BRIT-AM Research Findings on Biblical Matters.
[Contributions of Information and Observations by our Readership are encouraged.]
Contents:
1. Monsoonal Climate in Ancient Israel?
2. Jeremiah 8:8 False Scribes and the Rabbis of Today?
3. Whether Linear Elamite or Linear Gutian/Gothic, Language is Germanic
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1. Monsoonal Climate in Ancient Israel?
Biblical Relevance.
Quite a dew studies indicate that in Ancient Times the area of Israel had a moonsoonal climate meaning rain in summer and very much more of it.
These studies date the phenomenon to 100s of thousands of years ago. This is impossible and is typical of the academic compulsion to grossly exaggerate in matters of chronology.
Nevertheless, there may be something tot he basic premise, i.e. the Climate may have been monsoonal within the Biblical times span.
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Human Migration Route Out of Africa Tracked Monsoons
By Kelly April Tyrrell
https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-evolution-human-origins/monsoon-migration-0012917
A new study published this week [Nov. 25, 2019] in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by American and Israeli geoscientists and climatologists provides evidence that summer monsoons from Asia and Africa may have reached into the Middle East for periods of time going back at least 125,000 years, providing suitable corridors for human migration.
The likely timing of these northward monsoon expansions corresponds with cyclical changes in Earth's orbit that would have brought the Northern Hemisphere closer to the sun and led to increased summer precipitation. With increased summer precipitation there may have been increased vegetation, supporting animal and human migration into the region.
Scientists, though, have found it difficult to determine what kinds of precipitation patterns might have existed in the prehistoric Levant. Some studies examining a variety of evidence, including pollen records, ancient lake beds, and Dead Sea sediments, along with some climate modeling studies, indicate summers in the region may have, on occasion, been wet.
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2. Jeremiah 8:8 False Scribes and the Rabbis of Today?
Yahchanan GilYisrael Asked:
Yair Shalom,
Does Jeremiah 8:8 indicate that the Scribes falsified passages in the Bible?
cf.
Jeremiah (NASB) 8:
8 "How can you say, 'We are wise, And the law of the LORD is with us'? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes Has made it into a lie.
Jeremiah (KJB) 8:
8 How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.
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Comment by Rabbi Avraham Feld: Some "Ephraimites" had begun quoting this verse as yet another reason why not to accept Rabbinical Interpretation.
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Brit-Am Reply:
An anti-Jewish Translation, misleadingly calls itself "The Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB)." It is in effect a Messianic Publication as they themselves admit,
https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/Orthodox-Jewish-Bible-OJB/
The Orthodox Jewish Bible, completed by Phillip Goble in 2002, is an English language version that applies Yiddish and Hasidic cultural expressions to the Messianic Bible.
The OJB is NOT Orthodox, nor is it Jewish. It is a Christian Publication with an anti-Jewish message.
The OJB transalted Jeremiah 8:8 as:
8 How can ye say, We are chachamim (wise ones), and the torat Hashem is with us, when, hinei, the et sheker (deceiving pen) of the sofrim (scribes) has made it [the torat Hashem] into sheker (a falsehood, i.e., falsely authoritative scribal interpretation has twisted Scripture, perverting its truth; see also Jer 2:8; 2K3:16; here is a warning against false teachers, and it is important because the scribal group in Israel would become the rabbinic group in time to come, and here their doctrines are coming into direct opposition to the Torah and the inerrant prophecies of Jeremiah).
This evidently is the interpretation anti-Jewish elements are utilizing.
The title of the OJB could lead gullible readers to suppose it emanates from orthodox Judaism. it does not! The title is misleading and deceitful!
[A glance at other passages as rendered by the OJB confirmed its anti-Jewish sland as well as raising questions concerning the state of mind of those who thing along those lines. Some passages in the OJB are incoherent and incomprehensible!
For this reason we shall leave it alone for the time being and return to more conventional translations.]
The verses quoted by the OJB to support its perversion of the Hebrew text are:
Jeremiah (NASB) 2:
8 The priests did not say, Where is the LORD?
And those who handle the law did not know Me;
The rulers also transgressed against Me,
And the prophets prophesied by Baal
And walked after things that did not profit.
Jeremiah is expressing the Anger of God against the religious situation in his day. The priests were corrupt, and so were the rulers, the lawgivers were ignorant and/or skeptics and the prophets worshipped Baal.
To extrapolate from this to later generations is far-fetched especially since no supportive texts exist.
The other cross-referenced is to a verse that does not say anything pertinent. Evidently it is a mistake and some other passage was intended?
cf.
2-Kings 3:
16 He said, 'Thus says the LORD, "Make this valley full of trenches."'
In order to understand this verse we need to see it in its context.
Jeremiah chapter 7 exhorts against idolatry. The Temple Service had also been corrupted by this. The destreuction of the First Temple was predicted and comparted tot he destruction of the Tabenacle in Shiloh (7:12-14). The Jews will be exiled hjust of the people of Ephraim (i.e. the Ten Tribes) were.
The rebellious nature of the Israelites when they came out of Egypt is recalled.
The destruction of Judah is predicted.
Jeremiah chapter 8 continues.
It is predicted that when Jerusalem is destroyed (by the Babylonians) the very bones and skeletons in the graves will be dug up and left to exposure.
These will be the remains of the leaders who had mislead the people.
Those who will be alive at the time will not take heed and not repent.
[Jeremiah 8:8] HOW DO YE SAY, WE ARE WISE, AND THE LAW OF THE LORD IS WITH US? LO, CERTAINLY IN VAIN MADE HE IT; THE PEN OF THE SCRIBES IS IN VAIN.
[Jeremiah 8:9] THE WISE MEN ARE ASHAMED, THEY ARE DISMAYED AND TAKEN: LO, THEY HAVE REJECTED THE WORD OF THE LORD; AND WHAT WISDOM IS IN THEM?
The Leaders will be punished because they were associated with evil-doers.
It may be that among the Priests and Scribes were those who permitted the people to participative in idolatry and to commit sins.
Concerning Jeremiah 8:8 the Hebrew is "le-Sheker asah at-Sheker-Sofrim" which (in the light of "Daat Mikra. Safer Yirmiyahu" by Menachem Buleh) may be translated as, "for the sake of falsehood (was employed) a deceitful pen of the Scribes in order to deceive." This could mean anything and have several implications. Nevertheless, at the simple literal level Jeremiah is describing the situation in his time or just after it.
It is very flimsy, almost non-existent, to base far-fetched allegation upon!
The rest of Jeremiah chapter 8 deals with related matters.
See:
http://www.britam.org/Jeremiah6to10.html
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3. Whether Linear Elamite or Linear Gutian/Gothic, Language is Germanic
Biblical Relevance:
This article is technical and claims that the German Languages or something like it was used by peoples north and east of Mesopotamia. Whether it is correct or not we cannot say but it may be worth keeping in mind. The area spoken of is one of the regions to which a portion of the Ten Tribes were to be exiled.
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Amordad, 2019Mojtaba Shahmiri
Mojtaba Shahmiri
https://www.academia.edu/41175930/Whether_Linear_Elamite_or_Linear_Gutian_Gothic_Language_is_Germanic
In this article it is proved that former works, like by Walther Hinz (1962), which claimed Linear Gutian/Elamite inscriptions are in Elamite language, are wrong and the language is Germanic.