Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Jonathan D. Safren" <yonsaf AT beitberl.ac.il>]

To the ancient Israelite, the past was "qedem", meaning that he could see
it, it was something he already knew, and therefore it was "in front of,
before" him.. Cf. the similar use of the English "before".
On the other hand, the future was "'aharit" (as in 'aharit hayaim,
mistakenly translated as "the end of days"), meaning behind, because one
can't see the future just as one can't see what is behind him.
Therefore, a more suitable translation for 'aharit hayamim would be the NJPS
"In days to come".
Sincerely,
Jonathan D. Safren, Editor
Mo'ed - Annual for Jewish Studies
Center for Jewish Culture
Beit Berl College
Beit Berl Post Office
44905 Israel
Tel. 972-9-7476396
Fax 972-9-7475397
e-mail: moed AT beitberl.ac.il
Website: www.beitberl.ac.il/moed



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Yigal Levin" <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il>
To: "b-hebrew" <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Friday, July 23, 2004 6:03 AM
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] qedem


> Perhaps because of the idea that Man originated "in the east" (Eden). Or
> because that's where the sun comes from (rises). I actually think that
"old"
> is the primary meaning, "east" is a secondary one. the primary word for
east
> is Mizrax - "sunriseward".
>
>
> Yigal
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Noam Eitan" <neitian AT nyc.rr.com>
> To: "b-hebrew" <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
> Sent: Friday, July 23, 2004 3:36 AM
> Subject: [b-hebrew] qedem
>
>
> > Qedem is front, east and antiquity. I can understand that if you stand
> with
> > your back to the sea, the east is in front of you; but how did the east
> > become equated in BH with antiquity? - Noam
> >
> >
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> >
> >
>
>
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