of which is typical of IIIA:2 in general, but its later stage in particular; a pyxis (from Tomb 8065) of the IIIA:2 variety, the decorative pattern of

I would have occurred five years later, in Year 23 (ca. 1484 BC), the same year in which he besieged Megiddo for seven months before overtaking the city (Redford, Egypt, Canaan, and Israel, 156–157). What reason would he have had for completely obliterating Hazor, a city that was clearly a key player in his economic monopoly, and through which great wealth and prosperity was siphoned to Egypt from afar, especially considering how Hazor strategically guarded the Great Trunk Road, the main traffic artery from Egypt to Mesopotamia? As Yadin notes, “[T]he spade revealed that Hazor attained an unprecedented prosperity during the 15th century” BC (Yadin, The Head, 6).82. Donald B. Redford, “The Coregency of Tuthmosis III and Amenophis II,” Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 51 (Dec 1965), 109–110. Redford provides several additional reasons for dating Papyrus Hermitage 1116A to the reign of Amenhotep II.83. For a discussion of the number and years of Amenhotep II’s Asiatic campaigns, see Petrovich, “Amenhotep II,” 94–97.84. James K. Hoffmeier, “James Weinstein’s ‘Egypt and the Middle Bronze IIC/Late Bronze IA Transition’: A Rejoinder,” Levant 23 (1991), 120.85. Yohanan Aharoni and Michael Avi-Yonah, The Macmillan Bible Atlas (New York: Macmillan, 1977), 34. For a lengthier discussion of the inexplicable decline of Egyptian power and its possible relationship to the loss of the Egyptian army at the time of the exodus, see Petrovich, “Amenhotep II,” 100.86. Claude Vandersleyen, L’Egypte et la Vallée du Nil, vol. 2 (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1995), 341.87. Ibid., 333. Horemheb reigned from ca. 1335–1307 BC.88. Amarna Letters, ed. Moran, 183. Being that the Amarna Letters include correspondence that may date as early as Year 30 of Amenhotep III (ca. 1379 BC), the evidence from EA 109 is consistent with the early-exodus theory, since the decimation of the Egyptian army—which included “all the horses and chariots of pharaoh, his horsemen, and his army” (Exod 14:9), not one of which was spared from being “shaken off” by Yahweh in the sea after they vainly attempted to overtake the Israelites that had passed through the sea on dry land (Exod 14:27–28)—early in the latter half of the 15th century BC would have loosened Egypt’s tight grip on Canaan almost completely. Canaanite client-kings no longer would need to fear and dread their Egyptian overlords, when no massive or mighty army could be dispatched to Canaan to strike fear into the despots who craved autonomy or considered plotting against pharaoh. Such a thorough extermination of Egypt’s fighting force may have crippled their imperialistic prowess for a lengthy period.89. For photographic evidence of this occupational gap, see http://exegesisinternational.org/index.php?option=com_deeppockets&task=contShow&id=3&Itemid=30 90. Bienkowski, “Role of Hazor,” 54.91. Hoffmeier unwisely criticizes Wood for associating the apiru with the Hebrews of the 14th century BC



The Exodus Controversy
Tags: minimalism, maximalism, absence of evidence, arguments from silence, exodus--> This article was published in the Spring 2003 issue of Bible and Spade.It seems that every year, especially around the spring Passover season when Jews and many Christians commemorate Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, newspapers and magazines publish articles questioning the validity of the Biblical account of the Exodus.In 2001, for example, The Los Angeles Times ran a front-page story reporting that a liberal rabbi in the Los Angeles area caused quite a stir when he shocked his congregation by stating he had his doubts that the Exodus ever took place. “The truth is,” explained Rabbi David Wolpe,that virtually every modern archaeologist who has investigated the story of the Exodus, with very few exceptions, agrees that the way the Bible describes the Exodus is not the way it happened, if it happened at all (Watanabe 2001).Perhaps you have read such articles and wondered whether you can believe the Bible. After almost 200 years of archaeological research in Egypt and Israel, why do so many challenge the Exodus account? The stakes are not small, as the critics well know. If the narrative of the Exodus is not factual, then the trustworthiness of Biblical revelation is indeed seriously undermined. Therefore it is essential that our evaluation of the evidence be accurate and fair.Christ Affirms the ExodusFirst, let’s make sure we have a clear picture of the Biblical perspective. We find that Jesus Christ affirmed the Biblical account of the Exodus as true, and He based some of His teachings on it. Reminding His countrymen that God had miraculously provided food for them during 40 years in the wilderness, He said:Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven (Jn 6:49—51).Jesus staked His reputation, authority, and credibility on the Exodus account’s reliability—on His confidence that the Israelites actually did eat manna in the desert as the Scriptures describe. If this account were not true, then Jesus was wrong, and so are some of His teachings.We should not be surprised, then, that some critics have focused so much attention on this fundamental event in the Bible. They try to discredit the story of the Exodus to undermine its historical validity.Biblical historian Eugene Merrill describes the importance the Exodus has for the rest of the Bible:The exodus is the most significant historical and theological event of the Old Testament because it marks God’s mightiest act in behalf of his people...To it the Book of Genesis provides an introduction and justification, and from it flows all subsequent Old Testament revelation...In the final analysis, the exodus served to typify that exodus achieved by Jesus Christ for people of faith, so that it is a meaningful event for the church as well as for Israel (1996:57–58).Limits of ArchaeologyMany critics who doubt the historicity of the Exodus share a problem: over-reliance on what archaeology can prove. Archaeology is, in fact, a limited and imperfect area of study in which the interpretation of findings, as archaeologists readily admit, is more of an art than a hard science.Archaeologist Edwin Yamauchi points out the limits of this science when he explains: (1) little of what was made or written in antiquity survives to this day; (2) few of the ancient sites have been surveyed and a number have not even been found; (3) probably fewer than 2 percent of the known sites have been meaningfully excavated; (4) few of these have been more than scratched; and (5) only a fraction of the fraction that have been excavated have been published and data made available to the scholarly world (1972: chapter 4).Considering not only the limits but also the positive side of archaeology, it is remarkable how many Biblical accounts have been illuminated and confirmed by the relatively small number of sites excavated and Rosetta Stone Spanish

