Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

On Wed 18 Jul 2001 (17:39:49 +0100), iangoldsmith1969 AT yahoo.co.uk wrote:
> What is the best grammatical, contextual and literal
> translation of Jeremiah 8v8b? I know this is more than
> one question but I'm hoping to get as many views as
> possible. 

 Dear Ian,

 Here Jeremiah is criticising the *scribes* for falsifying the written ToRaH
 in their interpretation; not that the ToRaH itself is corrupt, just their
 interpretation of it. Contrast Nehemiah 8:8, where thirteen named scribes and
 some Levites are commended because "they read in the book of the law of God
 distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading".

 Compare also Jeremiah 8:10b, "from the prophet even to the priest every one
 dealeth falsely". This makes it very clear that the Law is sacrosanct, but
 that some of its interpreters are corrupt.

 In the New Testament, Jesus often criticised the "scribes and the Pharisees"
 concerning their interpretations of the Law.

 Shalom,
 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