Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Richard Burks <rburks9400 AT comcast.net>]

David,

I will let George respond for himself, however I would refer you to Judges
20:15-17 which says:

"And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of their
cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel. 15
And the children of Benjamin numbered on that day out of the cities twenty
and six thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who
numbered seven hundred chosen men. 16 All this people, even seven hundred
chosen men, were left-handed; every one could sling stones at a
hair-breadth, and not miss." (KJV)

I am translating Judges for a paper I am writing. I am also left-handed.  I
used to have a coffee cup which referred to this the above passage, along
with a list of famous left-handed people.

The term for left-handed in Hebrew indicates that their is disabled of the
right side.  The LXX and Vulgate interpret this word to mean that someone
was ambidextrous. 

Regards,

Bill Burks

On 7/2/04 12:30 AM, "david.kimbrough AT charter.net"
<david.kimbrough AT charter.net> wrote:

> George,
> 
> Ignoring the fact that only about %10 of any population
> will be  left-handed, the only reference I can find in
> regards to Benjaminites and left-handedness is in Judges
> which says -  Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man
> lefthanded -
> 
> Did you have some specific verse in 1 Chron in mind?
> 
> 
>> 
>> From: "George F. Somsel" <gfsomsel AT juno.com>
>> Date: 2004/07/02 Fri AM 04:16:45 GMT
>> To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
>> Subject: [b-hebrew] The slings and arrows of outrageous
> fortune -- 1 Chron
>> 12.2
>> 
>> The recent thread on Goliath made me think of this
> passage.  It is
>> interesting in that it specifically mentions that the
> Benjaminites are
>> left-handed.  It might be significant that they were
> left-handed if they
>> were simply infantry fighting with a spear or sword.
> Once a shot leaves
>> the sling or an arrow the bow, however, does it really
> matter whether the
>> one acting is right- or left-handed?  Why would this be
> specifically
>> mentioned?  I realize this isn't really a b-hebrew type
> question, but my
>> curiosity was arroused.
>> 
>> george
>> gfsomsel
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>> 
> 
> David Kimbrough
> San Gabriel
> 
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