La arqueología bíblica y el surgimiento del reino de Edom

Summary: Biblical Archaeology and the Emergence of the Kingdom of Edom Early Edom owes its success to the shortage of copper in the Near Eastern markets and the ability of its population to develop the copper mines in the Arabah. The revenues from the copper trade enabled the Edomites improve their life by relocating to the Negev Highlands and the eastern Beer-sheba Valley and constructing permanent settlements there. They established a polity whose centre was at Tel Masos and economic engine was at Khirbet en-Nahas in the Arabah. Shoshenq’s campaign marked a turn in the polity’s history, both politically and technologically. The Pharaoh probably set his protégé, Hadad, in the occupied territories, and through his agent controlled the Edomite polity. The Book of Kings relates the ups and downs in the relations of Judah and Edom in the 9th-early 8th centuries BCE. As long as Edom’s centres were located in the regions west of the Arabah, Judah was able to conduct campaigns and occupy its territory. The turn in relations took place in the 8th century when the Edomites established their centres on the plateau, east of the Arabah, which guaranteed them security and enabled them to develop their kingdom beyond the reach of their western neighbor.Resumen: La arqueología bíblica y el surgimiento del reino de Edom Los primeros tiempos de Edom deben su éxito a la escasez de cobre en los mercados del Próximo Oriente y a la capacidad de su población para explotar las minas de cobre en el Arabá. Los ingresos procedentes del comercio del cobre permitieron a los edomitas mejorar su vida trasladándose a las tierras altas del Néguev y al valle oriental de Beer-sheba, construyendo allí asentamientos permanentes. Establecieron un sistema político cuyo centro estaba en Tel Masos y el motor económico en Khirbet en-Nahas, en el Arabá. La campaña de Shoshenq marcó un giro en la historia de la ciudad, tanto en lo político como en lo tecnológico. El faraón probablemente colocó a su protegido, Hadad, en los territorios ocupados, y a través de su agente controló el sistema político edomita. El Libro de los Reyes relata los altibajos en las relaciones de Judá y Edom en los siglos IX y principios del VIII a.e.c. Mientras los centros de Edom se encontraban en las regiones al oeste del Arabá, Judá podía realizar campañas y ocupar su territorio. El giro en las relaciones se produjo en el siglo VIII, cuando los edomitas establecieron sus centros en la meseta, al este del Arabá, lo que les garantizó seguridad y les permitió desarrollar su reino fuera del alcance de su vecino occidental

Strengthening Biblical Historicity vis-à-vis Minimalism, 1992-2008 and Beyond, Part 2.2: The Literature of Perspective, Critique, and Methodology, Second Half

This series of articles covers scholarly works in English which can, at least potentially, be associated with a generally positive view of biblical historicity regarding periods preceding the Israelites’ return from exile. Part 2 covers works that treat the methodological issues at the center of the maximalist–minimalist debate. Parts 3–5 will cover works on evidences. This article completes the coverage, begun in the preceding article, of works that are neither maximalist nor minimalist, by treating select publications of Anthony J. Frendo, Nadav Na’aman, Israel Finkelstein, Andrew G. Vaughn, Baruch Halpern, Robert D. Miller II, and H. G. M. Williamson. It then discusses works on methodology by authors who espouse biblical historicity unless it is proven wrong, who are often called maximalists. It introduces these through the comments of Craig G. Bartholomew, then treats select works by Kenneth A. Kitchen, Jens Bruun Kofoed, Richard E. Averbeck, Iain W. Provan, V. Philips Long, and James K. Hoffmeier