Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>]

On 14/01/2004 14:13, Karl Randolph wrote:

> This BDB list is exactly the sort of lexicography to which I object. This is 
> not giving the meaning of the word, rather it is a list of possible 
> translations. In other words, entries like this show that BDB is a 
> translator’s dictionary, not a dictionary for a student who wants to learn to 
> think in Biblical Hebrew.
> ...
>  

The problem, as I see it, is that George has misrepresented BDB in his 
over-enthusiastic abbreviation. The full BDB article is more than three 
pages of small print, including short paragraphs describing several of 
the senses.

> ...
>
> For example, does the B-prefix mean “with”? I can’t think of one time except 
> in the very narrow context where “with” is used as a sign of instrumentality. 
> ...
BDB also lists examples of B- meaning "with" in the senses of 
accompaniment and of concomitant conditions, and clearly distinguishes 
these from instrumentality. If you disagree with BDB on these listed 
cases, your disagreement is exegetical and not lexicographical.

By the way, Karl and others, you might be interested in 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lexicographylist.


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