person carried out the act only after Year 42 of Thutmose III,

the desecration occurred no earlier than ca. 1464 BC. It is also difficult to envision that the culprit lived long after both Hatshepsut and her memory disappeared from the earth, since the movement of time and the existence of motive are inversely proportionate. Accordingly, two possible scenarios exist that could incriminate Amenhotep II as culpable for the crime. (1) Amenhotep II contributed in the campaign to destroy Hatshepsut’s image, but he was not the initial perpetrator. Tyldesley observes that “[i]t is perhaps not too fanciful a leap of the imagination to suggest that Thutmose III, having started the persecution relatively late in the reign, may have died before it was concluded. His son and successor, Amenhotep II, with no personal involvement in the campaign, may have been content to allow the vendetta to lapse.”178 Tyldesley does not explain why without personal involvement. Bryan believes that “Amenhotep II himself completed the desecration of the female king’s monuments,” adding that “when [he] had finished his programme of erasures on the monuments of Hatshepsut at Karnak, he was able to concentrate on preparations for the royal jubilee at this temple.”179(2) Amenhotep II was the sole culprit in the campaign to destroy Hatshepsut’s image. The responsible individual likely possessed pharaonic authority, and one legitimate motive for Amenhotep II to have committed this act is if Hatshepsut raised Moses as her own son in the royal court (Acts 7:21). After the Red-Sea incident, Amenhotep II would have returned to Egypt seething with anger, both at the loss of his firstborn son and virtually his entire army (Exod 14:28), so he would have had just cause to erase her memory from Egypt and remove her spirit from the afterlife. The Egyptian people would have supported this edict, since their rage undoubtedly rivaled pharaoh’s, as they also were mourning deceased family members and friends. The nationwide experience of loss also would account for the unified effort throughout Egypt to fulfill this defeated pharaoh’s commission vigorously. A precedent even exists for Amenhotep II’s destruction of her monuments early in his reign: At Karnak Hatshepsut left . . . the Eighth Pylon, a new southern gateway to the temple precinct. . . . Ironically, evidence of Hatshepsut’s building effort is today invisible, since the face of the pylon was erased and redecorated in the first years of Amenhotep II.180 Perhaps Year 9 was when it all began.X. CONCLUSIONNow it is possible to answer the questions posed earlier. Does Amenhotep II qualify as the pharaoh who lived through the tenth plague because he was not his father’s eldest son? Yes, records show that Amenemhet was the eldest son of Thutmose III, allowing Amenhotep II to have lived through the tenth plague. Could the eldest son of Amenhotep II have died during the tenth plague, which must be true of the exodus-pharaoh’s son? Yes, the eldest son of Amenhotep II could have died then. In fact, none of Amenhotep II’s sons claimed to be his firstborn, and one prominent Egyptologist theorizes that the eldest son died inexplicably during childhood. Did Amenhotep II die in the Red Sea, as the Bible allegedly indicates about the exodus-pharaoh? No, he died in typical fashion, and his mummified body is still preserved. Yet despite popular belief, this conclusion does not conflict with the Bible, since no Biblical text actually states that the exodus-pharaoh died there with his army.Can any of Amenhotep II’s military campaigns be related to the exodus events? Yes, his second Asiatic campaign coincides extremely well with the exodus events, and many of the details related to it and Egypt’s post-exodus future cannot be explained without these connections. Can the loss of over two million Hebrew slaves, certainly Egypt’s “slave-base” at the time, be accounted for in the records of Amenhotep II’s reign? Yes, the loss of the Israelite slaves can be accounted for by Amenhotep II’s acquisition of 101,128 slaves in Canaan during his second Asiatic campaign, the only such campaign of its era that was launched in late fall and took so many captives. Is there any evidence to confirm that Amenhotep II interacted with the Hebrews after they left Egypt? Yes, Amenhotep II captured 3,600 “Apiru” (Hebrews) during his second campaign, which was launched just under seven months after the exodus. Despite many futile attempts to disprove the association of the Hebrews with the Apiru of the New Kingdom, far more evidence exists that favors their being one-in-the-same.If Amenhotep II is the exodus-pharaoh, could the obliteration of Hatshepsut’s image from many Egyptian monuments and inscriptions be attributed to backlash from the exodus events? Yes, Amenhotep II surfaces as the only logical candidate for the pharaoh who ordered this nationwide campaign of desecration. If Hatshepsut indeed was Moses’ Egyptian stepmother—and she is the only legitimate candidate—Amenhotep II and all of Egypt had adequate motive to remove her image from Egypt and her spirit from the afterlife. These answers prove not only that Amenhotep II is the only legitimate candidate for the exodus-pharaoh, but that the Biblical chronology of that era functions as a canon against which Egyptian history may be synchronized.It is hoped that the principal purpose of this article has not been lost in the extensive historical detail contained within it. In this analysis of the exodus-pharaoh and ancient Egyptian history, the arguments of those who compromise Biblical historicity proved unable to undermine Biblical inerrancy. Compromising the Bible’s inspired historical framework invariably will lead to the demise of its reliability as an accurate source for determining doctrine and enhancing spiritual growth. Conversely, to connect the book more directly with ancient history can only enhance its theological meaning.181 Unfortunately, however, even the strongest argumentation cannot remove presuppositions or persuade readers of the Bible’s life-impacting truths.Douglas Petrovich is former academic dean at Novosibirsk Biblical-Theological Seminary in the city of Akademgorodok (Siberia), Russia. He has a BA in Evangelism at Moody Bible Institute, and both an MDiv and a ThM from The Masters Seminary. He also has an MA in Ancient Near Eastern history and archaeology from the University of Toronto, where currently he is enrolled in the PhD program. This article was first published in the Spring 2006 issue of the Master's Seminary Journal. Posted with permission.Footnotes:1. George Ladd, The New Testament and Criticism (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1967), 16. 2. William G. Dever, What did the Biblical Writers Know and When did They Know It? (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001), 4. 3. Israel Finkelstein, “City-States to States,” in Symbiosis, Symbolism, and the Power of the Past, ed. William G. Dever and Seymour Gitin (Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns, 2003), 81. 4. Harold Lindsell, The Battle for the Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1976), 206. 5. Donald B. Redford, Egypt, Canaan, and Israel in Ancient Times (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1992), 408–409. 6. Ibid., 412. 7. Kenneth A. Kitchen, On the Reliability of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003), 310. 8. Bryant G. Wood, “The Rise and Fall of the 13th-Century Exodus-Conquest Theory,” JETS 48:3 (Sep 2005), 476. 9. Rodger C. Young, “When Did Solomon Die?,” JETS 46:4 (Dec 2003), 603. 10. Both here and throughout the present work, any dating that follows the formula, “ca. xxxx–yyyy BC,” signifies the regnal years of a given monarch, unless otherwise noted. The reason for settling on these dates will be discussed subsequently. 11. It is probably more accurate to refer to the Red Sea as the “Sea of Reeds,” but the traditional designation will be used here for simplicity. For an excellent study on this topic, see Hoffmeier’s chap. 9, “The Problem of the Re(e)d Sea” (James K. Hoffmeier, Israel in



Rosetta Stone Arabic

The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Exodus

Tradition [New York: Oxford University Press, 1996], 199). 12. While any given pharaoh of Egypt’s New Kingdom received a throne-name (praenomen) upon his accession—either as the sole monarch or as the coregent for a senior pharaoh who wanted a smooth regnal-transition at the time of his imminent death—he merely appended this praenomen to his nomen, the birth name that had always been with him. Each name was enclosed in a cartouche. 13. See 1 Kgs 11:40, 14:25; and 2 Chr 12:2, 5 (twice), 7, and 9. The fact that this new trend began during the reign of Shishak (Shoshenq I) should be of no surprise to the student of Biblical history, since Shishak’s reign signaled both the beginning of a new ruling dynasty, the 22nd Dynasty of Egypt, and the beginning of foreign rule under pharaohs who hailed from Libya. 14. See 2 Kgs 23:29, 33, 34, 35; 2 Chr 35:20, 21, 22; 36:4; and Jer 46:2. Pharaoh Hophra is named once as well, though his name appears only in a prophetic writing, where God calls him, “Pharaoh Hophra, King of Egypt” (Jer 44:30). 15. Any temptation to doubt the historicity of the Biblical text on account of the presence of an unnamed pharaoh should be avoided vigorously, since “surely historians would not dismiss the historicity of Thutmose III’s Megiddo campaign because the names of the kings of Kadesh and Megiddo are not recorded” in the ancient Egyptian accounts (Hoffmeier, Israel in Egypt, 110). 16. Ibid., 109. 17. Ibid. 18. James K. Hoffmeier, “The Memphis and Karnak Stelae of Amenhotep II,” in The Context of Scripture: Monumental Inscriptions from the Biblical World, vol. 2, ed. William W. Hallo (Leiden, Netherlands: Brill, 2000), 21. 19. Hoffmeier, Israel in Egypt, 87, 109; Wood, “The Rise and Fall,” 478. 20. Hoffmeier, Israel in Egypt, 109–110. Hoffmeier incorrectly identifies these enemies of Egypt from the first Asiatic campaign of Amenhotep II as “Nubian tribes,” and “Nubian chieftains,” thus attributing them to the nation of Nubia, or Cush, located directly to the south of Egypt. The partly defaced geographical name on the Memphis Stele is certainly not t3 Nhsy, “the Nubian Land,” as some have restored it to read, but Takhsi (Anson F. Rainey, “Amenhotep II’s Campaign to Takhsi” JARCE 10 [1973], 71). Der Manuelian remarks that the location of the district of Takhsi has been settled with little dispute, with the only difference being whether it was situated north or south of Kadesh on the Orontes River (Peter Der Manuelian, Studies in the Reign of Amenophis II [Hildesheim: Gerstenberg, 1987], 51–52). Redford adds that the Syrian district of Takhsi “probably lay close to, and perhaps northwest of, Damascus” (Donald B. Redford, “The Coregency of Tuthmosis III and Amenophis II,” JEA 51 [Dec 1965], 119). 21. Hoffmeier, Israel in Egypt, 110. 22. Ibid., 87. 23. Young, “When Did Solomon Die?,” 602. A textual variant has arisen in 1 Kgs 6:1, with the original text reading either “480th year” (MT and Vg), or “440year” (LXX). Though the antiquity of the LXX renders its text important for determining the originality of any variant in the Hebrew Bible, the MT possesses greater authority than any ancient translation, including the LXX. “[The MT] has repeatedly been demonstrated to be the best witness to the [OT] text. Any deviation from it therefore requires justification” (Ernst Würthwein, Text of the Old Testament, 2nd ed., trans. Erroll Rhodes [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995], 116). Moreover, the LXX has been shown to be inferior to the MT in chronological matters (Edwin R. Thiele, The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings [Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1994], 90–94). Since no scribal error led to a faulty reading in the MT, “480th year” is taken to be the original reading. See http://exegesisinternational.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=73&Itemid=85 for a complete resolution of this textual variant in 1 Kgs 6:1. 24. Young, “When Did Solomon Die?,” 601–602; Thiele, Mysterious Numbers, 80. As does Young and the present writer, Kitchen also prefers 967 BC as the year of the inception of the Temple’s construction (Kitchen, Reliability of the OT, 203). 25. Young, “When Did Solomon Die?,” 599–603. Advocates of a 13th-century-BC exodus have yet to explain the remarkable coincidence of the Jubilee cycles, which align perfectly with the date of 1446 BC for the exodus. 26. Moreover, the exact month and day of the exodus can be deduced, as God both established for Israel a lunar calendar that began with the month of Nisan (originally “Abib,” per Exod 13:4) and precisely predicted the day of the exodus. The new moon that began the month of Nisan in 1446 BC reportedly occurred at 19:48 UT (Universal Time) on 8 April (as detailed on the webpage http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/phase/phases-1499.html), assuming there were no significant variations in the earth’s rotation, apart from the roughly 25 seconds per centurythat NASA allows for the tidal retardation of the earth’s rotational velocity. However, two variables must be factored into the equation: (1) The date used to mark the new moon varies slightly according to the point of observation. In the Eastern Nile Delta, where the land of Goshen and the Egyptian royal city of Memphis were located, the time is 2.1 hours ahead of longitude zero at the Greenwich meridian, so the new moon should have been observable in Egypt at 21:42 + 2.1 hours = 23.48 hours, or 11:48 pm. Since 11:48 pm was after sunset on 8 April, and sunset was the standard time for Egypt’s priests to declare a new moon upon observing the moon’s crescent, they would not have declared a new month that night. Instead, they would have waited until the next night, which for now can be assumed to be 9 April. However, (2) the earth’s rotational velocity has varied on two prior occasions, beyond the variable of 25 seconds per century, a factor not acknowledged by NASA. The first occasion was the “long day” of Joshua, in which “the sun stood still and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies,” an event that transpired “for about a full day” (Josh 10:13). Strictly speaking, the earth—and not the sun—stood still, and of necessity the moon’s relative proximity to the earth did not vary, so the moon stopped moving as well. The second occasion was during the days of Hezekiah, in ca. 703 BC, when the shadow went back “ten steps” on the dial (2 Kgs 20:10), a terrestrial phenomenon that represents a retrograde motion of the earth. Since the length of these ten steps and the position of the sun at the time are unknown, exactly how much time this represents is unclear, but it probably did not exceed a few hours. Thus these two events together represent a variation of about one full day, meaning that the first day of Nisan in Egypt actually fell on Friday, 10 April. From here, the biblical text can extrapolate the exodus date. The Lord said that on the tenth day of the month (19 April), each Jewish family was to slaughter an unblemished lamb and eat the Passover Feast (Exod 12:3). On the 15th day of the month (before sunset on 25 April), the morning after the Death Angel came at about midnight and struck down all of the firstborn of Egypt (Exod 12:12, 29), the Israelites began their exodus (Exod 12:33, 34, 39; Num 33:3). Since they counted their days from dusk to dusk, the 15th day of the month included both the Friday night in which the Death Angel passed over them, and Saturday’s daytime hours, during which they departed. Therefore, the exodus may be dated with relative confidence to 25 April 1446 BC. 27. Hoffmeier, Israel in Egypt, 124. 28. Alan Millard, “Amorites and Israelites: Invisible Invaders—Modern Expectation and Ancient Reality,” in The Future of Biblical Archaeology: Reassessing Methodologies and Assumptions, ed. James K. Hoffmeier and Alan



language learning

fore writing was known.1 For these periods, we must use other methods to calculate dates. There are a number of scientific tests that are regularly us

ership or identification. The pictures were made with what is called a stamp seal, an object similar to the rubber stamps we use for similar purposes today.Mesopotamian cylinder seal, upper left, on display in the British Museum. Of unknown provenance, it dates to ca. 2200–2100 BC. To the right of the seal is an impression of the scene carved on the seal; below is an enlargement of the scene. The seal depicts a banquet with a sacred tree in the center and a man and woman (?) reaching for fruit. On either side are serpents. Bryant G. Wood.Halaf towns were much advanced over any other habitation sites in their world. Streets were paved, and two-roomed “tholos” houses were constructed. The first room of a tholos house was long and rectangular, and led from outside to the beehive-shaped tholos room, the main room of the dwelling. Religious faith was important to the Halafians as well as architecture and pottery. Many mother goddess figurines have been found at Halaf sites. One final interesting thing about the Halaf Culture is that at almost every site where this culture has been found, it ended abruptly. The cause of this is not known. Invasion by people of inferior culture of some natural disaster are the best explanations, but nothing can be said with certainty. The Biblical Flood would seem to be ruled out since there are a few Halaf sites where there is no clear break and the culture developed gradually into a new form. The Biblical Flood took place earlier than any of the cultures we are now discussing.Ubaid CultureThe next major culture in Mesopotamian prehistory appeared in the southern part of the river valley, close to the Persian Gulf. This was the Ubaid Culture, named from its type-site, Tell Ubaid. The southern part of Mesopotamia, Sumer, is called Shinar in the Old Testament. This region was not settled at all before 6000 BC, and its southernmost cities such as Eridu, Ur, and Oueili were not founded until 5600 BC at the earliest. The cities of northern Sumer, including Babylon, were founded later still, some time after 5000 BC (Seely 2001).



The Ubaid Culture began in Sumer and spread north to sites such as Tepe Gawra,
where it gradually replaced the Halaf Culture. The Ubaid Culture is noted for its increased use of metal and for the invention of the wheel. This invention was not used in transport yet, so far as we know, but was used in making pottery.Uruk CultureThe Ubaid Culture lasted from ca. 4100–3750 BC. Out of it developed another innovative southern culture, the Uruk, which lasted until about 3200 BC. In this period a significant architectural change took place, the start of the use of beaked brick for monumental buildings. Sun-dried brick had been known and used in parts of the Near East as early as 8500 BC (Seely 2001:17; Walton 1995:163). But in the Uruk period it was discovered that brick, if heated in a kiln, became much harder and could be used to build monumental structures such as temples. This revolutionized architecture. The Uruk Culture thus produced the first great temples in Mesopotamia. It also produced another key invention, the boat. There were almost certainly other methods used for crossing the great rivers, the raft being the most obvious. But the invention of the boat was without doubt an important innovation.Elaborate headdress of a high-level Sumerian woman, possibly a queen or a priesless. From the royal death pits at Ur, ca. 2600 BC, now on display in the British Museum. It is made of gold, lapis lazuli and carnelian. Michael Luddeni.Proto-Literate PeriodPre-history in Mesopotamia can be said to end with the next cultural period, the so-called Proto-Literate period, lasting only about 3200–3100 BC. This remarkable period saw a number of very significant changes that made the difference between prehistory and history. The major development, of course, was the invention of writing. How this was accomplished is a complicated and interesting story. Suffice it to say here that this invention enabled humans to leave records and literary works of many types, thus greatly increasing our knowledge of ancient civilization. Another invention of the Proto-Literate period was something called the cylinder seal. This small stone cylinder, with a hole bored through it so it could be worn around the neck, was carved with a highly individualized scene. When rolled on wet clay, it produced a picture that identified the object’s owner.Finally, irrigation seems to have been introduced during the Proto-Literate period. The importance of this is twofold. First, the efficiency of agriculture was obviously improved, allowing for population growth and specialization of labor. Second, in order for irrigation to be done well, there is a need for some advanced degree of political organization and unification. This is not to say that Mesopotamia suddenly became politically unified, but pressure in that direction began. At first, city-states came into existence as political units. Only later did kingdoms and great empires rise.How does all this relate to the basic history of the region, and to the Bible? And can we link what we see archaeologically to the account of early mankind in the book of Genesis?Close up of theRosetta Stone Chinese

