Biblical Hebrew Forum

["UUC" <unikom AT paco.net>]

Dear Harold,

> >hzv, again, has positive, creative connotation. The example you
> >offered, Hos6:5, only proves my point:
> >
> >I hewed (hzv) them by the prophets
> >
> >Prophets didn't kill or cut to pieces, they hewed people into good Jews.

>HH: Hos. 6:5 Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you
> with the words of my mouth; my judgments flashed like lightning upon
> you.
>
> HH: Hebrew uses parallelism here, and the words are not positive.

Sure he words are unpleasant. My point is that hzv here does not imply
destruction, since prophets did not kill generally.

>
> HH: Look at the whole verse:
>
> >Now, returning to Is51:9,
> >
> >mahzevet is causative of hzv, so, made the one to hew, therefore,
> >
> >Are not you the one who made the rahab (Egypt) who hews the stones
> >(made pyramids?), [and the one who] shocks the crocodile (pharaoh;
> >makes him tremble, or empties)
> >
> >The meaning is that the power of Almighty is two-folded, to give and
> >to empty of, to help and to make tremble.
>
> HH: This is the verse in a standard translation:
>
> Is. 51:9 Awake, awake! Clothe yourself with strength, O arm of the
> LORD; awake, as in days gone by, as in generations of old. Was it not
> you who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced that monster through?
>
> HH: I don't really have time for this kind of exchange. If you
> address another question to me, I will not answer it.

This is ridiculous. who cut is not causative. You're ignoring prefixes as it
suits you.


Sincerely,

Vadim Cherny