�ב�ע�ם י ב��ית על �י ת� �קמ� ו � יח(ר�בו יש"�ר�א�ל ��ש��י �מ�ק�ד ו .יש"�ח�קNortherners made pilgrimage to Beersheba (Amos 5:5, 8:14).

. , : , � �ח�יו ו �י �נ ��ר�ש�ו ד יש"�ר�א�ל ל�ב�ית �ה �הו י א�מר , הכ�ה - , - א�ל ב��ית � �ד�ר�ש�ו ת� �אל ו , � ת�ב�או ל�א ��ל ��ל�ג �הג � ו רו ת�ע�ב ל א ש��ב�ע �ב�א�ר ו :

Gen 21:25 - , - , א�דו�ת על � א�ב�ימלך את אב�ר�ה�ם �הו�כ�ח ה�מ��ים ו ��א�ר י, ב �עב�ד� �לו ��ז ג א�ש�ר� .א�ב�ימלך

, כה - - ; , - , , יצ�ח�ק י עב�ד� �ש��ם ��כ�רו י ו �א�ה&לו ש��ם �ט י ו �ה �הו י ב��ש��ם ��ק�ר�א י ו �ב��ח ז מ� ש��ם ��בן י ��ארו �ב . Gen 26:25

Isaac’s sojourn

in Canaan

Jacob.Founder of Bethel and builds altar in Shechem.In contrast to other patriarchs, Jacob is NOT associated with south.1. Jacob-El, common west semitic personal name in MBA.2. Jacob-El is also place-name. occurs in list of sites conquered by Thutmosis III (1479-1425 BCE). Precise location is unknown; somewhere in central hill country (vicinity of Beth-shean).“Let El protect”.Noth: Israel was assigned to Jacob at a late stage in the development of the tradition.

Jacob’s travels

Israel.No hint of the use of Israel before Merneptah.Name may have been imported by one of the arriving peoples.Jacob and Esau: cultural memory of ascent of herders over hunters. Civilization vs. nature

Ethnic boundary-marking in Jacob-Esau fraternal relationship

Jacob Esau

man of tents (civilized habitat) man of steppe (wild habitat)

cooking hunting

cunning intelligence stupidity

smooth skin hairy skin

domestic animals wild game

blessing and political dominance curse and subjection

cf. Ishamel vs. Isaac and Enkidu vs. GilgameshCultural self-definition may predate identification of Esau with Edom.

Joseph.Joseph-El, may god increase. Could be personal (hero of the past), tribal or geographic (fictitious eponym).“House of Joseph” suggests the latter.No references to the tribe of joseph suggests the former.Prominence of joseph in biblical narrative reflects eminence of the joseph tribes.Joseph epic, originated independently and depicts Joseph as preeminent and the favorite. Rags to riches.Joseph may be rooted in historical fact: Hyksos period (c. 1670-1550), Egypt ruled by Asiatic princes. Also, Hyksos capital was in eastern Delta, site of Goshen.

Details in Joseph story, however, seem more in line with historical romance; fashioned from widespread narrative motifs and folklore of ANE.Potiphar’s wife - Tale of two brothers (13th cent Egypt).Dream interpretation, seven lean years: common motifs.East wind scorching pharaoh’s grain? Gen 41:23 (Should be south wind). Also, titles and offices in Joseph story.Authentic details that correspond to author’s times:Pharaoh- great house, not used before Thutmosis.Rameses region, Ramesses II (1279-1213 BCE).Therefore, story is not older than Davidic era.

Nefertari (Rameses II’s consort) Tomb (in Abu Simbel). Painting of seven cows and bull.

Tale of Two BrothersSheet from the Tale of Two Brothers, Papyrus D'Orbiney, British Museum

The Hyksos.Asiatic named Irsu seized power in Egypt in end of 19th dynasty.Perhaps Joseph was leader of tribe in Shechem-Dothan area seeking pasturage in Egypt in time of drought. A frontier official in Merneptah’s rein reports:

We have finished letting the Shasu tribes of Edom pass the fortress of Merneptah Hotep-hir-Maat…which is in Tjeku (Sukkoth), to the pools of Per Atum (Pithom) of Merneptah Hotep-hir-Maat, which are in Tkeku, to keep them alive and to keep their cattle alive… (translated by Siegfried Herrmann)

Tomb painting of khnum hotep, Egyptian official, in the proximity of Amarna (south egypt).

Jacob’s other sons.Asher. Egyptian name of coastal region north of Carmel.

Judah, Ephraim and Naphtali. Names of hill-ranges.

Benjamin. Sons of the south.

Simeon and Manasseh. They seem to be personal names.

Tribal Alloment

Summary:

During the process of community formation (c. 1200 BCE) tribal names were already firmly established. Political alliance was expressed in the form of kinship as 12 brothers.

Israelite tradition first germinated among pastoralists of Canaanite hill country, shepherds who themselves as distinct from the city folk in the coastal plains.

Israel/highlands was sheltered from Egyptian influence due to its remoteness from trading routes and populations centers.This sparked a national identity crossing city-state allegiances.