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b-hebrew - [b-hebrew] $LY$ meaning "many"

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  • From: "Yaakov Stein" <yaakov_s AT rad.com>
  • To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] $LY$ meaning "many"
  • Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 07:03:36 +0300

In Psalms 80:6 we have the expression DM(OT $LY$
usually translated as "many tears" or "tears in great measure".

The word $LY$ is obviously related to the root $L$ for three.

There are primitive languages where the number system is
limited to ONE, TWO, THREE=MANY.
Could this $LY$ be an ancient form of "many" ?

Isaiah 40:12 also has the same word, but this time
it seems to mean a way of counting the number of grains of sand.
Once again, this seems to be a throwback to THREE=MANY,
only here the MANY is very large.

We also have the term H$LY$ used as a high-ranking army officer
(somehow downgraded in modern Hebrew to a "human resources" officer).
Could this be a captain over MANY soldiers ?

Yaakov (J) Stein





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