Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Karl Randolph" <kwrandolph AT email.com>]

Jim:

Since noone else has answered this question, I’ll take a stab at it.

In Prov. 24:7: the noun R)MWT is used only twice in Tenakh, neither time in a 
context from which we can recognize its meaning. In Job 28:18 it is used in 
parallel with pearls, which in ancient times were very precious. Apparently 
corals (the dictionary definition) were also considered a precious commodity 
used for jewelry in ancient times, hence coral being compared to wisdom in 
verse 7.

Verses 10 and 11–12 appear to be two different entries.

11–12 I read “Snatch away (rescue) those taken to die and restrain if you can 
those carrying away to kill. For you say, we do not know this, does not the 
one who measures hearts understand and he who guards your life know and he 
will cause to return to a person according to his actions?”

Verse 10 puzzles me too. “You make yourself slacken (make without energy, 
droop, dishearten) in the day of distress, your strength is narrow.” Could 
this be similar to “A stitch in time saves nine” where one needs to fill in 
the blanks to understand it? Does anyone else have any clues?

Karl W. Randolph.

----- Original Message -----
From: Jim West <jwest AT highland.net>

> There are a couple of things in Prov 24 that are odd to me:
> first,
> verse 7 has the word "corals" - but its translated "too high" or some such.
> Now to me "corals" makes perfect sense because the line says "wisdom is like
> coral for a fool"- how? simply put, attaining wisdom for a fool is like
> obtaining coral for the poor.
> 
> the second difficulty is found in vv 10-12.  I just dont get it.  what is
> being described here?
> 
> thanks
> 
> Jim
> 
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> 
> Jim West
> Quartz Hill School of Theology
> Adjunct Professor of Biblical Studies
> 
> Biblical Studies Resources
> http://web.infoave.net/~jwest
-- 
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