A Million Screaming Zulus

[RugMatic]

A Million Screaming Zulus


King Asa defeated a million Cushites and their 300 chariots, 2 Chronicles 14:9-12.

Topic For Debate: Did this really happen? Is it historically plausible?


I know they weren't Zulus, but African warriors were said to scream as they fought and were widely feared. The ancient Cushites had the same notoriety as the Zulus had centuries later.

According to our text they were lousy strategists. They sent a million screaming Zulus, but only a meager 300 chariots.

According to historians Cush and Egypt were a united kingdom. Cush needed Egypt's grain and Egypt needed Cush's muscle. Egypt seemed perfectly content to allow the nation of Judah to exist as a buffer zone to potential northern threats, Assyria, Babylon, Persia etc. Judah was allied with Egypt. Judah needed its grain and its protection. Why would Egypt send a million screaming Zulus to obliterate Judah? Would cause unstability in the region. Seems, I don't know, ...wreckless

[th1b.taylor]

The irrational hate for the Jewish People is not a new thing. Why, for instance, do so many Americans hate Jews?

[Clownboat]

The irrational hate for the Jewish People is not a new thing. Why, for instance, do so many Americans hate Jews?

To be clear, the question is:
"Why would Egypt send a million screaming Zulus to obliterate Judah? Would cause instability in the region. Seems, I don't know, ...wreckless"

And your answer is simply 'irrational hate'. That is a lot of irrationality in what you suggest don't you think? Almost makes it seem like an irrational explanation if you ask me.

[Athetotheist]

[Replying to th1b.taylor in post #2]

The irrational hate for the Jewish People is not a new thing. Why, for instance, do so many Americans hate Jews?

Jews aren't the only ones who are hated. Every class of people is hated by someone.

[RugMatic]

Maybe the author of Chronicles hated Ethiopians. A million less to defile the holy land. Who knows the motive of such stories

[RugMatic]

The irrational hate for the Jewish People is not a new thing. Why, for instance, do so many Americans hate Jews?

So America sent a million screaming Zulus to destroy Judah? We get blamed for everything

[bjs1]

[Replying to RugMatic in post #1]

Three years ago, Russia invaded her neighbor Ukraine, wrecklessly creating chaos in what was a stable area of the world. Russia had an army more than ten times the strength of Ukraine's army, and Russia should have secured a military victory in a matter of weeks, yet the conflict continues three years later. Is any of this historically plausible?

The United States' President recently threatened to annex the US's closest (figuratively and literally) ally, creating tension on one of history's longest and most peaceful borders. He also attempted to place heavy tariffs on his nation's closest trading partners. Is that historically plausible?

By comparison, Egypt's actions in 2 Chronicles do not seem outlandish.

To be honest, I find it hard to imagine any scenario historically implausible enough to convince me people wouldn't try it.

[1213]

Is it historically plausible?

I believe so. No reason to think it would not be possible.

[JehovahsWitness]

A Million Screaming Zulus
I know they weren't Zulus, but African warriors ...

I don't think war cries* are particular to African warriors.

AI Overview

* A "scream" is a sudden, loud vocal expression typically driven by intense emotion like fear, pain, or excitement, while a "war cry" is a specific, often coordinated yell or chant used by a group of people in battle to intimidate enemies, rally their own forces, and express aggression, usually with a more structured and symbolic meaning behind it; essentially, a scream can be a spontaneous reaction to a situation, whereas a war cry is a deliberate act intended to convey a specific message in a combat setting

Given the above it is rather disingenuous to describe the African warriors of Kings as "screaming Zulus" not least because by your own admission they were not identified in scripture as "Zulus" but also because to describe them as "screaming Zulus" implies that the "screaming" was a main characteristic of these people ie that they either habitually "screamed" at each other ( rather than communicated in more rational way) or that "screaming" was their main combat strategy, both of which is illogical

CONCLUSION The bible presents the Ethiopians as a developed and militarily formidable people and regardless of whether one believes the biblical account or not, to speak of black Africans in a caricature of a homogenous indistinguishable screaming population has racist undertones that is distasteful to most reasonable people

To read more please go to other posts related to POSTS RELATED to ...

RELIGION, WAR and ...BIBLICAL KILLING

[RugMatic]

A Million Screaming Zulus
I know they weren't Zulus, but African warriors ...

I don't think war cries* are particular to African warriors.

AI Overview

* A "scream" is a sudden, loud vocal expression typically driven by intense emotion like fear, pain, or excitement, while a "war cry" is a specific, often coordinated yell or chant used by a group of people in battle to intimidate enemies, rally their own forces, and express aggression, usually with a more structured and symbolic meaning behind it; essentially, a scream can be a spontaneous reaction to a situation, whereas a war cry is a deliberate act intended to convey a specific message in a combat setting

Given the above it is rather disingenuous to describe the African warriors of Kings as "screaming Zulus" not least because by your own admission they were not identified in scripture as "Zulus" but also because to describe them as "screaming Zulus" implies that the "screaming" was a main characteristic of these people ie that they either habitually "screamed" at each other ( rather than communicated in more rational way) or that "screaming" was their main combat strategy, both of which is illogical

CONCLUSION The bible presents the Ethiopians as a developed and militarily formidable people and regardless of whether one believes the biblical account or not, to speak of black Africans in a caricature of a homogenous indistinguishable screaming population has racist undertones that is distasteful to most reasonable people

The Bible refers to Ethiopia as the land of insects, land of flittering wings Isaiah 18:2, destined to be overthrown by birds and beasts Isaiah 18:6. The Ethiopians will be slain by my sword, says the Lord, Zephaniah 2:12.

The Bible mocks Ethiopia, not I!