Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Peter Kirk"<peter_kirk AT sil.org>]

Dear Charles,

I think you have missed my point in speaking of "the NT reading". The 
NT readings in three places (like the LXX reading) are I think 
completely ambiguous, if you ignore the punctuation - and I don't 
think anyone claims that the NT punctuation as we have it is original. 
Yes, there is an "obvious" exegetical choice to understand the NT 
texts as the voice being in the desert, but this is Christian 
interpretation rather than the texts, and may actually be wrong - the 
point intended by the gospel authors may well have been that John the 
Baptist's work was to prepare the road in the desert rather than to 
speak in the desert.

Peter Kirk


______________________________ Reply Separator 
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Subject: Re[3]: cantillation makes a difference
Author:  <cisbell AT home.com> at Internet
Date:    01/02/2000 13:58

<snip>

The Hebrew text is obvious as it stands, and I think rather obvious as well 
is the Christian exegetical choice to perceive John the Baptizer as "Elijah" 
(whose wilderness habitat was well known),  the one who anticipates the 
arrival of "the day of YHWH" (Mal 3:23).  I believe it was this exegetical 
decision that determined the NT reading rather than an alternate possibility 
from an unpointed Hebrew text.

<snip>