on the so-called second step of the mountain.&rdquo

An altar at this location could not have been part of a covenant ceremony in the Shechem pass since it was too far away and completely out of view.[64] The narrow pass where ancient Shechem is located at the modern city of Nablus, view west. Mt. Gerizim is on the left and Mt. Ebal on the right. Zertal's altar is 3.2 km. away, making it impossible for the covenant ceremony to occur at the altar mentioned by Hawkins. c. The size and shape problem. Zertal’s altar is of monumental proportions. It is rectangular in cross-section, 9.0 x 6.8 m,[65] not square as prescribed by Mosaic law, and 3.27 m high.[66] In comparison with two contemporary Israelite altars, that of the tabernacle and one discovered in a sanctuary in Arad, it is much larger. The Lord told Moses in Exod 27:1 to make the tabernacle altar 5 x 5 cubits, ca. 2.5 x 2.5 m, [67] and 3 cubits, ca. 1.5 m, high (cf. Exod 38:1). The Arad altar, erected in Str. XII, the late twelfth–early eleventh century, conforms to these dimensions, 2.5 x 2.5 m,[68] and 1.5 m high.[69] It makes little sense that Joshua would erect an altar as large as Zertal’s for a one-time ceremony, particularly in view of the fact that it would have been totally out of keeping with known Israelite altars of the period. III. CONCLUSIONS Hawkins’s arguments for a late date for the exodus-conquest do not hold up to critical analysis. The 480th-year datum of Exod 6:1 has been demonstrated to be a valid historical figure, not a symbolic number. The Iron Age I settlement data point to the Israelites having been in the land for a considerable length of time, rather than arriving ca. 1200 bc. Hawkins’s “new archaeological evidence,” the presumed altar found on Mt. Ebal, the centerpiece of his arguments for a late date, cannot be related to the altar erected by Joshua in Josh 8:30–31. It was built in the wrong time period, it is too far from the ceremony site, and it is too large. Hawkins’s paper provides no support for a late date exodus-conquest. The theory is dead. Let us bid it adieu and relegate it to the place it deserves—an interesting footnote in biblical scholarship, but nothing more. It is time to move on to more productive research, recognizing that the biblical data are true and correct as they stand and should not be manipulated—the Israelites left Egypt in 1446 bc and, after forty years in the Sinai, began the conquest of Canaan in 1406 bc. Recommended Resources for Further StudyBible and SpadeCD-ROM 100 Reasons to Trust OT History Giving the SenseFootnotes:[1] For a presentation of the problems, see Bryant G. Wood, “The Rise and Fall of the 13th-Century Exodus-Conquest Theory,” JETS 48 (2006) 475–89; idem, “The Biblical Date for the Exodus is 1446 BC: A Response to James Hoffmeier,” JETS 50 (2007) 249–58. [2] Ralph K. Hawkins, “Propositions for Evangelical Acceptance of a Late-Date Exodus-Conquest: Biblical Data and the Royal Scarabs from Mt. Ebal,” JETS 50 (2007) 46. [3] 1 Kgs 6:1 states that Temple construction began in year 480 les ē’t benê yi?rā’ēl mē’eres misrayim: “Of the going-out (exodus) of the people of Israel from the land of Egypt.” The preposition le (“of”) here is often wrongly rendered “after,” but this sense is not consistent with its proper meaning and its usage in this phrase. In the Pentateuch the exodus from Egypt is considered as starting an era. The exodus itself occurred in year one (not year zero) of the exodus-era, and Aaron’s death occurred in year forty of this era (Num 33:38), i.e. thirty-nine years after the exodus. See the further discussion in Rodger C. Young, “When Did Solomon Die?” JETS 46 (2003) 602. In the present paper, the term exodus-era will frequently be used when referring to the 480-year figure of 1 Kgs 6:1. From this verse we learn that Temple construction began in the 480th year of the exodus-era, i.e. 479 years after the exodus. [4] Paul J. Ray, “Another Look at the Period of the Judges,” in Beyond the Jordan (ed. Glenn A. Carnagey, Sr.; Eugene OR: Wipf & Stock, 2005) 93–104; Andrew E. Steinmann, “The Mysterious Numbers of the Book of Judges,” JETS 48 (2005) 491–500. [5] Ibid. 496–97. [6] “Propositions” 35: “When one seeks to reconstruct the numbers given in the biblical accounts, consistently and literally, they do not add up to the number 480 given in 1 Kgs 6:1. . . . The aggregate total of all these numbers [from the exodus to the end of Judges] is 515.” In a similar fashion, Hoffmeier (“What is the biblical Date of the Exodus? A Response to Bryant Wood,” JETS 50 [2007] 227–28) adds all timespans mentioned from Solomon back to the exodus to get a total of 633 years, and then goes on to say that anyone who recognizes an overlap between some of the narratives “abandons a straightforward, literal reading of the Judges through Exodus narratives” (p. 228). But it is Ray and Steinmann, not Hawkins and Hoffmeier, who look at the texts in a “straightforward, literal” manner and do not read into them what they do not say. When the correct process is followed, it is clear that the texts are consistent with a fifteenth-century exodus and incompatible with a thirteenth-century exodus. [7] Kenneth Kitchen, On the Reliability of Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003) 209. [8] David H. van Daalen, “Number Symbolism,” in The Oxford Companion to the Bible (eds. Bruce M. Metzger and Michael D. Coogen; New York: Oxford University Press, 1993) 561–63. [9] Ibid. 562–63. [10] TWOT 1.187. [11] Wood, “Rise and Fall” 484, 486. Neither James Hoffmeier (“Response to Wood”) nor Hawkins has produced any evidence to show that the author of 1 Kgs 6:1 intended his readers to understand that the 480 years were twelve generations, nor did they address the statement on p. 486 of Wood’s article that 1 Chr 6:33–37 gives nineteen generations from Korah, who opposed Moses, until the time of Solomon, thus indicating a more reasonable twenty-five years per generation. If the exodus were in approximately 1270 or 1260, the nineteen generations to the time of Solomon (300 years) would require less than sixteen years per generation for the family line of Heman (1 Chr 6:33). This is entirely unreasonable, especially when we consider that this is not a genealogy of all the first-born, such as we might expect for kings; Heman’s grandfather Samuel was born several years after Elkanah’s first-born (1 Sam 1:2–8). [12] Hawkins ends these years in 966 bc, apparently unaware of the careful demonstration (Young, “Solomon” 589–603) that Thiele’s dates for Solomon are one year too late, based on his unwarranted assumption that Solomon died after Tishri 1 in the fall of 931 bc, instead of allowing for the possibility that he died in the months immediately preceding. Making this adjustment puts Solomon’s years one year earlier by Judah’s Tishri-based reckoning. This one-year correction dates the start of Temple construction to the spring of 967, not 966 as accepted by Hawkins. The correction resolved problems that Thiele had with the reigns of Jehoshaphat, Ahaziah, and Athaliah. It is additionally important in showing the exactness of the data for the Jubilee and Sabbatical years. The demonstration of this exactness provides one of the strongest arguments against a late-date exodus and in favor of the accuracy of all the chronological data of the books of Kings, as will be discussed further below. [13] “Propositions” 35–36. [14] Charles F. Burney, The Book of Judges, with Introduction and Notes, and Notes on the Hebrew Text of the Books of Kings, with an Introduction and Appendix (New York: KTAV, 1970; Judges first published London: Rivingtons, 1918, Kings first published Oxford, England: Clarendon, 1903) 59–60. Burney is following Wellhausen, who apparently conceived this theory about the origin of the 480 years (Julius Wellhausen, Prolegomena to the History of Ancient Israel [New York: World, 1961;

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10 Mar 11 Hire ASP NET Web Developer, ASP NET Programmers

Hire ASP NET Web Developer, ASP NET ProgrammersBy: Rishi Mandloi .... Click author's name to view profile and articles!!!Retargeting by ChangoTweet ASP NET is one of the most important as well as advanced technologies used in the website development for different businesses. ASP NET is the basic framework that helps in development of the most dynamic, unique as well as highly impressive websites so that the business gets better online recognition amongst its rivals.With ASP NET, one can develop the most wonderful pieces of websites, which can include data access, database connectivity, cryptography, different web applications, numeric algorithms, network munications, etc. You can hire ASP NET web developer, ASP NET programmers at highly affordable prices so that you can get the best website developed for your business. With hiring ASP NET web developer, ASP NET programmers, you will be able to concentrate more on the productive part of your business rather than worrying about the unnecessary things like the management of the infrastructure, employees, etc. When it es to hiring, ASP NET web developer, ASP NET programmers is the most reliable source and option for your business development. Once you hire them, you do not have to worry about anything else. The ASP NET web developer, ASP NET programmers are so highly skilled in ASP NET development as they are very highly experienced, highly expertised as well as highly skilled in the ASP NET development. There are many benefits that you can get to hire ASP NET web developer, ASP NET programmers that can be seen as below:You can hire ASP NET web developer, ASP NET programmers and save lot of time, money and resources during the development of your website as well as business.You can hire ASP NET web developer, ASP NET programmers and save lot of money in terms of investment by not using it in the development of the infrastructure, but can use it in the other development work of the business. Once you hire ASP NET web developer, ASP NET programmers, you do not have to pay the developers programmers, but only to the pany from where you hire ASP NET web developer, ASP NET programmers for taking the . You hire ASP NET web developer, ASP NET programmers and you will be getting the internal access to the project management so that the project can be customized as per your business requirements and your preferences. When you hire ASP NET web developer, ASP NET programmers, you can get the plete web development for your business with the perfect web development and the very highly professional such that the plete look of your website can be changed with the best professional and best looks suitable for your business.The highly professional and the experienced and expertised ASP NET web developer, ASP NET programmers can produce the best professional looking website that suits your business requirements and also as per your preferences. ASP NET web developer, ASP NET programmers is the best option that you can take up when you want the best website to be produced or developed which suits your business very well. You can get all the benefits mentioned above when you hire ASP NET web developer, ASP NET programmers for your business as your development strategy. You can hire ASP NET web developer, ASP NET programmers at highly affordable prices for this purpose so that you save money even on this. Hire ASP NET web developer, ASP NET programmers at very affordable prices for your business now!Article Source: abcarticledirectoryTalentsfromindia is a best place for you, To Hire ASP NET Web Developers and ASP NET Programmers at very affordable prices for your business.Note: The content of this article solely conveys the opinion of its author, Rishi MandloiRetargeting by ChangoDid You Like This Article? Share It With YourFriends!Please Rate this Article 5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 Not yet Rated Click the XML Icon to Receive Free Articles About ASP via RSS!Additional Articles From - Home Web Development AspWedding Shower Decorations with the Bride-to-be and Expense in Mind- By : minerva97miChoosing Your Wedding Invitations to Create a Permanent Impression- By : minerva97miUseful Social Networking Site Development with ASP Dot NET Development- By : Jessica WoodsonGauge Control For Asp Net- By : Huong NguyenThe Benefits of ASP.Net Excel- By : Mark FitsenAll about Dotnetnuke- By : Dave Bush5 Dave Bush5 Still Searching? Last Chance to find what you're looking for. Try using Bing Search!

