Weaver wrote:http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Evidence_for_the_Exodus

Weaver wrote:While the burden of proof properly lies with those making the claim that Exodus happened, it is still possible to offer evidence which refutes the possibility that it happened as described. The Rational Wiki article to which I linked is a good example - it examines the claims and provides contrary evidence, and gives an accounting of the current scientific thinking about the time period, which includes evidence which by itself directly refutes the mythical claims.

electricwhiteboy wrote:Feel free to move if this isn’t the right forum.

I'm looking for a decent source for refuting the Book of Exodus. I know in broad strokes that there is no archaeological evidence for ancient widespread slavery of the Jews in Egypt, and various other titbits. What I'd ideally want is some kind of sceptical critique of when and why Exodus was written. I.e. It in no way happened like that, and here's why they made up the pseudo-history that appears in the OT.

electricwhiteboy wrote:Feel free to move if this isn’t the right forum.

I'm looking for a decent source for refuting the Book of Exodus. I know in broad strokes that there is no archaeological evidence for ancient widespread slavery of the Jews in Egypt, and various other titbits. What I'd ideally want is some kind of sceptical critique of when and why Exodus was written. I.e. It in no way happened like that, and here's why they made up the pseudo-history that appears in the OT.

Agrippina wrote:

electricwhiteboy wrote:Feel free to move if this isn’t the right forum.

I'm looking for a decent source for refuting the Book of Exodus. I know in broad strokes that there is no archaeological evidence for ancient widespread slavery of the Jews in Egypt, and various other titbits. What I'd ideally want is some kind of sceptical critique of when and why Exodus was written. I.e. It in no way happened like that, and here's why they made up the pseudo-history that appears in the OT.

My opinion is that Exodus was written from the point of view of having experienced the exile in Babylon, the writers sought to create an "ancient" mythology around their history, and with knowledge of Egyptian culture, they made up the story of everything from Abraham to Moses. Possibly the story of their origin was already in the mythology they shared around their campfires, but then having been exiled from their homes, and being second-class citizens in the developed civilisation that was "Persia" they created an earlier exile from a melding of the stories of their mythology and their recent exile.

When you look at the actual history of Egypt during the second millennium BCE, it is nothing at all as described in the Pentateuch.

Look at the individual stories: Joseph has a coat of many colours. In the late 2nd millennium, this would've involved acquiring dyes that were expensive and complicated to obtain. The clothes they wore were homespun, and mostly woollen because they had sheep. Then the time lapses. His brothers are present when their sister is "raped" (Genesis 34:1 – 34:31) and the men of the town first circumcised, then murdered, then they move away, but return to Shechem for Joseph's abduction. At this time, Benjamin wasn't born yet (consult the timelines), yet Joseph knows about all the brothers when they visit him in Egypt.

Joseph is in Egypt for decades, a youngster when he is abducted, and imprisoned, yet he remembers how they worship "God" and refers to his brothers' God rather than the religion of Egypt which he would've been exposed to in his exile. The same goes for Moses. He's raised as an Egyptian prince, yet he recognises the god of the Jews without any teaching. In the modern world we know how difficult it is to become a Jew, so how did Moses do it in a matter of weeks? But not only that, there's the question of the plagues and how many times all the animals in Egypt died, and then were reanimated only to die again.

Here's some of the stuff I wrote on the subject years ago when I was researching my book.

Joseph.

Actually, if you look through that blogspot site, you'll find most of what I wrote about the Bible, particularly answers about the Old Testament.

https://www.academia.edu/22264029/_Trade_and_power_in_ancient_Egypt_Middle_Egypt_in_the_late_third_early_second_millennium_BC_Journal_of_Archaeological_Research_25_2_2017_87-132

Agrippina wrote:Indeed. Sold her to rich people then made them pay him to take her back. Or something like that. (Genesis 12:10-20 and 20:1-18)

Scot Dutchy wrote:Are we getting down to the iffy bits.