Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Alastair Haines <haines AT alastairs.com>]

Dear Ben and/or Jo

Thank you very much for this very clear and concise explanation with helpful
cross references.

Can I ask some more questions?

1. If 'QaW-QaW' is 'barbarous,' why is it *taught* in Kindergarten?

OR

2. Could it be childish and meaningless rhyme, something like "da do ron ron, 
da
do ron ron," in the words of the famous song?

My basic question comes down to the fact that these verses must either have
meaning in themselves or no meaning. It can't be both, but which is it? If 
they
have no meaning that won't stop people from the natural desire to 
speculatively
construct one. If they do have meaning, though, there should be support for 
the
interpretation.

What did the original hearers make of the verses? Did they recognize a
well-known meaningless phrase like "da do ron ron?" or did they understand
something more meaningful? Has that meaning been lost over time?

I'm sure you understand the thrust of my enquiry, thanks for giving the 
Biblical
cross references that are probably the best evidence available for 
understanding
the meaning, if any, to the original hearers.

Finally, are there any books you have found helpful in shaping your reading of
these verses?

Cheers,
alastair
--
Alastair Haines 9386-0016
http://www.alastairs.com/
http://www.biblefest.org/
http://www.HSCstudyConferences.com/



Ben and Jo Crick wrote:

> On Sat 16 Nov 2002 (23:41:19 +1100), haines AT alastairs.com wrote:
> > I wondered if any of the list members cared to comment on how Isaiah
> > 28:10&13 should be understood.
> >
> > tsav latsav tsav latsav qav laqav qav laqav
> >
> > Or shouldn't it be understood? Is that the point?
> >
>  The Sitz im Leben is something like this. The religious leaders of Isaiah's
>  time were complaining that Isaiah was treating them like Kindergarten kids
>  (verse 9). Don't you talk down to us!
>
>  In the Kindergarten, the children sit in a semicircle in front of the 
> teacher,
>  who recites verses phrase by phrase for them to repeat and learn by rote.
>
>  So we have this exchange:
>  Teacher: CaW LaCaW            Children: CaW LaCaW
>  Teacher: QaW LaQaW            Children: QaW LaQaW
>  Teacher: W:`eR $aM            Children: W:`eR $aM
>
>  And to underline it, it is repeated again at verse 13.
>  For CaW compare Hosea 5:11, HaLaK 'aXa:ReY-CaW; for QaW compare 1 Kings 
> 7:23,
>  W:QaW $:Li$iYM Ba'aMMaH (although there is a QeRe-KeTiB complication 
> there).
>
>  God warned Isaiah in 6:9 that his hearers would not want to listen, and
>  would misconstrue all he said. In Isaiah 18:2 and 7 a GoWY QaW-QaW is
>  going to be a problem. A nation whose speech is QaW-QaW?  A nation whose
>  speech the Greeks would say sounded like "Bar-bar", so "barbarians"?
>
>  If Isaiah's hearers would not believe what he told them in simple language,
>  then they would be told in a foreign language which they did not know: the
>  Babylonian language.
>
>  The view from here...
>
>  Ben
> --
>  Revd Ben Crick BA CF, and Mrs Joanna (Goodwin) Crick
>  <ben.crick AT argonet.co.uk>
>  232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
>  http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm
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