5 Mar 11 How To Earn Money From Untapped Affiliate Markets

How To Earn Money From Untapped Affiliate MarketsBy: Scott Bamboo .... Click author's name to view profile and articles!!!Retargeting by ChangoTweet Affiliate marketing can be extremely lucrative as you know, but if you are a newbie who are starting to involve in earning online through affiliate program, you may find it's hard to find a suitable affiliate products to promote with, because most of them have been promoted heavily by many other affiliate marketers; hence if you are promoting the same affiliate products, you need to NHL Shop
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24 Jan 11 BYUrsquo;s Defense is Reshuffling the Deck

Ethan Miller/Getty Images Van Noy Gets His Chance to Shine Friday NightThe BYU defense has been forced into a significant personnel makeover as it prepares for Friday nighttilt with Utah State in Logan.Injuries have taken their toll this week on a defense that comes into the game giving up 433 yards and 28 points perNew York Jets jersey
game.Fridaygame may be the first opportunity for outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy to show what he can do while subbing for the injured Jamison Frazier, who is out three to four weeks following surgery to repair a broken thumb.The 6-foot-4, 220-pound freshman from Reno is an explosive athlete that has been working to learn the responsibilities and assignments necessary in order to see more time on the field.In high school, Van Noy could get by with his freakish athletic ability. But taking his game to the college level has been a work in progress.He has needed some time to mature, get the mental part of the game down, and understand all that is expected of players in Bronco Mendenhallprogram.Van Noy and Jaden Wagner are listed as co-starters going into the game, but it is Van Noy who coaches and fans have been waiting to see step up to the plate and take control on the weak side. A good showing in Logan against a team that gave up four sacks to Fresno State last week could be just what the doctor ordered to jump-start Kylecareer.Meanwhile, with Steven Thomas still out with a concussion, Travis Uale will be called upon to start again at safety. Last week, BYU made a switch in the defensive backfield, moving Andrew Rich to free safety while Uale played the strong or KAT safety spot.The move was made specifically for the Nevada game, but keep an eye on how the Cougars utilize Rich and Travis against Utah State and the mobile Diondre Borel.On the defensive line, Eathyn Manumaleuna moves over from defensive end to nose tackle to fill in for the injured Romney Fuga, who is out for the season.Manumaleuna should be a capable replacement for Romney, having played nose tackle as a freshman. He will rotate with former walk-on Jordan Richardson, but expect Manumaleuna to get the lionshare of plays.The key is how quickly Eathyn will be able to make the adjustment from playing primarily one-on-one as a defensive end to dealing with double teams and eating up space in the middle. He will have to get back up to speed Oakland Raiders jersey
quickly as an NT in order to help free up the inside linebackers to make plays in BYU3-4 defense.Meanwhile, on the outside, the Cougars really hope that Matt Putnam will be able to step up and fill the sizable hole left by Manumaleuna at left defensive end.At 6-foot-6, 271 pounds, Putnam isnexactly the perfect body type to play on the defensive line in a 3-4 scheme, being more suited to playing in a 4-3. Matt did show some flashes earlier in his playing career, and now the junior has an opportunity to prove that he can get it done on a consistent basis.Backing up Putnam on the depth chart now is true freshman Graham Rowley, although donbe surprised to see another true freshman, Thomas Bryson, get in the game ahead of Rowley.Both Bryson and Rowley are impressive athletes with promising futures. However, Bryson has had the advantage of being in the program since the spring, and has seen action in three of the Cougars four games this year.Regardless of who gets the most snaps, it's clear that the Cougars are going to be relying on true freshmen at the position more than they wanted for the rest of the season.It will be interesting to see if Utah State can test BYUmakeshift defense. The Aggie offense is struggling with injuries of its own, with top offensive lineman Spencer Johnson hobbling with a leg injury Philadelphia Eagles jersey
and their most talented running back, Micheal Smith, dealing with turf toe.After Utah State gave seventh-ranked Oklahoma a run for their money to start the season and battled Fresno State into the final stanza, the wheels came off last week in the Aggies' 41-7 loss at San Diego State. USUstar quarterback, Diondre Borel, was just 14-of-31 for 103 yards passing, and was held to just five yards rushing while running for his life in the backfield for a good portion of the game.Once again, the BYU gameplan on defense will no doubt be to make a mobile quarterback beat them with his arm. On the season Borel has completed just 53 percent of his throws for 203 yards per game with four touchdowns and four interceptions.

22 Jan 11 Houston Cougars Lose Quarterbacks Case Keenum, Cotton Turner For Season

Stephen Dunn/Getty ImagesIt has been reported via the University of Houston Department of Athletic Communications and a teleconference call with head coachKevin Sumlin that senior starting quarterback Case Keenum will miss the remainder of 2010 with a season-ending torn ACL knee injury.Additionally, junior back-up Arizona Cardinals jersey
Cotton Turner suffered a fractured clavicle also resulting in the end of his play this year.Both quarterbacks sustained injuries in UHgame vs. UCLA on Saturday. Keenum left at the four-minute mark of the second quarter, while Turner went down at 4:09 in the third quarter. I am very disappointed for both these young men, said Sumlin. Ithard to see them hurting right now. They both are a big part of this team and wanted to be contributors to its success this season. I think they can still do that with their off-the-field leadership.Keenum finished the season with 636 yards passing on a 66 percent completion percentage, while also throwing five touchdown passes.With his 2010 numbers, he ranks among the top-10 in the NCAA in five career categories 14,448 yards of total offense (7th nationally), 13,586 passing yards (5th nationally), 107 touchdown passes (8th nationally), 1,626 pass attempts (10th nationally), 1,118 pass completions (7th nationally).Turner played in all three games, completing 74 percent of his passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns.Turner was scheduled for surgery at 2:30pm Sunday, while Keenum was to be re-evaluated on Monday.Sumlin indicated that Keenuminjury was a plant and slip and not the result of contact.Sumlin stated inhis Sunday teleconference call that he would namea starter early in the week and Terrence Broadway and David Piland would bothbe considered for the job.Broadway went 5 for 8for 84 yards and one touchdown against UCLA.Sumlin indicated that the plan for this season was to redshirt both Broadway Atlanta Falcons jersey
Pilant this season. He stated that like in most things, plans change.Whoever is given the starting job, they will face a Tulane team that is currently 1-2 for the season, coming off a 65-18 loss to Oklahoma State on Sept. 18.I will post more on this as updated information becomes available.

18 Jan 11 Can Rutgers Use Wildcat to Hurt North Carolina?

Mohamed SanuAndrew Burton/Getty ImagesThe North Carolina Tar Heels' biggest area of concern this season has been their defensemore specifically the run defense.Entering Saturdaygame at Rutgers Stadium, the Tar Heels are ranked 81st in total defense and 118th in defense against the run. They are also 118th in sacks and 91st in scoring defense.A big reason for the struggles of North Carolinadefensive unit is the fact they have played LSU and Georgia Tech. While LSU is a more balanced team, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets run the triple option. UNC was unablePittsburgh Steelers jersey
to stop the Yellow Jackets' ground attack.The Tar Heels defense gave up 448 total yards to Georgia Tech, including 372 on the ground. In the past three games between the two teams, Georgia Tech is averaging 338.3 rushing yards per game.This tells you the Tar Heels and coach Butch Davis have not figured out the option attack of Georgia Tech.Rutgers does not run the option, but they do have some gimmick plays of their own. The Scarlet Knights have a handful of options with their Wildcat formation. Can Rutgers use this to take advantage of the North Carolina run defense?Continue reading this article at Double G Sports.

