Gmirkin & Mein: Berossus and Genesis, ... [2006]

Discussion about the Hebrew Bible, Septuagint, pseudepigrapha, Philo, Josephus, Talmud, Dead Sea Scrolls, archaeology, etc.
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billd89
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Gmirkin & Mein: Berossus and Genesis, ... [2006]

Post by billd89 »

Another DCHindley gem!
DCHindley wrote: Sun Sep 16, 2018 6:25 amIMHO, though, Judeans did not seem to have much influence from Egyptian myths, although there was a strong regional rivalry between them, full of hot headed polemics.

There was a hardcover book written and/or edited by Russell Gmirkin & Andrew Mein entitled Berossus and Genesis, Manetho and Exodus: Hellenistic Histories and the Date of the Pentateuch (T & T Clark, 2006)" which I have seen available online but I don't recall where.

More to point, Russell's recent book, Plato and the Creation of the Hebrew Bible (Hardcover by Routledge, but available in Kindle edition, 2016). ....

However, he brings up many connections between Egyptian and Judean foundation myths as found in Berossus, the Pentateuch and some other Greek writers including Josephus' Against Apion. He confidently dates the stage of mythic development that seems to be common between the accounts of Exodus and Berossus' report of Egyptian polemic to the 3rd century BCE. Egypt had recently been subjugated by Alexander the Great, and Greek language was introduced by the ruling class of Hellenes, and with it Plato, Herodotus, etc. It became quite the rage among scribes, who held a good deal of sway in those days (not so much later), to learn Greek and make use of its myths. Judeans resident in Egypt were among these.

Here's his own web page on this: http://russellgmirkin.com/
I am best known for my research on the circumstances behind the creation of the Hebrew Bible, also known as the Jewish Bible or Old Testament.

In my 2006 book Berossus and Genesis, I argued that the very first evidence for the Hebrew Bible was the translation of the Books of Moses into Greek around 270 BCE, the famous Septuagint translation made by Jewish scholars for the Great Library of Alexandria. I proposed that these same Jewish scholars also wrote the Books of Moses on this same occasion, using various Greek sources found in the Great Library. ...
He supports himself as a freelance Editor, Proofreader/copywriter, and writing consultant. His research appears to be very thorough and his books have been published by major publishers who do their own peer review.

DCH
I'm persuaded! I'm a complete noob but quickly reached the same conclusions re: Moses. I'm less certain about the date (it should be after 325 BC: a generation or so). I came to my own realization after reading Daniel Völter's theory (c.1912) and his meticulous detailing of a long list of Egyptian correspondences in the Moses myth. Völter doesnt late-date, however; a leap too radical, for the Early 20th C.?

I also see nothing to suggest Gmirkin used Völter's material, which is excellent. When two very careful scholars reach the same conclusion from entirely different sets of facts or approachs -in all likelihood- there be the truth. I wonder how many other routes can be mapped w/ evidence and arguments not yet marshalled? The truth can be approached from any angle, though it can only be 'proven' w/ evidence. Why are scholars reluctant to tackle the composition of the Moses myth?

Gmirkin posted here once? Pity he didnt stay ...

Several other posts cite this 2006 work - thanks to all for the heads-up!
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