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  • From: "Charles David Isbell" <cisbell AT cox.net>
  • To: "Jim West" <jwest AT highland.net>, "Biblical Hebrew" <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Cc: <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Shebah.
  • Date: Sun, 18 Aug 2002 10:29:55 -0500


Biblical Hebrew routinely chooses a feminine form to express a lack of
specificity. Exodus 14.5 has MaH Zo'T `aSiNnu; 14.11 has MaH Zo'T `aSiTa,
etc. The use of feminine SheVa` here is best translated as "seven fold," I
believe. The numerical expression "seven times" [SheVa` Pe`aMim] is found
in Gn 33.3 and Lev 4.6, both instances clear that an act was or should be
repeated seven times rather than once.
It should be noted that there is another standard expression for sevenfold:
ShiV`aTaYim. See for example Ps 79.12; Gn 4.15, 24; Isa 30.26; Prv 6.31,
etc.
At any rate, it is difficult to see how the numeral SheVa` standing alone
could mean "seven periods of time."
Shalom,
Charles David Isbell




  • Shebah., Arek Wisniewski, 08/17/2002
    • <Possible follow-up(s)>
    • Re: Shebah., Jim West, 08/18/2002
    • Re: Shebah., Charles David Isbell, 08/18/2002
    • Shebah., Shoshanna Walker, 08/18/2002
    • Re: Shebah., Shai Heijmans, 08/18/2002
    • Re: Shebah., Joe Sprinkle, 08/18/2002
    • Re: Shebah., Yigal Levin, 08/19/2002

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