Posted on 02/08/2014 1:58:40 PM PST by SunkenCiv
For those who have never been to Mitzpe Ramon, you’re missing out. It’s on the edge of the Ramon makhtesh -- Israel’s Grand Canyon. In fact, although it is called a “crater” in English, it is actually a “makhtesh” i.e., a “box canyon”, formed not by a meteor or a river, but by geological processes of a receding ocean. It is the world’s largest “makhtesh”!
...
In any event, no one listened, but everyone had a lot of fun. My friend Hershel Shanks who moderated my session chided me for being too confident. He wanted me to have an appropriate mount of humility when I said that his theory – following the late Frank Moore Cross – that Mount Sinai was in Saudi Arabia was impossible. Hershel, by definition, Mount Sinai has to be in the Sinai, or it’s not Mount Sinai. Having said all this, Joshua Schmidt has to be commended for creating this forum. The only way to get to the truth is by a civilized debate.
Here is a link to my paper where I contend -- no one has made a single argument as to why I am wrong -- that Hashem el-Tarif, a mountain about 45 minutes out of Eilat into the Sinai desert is, without question, (sorry, Hershel, I know I should be more humble) Mount Sinai!
(Excerpt) Read more at simchajtv.com ...
“For those who have never been to Mitzpe Ramon, you’re missing out. It’s on the edge of the Ramon makhtesh — Israel’s Grand Canyon. In fact, although it is called a “crater” in English, it is actually a “makhtesh” i.e., a “box canyon”, formed not by a meteor or a river, but by geological processes of a receding ocean.”
Interesting that this mountain is adjacent to a diverging plate boundary where the Nubian (African) Plate and the Arabian Plate are moving in quite different directions. The “geological process of a receding ocean” is rather a product of plate tectonics as are the numerous volcanos in the area and the Red Sea itself.
See #10. Also, the pillars I mentioned are not near the coordinates.
IIRC The Naked Archaeologist had an episode on this. Had to be over 5 years ago.
Hoodathunk Moses was Pilipino !
After they left Mt. Sinai, the Israelites went through Moab before reaching the River Jordan. Moab is in Utah...and that’s in North America.
Ahhh...it IS the naked archaeologist. Weird program. AFAIK he is a filmaker, not an archaeologist.
Many people say he is anti Christian, especially anti Catholic.
I never got that from the proram but I didn’t wath closely.
LOL. The biblical Moab is east of the Jordan River in Israel, and so is Mt. Sinai, except much further South. I am of the opinion the Israelites crossed the Red Sea at a northerly coast on the eastern tip, into modern day Saudi Arabia, partly because an ancient pillar (from the days of Solomon) stands on each side of that crossing.
I think they generally place Moab east of the southern part of the Dead Sea, in the present-day Kingdom of Jordan. Ammon was north of Moab (including the area where the city of Amman is now—that is where Uriah was serving with the Israelite army at the time of David’s affair with Uriah’s wife Bathsheba). Ammon was east of the southern part of the Jordan River and the northern part of the Dead Sea.
I loved that show. Discovered it while recovering at home from gall bladder removal emergency surgery a few days before.
I didn’t get any anti-Christian out of it. To me, it was a 30 min quirky history show with lots of campy stock footage.
That’s the way I saw it too. Kinda miss it now.
First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is.... ridiculous lyrics sung by Donovan Leitch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWkGs6MxATc
I still do. There was a show called Vanishing that came on right after that I liked a lot too.
That’s one of the few of his that are any good, imho. I also like the version recorded by The Bobs.
The Allman Brothers filled 2 entire album sides riffing off that. (Mountain Jam)
Only THEY could do something like that and get away with it. LOL!
After they got through Moab and over the Jordan, they fought the Battle of Jericho. Jericho is in Vermont, so they really got around.
That don’t look nuthin’ like the mountain Charleton Heston came down.
That don’t look nuthin’ like the mountain Charleton Heston came down.
He has some valid arguments.
Wow, y’all should check out the link and read the paper instead of making fun. I think this guy has actually established the real Mt. Sinai!
Check out this partial list from the paper:
1. According to Rabbinic sources, Mount Sinai is the lowest of the mountains in its region. Hashem el-Tarif is the lowest mountain in its region.
2. According to the Torah, Mount Sinai was able to accommodate hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Israelites (Exodus 12:37). In other words, the mountain needs a huge plateau around it, so as to accommodate a very large number of people. Hashem el-Tarif has a huge plateau around it.
3. According to the Torah, Moses was asked to create a barrier – “set a boundary” - between the mountain and the people (Exodus 19:12). Hashem el-Tarif is surrounded by a stone demarcation that is visible to this day.
4. According to the Torah, Moses destroyed the golden calf, ground it “and threw the dust into a stream that flowed down the mountain” (Exodus 32:20 and Deuteronomy 9:21. Emphasis added). Hashem el-Tarif has evidence of travertine on top of the mountain. You can readily pick up huge pieces of travertine to this . Travertine is created by fresh flowing water.
5. According to the Torah, Moses carved the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 34:4). It’s clear that Moses wasn’t working with hammer and chisel. Travertine is a soft stone. It also conforms to the Talmudic tradition that it was transparent. When you put travertine up to the light it is transparent and you can see engravings on both sides. This conforms to the
Rabbinic tradition.
6. According to the Torah, Moses spoke to the people from on top of the mountain (Exodus 19:7). Hashem el-Tarif has a natural stage and close by a natural amphitheater creating perfect acoustics and the ability to speak to the people below from the mountain above.
7. According to the Torah, there is a prominent cleft in which Moses hid, protected from the glory of God (Exodus 33:22). The natural stage at the end of the mountain is separated from the mountain itself by a very prominent natural cleft.
8. According to the Torah, the mountain was considered holy prior to the Exodus (Exodus 3:1). Hashem el-Tarif has the highest concentration of open-air sanctuaries in the Sinai.
9. According to the Torah, Mount Sinai is close to Mt. Seir (Deuteronomy 1:2 and 33:2). To this day, the extension of Hashem el-Tarif is called “Seira”.
10. According to the Torah, Israelites did not engage in professional mountain climbing to get to the plateau surrounding the mountain. They just stopped en route. Also, when Aaron meets Moses, it seems to be that the mountain is located close to the main roads, easily accessible by men, women, children, and the elderly (Exodus 4:27). Hashem el-Tarif sits on the main Sinai highway routes.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.