Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Paul R. Zellmer" <zellmer AT cag.pworld.net.ph>]

Oops!  I forgot to include the list in the addresses!

Paul

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• From: "Paul R. Zellmer" <zellmer AT cag.pworld.net.ph>
• To: RHutchin AT aol.com
• Subject: Re: Exodus 21:22
• Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 14:01:18 +0800

RHutchin AT aol.com wrote:
>
> We have--
>
> Exod. 21
> 22 If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart
> from
> her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as
> the
> woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
>
> What does the Hebrew text that is translated as -- depart from her --
> actually
> mean? Does the phrase -- depart from her -- specifically and only refer to
> a
> miscarriage as some say it does? Or does the Hebrew text allow that a blow
> to
> the woman initiates labor and the premature birth of the child which may
> result in the death of the child, but does not have to.
>
> Roger Hutchinson
> RHutchin AT AOL.com
>
Roger,

IMO, the living or the dying is not found in WYC)W YLDYH. It is in the
L) YHYH )SWN and (in verse 23) the )SWN YHYH. YLD appears to be a
living child (up to and including young manhood) in all other cases in
the Tanakh. For it to be different here would seem unusual, again IMO.
So I would see the offense of the blow as resulting in labor, whether or
not the child lived. If the child died or was injured as a result, the
penalty would be greater.

I realize that a case can be made for "mischief" or "serious injury" or
"harm" to refer to either the woman or the man, but it can also refer to
the child. So I would not exclude injury to the man or woman, but I
would not exclude injury to the child, either.

This seems to be as far as the Hebrew text can take us. However, if
your question is how the text was interpreted in Jewish tradition, I
lack the authorities to respond to that. I would suspect, however, that
the traditional views varied as much as your commentators do.
--
Paul and Dee Zellmer, Jimmy Guingab, Geoffrey Beltran
Ibanag Translation Project
Cabagan, Philippines

zellmer AT faith.edu.ph



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