In response to your question: "Does anyone know anything the possibility
that the Ararat mentioned in Genesis may not be the same as modern day
Ararat?"
The Ararat mentioned in Genesis was the kingdom of Urartu mentioned in
Assyrian literature. It was located roughly in southeastern Turkey. It's
capital was near the present city of Van on the south eastern side of Lake
Van. The Urartians were fierce rivals of the Assyrians in the 9th and 8th
Centuries, B.C.. Some historians believes the present-day Armenians are
descendents.
The current Mt. Ararat, the 17,000 foot peak, in northestern Turkey, was not
known as Ararat in antiquity. It also was not known as the site of the
landing place of Noah's Ark until about the 13 th Cent.
A correct paraphrase of Genesis 8:4. is: "the Ark rested on the mountains
(plural) of the region of Ararat (Urartu). It is now known that Egypt was
trading for obsidian with this remote region at the time Moses wrote Genesis.
For more information on the biblical land of Ararat(Urartu) I recommend: FOES
FROM THE NORTHERN FRONTIER, by Edwin M. Yamauchi.
Bill Crouse
Christian Information Ministries
bcrouse@aol.com
bcrouse@fni.com