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Re: orion Spaceless "BYTYHWH" inscription



 >
>>So, it seems that H.S.  has once again set the cat among the pigeons!
>
>
>Wow! So BYTDWD is a building after all? And this proves that the historical
>YHWH really does exist!
>
>Philip R Davies

I hope, Philip, that  you are not sarcastically imputing either of the
above conclusions to yours truly --  To me, both seem to be total non
sequiturs (or non sequuntur? to the discovery of a BYTYHWH inscription.

Personally, I would think BYTDWD (if not a place name)  is far more likely
to refer to a dynasty than to a palace.   But even THAT would not  prove
there was ever a historical David, as I have pointed out before -- only
that the eighth-century Judeans thought so.

But it WOULD tend to indicate the presence of a Judean monarchy  by the 9th
century.

As for proving the existence of YHWH, I don't see how any number of temples
dedicated to him (as postulated by NPL) could prove his "existence" one way
or the other!  Why would you think that -- or what on earth made you assume
that I would think that? To me it simply indicates the existence  back in
the 9th-7th centuries) of an established cult of YHWH with a priesthood
raking in donations.

"Puzzled in Providence."
jrw@brown.edu