Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Lisbeth S. Fried" <lizfried AT umich.edu>]

I think we have here a couple of puns: it's both "builders" and

"sons," and it's both "marry" and "take ownership of"/"possess".

Just as a young man "marries"/"takes ownership" of a virgin (!)

Your "sons"/"builders" will "marry"/"possess"/"take ownership" of you.

Your sons, and not a stranger, will possess you.

And by doing it, they become your builders.

My son is my "builder" when he marries and brings my grandchildren into the world.

All this can be read on many levels.

Liz

-----Original Message-----
From: Polycarp66 AT aol.com [mailto:Polycarp66 AT aol.com]
Sent: Sun, July 07, 2002 9:03 PM
To: Biblical Hebrew
Subject: Re: Your sons or your Builder? (Is 62:5)

In a message dated 7/7/2002 9:58:40 AM Eastern Daylight Time, tony.larsson AT cling.gu.se writes:

* Does anyone have any comments on which reading of BNYK is preferable
  or probable, sons or Builder? Which did Isiah (and the Holy Spirit)
  have in mind when writing the text?

* Any thought about what motivations the scribes had for vocalising BNYK
  as "sons"?