Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>]

On 30/09/2003 10:21, Karl Randolph wrote:

> To All:
>
> After writing a note last night questioning if some of the lexemes in the 
> dictionary are merely alternate spellings, does it make sense that I should 
> come on today asking if we should add one? Especially when in this case I 
> don’t have an alternate spelling to back me up?
>
> While reading Proverbs 30 this morning, it struck me that the last of the 
> four objects moving is that of the conquering fellow “into the unknown”. A 
> possible pronunciation being “derek geber be‘alumah”.
>
> Linguistically, the proposed (LMH “‘alumah” comes from the root (LM meaning 
> “to be unknown or make unknown”, so the meaning fits.
>
> Psychologically, there is a constant desire of men to challenge  the unknown, 
> whether it is to explore new frontiers, make new discoveries or invent that 
> which has not appeared before.
>
> So here I have the parallelism of the context in the verse, linguistic 
> possibility and psychological insight that suggests that (LMH read as 
> “‘alumah” “unknown” is a proper lexeme that fits this verse.
>
> Even this question is my road into the unknown and youall keep shooting me 
> down often enough, but I’m learning.    :-)
>
> Karl W. Randolph.
>  
Karl, what have you against the traditional translation "the way of a 
man with a maiden"? No need to invent a new lexeme, we have the 
well-known 'alma = young woman, virgin. Sounds like it fits the context 
very well - at least to me whose lack of success means that this way 
remains a mystery to me :-( ;-)

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/