Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - Re: Hos 4:16

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Jay Childs" <selectjay AT hotmail.com>
  • To: dstabno AT lifeway.com, b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Hos 4:16
  • Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2001 08:06:19 -0500

Dear David,

Not having the text right in front of me at this point, it's hard to compare...but perhaps a more syntactic issue may be involved here.  As we know from Job's wife, a "blessing" might be substituted for a"curse" in the text, particularly if the word "curse" would have appeared next to the tetragram. 

Another possibility is the _expression_ of grace and forgiveness.  God's beloved is acting like a stubborn cow; God forgives and blesses, anyway.  Any married man (or woman) ought to be able to relate.  This is Hosea, after all.

Peace,

Jay

P.S. Next week, I begin a new career as a teacher in an independent school.  I will be teaching sixth grade Geography.  I ask your prayers, if you are so inclined.

>From: "David Stabnow"
>Reply-To: "David Stabnow"
>To: Biblical Hebrew
>Subject: Hos 4:16
>Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 13:30:53 -0500
>
>The second half of Hos 4:16 on the surface says that the Lord will bless
>Israel. (I realize that some interpret MRXB "broad place" to be either
>"the plains of Sheol" or "out in the open, vulnerable to attack." That
>aside, ...) In order to avoid the blessing, which would be out of place in
>context, many versions interpret it as a question.
>
> Like a stubborn cow, Israel is stubborn.
> Should the Lord now pasture them like a lamb in a broad place?
>
>However, it is not marked as a question. It could be interpreted as a
>ironic comment or question.
>
> "Israel is stubborn like a cow. Now the Lord is going to bless them.
>Yeah, right."
>
> or, "... and now you're suggesting that the Lord should bless them?
>You must be nuts!" (I picture Billy Crystal saying this.)
>
>My question: Are there other examples of this kind of ironic comment in BH?
>
>Dave Stabnow
>
>
>---
>You are currently subscribed to b-hebrew as: [selectjay AT hotmail.com]
>To unsubscribe, forward this message to $subst('Email.Unsub')
>To subscribe, send an email to join-b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu.
>


Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com


  • Hos 4:16, David Stabnow, 08/16/2001
    • <Possible follow-up(s)>
    • Re: Hos 4:16, Raymond de Hoop, 08/17/2001
    • Re: Hos 4:16, Jay Childs, 08/22/2001

Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page