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

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  • From: "John Ronning" <ronning AT ilink.nis.za>
  • To: "Paul Zellmer" <zellmer AT cag.pworld.net.ph>, "Biblical Hebrew" <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Aquirer v. possessor (Is 1:3)
  • Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1998 09:18:36 +0200


Paul Zellmer asked,

>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?
>
>Thanks for your thoughts,
>
My reaction is yes and yes, based on the context.

The contrast is between (relatively stupid) animals who are obedient to
their owners, and Israel who is disobedient to its owner-acquirer-creator
(qanah seems to have the primary sense of create, and derived senses of
acquire, possess - see Cassuto on Gen 4:1). I doubt therefore whether there
is any suggestion of animals who are hostile.

Second point regards parallelism. The second half of the verse has in
parallel Israel-my people, and know-understand (i.e. synonymous); it seems
likely that ox-donkey and owner-master in the first part of the verse are
also simply synonymous.

John Ronning





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