Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

Dear Harold,

The same word means jackal. So why prefer coastland?


Sincerely,

Vadim Cherny

>
> >  > >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.
> >>
> >>  HH: "Coastland" is a well-established meaning for the word.
> >
> >Not in the conventional Hebrew dictionaries
>
> HH: I don't know what Hebrew dictionaries you use, but the meaning of
> coastland for )Y is certainly in major lexicons. In
> Brown-Driver-Briggs the first meaning given for )Y is "coast,
> region." Also "border," "islands," "coasts," and "banks" is given.
> The lexicon for )YY  HYM gives "coastlands and islands." In the
> _Dictionary of Classical Hebrew_ the first meaning given for )Y is
> "island." The second meaning is "coast, coastland."
>
> >  > >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.
> >>
> >>  HH: Yes, but if the Hebrew word could emphasize land that is in
> >>  contact with water, then the distinction between island and coastland
> >>  would be immaterial.
> >
> >Conjecture, again. If you like conjectures, I'll venture another one: why
im
> >is not jackal? Isaiah calls his enemies dogs, so why not jackals?
>
> HH: The lexicons give "island" and "coastland" as the meaning for
> this word, and the meanings share the fact that the land is bounded
> by water.
>
> Yours,
> Harold Holmyard
>
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