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 |  Subject: Egyptian War Correspondents and the Biblical Giants  Tue Mar 24, 2015 3:11 pm | |
| EXCERPT The one event that shaped the world more than any other during the last century was World War II. Conservative estimates place the number killed during the conflict as well north of 55,000,000 (http://www.historyonthenet.com/WW2/statistics.htm). In Europe, the war officially began in September of 1939 with Germany’s invasion of Poland. Over succeeding months, the German Wehrmacht would sweep through and take Norway, Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Continue readingLocation of Biblical Bethel and Ai ReconsideredFor over a century most scholars have been agreed that the village of Beitin, north of Jerusalem, is...The Search for Joshua's AiThe sites of Joshua’s Ai, Beth Aven and Bethel, are chronologically and geographically linked by Jos...Traditional Site of Bethel QuestionedUnfortunately, Dr. Rainey has presented little for the Beitin = Bethel case that has not already bee...Our Ministry relies on the generosity of people like you. Every small donation helps us develop and publish great articles.In May of the 1940, Hitler invaded France. Germany’s Blietkrieg (German for “lightning war”) tactics overwhelmed the British and French forces. Within six weeks, France was capitulating and Britain was desperately evacuating what remained of its Expeditionary Forces on mainland Europe.After the fall of France, much of Western Europe lay in Hitler’s hands. For the next year, Great Britain stood largely alone against the might of Nazi Germany. Soviet Russia would not be invaded for another 12 months. The United States would not enter WWII until the bombing of Pearl Harbor by Japan on December 7, 1941. During this interim period, the heralded Battle of Britain was fought. In one of the most important air campaigns of all time, the German Luftwaffe tangled with Britain’s Royal Air Force for control of the skies over England. On many a night, German aircraft would rain down bombs on the city of London. With this as a backdrop, the person considered to be the “most distinguished and renowned figure in the history of American broadcast journalism” (http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/murrowedwar/murrowedwar.htm) took to the airwaves. Edward R. Murrow, CBS War Correspondent, captivated America’s listening public with his rooftop broadcasts while Britain and Germany’s young men fought for the airspace above London. Some would argue that his broadcasts turned the sentiment of a largely ambivalent American public. (Photo: http://www-tc.pbs.org/weta/reportingamericaatwar/reporters/images/portrait_murrow.jpg.)While a mountain peak of journalism, Murrow is certainly not the first to report from a battlefield or war zone. Battlefield reporting and the work of war correspondents go well back into ancient times. Some of the earliest battlefield reports we have go as far back as Egyptian army exploits in and around the ancient land of Canaan.One Egyptian document presently housed in the British Museum dates back nearly 3300 years. Referred to as the Anastasi Papyrus, this document appears to be a scolding letter sent from one army correspondent named Hori. In the letter, he reprimands another scribe or correspondent named Amenemope for his poor leadership and lack of battlefield presence. A point is made in the letter on how critical it is to be accurate when determining rations, equipment and other supplies.(Photo: http://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00433/AN00433725_001_l.jpg) In one fascinating passage, a discussion takes place of an encounter in a Canaanite mountain pass. We are told that Egyptian forces came across Shasu warriors, whose height from nose to foot varied from 4 to 5 cubits (http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/texts/anastasi_i.htm). Egyptians often referred to the inhabitants of Canaan as the Shasu (http://members.bib-arch.org/publication.asp?PubID=BSBA&Volume=34&Issue=6&ArticleID=9). The cubit in view here is the Royal Egyptian cubit (about 20.65 inches in length). This would mean that the height of those encountered varied from at least 6 ft 8 in to 8 ft 6 in. This is particularly interesting when you consider that a main point in the letter regards the need for accuracy.Similarly, there exists an Egyptian relief (stone carving) that recounts Egypt’s battles under Ramses II against the Hittites near Kadesh. In the relief, we are told about the capture of two Shasu spies. Historians have debated the unusual size given to the captured forces in the relief. It is one thing for Egyptian carvings to represent their Pharaohs with almost superhuman size. It is quite another for them to depict their enemies as such. Again, the Egyptians seem to be encountering forces of unusual height in their exploits in and around Canaan.
(Photo: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Ancient_carving_-_Shasu_spies_being_beaten_by_Egyptians.png) |
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