Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Kevin W. Woodruff" <cierpke AT prodigy.net>]

David:

"When you act as midwives, and see (them) upon the
stones, if it is a son, then you shall kill him...." 

It would not make sense to speak about the girl's

The term obnäyim is never used of testicles. Testicles
are referred as `äshek in Lev 21:20
 A "shaft" is not mentioned.  The reference is Exodus
1:16, not Genesis 1:16


Kevin



--- "David N. da Silva" <huyxh8s02 AT sneakemail.com>
wrote:

> Potter's wheels do contain stone: it provides
> momentum needed to keep the wheel turning smoothly. 
>  Some think that the upper wheel (where the clay
> sits) was made of stone, and there is another stone
> as a hub for the lower kick wheel.   Perhaps this is
> based on archaeology.   But if I were building one,
> I would make the upper wheel of wood, and lash two
> balanced stones to either side of the central
> spindle.
> 
> As far as I know, there is no reason at all to
> suppose that 'aobnayim refers to birthing stools
> except that someone made that guess in an attempt to
> understand Gen 1:16.   Jeremiah 18:3 is the
> reference to a potter's wheel.   There is nothing in
> Gen 1:16 (as far as I can tell with my poor Hebrew)
> that suggests the woman is on the 'aobnayim.
> 
> As to what Gen 1:16 means, surely that is obvious?  
> What after all would you look at to tell if a
> new-born babe is a boy or a girl?   I think the
> translation should be:
> 
> And he said: "When you act as midwife to an `Ebriy
> woman, look for the 'shaft and two stones.'   Kill
> the boys and let the girls live."
> 
> As always, I appreciate criticism.
> 
> By the way, does anyone have an idea if "Shifrah"
> and "Pu`ah" are Egyptian names? 
>    
> David Nunes da Silva
> 
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=====
Prof. Kevin W. Woodruff, M. Div., M. S. I. S.
Library Director/Reference Librarian, Professor of Bible and Greek
Tennessee Temple University/Temple Baptist Seminary, 1815 Union Ave. 
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423/493-4252 (office) 423/493-4423 (home) 423/493-4497 (FAX)
Cierpke AT prodigy.net  http://pages.prodigy.net/cierpke/woodruff.htm