Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Ken Litwak <kdlitwak AT concentric.net>]

  I have both an exegetical question and some basic grammar problems.  
On the assumption, which I think is correct, that Isa 43:5 was composed
in the 7th or 8th cent. B.C. by Isaiah (which I consider he best working
hypothesis), what East does MZRC and MRHWQ refer to in Isaiah 43:5-6?  I
presume this east is likely Babylon, though it could have a further
reach I suppose.  What might that be?  What would constitute far away? 
I'm not convinced that it has to be Babylon, because nothing prior to
this tells us that is the case (Isa 40, as I'm sure you all know, never
mentions Babylon).

Regarding grammar, I was able to find the root RHQ but not the form
RHWQ.  What am I missing?  ALso, more importantly, at the start of 43:5,
)TKh seems to have no place in the sentence:  "For you I from the East
will bring your seed.  I don't see what )TKh is doing there.  Sorry if
I'm not using the general transliteration scheme.  I can't remember it
at the moment.   These two things are probably obvious, but it's not
clear in my current state of tiredness.  Thanks.


Ken Litwak
University of Bristol
Bristol, England