15 Jan 11 St. Louis Rams Commentary "Bias, Media, Fair-weather Fan"

Bias: noun, 1. a personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment.It's a word that carries a negative connotation that most people would never want to be labeled with. Unfortunately, the NFL as an entity is replete with bias. This is not necessarily its fault; the league tries to adhere to it's own doctrine in leveling the playing field through collective bargaining, even as league spokesmen tout that the new age of the salary cap has brought parity to the league. No, the problem lies in the entities that prop up the league and give it popularity and influence, and the monster is aReebok Baltimore Ravens #5 Joe Flacco Realtree camo Jersey
two-headed beast.The first problem lies not in our stars but in ourselves; that being, the dreaded media. One would think that traditional sports media outlets have a very selective palate concerning teams when they dish out the weekly NFL news (Mind you, I'm not singling out any particular outlets here, but its theme music goes: da da da, da da da). Many outlets act as if they had never heard of the St. Louis Rams or any of the other teams that they feel the league's fans aren't clamoring for. Likewise, media outlets dote on particular players. While the better players do deserve the lion's share of the attention, outlets don't base their major storyline decisions solely on who is good, but also on who generates the most controversy or hype.When you hear a discussion pertaining to the best wide receivers in the league, you always hear the same names: Terrell Owens, Randy Moss and Marvin Harrison. Outlets only now are making mention of Torry Holt, who is on his way to posting his seventh consecutive 1,300-yard season, a feat no receiver has ever matched. Holt doesn't suffer drug-relapses or go on weekly crime-sprees. He doesn't catch passes from Peyton Manning, so he therefore must generate Herculean numbers in order to even be considered in the same company as the aforementioned players.When you listen to a conversation regarding the best quarterbacks in the league, you are bombarded by the same players ad nauseam: Peyton Manning, Donovan McNabb and Tom Brady. Outlets completely ignore the accomplishments of Marc Bulger because he is quiet, unassuming and doesn't play for one of the teams the media favors. Bulger's career quarterback rating is in the 90s (bettered only by Manning); however, in a discussion of the top players, he doesn't even get a seat at the table. Bulger doesn't play for one of the league's media-darlings and it will be difficult for him to procure the recognition he deserves. If one didn't bother to watch the games and relied solely on the largest media outlets for their NFL updates, they would think the league featured only the following teams:Steelers (Ben Roethlisberger - Super Bowl champs)Patriots (Tom Brady - Three recent Super Bowls)Giants (Eli Manning - New York is the center of the universe)Bears (Currently undefeated)Packers (Brett Favre is on retirement watch)Saints (Feel-good story, plus Reggie Bush)Falcons (Michael Vick)Colts (Peyton Manning, the Michael Jordan of commercials, er, football)Cowboys (Terrell Owens)Eagles (Used to have Terrell Owens)The bias in the media can be blamed partly for influencing the second half of the two-headed monster, while the rest of the blame resides in simple human nature. Ladies and gentlemen, introducing the second half of our bias double-threat, the fair-weather fan. Reebok Baltimore Ravens #27 Ray Rice Realtree camo Jersey
The fair-weather fan is by no means a recent phenomenon. I covered the Rams in college when they played in Los Angeles. When not furnished tickets for a game, I would watch the telecast on one of those old-school satellite dishes that was large enough to generate its own gravitational field. I'd watch (pre-NFL Sunday Ticket days) satellite games that would never cut away from the field for commercials, and while the rest of the nation was watching advertisements, I'd be treated to John Madden picking his nose during the break. Truth be told, the Rams were lousy back then; they'd generally be out of playoff contention by the midpoint of the season. In the years between Rams quarterback Jim Everett rolling into the fetal position against an imaginary San Francisco pass rush in the 1990 NFC Championship Game and the "Greatest Show on Turf" days, the Rams never had more than seven wins in any season. I can't tell you how many "playing for pride" games I endured in those days and I felt for the fans still sitting in the seats - often outnumbered by supporters of the opposing team - loyally watching every game. Yes, their team was terrible, but they still showed up to watch, because they always watched their favorite team, that's what real fans do.In my days covering the Rams prior to their 1999 Super Bowl run, it seemed every discussion I ever had about football went something like this:Typical fan: So, man, I hear you write about football.Me: Yes, I write a column about the Rams. Typical fan: But, dude, the Rams suck.I can't begin to quantify how many of these insightful conversations I had throughout the '90s. Some stereotypically brainless football fan was letting me in on the fact that the "Rams suck," as if it would trigger an epiphanic moment and I'd go to my editor and say, "Hey, the Rams DO suck; what have I been doing all these years?" The regularity with which such conversations occurred proves one thing today: despite what they may believe, most people who follow the NFL are fair-weather fans. How many Patriots jerseys have you observed outside of the New England states these past few years? How many Cowboys jerseys did you see last decade? How difficult was it to be a 49ers fan in the '80s?I have the utmost respect for ardent fans of teams such as the Houston Texans and the Arizona Cardinals. These teams have never gotten close to a Super Bowl, let alone won one. Likewise, I feel for longtime Patriots fans who are nauseated by the sight of Tom Brady jerseys as far as the eye can see. Where were all the New England jerseys when the Pats were terrible? Anyone can wear an Indianapolis Colts jersey today and feel good about themselves. Fair-weather fans are biased by definition because they only follow a team when it is doing well.The media feeds fans what they think they want. In turn, fair-weather fans want what the media gives them because - unless you're looking for it on a site such as this - that's all there is; fair-weather fans are only aware of the favored teams and the hyped players. It's an endless, self-aggrandizing monstrosity, and the only way the circle will be broken is by fans becoming truly loyal to a single team, and thus introducing true parity into the NFL. The bias will end because there will be a proportional number of fans for each team, Reebok Baltimore Ravens #52 Ray Lewis Realtree camo Jersey
and the media outlets will finally stop covering what Terrell Owens had for breakfast and focus on what the true fans want.Therefore, to all NFL fans, I pose this challenge: Whichever team you root for should be your favorite team until the day you die. Whether their record is good, bad or average, wear your team's jersey with pride. Granted, a true fan should feel bad when their team loses and many take it personally. This is what being a fan entails, highs when your team wins and "they'll get 'em next week" when they lose. If your ego strength suffers from such fragility that you must leap onto another team's bandwagon because yours is losing, then you epitomize the fair-weather fan. Many of you are already in tune with what I'm saying and answered this challenge long ago. Unfortunately, the rest will finish this article and promptly run to the store to pick up their new Peyton Manning jersey.Original St. Louis Rams commentary

14 Jan 11 Seattle Seahawks "This underlooked rivalry is packed full of drama"

Here they go again.Mike Holmgren and Matt Hasselbeck lead the Seahawks back to Green Bay for yet another installment in what has become one of the more dramatic -- if overlooked -- rivalries in the NFL.Since Holmgren came to Seattle from Green Bay in 1999, his Seahawks have met his old team five times, with the Packers holding a 3-2 edge. The Seahawks will hope to even the ledger and avenge the only postseason loss when they play the Packers in a divisional playoff game Saturday.This rivalry began in 1999, when Holmgren and a dozen of Washington Redskins jersey
his former Green Bay coaches and executives came with him to Seattle. The NFL immediately sought to capitalize on the made-for-TV drama by sending Holmgren and his new team back to Green Bay for a Monday night game.The Seahawks forced quarterback Brett Favre -- Holmgren's one-time protege and the league's only three-time MVP -- into six turnovers, winning 27-7. The Packers committed 10 penalties for 103 yards, including three unsportsmanlike conduct fouls. And one of those came against a formerly unknown backup who was displeased with Shawn Springs for celebrating while returning a blocked field goal for a touchdown. Little did anyone know it, but that was the first look Seahawks fans got at their future quarterback, a fiery guy by the name of Matt Hasselbeck.The rivalry only grew when the Seahawks sent Ahman Green to the Packers in 2000 and then acquired Hasselbeck in 2001. Each meeting from then on was essentially a game between the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle SeaPackers.Hasselbeck's first start against his original team came back at Lambeau Field in October 2003, and it wasn't at all what Hasselbeck or Holmgren would have preferred. Favre and Green each accounted for two touchdowns as the Packers dominated the Seahawks 35-13.The teams met again that season in a very entertaining wild-card playoff game that became notable not as much for the quality of the game but for the quip made by Hasselbeck just before overtime. The Seahawks won the coin toss, and the former Packer offered up some playful bravado. Unaware the referee's microphone would broadcast his trash talk on national television, Hasselbeck proclaimed to his former teammates,"We want the ball, and we're gonna score." To his chagrin, Green Bay cornerback Al Harris intercepted one of his Reebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
passes and returned it 52 yards for the winning score.The teams have met twice since then -- once in the final game of the 2005 season, which actually was played in January 2006, and again in November 2006. The oddity of the first game was that it had no meaning to the Seahawks, who already held the top seed in the NFC playoffs and pulled their starters after halftime. The significance of the game rested on two players, Seattle running back Shaun Alexander and Favre. The Seahawks' sole goals in that game were to get Alexander the NFL record for touchdowns in a season and make him the league rushing champion. They accomplished both as he scored his 28th TD and finished with 1,880 yards. Meanwhile, on the other side, everyone watched Favre like a hawk, thinking this might be the final game of his Hall of Fame career. He was mobbed by TV cameras as he walked off the field after the Packers' 23-17 win.A day later, Alexander said, "It was so surreal, like the game didn't even matter. We were trying to get me a touchdown, and the fans were saying goodbye to Brett."But Favre came back for the 2006 game, the first of the bunch that was played in Seattle and yet another nationally televised contest. And as irony would have it, the Packers from frigid Lambeau Field ended up losing 34-24 on a snowy Monday night in which Alexander ran for 201 yards on a team-record 40 carries.That was the latest in what has been a dramatic and an entertaining series -- one of the more underrated rivalries around. And here they go again.THE SERIESNov. 1, 1999: Seahawks 27, at Packers 7: In Mike Holmgren's return to Green Bay, Brett Favre turns the ball over six times.Oct. 5, 2003: At Packers 35, Seahawks 13: Favre throws for two touchdowns and former Seahawk Ahman Green runs for two.Jan. 4, 2004: At Packers 33, Seahawks 27, OT: Al Harris returns an interception 52 yards for a touchdown in overtime, ruining Matt Hasselbeck's proclamation of "We want the ball, and we're gonna score."Jan. 1, 2006: At Packers 23, Seahawks 17: A coronation for Reebok Baltimore Ravens #5 Joe Flacco Realtree camo Jersey
Shaun Alexander, who sets an NFL record with his 28th touchdown, and a celebration of Favre, who leads the Pack past the Hawks' backups in a regular-season finale that many speculated was Favre's final game.Nov. 27, 2006: At Seahawks 34, Packers 24: Hasselbeck returns from a knee injury and Alexander runs for 201 yards on a franchise-record 40 carries.

