|
Posts:
1
From:
Wyoming
Registered:
12/27/06
|
|
(1 of 14)
Dec 27, 2006 7:17 PM
|
|
Poor scholarship and assumptions on these 2 episodes. Simcha is going on the premise that the Israelites could only go a set distance per day, and strictly by Torah. If he were to look in the New Testament of the Bible, in Galatians 4:25, it says Mt. Sinai is in ARABIA!!! He should try reading the book 'The Gold of Exodus' by Howard Blum, in which Mt. Sinai is actually is Jabal al Lawz in Saudi Arabia, actually not far from where Simcha thinks he found it. And he should check out the archaeology in the book, Gold of Exodus, too. There's much more evidence at Jabal al Lawz.
|
|
|
Posts:
13,241
From:
The Mountains of Colorado
Registered:
1/1/07
|
|
(2 of 14)
Jan 1, 2007 11:15 AM
|
|
I agree that the archaeological evidence used in these episodes was virtually non-existent.When one of his "experts" showed some standing stones at the bottom of one of the possible Mt. Sinai candidates, the man stated that the stones had been dated to 7,000 years ago using C14 dating. I just stared at the screen with my mouth open: huh??? Any elementary student of archaeology knows that you cannot date rocks with C14, only organic matter. And there was the star of the show, saying that the rocks were amazing, and believing every word. (I could just hear all of my professors at the University of Denver yelling back at their televisions!) However, trying to substantiate a biblical story is extremely problematic, at best. He should stick to more basic archaeological investigations and leave the Bible out of it.
|
|
|
Posts:
1
From:
western new york
Registered:
1/1/07
|
|
(3 of 14)
Jan 1, 2007 6:39 PM
|
|
Personally, I found the Mt.Sinai episodes compelling. I cannot imagine the ancient Israelites, on foot, with animals, children, along with the old and crippled, making mad dashes all over the desert to get to where tradition has said that Mt.Sinai is...it just doesn't make realisitic sense. The program's hypothosis outlines on these two episodes DOES make brilliant sense. Especially when they got to the part where there proved to be the remnant of an ancient spring present at the top of the mountain...complete with travertine rock. For me to believe otherwise now, a counter-argument had better be as convincing. What was the name of the place where it was said to be the true Mt.Sinai? I wish I had made a note of it before I deleted the episode.
|
|
|
Posts:
1
From:
Albany, NY
Registered:
10/3/07
|
|
(4 of 14)
Oct 3, 2007 11:35 AM
|
|
I couldn't watch the entire episode due the incomplete and inaccurate analysis. Since the Bible says that Mt. Sinai wasn't in Egypt it would be hard to place it in the current Sinai penninsula since that was part of Egypt at the time. Start the show over with a new premise please - Arabia is the only choice.
|
|
|
Posts:
11
From:
Frederick, MD
Registered:
10/6/07
|
|
(5 of 14)
Oct 6, 2007 2:47 PM
|
According to Exodus 13, the Israelites were led by a pillar of smoke by day and a pillar of fire by night. This sounds very much like the description of an erupting volcano. In Exodus 19, the description of the scene is also that of a nearby erupting volcano.
Does any evidence of vulcanism exist in the Sinai Peninsula or thereabouts?
I heard or read somewhere that such a region lies east of the Gulf of Aqaba in Saudi Arabia coincident with the Jordan Rift Zone. It's my understanding that the region is off-limits to foreigners, that Saudis dig there in search of ancient artifacts, and destroy any they find on the assumption that they are Jewish. Does anyone know anything about any of this?
Personally, I am suspicious of the Sinai Desert location for Mount Sinai. When Queen Helena, mother of Constantinian, traveled to the Holy Land looking for sacred sites and artifacts, the locals caught on real quick-like and began showing her all kinds of places and bringing her all kinds of things that she could have - for a fee, of course. A Mount Sinai a few miles out in the desert would be much more convenient for tourists and pilgrims than some place way down the other side of Aqaba.
|
|
|
Posts:
3
From:
Mingo Jct., OH
Registered:
10/31/07
|
|
(6 of 14)
Nov 3, 2007 5:13 PM
|
|
I also agree that this was an excellent episode. He does a good job triangulating the points and I believe he could be right. Simcha puts on a fine show and I wish the history channel would make some new episodes with him.
|
|
|
Posts:
1
Registered:
9/22/08
|
|
(7 of 14)
Sep 22, 2008 3:14 PM
|
I know it is easy to have knee-jerk reactions about jabal al-lawz. However, please read the bible. It can't be in Saudi Arabia. I know Galatians (Paul) indicated Arabia, but that used to include all of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Sinai Peninsula, and part of Egypt.
Why not look to Exodus. It says mountain was in the land of Edom.Deuteronomy 33:2, and Judges 5:4. I'm sorry, but Edom did not extend into Saudi Arabia. I'm sorry for the History Channel, but Gabel Kashemel Tarif is also not in Edom.
