(DAVE 4/20) Izz: Numbers 20:27-28 says that Aaron died "on top of the
mountain" which we are told in v 27 is named Mount Hor. This is confirmed
again in Numbers 33:38-39 and Deut 32:50.
Deut 10:6 states that Aaron died at a place called Moserah.
I can find no information on Moserah, except that it means "a place in the
desert". In Num 33:30 the Israelites were said to have camped there. And
in Deut 10:6 they were said to have travelled there (and that Aaron died there).
There also seems to be a lot of "unknowns" concerning the location of Mount
Hor, from what I can gather. I don't think the exact location of Hor, in
the context of your question, really matters at this point (although the
location of Moserah in relation to Mount Hor DOES).
In the account in Numbers 20, it states that Moses and Aaron and eleazar
went UP the mountain, where he died. And the account in Num 33 says that
the Israelites encamped at Moserah. It seems logical to assume then, that
the area they were encamped at was Moserah, and this either bordered on, or
encompassed Mount Hor.
TILL
I sent a posting to the list on this subject that showed that the Israelites
broke camp seven times in traveling from Moserah to Mount Hor, where Aaron
died, according to the text that lists the encampments (Num. 33:30-38). If
2.5 to 3 million people broke camp and moved on seven times in journeying
from Moserah to Mt. Hor, this would hardly support Dave's assumption that
Moserah "either bordered on or encompassed Mount Hor." I also point out
that biblical reference works state that the locations of Moserah and Mt.
Hor are not known. Thus, it is ridiculous to argue that a specific place
(Mt. Hor), whose location is unknown, was within a geographical region
called Moserah, whose location is also unknown.
Furthermore, I pointed out that there is a discrepancy between Numbers
33:31, which states that the Israelites left Moserah and traveled to
Benejaakan, and Deuteronomy 10:6, which states that the Israelites left
Benejaakan and traveled to Moserah. As usual, Dave has ignored all of this
in order to stumble along with wild conjectures for which he hasn't a shred
of supporting evidence.
DAVE COURT
In Num 20:29, it states that when they "came down from the mountain" (to
Moserah?), the "whole community learned that aaron had died". This shows
that there were two different parties who "heard" or "witnessed" Aaron's
death, and they were in different places: Moses and Eleazar on Mount Hor,
and the whole community at the base of the mountain - their memories, and
writings passed down may have been influenced by this fact and could focus
on the two different spots.
TILL
Dave conveniently ignores the Xian claim that the Bible was verbally
inspired by an omni-max deity. If this were true, then what "two different
parties" may have heard or witnessed would not matter, because omni-max
Yahweh would have known exactly where Aaron died and would have guided his
inspired writer to state exactly where this was. Otherwise, what would have
been the purpose of inspiration?
DAVE COURT
Since we don't know where Moserah is/was, and don't seem to know where Mount
Hor is/was, this question can't really be answered conclusively. Based on
what we know, we cannot know if it is a contradiction or not.
TILL
Explain how that the Israelites could have broken camp seven times to travel
on, and yet Mt. Hor bordered on Moserah. Do you have any idea how much area
an encampment of 2.5 to 3 million people would cover? Furthermore, you need
to explain why one text states that the Israelites came to Moserah first and
then went to Benejaakan, whereas another text states that they came to
Benejaakan first and then went to Moserah.
Farrell Till
Skepticism, Inc.
jftill@midwest.net