SeaAndSky
Senior Registered
Hi John,
This is good stuff. It seems to me that you may be circling around with an intention of refuting Bible stories about Hebrew slavery in Egypt and their subsequent Exodus from Egypt. I.e., you don't believe accounts of slavery in Ancient Egypt are true, and don't see how it could be practical for such a large group to survive the harsh conditions they would face after leaving Egypt. Be that as it may, your account of the realities of ancient military operations and warfare against raiders, and of the difficulties of surviving in the wild have a very gritty ring of truth. You really give a very good view of what it was like.
Cordially,
S&S
PS--On the "slavery" issue, I suppose it depends on how one defines the institution. On the Exodus issue, I would agree that the account does not portray a "practical" plan for the survival of a large number of people in the wilds between Ancient Egypt and Canaan. However, on the latter issue the Bible is clear that God supernaturally supplied their physical needs, so that problem seems to have been anticipated. Overall, I am no longer sure how much of the first five books of the Bible (the Pentateuch) were actually intended to be understood literally rather than figuratively or symbolically, so I may not be the person to argue any of these points.
This is good stuff. It seems to me that you may be circling around with an intention of refuting Bible stories about Hebrew slavery in Egypt and their subsequent Exodus from Egypt. I.e., you don't believe accounts of slavery in Ancient Egypt are true, and don't see how it could be practical for such a large group to survive the harsh conditions they would face after leaving Egypt. Be that as it may, your account of the realities of ancient military operations and warfare against raiders, and of the difficulties of surviving in the wild have a very gritty ring of truth. You really give a very good view of what it was like.
Cordially,
S&S
PS--On the "slavery" issue, I suppose it depends on how one defines the institution. On the Exodus issue, I would agree that the account does not portray a "practical" plan for the survival of a large number of people in the wilds between Ancient Egypt and Canaan. However, on the latter issue the Bible is clear that God supernaturally supplied their physical needs, so that problem seems to have been anticipated. Overall, I am no longer sure how much of the first five books of the Bible (the Pentateuch) were actually intended to be understood literally rather than figuratively or symbolically, so I may not be the person to argue any of these points.