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→Lineage
== Lineage ==
== Lineage ==
In the period between the death of [[Joshua]] and the [[Judge]]ship of [[Othniel]], a certain Levite named [[Jonathan (son of Gershom)|Jonathan]] hired himself out to be an illicit priest, first to a man named Micah and then to the [[Dan (tribe)|Danites]]. The Bible calls him Jonathan, son of Gershom, son of Manasseh. ({{Bible ref|book=Judges|chap=18|verses=30}}) Modern Biblical scholars identify this "Manasseh" as Moses, on account of the spelling of the two names. Moses is spelled '''מֹשֶׁה''' in Hebrew, and Manasseh is spelled '''מְנַשֶּׁ֜ה'''. The difference in the two names is a single letter ''nun'' ('''נַ'''). In the original manuscripts, this ''nun'' is suspended above the line and inserted between the ''mem'' and the ''shin''. This supports the idea that the Hebrew scribes, mortified that Moses should have had so unworthy a grandson, inserted the extra letter to disguise Jonathan's actual patrimony.<ref name=Jones2>Jones, ''op. cit.'', p. 80</ref>
In the period between the death of [[Joshua (Biblical leader)|Joshua]] and the [[Judge (biblical)|Judgeship]] of [[Othniel]], a certain Levite named [[Jonathan (son of Gershom)|Jonathan]] hired himself out to be an illicit priest, first to a man named Micah and then to the [[Dan (tribe)|Danites]]. The Bible calls him Jonathan, son of Gershom, son of Manasseh. ({{Bible ref|book=Judges|chap=18|verses=30}}) Modern Biblical scholars identify this "Manasseh" as Moses, on account of the spelling of the two names. Moses is spelled '''מֹשֶׁה''' in Hebrew, and Manasseh is spelled '''מְנַשֶּׁ֜ה'''. The difference in the two names is a single letter ''nun'' ('''נַ'''). In the original manuscripts, this ''nun'' is suspended above the line and inserted between the ''mem'' and the ''shin''. This supports the idea that the Hebrew scribes, mortified that Moses should have had so unworthy a grandson, inserted the extra letter to disguise Jonathan's actual patrimony.<ref name=Jones2>Jones, ''op. cit.'', p. 80</ref>
If this theory is correct, then the scribes might have had an additional motive. The name Manasseh connotes forgetfulness. Perhaps the scribes wanted people to ''forget'' that Moses had a grandson who disgraced his name.
If this theory is correct, then the scribes might have had an additional motive. The name Manasseh connotes forgetfulness. Perhaps the scribes wanted people to ''forget'' that Moses had a grandson who disgraced his name.