[b-hebrew] NXM
B. M. Rocine
brocine at twcny.rr.com
Tue Apr 8 23:28:49 EDT 2008
Hi David,
I read your article with great interest (thanks!) having written my own
interpretation of Job (for a popular audience), which I hope will be
published soon. Of course, we all relish the chance to explain our take
on the enigmatic book.
Job 42:6 venixamti reads quite naturally as a standard niphal. Do you
know of other cases of NXM used as an "intransitive piel"? I expect "I
am comforted" would be nuxamti (pual).
All the best,
Bryan
David Kummerow wrote:
> Hi Bryan,
>
> Yes, as you say the texts are pretty clear.
>
> One ambiguous example of which I am aware that has profound meaning
> difference is Job 42:6. If taken there as a niphal, Job would be
> "repenting" with the object supplied by "`al `aphar waepher" (see eg
> Habel's commentary). If taken as a(n example of an intransitive) piel,
> Job states that he is "comforted" with the location of the comfort
> specified by "`al `aphar waepher". I personally prefer the second option
> (see my JHS article) as (a) it provides a nice inclusio with 2:11
> whereby comfort for Job in the book is only found in God; and (b) it
> provides a link back to the prologue in that in Job 42:6 Job does
> exactly what satan said he would never do: accept God for who he is and
> not for what he can get out of him. That is, Job is comforted by God
> even in the circumstance of "`al `aphar waepher". A rough rendering of
> the verse might be: "Therefore, I melt [in reverence] and have been
> comforted upon dust and ash."
>
> Regards,
> David Kummerow.
>
>
>
>> Hi Karl,
>>
>> Noah's name isn't derived from NXM, if that's what you are saying. It
>> is derived from NWX, which is thematic in Gen 8:4 when the ark comes to
>> rest on Ararat.
>>
>> As for NXM, you need to distinguish the stem the word is used in when
>> you are trying to understand its meaning. When NXM is used in the
>> Niphal stem about forty-eight times it means to regret, to feel sorry
>> about, or to feel grief. When it is used in the Piel stem about fifty
>> times it has a transitive meaning, to (give) comfort (to) someone. The
>> texts are pretty clear.
>>
>> BTW, I have no idea what you mean when you say RWC is used in Niphal
>> stem. I have no knowledge of such a case. When the root is used
>> transitively it is used in the Hiphil stem, and the corresponding
>> passive Hophal stem. I admit I didn't follow the whole RWC discussion.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Bryan
>>
>>
>
>
--
B.M. Rocine
Living Word Church
6101 Court St. Rd.
Syracuse, NY 13206
W: (315) 437-6744
More information about the b-hebrew
mailing list