Lehi:

[J Green]

An interesting note from Nehemiah . . .

When the priests are assembled to repair the various gates in the wall, one of them, a certain Malchiah, is listed both as a "son of Rechab" (Neh 3:14) and the "metal-smith's son" (Neh 3:31). The phrase ben ha-tsorefi is usually translated as "goldsmith's son," although the New Jerusalem Bible has "metal-worker's son," while the JPS Tanakh (1985) has "Malchijah of the smiths." The root simply means to smelt or refine metal (cf. TWOT entry 1972). Interesting that this priest would have a metal-working father named Rechab.

[mfbukowski]

An interesting note from Nehemiah . . .

When the priests are assembled to repair the various gates in the wall, one of them, a certain Malchiah, is listed both as a "son of Rechab" (Neh 3:14) and the "metal-smith's son" (Neh 3:31). The phrase ben ha-tsorefi is usually translated as "goldsmith's son," although the New Jerusalem Bible has "metal-worker's son," while the JPS Tanakh (1985) has "Malchijah of the smiths." The root simply means to smelt or refine metal (cf. TWOT entry 1972). Interesting that this priest would have a metal-working father named Rechab.

Bump

It's adding up to the "preponderance of the evidence" imo.

[Zakuska]

With all this talk of Metal Smithing... Some biblical stories are coming to mind.

Who was it that made the Golden Calf for Israel in the desert when Moses smashed the tablets?

Then we have this story of Paul upsetting the Silver smiths.

21

[Calm]

PLYGKID over on CARM erroniously brought up that since Jacobs son Joseph who was sold into Egypt married an Egyptiain woman (Asenath) that according to the Book of Abraham Lehi couldn't hold the preisthood. Since Asenath would have Egyptian blood and Priesthood was not aloud in that blood line. However when one studies the History Behind Osenas lineage... and realizes that she actually was the Daughter of Dinah, Leah's Daughter and was adoped by Potipher the Priest of On. So Joseph married his Neice and Lehi's lineage and claim to priesthood is left intact.

This is one of the legends associated with Joseph. The problem is finding out whether it was constructed to keep Joseph 'righteous' by marrying the proper lineage or is an accurate record that did not get included in scriptures.

Do you know the earliest that this claim appeared, Zak?

[Calm]

Among the metalworkers, who acted as the traders? Would it be possible for someone trained as a metalworker etc. who was adept at business to become a merchant for the clan? Or would the clan rely on middlemen to get their wares to market?

[J Green]

With all this talk of Metal Smithing... Some biblical stories are coming to mind.

Who was it that made the Golden Calf for Israel in the desert when Moses smashed the tablets?

That and the episode of the sons of Korah seem to have an underlying strand about a clash between two priesthoods.

[Zakuska]

This is one of the legends associated with Joseph. The problem is finding out whether it was constructed to keep Joseph 'righteous' by marrying the proper lineage or is an accurate record that did not get included in scriptures.

Do you know the earliest that this claim appeared, Zak?

This gives a date of 1BC-2AD for the Apocryphal book.

The earliest version is in Syriac and dates from the sixth century AD (Anno Domino). Most modern scholarship treats it as a Jewish work dating some time from first century BC to the second AD (Anno Domino). Battifol (who produced the first critical edition) and, more recently, Kraemer have argued that it was originally a Christian work, dating from the fourth or fifth centuries. Kraemer suggests connections with works like Acts of Thomas.

http://en.wikipedia....eph_and_Aseneth

I'll see what else I can find.

Merridian Magazine did a write up of it here.

http://www.meridianmagazine.com/sci_rel/000818answer.html

And this supports some of the things Merridain said. The Author leaves several hints that they know who Asenath really is. They even mention Her adoptive father.

Asenath, the daughter of Potiphar (Pentephres), priest of Heliopolis (On), a rich man and chief counselor of Pharaoh, far surpassed the Egyptian maidens in beauty; for she was "tall like Sarah, handsome like Rebekah, and fair like Rachel," and the fame of her beauty filled the land.

http://www.jewishenc...d=1905&letter=A

Heres is more:

http://www.shemayisr...es/vayish62.htm