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  • From: "Maurice A. O'Sullivan" <mauros AT iol.ie>
  • To: John Cordaro <jcordaro AT intergate.com>
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Hebrew plural
  • Date: Mon, 09 Aug 2004 10:55:25 +0100

At 03:09 09/08/2004, John Cordaro wrote:

If so, how does one determine it is plural and how should we then understand these verses?


John:
Perhaps this excerpt from the UBS Handbook may be of help?

12:1
*The Hebrew expression for your Creator sounds like the Hebrew for your grave.
<snip>

_Your Creator_ is the object of the imperative _Remember_. The form here is
plural (literally 'those who created you'), and although it occurs in that
form in Job 35.10 and Psa 149.2, some commentators think the text as we
have it may have been damaged in transmission. They suggest 'your well,' a
possible reference to the person's wife (as it is in Pro 5.15), or else
'your grave' or 'your vigor.' The interpretation 'your grave' is mentioned
in a footnote in TEV. The fact that in wisdom writing God is often referred
to as the Creator, and that creation is a prominent notion in wisdom
literature and in Qoheleth, suggests the present Hebrew text is correct.
The Hebrew plural form 'elohim, 'God,' is similar to the plural of the
Hebrew for Creator. NRSV uses lower case, 'creator,' suggesting that it may
not be a reference to God but to a more general act of creation. We suggest
following RSV here, retaining 'Creator.' We may also say 'the One who
created you.' Ogden, G. S., & Zogbo, L. (1998). A handbook on Ecclesiastes.
UBS handbook series; Helps for translators (Page 418). New York: United
Bible Societies.



Maurice A. O'Sullivan [ Bray, Ireland ]
mauros AT iol.ie






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