Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>]

On 01/07/2004 22:30, david.kimbrough AT charter.net wrote:

> George,
>
> Ignoring the fact that only about %10 of any population 
> will be  left-handed, ...

This may be true of any general population. But left-handedness is at 
least partly hereditary. The Benjamites were a small inbred group who 
could well have had an unusually high proportion of left-handers, and 
these might have been specially chosen for training as sling men - just 
as you will find an unusually high proportion of left-handers among spin 
bowlers in cricket, and professional boxers I think.

There is of course an irony here in that Benjamin means "son of right 
hand" i.e. right-handed!

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/