Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Yigal Levin" <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il>]

I think that you are right.

Yigal
----- Original Message -----
From: "A. Philip Brown II" <pbrown AT GBS.EDU>
To: "BHebrew" <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2004 5:17 AM
Subject: [b-hebrew] Yarek in BH, esp. Exod. 28:42


> I have been working on understanding what part of the anatomy YaReK refers
> to in Exod. 28:42.
>
> The following evidence is suggesting to me that YaReK is the part of the
leg
> from the hip to the knee, though the upper section of the thigh, what we
> call the hip (or flank of an animal), is often the primary segment of the
> leg in view with YaReK.
> 1. the fact that Ehud was able to conceal a cubit-length dagger upon his
> YaReK (Judg 3:16)
> 2. the collocation SHOK 'aL YaReK in Judges 15:8 and the LXX translation
of
> this phrase as KNHMHN EPI MHRON (L&S says KNHMH denotes "the part between
> the knee and ankle, leg, the shank, Lat. tibia"; hence "shank/shin upon
> thigh")
>
> Other usages of YaReK include:
> * YaReK refers to the hips or upper thigh (Sol. 7:2; the curve (?); LXX =
> RUQMOI of your MHRON is like a jewel)
> * YaReK may refer to the genitals ("every person ... who went out from
> Jacob's YaReK"-Gen. 46:26 [note here that not all came directly from
Jacob,
> seems to be a euphemism for the genitals, hence a reference rather than a
> sense?]; cf. Exo. 1:5; Judg. 8:30)
> * The place where one placed his sword (Exo. 32:27 Judg. 3:16, 21; Ps
45:4;
> Song 3:8);
> * Part of the leg of an adulterous woman that would shrivel or waste away
> (Num. 5:21, 22, 27)
> * The YaReK has a KaPH (Gen. 32:26, 32, 33), the hollow of the thigh or
> hip-socket. Specifically the angel touched Jacob on the GiYD HaGGaSHeH
which
> is located in the hollow of the thigh.
> * The place one struck with the hand when distressed, grieving, or
> humiliated (Jer. 31:19; Ezek. 21:17)
> * A part of the animal fit for eating; thigh and shoulder (Ezek. 24:4)
> * place where hand might br placed when swearing (Gen. 24:2, 9; 47:29)
> * Used metaphorically for the base of the lampstand (Exo. 25:31, 37:17;
Num.
> 8:4), and for the side of the altar (Lev 1:11; 2Ki 16:14), or the tent of
> meeting (Exo. 40:22, 24; Num. 3:29, 35)
>
> I know HALOT gives the sense "the fleshy part of the upper thigh," but
that
> seems to unnecessarily limit the term.
>
> Here are my questions:
> 1. What objections, if any, would there be to understanding YaReK as the
> area from the hip to the knee, not including the waist (=MaTNaYiM)?
> 2. Is there another Hebrew word that denotes the hip to knee part of the
leg
> as distinct from the knee and below?
> 3. Would I be overstating the length of the required priestly breeches to
> describe them as reaching approximately from the waist to knees?
>
> Philip Brown
> Cincinnati, OH
>
>
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