[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: orion-list Sennacherib Destruction Layer at Qumran
David Suter writes,
> Russell,
>
> Interesting. Does the change of dating have any implications for the
> periods in which we are generally interested?
>
> This mailer seems to want to reply to the sender alone rather than the
list,
> but if you have a significant answer to the question, don't hesitate to
post
> it to the list.
>
> David
I can see no earth-shaking implications, since there was no continuity of
occupation at Qumran from the Judean kingdom to Hasmonean times. The only
point of potential contact with scrolls studies I see is via the list
presented at Josh. 15:61-62, "In the wilderness [i.e., of Judea],
Beth-arabah, Middin, and Secacah, and Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and
En-Gedi; six cities with their villages." This list appears to roughly
correspond with the wilderness fortresses near the Dead Sea destroyed by
Sennacherib.
As general background, L. E. Stager, "Farming in the Judean Desert during
the Iron Age", BASOR 221 (1976) 145, dates the destruction of these cities to
the time of Nebuchadnezzar based on the faulty premise (following Alt) that
the fortresses of wilderness district at Josh 15:61-62 were constructed under
Josiah. (Among other criticisms, their destruction by Sennacherib appears
inconsistent with this thesis.) F.M. Cross and G.E. Wright, "The Boundary
and Province Lists of the Kingdom of Judah", JBL 75 (1956) 202-226, presents
arguments that the province lists of Judea in Josh 13-19 came from the time
of Jehoshaphat.
Secacah is mentioned in the Copper Scroll, where is has been suggested to
refer to Qumran; the city of Salt is thought by some to refer to Qumran.
What is interesting and somewhat puzzling (to me) is that these place names
(notably Secacah) seemingly persisted from the time of Sennacherib down to
the time of the scrolls, despite the lapse in occupation.
Russell Gmirkin
For private reply, e-mail to RGmyrken@aol.com
----------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from Orion, e-mail to majordomo@panda.mscc.huji.ac.il with
the message: "unsubscribe Orion." For more information on the Orion Center
or for Orion archives, visit our web site http://orion.mscc.huji.ac.il.