Biblical Hebrew Forum

[CS Bartholomew <jacksonpollock AT earthlink.net>]

On 7/11/03 11:42 AM, "Yigal Levin" <Yigal-Levin AT utc.edu> wrote:

> In this case, the author is
> definately eploying humor: In v. 1 the men, who were sent to spy secretly
> (Xeresh), go the the house of a Zonah, usually understood as a "harlot",
> "and lay there" ("wayyi$kebu-$ammah" - the KJ and others translate "lodged
> there", but that's missing the point).


The pattern "wayyi$kebu-$ammah"  the verb followed by the particle are found
in Josh. 2:1, 1Sam. 26:5, 2Kings 4:11, 2Kings 9:16, Ruth 3:4.

Not clear to me that this has a sexual connotation even if it is found in a
context where this is possible. I wonder if the particle+suffix $ammah
weighs in favor of the sexual reading or against it?

greetings,
Clay Bartholomew