Biblical Hebrew Forum

[ben.crick AT argonet.co.uk (Ben Crick)]

On Sat 29 May 99 (11:22:30), peter_kirk AT sil.org wrote:
> But if we accept the arguments that Biblical TsaRa`at is 
> not Hansen's Disease, and given that in modern English the word 
> "leprosy" is generally used for Hansen's Disease, the gloss "leprosy" 
> then becomes inappropriate. I did suggest off-list to Matthew the 
> possibility of a gloss "leprosy" in quotation marks with a footnote; 
> but I don't think a simple gloss "leprosy" is acceptable given the 
> weight of modern medical opinion.

 Dear Peter,

 The word Leprosy is used in all the English versions until the late 20th
 century; the RSV of 1952 still uses it. The NRSV of 1989 uses a phrase
 "leprous disease" with a marginal note "A term for several skin diseases;
 precise meaning uncertain". See my reply to Ite Sheres (CC to the List)
 concerning "the weight of modern medical opinion".

 Ben
-- 
 Revd Ben Crick, BA CF
 <ben.crick AT argonet.co.uk>
 232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
 http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm