Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Charles David Isbell" <cisbell AT home.com>]

Dave,
You are on the correct path to seek for a parallel in verse five.  Perhaps
two points can be helpful.  First, the two verbs [Ha$LiKh and KeNoS] are
quite adequate poetic bi-polar opposites of each other.  Second, the
presence of great numbers of stones in the land was a fact that elicited
alternate responses.  In order to plow, plant, cultivate, irrigate, harvest,
it was necessary for a farmer to remove these stones from his fields.
However, in time of invasion, these stones could be scattered back over the
ground, and their presence would make it difficult for marching troops,
enemy horses or other machines of war to maneuver.  My suggestion is that
these two very different "times" form an appropriate background for the
wording of verse five.
Shalom,
Charles David Isbell
Louisiana State University

From: "Dave Ens" <dens AT callisto.uwinnipeg.ca
 Hello there.  I am a first year Biblical Hebrew student and have been
enjoying the dialogue on this list.  I am working on Ecclesiastes 3.1-8 and
am puzzled by the reference to throwing and gathering stones in verse 5.
All the other verses, with the exception of verse 8 contain parallelisms
between parts A and B of the verse.  However, I am finding it difficult to
make a parallel between:
                   A time to throw out stones and a time to gather stones
                   A time to embrace and a time to be distant from embracing
Is there something significant about the stones that I am not aware of?
 Any thoughts?
Thanks - Dave Ens
Winnipeg, MB