Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Jim West <jwest AT highland.net>]

At 02:39 PM 5/31/00 +0000, you wrote:
>Greetings
>
>1. What was Saul doing in 1 Sam. 24:3 - the NIV says, "relieve himself"?

he was going potty (as we used to say to our daughter when she was 3).

>
>2. What other options are their for understanding L:HFS"K: )ET RAG:LFYN

here?  none.  

>
>3. Could someone provide a possible way in which David would cut the 
>section off, and why he would do it?

He cut it off to show that he had no difficulty in getting close enough to
saul to kill him if he wanted.  as to how-- he merely crawled up behind him,
grabbed the part on the ground, and cut it.

>
>4. Is En Gedi the same place that we see today when in the Dead Sea region 
>and is the "stronghold" in 1 Sam 24:22 = to Masada?

no- masada was not occupied in the 10th c. bce.  it wasnt made habitable
till much later (during the hasmonean era if im not mistaken).  ein gedi is
closer to qumran than to masada.


best,

jim

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jim West, ThD
jwest AT highland.net

http://web.infoave.net/~jwest