Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

David:

Both Shiphrah and Puah are Semitic names not Egyptian
names. Shiphrah is "to be fair" (root of Sapphira and
"sapphire") and Puah "splendid one" is possibly
cognate to the Ugaritic PGT for "girl."

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
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