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  • From: "B. M. Rocine" <brocine AT twcny.rr.com>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] midwives
  • Date: Fri, 04 Nov 2005 18:11:09 -0500

B-Haverim,

SCORE TIED 6-6 WITH HEBREWS WINNING?

Thanks for the discussion! Here is a review of the "midwives" thread. Of course folks are weighing the evidence as they see fit. Am I forgetting amything? Any more comments?

For Hebrew midwives:

1a. the patakh under the first lamed of _lamyalldot_ indicates _ha`ibriyyot_ must be an adjective.
1b. We don't like to tamper with the MT.
2. the LXX.
3. other translation tradition.
4. traditional Jewish commentary.
5. the midwives feared God.
6. the names are likely Semitic in origin.

For Egyptian midwives:

If we change the patakh under the lamed to hireq, the expression _limyalldot ha`ibriyyot_ becomes a construct chain translatable as "the midwives of the Hebrews." This change would not necessitate the midwives being Hebrews, but it opens the door to their being Egyptians. Support includes:

1. Pharaoh was surprised they didn't obey.
2. The midwives engaged in critical talk about Egyptian women.
3. It's easier to imagine Pharaoh would ask Egyptian women to kill Hebrew children.
4. They are twice mentioned as fearing God as if it is remarkable.
5. The expression in v. 21 "and He made them houses" seems more worth saying if the "them" are non-Hebrews.
6. A rule for narration may exist whereby participants in a following narrative must first be introduced in the indefinite before they are named.



Shalom,
Bryan



--
B. M. Rocine
Living Word Church
6101 Court St. Rd.
Syracuse, NY 13026
(W): 315.437.6744




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