13 Jan 11 NBA Power Rankings: Mavericks, Spurs Making Texas-Sized Statements

Stephen Dunn/Getty ImagesThough the cast of characters atop this week poll are the same as last, were starting to see a few new faces working their way into the league upper echelon.Dallas, of course, has loitered around the elite all season. Now, San Antonio is starting to get in on the fun. Even the scrappy overachievers down in Houston are still just one slot from the top 10.Whatever it is theyre putting in the Lone Star State water, some other teams could certainly use a sip...1. LA Lakers (Last Week: 1)While we aren terribly concerned yet, it bears mention the Lake Show hasn scored over 98 points since Jan. 3. 2. Cleveland (LW: 2)That this team can hold the No. 2 ranking with its No. 2 scorer Mo Williams in the midst of a terrible shooting slump (11-for-34 over the last three games) is a testament to how good Miami Dolphins jersey
the Cavs truly are. 3. Boston (LW: 3)If the darn Atlanta Hawks never popped up on the Celtics schedule, Boston would be 29-7 and probably two slots higher on this list.4. Dallas (LW: 5)The nicked-up Mavs have brought Eduardo Najera back to the team. Of course, the move doesn hide Dallas pain of witnessing the Spurs ascension in the Southwest.5. Orlando (LW: 4) Theyre saying Vince Carter has a mild shoulder separation. It good, then, that Dwight Howard has astounding games like Tuesday, where he puts the offensive (30 points, five assists) and defensive (16 boards) burden on his own back.6. Atlanta (LW: 7) Though he come off the bench every game this season, Jamal Crawford is still in the NBA top 15 in three-point attempts. That likely has something to do with him leading the Hawks in scoring 13 times too.7. San Antonio (LW: 9)Gregg Popovich would be the first to admit that some of his Spurs, especially Richard Jefferson, are taking their time settling into their new roles. Still, San Antonio seems perfect for the part of Dallas arch nemesis.8. Denver (LW: 8)This team went 3-2, including Friday impressive win over Cleveland, while Carmelo Anthony nursed a bruised knee. Just imagine how well the Nuggets would be hopping along had Melo not been on the sideline.9. Portland (LW: 6)So, the Blazers couldn do anything with LeBron James and the Cavs the other night. Who can? We don see a whole lot of folks stopping the Blazers Brandon Roy (66 points in last two contests) either.10. Phoenix (LW: 10)The Suns have four guys who can score 20 points any night: Steve Nash, Amar'e Stoudemire, Jason Richardson, and Grant Hill. It just too bad they don have four guys who can play defense right now.11. Houston (LW: 11) With all the maladies and the Tracy McGrady mess, it mind-boggling these Rockets are still within ear shot of the division lead. Kudos to head coach Rick Adelman and on-the-court coach Aaron Brooks for making do.12. Oklahoma City (LW: 12)Quick: Name the only two players in the NBA with a 10-game streak of scoring over 25 this season. Kobe Bryant and Thunder stud Kevin Durant.13. Utah (LW: 13)The Jazz are like Amtrak. The ride isn swift or super glamorous, yet it is dependable, stays on track, and passes through cities (big weekend win at Dallas) like a thief in the night.14. New Orleans (LW: 17)Chris Paul put up better numbers than Avatar last week, dishing at a ridiculous rate (46 assists over three games) and altogether orchestrating a Hornets comeback story James Cameron couldn have envisioned two months back.15. Miami (LW: 14) The West Coast has been brutal to the Heat in the standings (losses at the Clippers and Jazz) and the locker room (Dwyane Wade wrist injury).16. Memphis (LW: 15)About the only thing Zach Randolph hasn shown the ability to do this season is figure out a way to get his gritty Grizzlies from the basement of the highly competitive Southwest Division.17. Toronto (LW: 16) Chris Bosh has scored over 27 points in three straight. The do-everythingMinnesota Vikings
forward may have to raise his bar some because the Raps still lost two of the games.18. LA Clippers (LW: 20) Quietly, Mike Dunleavy has the Clippers steadying in the West. Even more on the hush is center Chris Kaman last five games of 20-plus points and over eight boards.19. Charlotte (LW: 19) Unheralded Bobcats star Gerald Wallace has played 136 minutes over the last three games. Yep, it only a matter of time now before the masses realize just how good he is.20. Sacramento (LW: 23) The Kings have looked a royal mess in six of their last seven contests. That they were able to jump three spots in the ranking is us playing a cruel joke or a show of optimism for Kevin Martin pending return.21. Chicago (LW: 18) Once Joakim Noah figures out he got nearly as much offensive ingenuity as defensive skill in the paint, he going to be hard to handle. Wait, he scored 32 over the last two nights? We think he figuring it out.22. New York (LW: 21) Just when you thought the Knickerbockers had turned the proverbial corner in their season, they hit a pothole (tough weekend road swing) and end up right back in the thick of the East mediocrity traffic jam.23. Milwaukee (LW: 22) Don get us wrong. Losing a player of Michael Redd caliber for the year sucks. But if there one bright spot in the sadness, it that more attention can go Andrew Bogut way.24. Golden State (LW: 27) Yeah, the Warriors will miss Anthony Randolph scoring and rebounding for the next few months, but it might be the power forward shot-blocking ability Golden State struggles to make up for most.25. Washington (LW: 24) If you see a Wizards fan with his hands in the sky, don just assume he being held at gunpoint by Gilbert Arenas. He might actually be pleading with a higher power to get this nightmare of a season over.26. Philadelphia (LW: 25) I know Sixers fans are just wishing for the stretch of games where Allen Iverson, Elton Brand, and Andre Iguodala aren limping or complaining about stomach pains.27. Indiana (LW: 28) When he isn riddled with ankle pain, Troy Murphy is a double-double demon. When they are playing in sync, the Pacers are, well, still pretty painful to watch.28. Detroit (LW: 26) We don know what ugliera 13-game losing streak, a 3-16 overall road mark, or Charlie Villanueva 8-of-23 shooting the past two games.29. Minnesota (LW: 29) If youre only scoring 96 points and giving up a NBA-high 105 every time out, youre going to be the Nets neighbor on this list for a long time.30. New Jersey (LW: 30) You know things are bad for a floundering franchise when it New England Patriots jersey
most valuable asset, center Brook Lopez, has a statistical week (a 12-point night and a 5-for-14 shooting disaster) uglier than the monsters in the Legion movie trailer.The Bleacher Report NBA Power Rankings are done by averaging individual feature columnist's tallies. Weekly contributors are: Alex McVeigh (Dallas), Rich Kurtzman (Denver), Denton Ramsey (Houston Rockets), Jose Salviati (LA Clippers), Keith Schlosser (NY Knicks), Curtis Finchum (Oklahoma City), Brandon Ribak (Orlando Magic), Bryan Toporek (Philadelphia 76ers), Shaun Ahmad (Washington Wizards), and DeMarco Williams (NBA Lead).

12 Jan 11 Portland's Best Rivalry: Blazers-Nuggets Now Better Than Blazers-Jazz

Vincent Laforet/Getty ImagesI love most NBA games. I say that, because some gamesjust don't always get my blood pumping.Don't get me wrong, I love watchingthe Blazersplay just about, well every team, but there is something about a Good 'ol Blazer vs Jazz matchup. You could also say the same about Reebok New York Giants #27 Brandon Jacobs Realtree camo Jersey
the Laker vs Blazer games. Anyway, the point I'm trying to get across is that certain games carry adifferent feel.Every time these teams play, it seems it has an elevatedplayoff feel and Jazz about the game, Pardon the pun , even now. You pay acertain attention to every single moment. Every dribble, pass, shot, block, and steal seems to carry a different weight compared to any othergame. I think a lot of it has to do with all those previous playoff games that seem so far in the past that it makes me feel old(I'm 22).It brings me back to the old Blazerplayoff days in the late 90's and early 00'sagainst the Lakers and Jazz. These games always seemed just as intense and important as gamesin the regular season. Oh boy, can I remember those.I believe that it will always be this way, but I have noticed a big change. It nowappears to me that the biggest four games on the schedule are against another division foe, the Denver Nuggets.The Carmelo Anthony led Nuggets have shown that they are the team to beat in the Northwest, but starting last year, the BlazersReebok New York Jets #6 Mark Sanchez Realtree camo Jersey
have shown thatthey are ready to contend for it. They are showing itby coming to play game in and game out.Every game matters, but they always seem to play their best when its against the bigger competition. The biggest competition in the division now? The Denver Nuggets of course.I now see that same intensity from the players and fans inNuggets gamesthatI feel comes with the Laker and Jazz battles.I know we have'nt seen these teams play against each other in a playoff game yet , but I undeniably have that samesense ofa mustwin in the regular seasoncontests against the Nuggetsthat we've seen inJazz and Laker games.The reason I bring this up is excitement. I believe we have manygreat gamesbetween these two teams ahead of us, andwe allhave front row seats to some of the best playoff games/series soon to come. Now all we need is a good chant or signlike the "beat L.A." one for the Lakers. Any suggestions?Whatever the future holds, one thing is certain, this intense "new" rivalry is sure to contain some greatmemories. I know I Reebok Oakland Raiders #21 Nnamdi Asomugha Realtree camo Jersey
won't be missing any of these games. Willyou? Here's to the never ending Blazer-Nugget rivalry. Cheers.Oh bye the way, the picture above is after Brian Grant took an elbow from Karl Malone during game five of the 1999 Western Conference semi-finals.

