Fishing from the earliest times - Blog

3JEWISH FISHING^CHAPTER XXXVIIIROD NOT EMPLOYED IN SPITE OF CLOSE INTERCOURSEWITH EGYPT—REASONS SUGGESTED FOR ABSENCEThe absence of any mention of Angling in Israel, and in Assyriacauses wonder and surprise, especially when we rememberthat the relations of both nations in trade and intercourse withEgypt, where Rod fishing did obtain, appear when at peaceconstant and close. 2In the Assyrian chapter the vexed question of the earliestdate assignable for the invasion or cultural permeation ofEgypt by Sumerian or Semitic influences has been considered,and the conflicting views stated.A fair consensus of agreement holds that the Hyksossprang from Semitic stock ; but the dates suggested for theirconquest of Egypt vary from 2540 down to 1845 B.C.However this may be, the definite association with Egyptof that branch of the Semitic tribes destined in Jacob's Hfetime(Gen. xlvii. 27) to be known as Israelites,'* begins withthe advent of Abram into that country.^ Throughout my pages the words, Jews and Jewish, are generally usedin the popular sense, and not as merely signifying members of the tribe ofJudah. To my friend Dr. A. R. S. Kennedy, Professor of Hebrew at EdinburghUniversity, my thanks are due for advice and for reading the proof-sheets ofmy section on the Jews."^In this chapter the word Assyrian generally stands for Sumerian,Babylonian, and Assyrian proper.* Remains of the Hyksos kings are far-scattered ; e.g. an alabaster vaselidof very fine work, bearing the name of Khian, was discovered in the palaceof Cnossos in Crete, while a granite lion bearing the king's cartouche on hisbreast, unearthed many years ago at Bagdad, is to be seen in the BritishMuseum. J. H. Breasted, History of Egypt, p. 218 (London, 1906).* The verse is not conclusive that they were called Israehtes during their397 2 D 2