Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>]

On 24/08/2004 07:27, moon AT mail.sogang.ac.kr wrote:

> [George]: 
>  
>
> > First, your tranliteration is very misleading.  Here is the text.
> >
> > W:)aL_T.fBoW B:Mi$:P.f+ )eT_(aB:D.eKf C.iY Lo)_YiCD.aQ L:PfNeYKf KfL_XfY
> >    

K.IY, not C.IY, if you want to be pedantic.

> ...
>
> So, I did not think that translating Mi$P.f+ to "statue/regulation" would be
> so problematic. My concern was (1) the feasiblity of translating 
> W:)aL_T.fBoW  )eT_(aB:D.eKf to "do not come unto your servant",
> and whether we can take it to mean "do not reproach your servant".
>
>  
I think the problem here may be that you are writing "statue" instead of 
"statute". These are two different English words. The latter means (from 
http://www.bartleby.com/61/20/S0722000.html):

> *1.* A law enacted by a legislature. *2.* A decree or edict, as of a 
> ruler. *3.* An established law or rule, as of a corporation.

and as such is a possible translation of Hebrew MISHPAT.

My own interpretation would be along the lines of "don't go with your 
servant to (the place of) judgment", i.e. "don't take your servant to 
court". Compare Isaiah 3:14, Job 22:4, the same idiom except with `IM 
instead of 'ET, and Job 9:32. Compare also Jeremiah 1:16, 4:12, 12:1, 
39:5 where MISHPATIM 'ET- implies litigation against.

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/