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  • From: Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>
  • To: Ron Snider <sarasotapt AT comcast.net>
  • Cc: B-Hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Qohelet chapter 12
  • Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:01:14 -0400

Ron,

I see that the KJV translates the first part of Ecclesiastes 12:1 as
"Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth"
First I notice that the translator sneaks in the word "now" not found in the Hebrew text. Then I see that he translates BOR)-EY-KA as "thy Creator" rather than "thy Creators", which is an outright falsification of the Hebrew text, unless he had before him a different version. The HB grandly opens with BRE)$IT BARA) ELOHIM, with BARA) in the singular not BAR)U in the plural.
No wonder Pere is puzzled by this business of remembering the Creator (s).
I do not think I need to prove anything; all I do is just raise a plausible [to me] possibility, which you may or may not accept.
Otherwise, the BARE) of Ezekiel 21:24 is possibly just 'erect, produce'. Recall ,ZAKOR, also the BR) of Joshua 17:15, and the root of BARI), 'well formed', of Judges 3:17.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Apr 22, 2008, at 12:33 PM, Ron Snider wrote:



I am not in the habit of looking at foreign translations of the HB.
In my Qoren edition of the TN"K the word BOR)-EY-KA is written with a
yod [so also in the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia] and I see it as
plural. Indeed, "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth"
does not make as much sense as "Keep in mind your forebears [some
old, some dead] in the days of your youth".
I would relate this BR) to the BAR, 'son, child', of Proverbs 31:2


I do agree that the participle is plural, other than than I disagree
completely with the rest of your response. First, the Qal stem is only
used of the creative activity of God in the OT. Second, the plural may
well be plural since Elohiym is plural. Third, the term is never used
in the Qal of human creations, which rules out the idea of forebears.
Fourth, immediate context from the previous verses suggests that this is
advice to a young person with respect to how he lives his life and the
fact that God will ultimately judge every action. Fifth, remembering
your forbears has nothing to do with whether or not one grows old and
enjoys life, Solomon has already stated repeatedly in this book that
real life comes from God. Eccles. 2:25-26, 5:18-20, 7:14, 9:1,9

Lastly, while you may not feel the need to consult other translations,
when you digress dramatically from the orthodox understanding of a
verse, the burden of proof is on you to document your assertions. One
cannot merely say that the word means something and expect others to
simply accept it without proof. Since this term only appears in the Qal
partciple plural one time, proof is probably not available.

Respectfully,

Ron Snider,
Pastor-teacher

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