Genesis Vol 3.pdf - College Press

20 : 1-2 1 3 4 GENESIS .I
The most important role of Caphtor +as its impact on both
the classic Greeks of a later period and the early Canaan-
ites, so that the earliest Greek, Canaanite (Ugarit) and
Hebrew literatures have a common denominator in the
Minoan or Caphtorian factor. We shall see that the early
histories of the Hebrew and pre-Hellenic settlements and
migrations on the shores of the Eastern Mediterranean, were
originally interrelated in certain ways and that the classic
traditions of Greece and the treasures of the Near East
will illumine each other. C. H Gordon maintains that
‘the epic traditions of Israel starting with the patriarchal
narratives are set in Palestine after the penetrations of the
Indo-European Philistines from the west and the Indo-
European Hittites from the north. When the Bible portrays
Abraham as dealing with Hittites and Philistines, we have
a correct tradition insofar as Hebrew history dawned in a
partially Indo-Europeanized Palestine. This is reflected
in Hebraic literature and institutions from the start.’
The early Caphltorian migration was one of a long serics
that had established various Caphtorian folk on the shores
of Canaan long before 1500 B.C.E. Thy had becme
Canaanitized, and apparently spoke the same language as
Abraham and Isaac. They generally behaved peacefully,
unlike the Philistines of a later day, who fought and
molested the Israelites. They were recognized in Canaan
as the masters of arts and crafts, including metdlurgy”
(italics mine-C. C.). These facts account also for the
spread of the Cult of Fertility throughout the Near East.
It is generally held by anthropologists that Crete was the
center where this cult originated and from which it spread
in every direction, through the Near East especially.
(4) Abimelech. The facts stated above give us a
clearer understanding of this man who was king of the
city-state of Gerar when Abraham moved into the area.
The name, which means “father-king,” is pure Hebrew,
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