Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Lewis Reich" <LBR AT sprynet.com>]

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