The Israelite exodus from Egypt forms the foundational national origin narrative in the Hebrew Bible. Although it is a compelling and popular tale, only minimal supportive circumstantial evidence exists beyond the Bible. In this book Michael D. Oblath details the geographical context within which the Hebrew Bible was written. With this backdrop, he presents the geographical conceptualization of the exodus as described by the biblical sources. Within their references to the various exodus itinerary sites, these sources consistently locate the sites in proximity to known geographical locations. Oblath indicates that, within the geographical memory of the biblical sources, the presupposition of an exodus from Egypt is incorrect. Rather, the narrative describes events originating in the southern region of ancient Israel, between the Negeb and the Gulf of Elath.

Autorentext

The Author: Michael D. Oblath received his Ph.D. in Near Eastern Religions from the University of California and the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. Currently, he is Adjunct Professor at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California, and St. Mary's College of California. His publications include articles on the patriarchal narratives and the exodus from Egypt.