Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Chemorion" <chosefu_chemorion AT wycliffe.org>]

According to the UBS book "Flora and Fauna of the Bible" (pp.54-55),
> XOLED cannot mean "mole" because "the European _talpa_ does not live in
> Palestine". "The Syrian mole rat [which] belongs to the rodents", Spalax
> ehrenbergi, is suggested as the identification of xaparpara in Isaiah
> 2:20. Also (p.57): "1 S[amuel] 6 probably refers to the Levant vole
> (_Microtus guentheri_) as it eats up the crops in the fields".
>
Dear all,
I am in the process of translating the book of Isaiah into the Sabaot
language. I need some clarification from both Hebrew and English experts on
Isaiah 2:20, the written phrase "laxpor perot" which is corrected to be read
as "laxaparparot". Without the preposition, the corrected word the reads
"xaparparot" , which makes me ask two rather basic questions: First, what
could be the major cause for the  correction of  "xpor perot" to
"xaparparot"? Secondly, what is the most accurate meaning of this word; does
it mean a rodent, rat, or mole? It is somewhat confusing when English
translations do not agree, for example CEV translates it as "rats", NIV says
"rodents", and NLT says "moles". Sabaot language does not have a general
term such as "rodents" but there is a clear distinction between a rats and a
moles.
Chemorion Chosefu
Sabaot Bible Translation
P.O.Box 6645 Eldoret (Kenya)
Tel.Office- 053 33794, Personal- 0733 360873