David, Thank you for your clarifying that you said "quasi-religious" rather than "mystic". I stand corrected....and no doubt "quasi- religious" is probably a more useful term.
I will get to the Anchor Bible Dictionary article ASAP. I look forward to reading about the religious links between "Rechab" and the ancient clans of metalworkers (and maybe involving other crafts like linen weaving and so on). Perhaps this is the clue to the meaning of the father-in-law of Moses being a "priest" of some sort? He, like the original "Rechab" would have been Kenites (Cain-ites)... and there seems to be an interesting "spiritual fusion" going on with these guild-like clans. But in the meantime, I caution us against getting too fixated on the "smith" nature of the Rechabites.... I do not think Eusebius would have been too confused between "quasi-religious" and "priestly". And I am trying to focus on the Rechabites of the Essene time period, or at least of the New Testament period... rather than of the Jeremiah period. But there is no doubt that I will want to refer back to Jeremiah's time when we start discussing some of the Enochian influences that either work "for" or "against" an identity of Enochian Jews with Rechabites. David, I promise, I will get to the Anchor item! George Brooks Tampa, FL For private reply, e-mail to George Brooks <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe from Orion, e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: "unsubscribe Orion." Archives are on the Orion Web site, http://orion.mscc.huji.ac.il. (PLEASE REMOVE THIS TRAILOR BEFORE REPLYING TO THE MESSAGE)
