Catastrophes in the Bible

From: B.J.PEISER@liverpool-john-moores.ac.uk
To: cambridge-conference@liverpool-john-moores.ac.uk
Date: 23. junij 1997 17:23
Subject: Natural Catastrophes in the Bible

Natural Disasters Recorded in the Bible: Fact of Fiction?

I have come across yet another, more speculative paper on legendary heroes, sudden enviromental events and natural disasters in the Bible which might be of interest to the archaeo-astronomers, geologists and historians among list members.

 

Benny J Peiser

 

A. Benmenahem: Cross-Dating of Biblical History via singular
Astronomical and Geophysical Events over the Ancient Near-East.
In: Quarterly Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society, 1992
Vol.33, No.3, pp.175-190

 

Biblical allusions to eclipses, solar activity cycles, comet apparitions, super-nova explosions, bolide impacts, paroxysmal eruptions and major earthquakes, during 2000-300 BC, are examined in the light of recent historical catalogues. It is shown that spectacular environmental phenomena, that sampled the remote past periodically and semi-periodically, have occurred over the heavens, seas and terrains of the Near East and indeed impacted the minds of prophets, kings and scribes of the lands of the Bible. Thus evidence is produced to show that the prophets Joel, Zachariah, Habakkuk, Isaiah and Amos witnessed certain comets, eclipses and earthquakes. So did King David, Judge Deborah, Joshua and Abraham. The surmised dates of these events assist us in setting bounds for the life-span of biblical celebrities and for some of the acts in which they participated. Epigraphical and archaeological evidence are in accord with our findings. It is made clear that although the Bible did not favour secular science, it contains echoes of singular environmental events, the dating of which can be harnessed to establish some order in biblical chronology.