Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - Re: Aquirer v. possessor (Is 1:3)

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Lewis Reich" <LBR AT sprynet.com>
  • To: b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Aquirer v. possessor (Is 1:3)
  • Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1998 18:48:54 -0500


On 17 Nov 98, at 9:17, Paul Zellmer wrote:

> Our questions: Does our use of "toro" (picture a bull in the
> bullfights) go contrary to the normal usage of $oWR? Are we
> overplaying the acquisition as opposed to possession with the word
> QoN"HW.? Does the contrast that we result in coincide with what you
> see in these verses, or is it too strong?

It seems to me that part of the question is what other words are available in
a
particular language and culture to convey something like the desired meaning.

My sense is that the dominant image of $oWR in the Hebrew Bible is of a well-
domesticated working animal that nevertheless might on occasion prove
destructive (Exodus 21).

The root QNH appears to have other connotations relating to possession
besides
mere purchase - see Gen. 14:19 and 22, where God is described as QoNeH
$aMaYiM
Wa)aReC. I almost think that the root might in some contexts have the
connotation of "take possession of " rather than "buy". In the verse in
question, given the parallelism with B:(fLfW (it's owner, master, lord), it
seems to me that the possession aspect is more prominent than the acquisition.

Lewis Reich
LBR AT sprynet.com






Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page