Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

Dear Rodney: 

I am a little surprised at the response I am getting from this thread. 

To start out, I have never been able to make heads or tails out of this verse. What sort 
of road does a man have in a virgin? The moment of a physical entrance of a man in 
knowing a woman, she is no longer a virgin. Therefore, we cannot be talking about 
the physical action. But if we are not talking about a physical action, how does the 
man remain the subject? Is not the subject then really the virgin's hopes, expectations 
and dreams? 

I proposed that a different definition for (LMH consistent with the unpointed text and 
grammar would give a reading consistant with the parallelism of the rest of the verse.  

As I understand the response, it is that one cannot go against 2000 years of tradition. 
Why not? After all, the LXX, which predates the 2000 year old tradition, has a 
different reading. If my proposed definition is wrong, and it could be, why not consider 
the LXX translation? It also fits the grammar, parallelism and unpointed text. Yes, I 
know there are problems with the LXX, but why not at least hear them out on this 
verse? Does later tradition trump earlier translation, the earlier translation possibly 
pointing to an earlier tradition since forgotten? 

You have a new argument, namely mystery, but still have the question which sort of 
mysterious road in a virgin? Her thoughts? Emotions? Is it the man, or her dreams? 

How authoritative will a call to tradition be to a person who already questions the 170 
year old traditions of Gesenius and BDB? It is the call to tradition that surprises me. 

Karl  W. Randolph. 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rodney K. Duke" <dukerk AT appstate.edu> 
>  
> Dear Karl, 
>  
> I have not been following the thread on Pro 30:19, but I saw your  
> exchange below with Bryan and wanted to throw out a thought, although it  
> might be one that you have discounted already. I have assumed that the  
> point of contact among the examples given is the mystery about how  
> "progress" is made: 
>  
> eagle: how does it fly, move through the sky, a non-tangible medium? 
> snake: how does it move, it has no feet/legs? 
> ship: how can it move forward/follow a course in fluid? 
> man and maiden: how does one move/become attractive to a woman? 
>  
> Rodney Duke 
>  

--
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