Biblical Hebrew Forum

["VC" <vadim_lv AT center-tv.net>]

Dear Reinier,

The translation of "coastland" is perfectly reasonable. However, can we
disregard the established meaning of the word and attach it the sense, which
we think suits it better? This approach can lead as far away.
Besides, the Tanakhic authors had pretty good grasp on geography. They
probably could distinguish between an island and a coastland, even more so
since a large part of their country was a coastland or very close to it.

Best regards,

Vadim Cherny


> Let us not be misled by the term "islands". The Hebrew word probably has
> a wider meaning than that. Coastland may be a much better translation.
> Think of Isa. 20:6, for example, which probably refers to Philistea,
> Tyrus, or Sidon, some place near Israel. In the later chapters of Isaiah
> it may refer to all kinds of Greek and/or Phoenician colonies in the
> Mediterranean.
>
> Let us not forget that we have good maps these days. For us the
> distinction between islands, peninsulas, and coastlands is relevant. I
> doubt whether it had the same relevance for the writer of
> deutero-Isaiah.
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Reinier de Blois
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
> > [mailto:b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Noam Eitan
> > Sent: dinsdag 8 juni 2004 1:09
> > To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
> > Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] The islands
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org> wrote:
> > On 07/06/2004 12:39, VC wrote:
> >
> > >Dear Listmembers,
> > >
> > >Just wanted to share a thought. What always puzzled me in
> > the Tanakh -
> > >and this turn is most often encountered in Isaiah - is the
> > reference to
> > >certain islands. They are clearly hostile to the Jews, ...
> > >
> >
> > >Where does it say this?
> >
> > Many of the 36 references to Islands in the Tanakh are
> > hostile, particularly in the prophets. But it's not so much
> > that there is any evidence they were hostile to the Judeans,
> > but rather that the prophets were hostile to them, and even
> > this hostility was not specific but often part of a
> > generalized Yahwistic hostility to other nations who will be
> > taught a lesson one day about Yahweh's superiority. I think
> > Jeremiah 31:10 is emblematic - 'Islands' stand for the
> > remotest corners of the earth (and Yahweh's message and score
> > settling will reach EVEN as far as the islands.) - Noam
> > Eitan, Brooklyn, NY
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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