Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Peter Kirk" <peterkirk AT ozemail.com.au>]

I would understand the place where the Hebrews would have to eat their own
dung and drink their own urine as not Sheol but either the besieged city or
in Assyrian captivity. The NIV Study Bible, for what it's worth, describes
this as "A vivid portrayal of the potential hardship of a prologed siege";
this probably reflects the consensus at least of conservative Christian
commentary. You may disagree, but do you have any evidence that there is a
reference to death or Sheol here?

Peter Kirk
peter.r.kirk AT ntlworld.com
http://web.onetel.net.uk/~peterkirk/
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:b-hebrew-
> bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Lisbeth S. Fried
> Sent: 08 February 2003 02:16
> To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
> Subject: RE: [b-hebrew] Nephesh Mesopotamian myths
> 
> Dear Walter,
> We are on the same wave-length here.
> The speech put into the mouth of the Rabshekeh by the Deuteronomist
> (as I believe) reflects Hebraic thinking. According to 2 Kings 18:27
> the dead, alive in Sheol, are condemned to eat their own dung and
> drink their own urine.
> I would think at the least that this requires a body, first to produce
> the dung and urine, then to eat it!
> Blech!
> Liz
>