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Abraham's Camels by Joseph P. Free is a scholarly article available to read on EtoBox.

What is Abraham's Camels about?

STUDENTS of the Old Testament have often questioned the accuracy of the statement in Gen. 12:16 which records that, while in Egypt, Abraham had camels in his possession. This is the first reference to camels in the Old Testament, and it implies their presence in Egypt at an early date.' It has been doubted that the camel was known as early as this in Egypt because representations of camels have not as yet been found in Egyptian tomb paintings and on reliefs, nor is it certain that a word for "camel" appears in the Egyptian language. This apparent lack of evidence would seem to show that the reference to Abraham's having camels in Egypt is an anachronism. A common viewpoint of the situation is expressed by Peet, who says: "With regard to Abram's camels, often quoted as Egyptian local colour, it should be pointed out that the camel was not introduced into Egypt until centuries after this period."2' Robinson takes a similar view when he says: "It is therefore only logical to consider that the mention of camels in the Biblical story of Abraham's journey is merely an instance of contemporary influences similar to the Florentine pictures of Biblical life in which medieval costume is show

Author

Joseph P. Free

Published

1944

Language

DA