10 Jan 11 Lebron James Close But No Cigar!! Kobe For MVP.

Harry How/Getty ImagesCan we please stop the Kobe Lebron comparisons now? Tonight's game Cleveland vs Denver shows the difference between an Allstar and a Legend. A allstar plays at a high level most of the time, gets all the highlight breakaway dunks, flashy passes, and killer crossovers. While a legend may Indianapolis Colts jersey
struggle all night but when crunch time comes, he's locked in, ready to go and he will not be denied. Don't let the stats fool you, really look into whats going on here. Yes Lebron had another triple double, but he faded when his team needed him. I know everyone can't hit last second shots on the regular like Kobe. I know. However the game would'nt even have went that far, they wouldn't even have needed a last second three if Lebron would of hit his freethrows. He was 15-33 from the field, 1-9 from the 3 point strike, and 12-17 from the charity stripe. This is why you cannot Jacksonville Jaguars jersey
get caught up in stats. Any one can pile up stats Steve Nash piles them on, So does Chris Paul along with Lebron. The difference between a allstar and a legend is in addition to piling up the numbers they come throughin the biggest games, with the biggest shots, when it counts. Its called killer instinct and Lebron just doesn't have it. And thats the reason why I've never bought the Kobe vs Lebron conversation. I'm thinking a Carmelo vs Lebron conversation is more relevant don't you.

9 Jan 11 Amway Arena: Good, But Not Magical

Sam Greenwood/Getty ImagesReview originally published on www.stadiumjourney.comIf you attend an Orlando Magic game at Amway Arena, you can expect the unexpected. I don know about you, but when I think of Orlando, I think of Disney World. As I extrapolate from there, I imagine a family-friendly environment, and a tame crowd filled with retirees and tourists.It turns out that I was wrong about a lot of presumptions about the experience of attending a Magic game. Walking away, I realized that it is a fun place to see a game, but there are some important tips Reebok Green Bay Packers #12 Aaron Rodgers Realtree camo Jersey
that you need to know.FANFARE Score: 24 (out of 35)Food Beverage: 4Who knew that Orlando would offer up such an ethnic food variety at a basketball game? I was delighted to find a jerk stand outside section 107 which offered, among other things, either chicken or beef pattymake sure you ask for some extra jerk saucefor only $3. I could have stayed there all day.There was also a wide variety of Latin food, a chicken Caesar salad stand that looked fresh, as well as all the usual favorite sausages, popcorn, and nachos. Beer was predictably priced, but there were plenty of mixed drinks to be had as well. A bottle of Budweiser will run you $6 up in the stands. I wish that soda was served in a souvenir cup, but overall, the food and beverage selection was very good.Atmosphere: 4It an important disclaimer that I attended when the Cavs were in town, so the atmosphere I experienced may not completely resemble the typical experience. That being said, the arena was absolutely electric throughout the game, from player introduction all the way to the finish.Some venues are loud, exciting, and create goose bumps for spectators. Amway Arena just seems loud. Specifically I mean that to be a criticism of their sound system, which produces a muddled blast of chaotic energy. The unfortunate part is that it distracts from theReebok Green Bay Packers #52 Clay Matthews Realtree camo Jersey
brilliantly rowdy fans. I hope that the Magic either pare back their infused sounds, or do an overhaul of the sound system in the arena.Neighborhood: 4About a mile away from Amway Arena is a great little section of downtown Orlando, filled with bars, restaurants, and clubs. I recommend parking your car in this area and getting a bite to eat at either Urban Flats or Hamburger Mary.Urban Flats offers up flat breads with an assortment of toppings (essentially good pizza), and other delectable treats. Hamburger Mary has some of the best gourmet burgers around, and they brew their own beer to boot. Between these two establishments you can find several other establishments ranging from bar to fine dining.If youre just looking for a drink near the arena then Hoops Bar may be the spot for you. It not a place that I plan to return to, but if you need to grab a beer, I suppose it will do. The place stinks of fermented meat, and while there were brave people eating there, I chose to abstain. A large beer in a plastic cup will run you $3.25.Fans: 4A definite high point of the visit to Amway Arena had to be the fans. Partially this was due to my low expectations, but once I moved past my incoming bias, I had to recognize that this group loved their team, and were also very knowledgeable. I found fans recognizing critical fouls before the scoreboard told them to care.Access: 2This was a major negative in the Amway Arena experience. There is only one shared concourse between the lower and upper levels, which creates an incredibly congested situation. This is especially true if you dare to use the restroom or grab a snack at halftime. With only four bathrooms, located in the corners of the concourse, there are incredibly long lines to get in and out of the bathrooms.Do yourself a favor and leave early before halftime to go use the restroom, or wait until halftime is over.Parking is reasonable, with prices ranging from five to eight dollars within blocks of the arena. I think it worth parking downtownnine dollarsand enjoying the walk back downtown as others struggle through the post-game traffic.Return on Investment: 4With some great deals on food and parking, and a fairly priced ticket, there a lot to like about the experience at Amway Arena. I would be interested to go back and see if the same energy I experienced is pervasive during a game against a lower level team.Etc: 3Special point for the overwhelming number of fans who turned out in Superman shirts after the small battle between Dwight Howard and Shaq over who should cal themselves Superman. An Reebok Indianapolis Colts 18 Peyton Manning Realtree camo Jersey
additional point goes out to the Central Florida sports Hall of Fame, although it was fairly underwhelming.Final Thoughts:Amway Arena was a pleasant surprise. I liked downtown Orlando more than I thought, but most of all, I was impressed with the level of excitement from the fans. As the only professional option in town, the fans get behind this team, and seem to appreciate the amount of success that the team has seen in its short time in the league.Paul Swaney is the Co-Founder of Stadium Journey

8 Jan 11 The King Of The NBA: LeBron James

Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesBefore LeBron James came into the NBA, he was dubbed as the next Michael Jordan. He had so much hype at the age of 18 years old. His nickname in high school was King James and rightfully so he had dominated high school basketball. The question was during that time how Reebok Minnesota Vikings #4 Brett Favre Realtree camo Jersey
would LeBron James respond in his first NBA game?In his first game as a professional, he scored 25 points, nine assists, and six rebounds for the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was a great beginning to the King's career and a precursor for what was yet to come.In just his third year, he averaged 31.4 points per game, seven rebounds and6.6assists per game.The nextyear he led the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the San Antonio Spurs in four games.Since the 2006-2007 season LeBron James has led the Cavaliers to the playoffs. The best season for the franchise was last year when they led the NBA in wins.Last season was his first MVP season, and he contributed to the Cavaliers getting to the EasternConference Finals. They lost in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Orlando Magic.He Reebok Minnesota Vikings #69 Jared Allen Realtree camo Jersey
has turned around this franchise since he has beenin Clevelandand his success is continuing this year with the team on track to lead the league in wins again.Now, after all the awards he has gotten already there is one award he hasn't gotten and that is the NBA championship.The team looks more prepared to win the championship this year, especially after they traded for Antawn Jamison at the trading deadline. This will provide the team with a sidekick that can create his own shot to go with the players they already have.After the trade, they traded away Zydrunas Ilgauskus to the Wizards. The Wizards have since bought out his contract and in 30 days he could rejoin this team and make the team even deeper than before.This team should be one of the deeper teamsif not the deepest team in the league. This team now includes, J.J Hickson, Anderson Varejao, Shaquille O'Neal,and former BostonCeltic Leon Powe.Also, LeBron James, Jamario Moon and Jawad Williams in the frontcourt. In the backcourt, there is Mo Williams, Delonte West, Daniel Gibson, Reebok New England Patriots #12 Tom Brady Realtree camo Jersey
Anthony Parker, andSebastian Telfair.This team is primed to win the NBA championship and the road has to go through Los Angeles where the Lakers won it last year.LeBron James' legacy continues and the next step is an NBA title. If he gets his ring this year then he will follow in the footsteps of another great one Michael Jordan.Like Jordan, when the final buzzer sounds in his seventh year, he will be an NBA champion and finally the King of the NBA.