Regardless, there have been about 30 mountains proposed as the real mount Sinai. When looking at the biblical clues, all mountains proposed except for the following fail the Edom test:
1. Mount Shani
2. Har Karkom
3. Mount Helal
4. Jebel al-Madhbah at Petra
5. Jabal Hadi in Jordan
6. Jebel Baggir
7. Jabel Ertowa
8. Har Timna
9. Har Yeroham
Of these mountains, two are in the wrong direction from Midian territory to Egypt (#4 and #5).
Of these mountains, three are too close to Kadesh Barnea (#2, #3, and #9).
One of the remaining mountains is not in the Wilderness (#8). The ancient city of Timna sat at the base of the mountain and was certainly inhabited at the time.
This only leaves Mount Shani, Jebel Baggir, and Jabel Ertowa as possibilities.
Of the remaining three, it is questionable if Jebel Baggir and Jabel Ertowa were in the wilderness. The ancient city of Ezon Geber, which is mentioned in the bible sits at present day Eliat. The Israelites would be at Ezon Geber while at the base of either of these two mountains.
In addition, one must question the language of Exodus 18:27, ?And Moses let his father-in-law depart; and he went his way into his own land?
If this proves that Mount Sinai is not in Midianite territory, it can?t be Har Timna, Jebel Baggir, or Jabel Ertowa.
This leaves only one mountain that has currently been proposed. Mount Shani. I can't say this is mount Sinai, but it is the only proposed mountain that fits the biblical clues.
|
|
|
Posts:
1
From:
california
Registered:
10/27/08
|
|
(8 of 14)
Oct 27, 2008 11:20 PM
|
|
I've been puzzled by something. How did the location of the mountain of the Lord become lost to history in the first place? Many generations later Elijah flees to it to converse with God. He knows where it is. How did such a significant landmark become lost?
|
|
|
Posts:
10
From:
Boston MA
Registered:
11/16/08
|
|
(9 of 14)
Nov 16, 2008 4:25 PM
|
uhhuh the archaeology being rather thin for this episode....
I would like to ask as a very annoyed archaeology student, exactly *what* archaeology that would be? Because.... I didn't see any i would call credible.
|
|
|
Posts:
14
From:
Vatican
Registered:
11/18/08
|
|
(10 of 14)
Nov 19, 2008 9:03 PM
|
yes zbvhs, I am with you on that one. The Queen mother arrives in the Holy Land with a lot of 'cash' eager to spend it, so I understand the locals who 'found' the Lignum Crucem, etc.
--
Cur Non?
|
|
|
Posts:
7
Registered:
11/17/08
|
|
(11 of 14)
Dec 1, 2008 7:26 AM
|
I hear this a lot in these forums - and I am curious. What would have made it credible for you?
Just looking at the Mt Sinai show - what specifically could Simcha have presented in the way of archaeology to make it credible for you, given the constraints of the show (time, access to sites, etc).
|
|
|
Posts:
2
From:
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Registered:
6/20/09
|
|
(12 of 14)
Jun 20, 2009 9:22 AM
|
HolyRoller has a point: How...in the first place...could this ultra-Holy site have been lost to the subsequent generations of Israel ? A MAJOR portion of (their) spiritual-skeletal framework comes from THIS site !
On the surface, I can see only one way: Captivity....no...
L O N G captivity of Israels' Scribes, Leaders, Priests etc.
Personally-speaking, God, Himself, could, at any moment-in-time, have found a willing/obedient person to redirect to (the) site. Ofcourse, then...would anyone believe this (person) ? It goes on and on.....
|
|
|
Posts:
2
From:
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Registered:
6/20/09
|
|
(13 of 14)
Jun 20, 2009 9:28 AM
|
Oh yes, I forgot to mention: Mark1967 posts, that the only Mountain left in his list that is free of exceptions is Mount Shani.
Does he mean the Mount Shani in the country of Georgia?
(I can't find another).
|
|
|
Posts:
1
From:
Pembroke, NC
Registered:
10/11/09
|
|
(14 of 14)
Oct 11, 2009 5:31 PM
|
I suggest that the Naked Archaeologist consider investigating the site discovered by Ron Wyatt in the 1970's. See the web site at:
http://www.wyattmuseum.com/mount-sinai.htm . The assumption about travel distance assumes that the travel was during daylight hours only when in fact the Bible says they we following a pillar of clouds by day and a pillar of fire by night and at least until the crossed the Gulf of Aquaba, they were in fear of being caught by the Egyptians and would have done more than normal travel time.
See also:http://www.arkdiscovery.com/red_sea_crossing.htm
Also Lennart Moller has produced a video confirming much of Wyatt's work on the Red Sea crossing.
|
|
|
|
|
