22 February 2010

Exodus 9-38

Wow I read almost the whole book of Exodus today. It was actually kind of fascinating. Almost a page-turner!

One thing really bothered me though. Several times throughout this book, there is a reference to dolphin skins. Dolphin skins are even used in the construction of the Tent Of Meeting. I thought maybe it was just the version (The Message) so when I got home tonight I checked the NIV. It says "sea cows" and in the footnotes "dugongs". Thankfully, I have an unabridged Websters.

dugong - n - Any of a genus of large tropical sirenian mammals that live on the shores of the Indian Ocean and feed mostly on seaweed.

So I'm still wondering how the Israelites wandering in the desert are going to have dolphin skins or sea animal skins of any variety. Any Bible scholars out there want to help me out here?

Anyway, tomorrow I am going to finish Exodus, but I think I am going to skip Leviticus at this time and try Numbers.
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2 comments:

Lysistrata said...

Anastasia, I'm confused. I checked two bibles and in neither of them did I find Exodus 9-38. But in general, I think commerce was better-developed in those days than you think. Importing dolphin/dugong skins from "The Great Sea" would be relatively easy, compared to mining gold for the wave offering.

February 24, 2010 at 2:53 AM
Anastasia said...

The gold didn't bother me. The Egyptians gave them gifts of gold (Exodus 11:2).

February 24, 2010 at 6:46 AM

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