Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Don Elbourne" <d.elbourne AT worldnet.att.net>]

Hello,

I've been a member of this list for a good while now, but I don't post very
often.

This week I find myself in somewhat of a crunch and could use some help. I'm
auditing a seminar on Ecclesiastes. A paper was scheduled this Thursday
dealing with the theme of hebel. Due to a strange set of circumstances the
student scheduled to present the paper dropped out of the program this week.
I've been asked to step in. So now I find myself scrambling to pull
something together.

I began by reading through all the occurrences of hebel in the HB. (88x
according to BibleWorks, this includes all forms both noun and verb) My
presupposition was that hebel meant "vapor or breath" and was used often
metaphorically. As I read through every occurrence I began to question this
presupposition. I noticed that not one time does the term appear in its
"normal sense" as referring to vapor as does other similar words that refer
to mist or smoke. This is interesting but I'm not sure what to make of it
yet. I also jotted down some notes on how the Duteronomic and prophetic
usage seems to differ from that in the wisdom lit. and the Psalms. I'll save
my conclusions for later.

My next step was to look at the lexical entries and dictionary articles that
I have here. I looked at BDB, Koehler-Baumgartner, TDOT, TWOT, NIDTE, THAT
(English Translation) and TWOT.

My next step is to look at some of the major commentators. I have Scott,
Crenshaw, Murphey, Seow, and Longman. That ought to keep me busy most of the
morning, into the afternoon. I don't think I'm up for wrestling with the
Germans at this point but if anyone happens to know what issues Lofink and
Zimmerli bring to the discussion I'd love to get that from you.

I also just remembered there is an article on "Qohelet's Symbolic Use of
HBL" in JBL fall 1998. I have that on my shelf.

Later on this evening I'll head to the library and pull a few journal
articles I've gleaned from the bibliography and footnotes of what I've
already looked at and perhaps do a quick search through ATLA. Of-course
while I'm there I'll grab Fox's Qohelet and his contradictions and look over
that again. Its a very good work but I just have a hard time painting
Qohelet as a French existentialist.

I wish I had time to do an inter-library loan of R. C. Cover's 1978 Th. D.
dissertation from Dallas theological Seminary, but I know it would never get
here on time.

I hope I'm not overstepping my bounds by asking for a little help with this
project here. Any notes, thoughts, references, or anything would be helpful.
Anything anyone could provide me with I would greatly appreciate. I'd love
to bring to class some opinions and views I received from some of the list
members here.

Don A. Elbourne Jr.
http://elbourne.simplenet.com/3939