Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Yigal Levin" <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il>]

Hi Chris,

The word Moca) comes from Yaca), "went out", that is, a Moca) is the place
from which they went out on their journey. The following 48 verses give a
long list of places from which they set out, and to which they went.

The reversal in order is interesting, but I would not read too much into it.
Even biblical authors tried to keep their audiences on their toes,
especially if this list was originally passed down in oral form. Just for
comparison, look at the AV for this section. The Hebrew "Vayyis(u" is
sometimes "And they departed", sometimes "And they removed", and even "and
they took their journey out of". The Hebrew Vayyahanu is sometimes "and
encamped" and sometimes "and pitched". Why? Just to make it less monotonous.

Yigal

----- Original Message -----
From: "wattswestmaas" <wattswestmaas AT eircom.net>
To: "B-Hebrew" <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2004 9:14 PM
Subject: [b-hebrew] Numbers 33:2...MOTSA


> In numbers 33:2 we have a reversal of word order.  "Moses wrote their
goings
> out according to thier journeys .......   these are their journeys
according
> to their goings out".
>
> What I am interested in here is the noun MOTSA,  this word conveys varied
> meanings throughout scripture, but the underlying theme seems always to be
a
> sense of "Destiny"  IE it was the "Purpose" of the subject that it should
> "MOTSA/carry out" this function.
>
> Can anybody confirm this thinking or make suggestions?
>
> Regards  Chris.
>
>
>
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