Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Jonathan Walther <krooger AT debian.org>]

On Wed, Feb 25, 2004 at 03:28:09PM -0600, Charles David Isbell wrote:
> Now, dear Jonathan, please remember that the LXX itself was a translation
> done by JEWS.

Please accept my humble apologies.  Through lack of experience, I had
assumed the LXX was translated by Israelites of the Dispersion.  This
new information alters things considerably.

> So even if you believe with your pastor that the Massoretes
> altered the text on purpose: [a] an original betulah would not change the
> Hebrew meaning; [b] Greek parthenos does NOT mean virgo intacta.
> Incidentally, Luke was surely aware of this, and adds the very specific
> phrase on the mouth of Mary: "how can this be, since I have not known a
> man!"

You have provided valuable information.  I had intended to be silent for
the forseeable future, because other posters have pointed me to many
important references that I must read before returning here.  But your
pithy summary of the current research has possibly saved a lot of time
reading through the texts so I break that silence to say, thank you.  

> Finally, I confess that I do not understand the phrase "pure-blooded Jew",

I also do not understand that phrase.  I don't believe I used it, but I
could be mistaken.  If I did, it was an error, and I apologize.

> Jews are of many races, even as early as Exodus when a group from
> Mesopotamia are joined by Egyptians, Midianites, and soon therafter
> Canaanites like Rahab.

We are in complete agreement.

> Your Pastor Herrell sounds to me like either an intellectual
> lilliputian or a first-class bigot.

I confess that in some sense Pastor Herrell and I are both bigots.  If
being strongly, patriotically pro-Israel makes one an intellectual
lillipution, then I am one too.

> Take it from me, a Jew who can only trace his ancestry back to 17th
> century Spain, his opinions are vulgar and vile as well as based on 24
> caret ignorance.

Since he has Israel's best interests at heart, perhaps we could discuss
his errors with him in private.

Jonathan

--
Address: 13685 Hilton Road, Surrey, BC V3R5J8 (Canada)
Contact: 604-951-4142 (between 7am and 10pm, PST)
Website: http://reactor-core.org