Biblical Hebrew Forum

[George Athas <gathas AT mail.usyd.edu.au>]

G'day Ben. I think you've made a big booboo!

>  Dear Tony
>
>  For answer, see 1 Samuel 9:9. The terms are synonymous for all practical
>  purposes. I suppose a Seer Ro'eH is a clairvoyant, whereas a Prophet NaBiY'
>  is a clairaudient; but unless the Vision or the Word is from YHWH, they
>  are false prophets and false seers. Ro'eH can also mean a shepherd or a
>  pastor; one who "looks after" sheep.

Ben, you've mixed up your alephs and ayins, I think :). The word for "seer" 
is root
resh-aleph-heh, and the word for "shepherd" is root resh-ayin-aleph. The idea 
of
shepherding doesn't really have anything to do with "looking after" sheep 
(that would
probably require root shin-mem-resh). If anything, it has to do with being 
neighbourly
or friendly, but even that is speculative and improbable (same roots don't 
always have
a common ideological source).

I always encourage people to pronounce their ayins as it was in antiquity. It 
helps
with spelling, roots, and little but critical mistakes.

Best regards for the New Year!
GEORGE ATHAS
Dept of Semitic Studies,
University of Sydney
- Email: gathas AT mail.usyd.edu.au
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