Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Karl Randolph" <kwrandolph AT email.com>]

Peter:

This is one of the words where I find the dictionary meaning not making sense.

Part of the question is what does MNWN mean? I think it comes from the same 
root as NYN meaning offspring. That makes the verse read ”He who ???? his 
slave from youth, his end is flourishing.“ The ???? meaning pamper doesn‘t 
make sense, as pampering a slave results in a lack of production. But taking 
care of the needs of the slave and treating him with respect and fairness 
results in both production and satisfied slaves.

(As for modern business practices, my understanding for them come from modern 
studies on how to have satisfied and productive workers, not a defense of the 
modern, corporation dominated economies found from communism to socialist 
Europe to the U.S. and other places as well.)

As for the history of this verse, it is one of the rules attributed to 
Solomon collected by the men of Hezekiah (Proverbs 25:1).

Karl W. Randolph.

----- Original Message -----
From: Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>

> On 02/10/2004 19:58, Karl Randolph wrote:
> 
> >Peter and others:
> >
> >This is a hapax legomai for which I have seen different definitions, from 
> >to discipline to to pamper: what clues to it can we find in cognate 
> >languages?
> >  
> >
> 
> I can't exegete this verse for you convincingly, and there are textual 
> issues. But I can tell you that according to BDB PNQ is found in Arabic, 
> Aramaic and Syriac, and in Sirach 14:16, apparently supporting BDB's 
> gloss "indulge, pamper". BHS margin suggests, on the basis of the 
> Syriac, that this may be a pual participle, presumably meaning "one who 
> is pampered by his servant".
> 
> >Or did Solomon understand modern business practices, where one works with 
> >his underlings, giving credit where credit is due, treating them fairly 
> >yet with discipline?
> >  
> >
> 
> Maybe, maybe not. What does the second half of the verse mean? Perhaps 
> the point is that "modern business practices" cause more trouble in the 
> end. And anyway, who is Solomon?
> 
> 
> -- 
> Peter Kirk
> peter AT qaya.org (personal)
> peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
> http://www.qaya.org/
> 
> 

-- 
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