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  • From: "Harold R. Holmyard III" <hholmyard AT ont.com>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Proverbs 17:8
  • Date: Mon, 17 May 2004 13:16:20 -0500

Dear Chris,

Subject: Proverbs 17:8.

The question here centres on the word that is translated as 'gift' and
'bribe'; and also on the 'object' of the proverb either as 'the person' who
is the recipient of the 'gift/bribe' or the 'it' ie the gift/bribe itself.

Personally speaking I favour 'gift' even though this word is often
translated as bribe elswhere, this is very much linked to the somewhat
esthetical sense of the word 'stone of grace' and its position in the
sentence?. Anyway please elucidate me with your grammatical intuitions. I
learn good things from these heated debates.

HH: "Stone of grace" probably implies a jewel (NASB: "precious stone") or charm (NRSV: "magic stone"). The verses on either side of Prov 17:8, which may not be related to it, concern evil. The Hebrew word here, $+D ("gift/bribe"). almost always refers to something evil. There's not a completely unambiguous example of a positive meaning for the word in the OT, it seems to me. Also, the verse suggests a somewhat negative meaning for $+D because it apparently aims to bring success to the one who possesses it. A true gift is given for the joy that it will bring to the recipient, not for the success it will bring to the giver. So I would lean towards the bribe interpretation.

Yours,
Harold Holmyard





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