Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>]

On 29/04/2004 08:31, David Kimbrough (CLWA) wrote:

> Of the four times that the word "mice" (akbari) occurs in the OT,  all are
> associated with golden objects resembling the animal rather than actual
> animal.  Further, all four occur in 1 Sam  6 (4-18) as "trespass offerings".
> The two times that the  word "mouse" (akbar) is used, it is in association
> with dietary prohibitions (Lev 11:29 and Isa 66:17).  I know people will eat
> mice and rats in desperation but I don't know of any societies where it is
> the norm.  If people were not actually eating these animals on some sort of
> routine and conspicuous basis, there would be no need for a prohibition.  It
> may well be that it is a reference to some other small mammal, although I
> guess the LXX translators clearly thought the appropriate Greek word was
> "mus".
>
> In terms of given names, many English family names are from small (and large
> mammals), e.g. Fox, Lamb, Hare, Rabbit, Mink, Hogge, etc.
>
>
> David Eugene Kimbrough
>
>  
I looked at Leviticus 11:29 and found that in fact this is not primarily 
about dietary laws. Unclean food animals have already been listed in 
vv.4-8. Although the animals listed in vv.29-30 are certainly also not 
to be eaten, what the text actually says about them is that any person, 
article or food which touches theire dead bodies is unclean. Finding a 
dead mouse, rat or whatever would have been a common occurrence; eating 
them would not normally have been attempted.

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