Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>]

On 18/12/2004 16:51, Harold R. Holmyard III wrote:

> Dear Peter,
>
> > > The )oHeL MoW("D is called the SKHNH MARTURIOU in the LXX.  See Ex 
> > > 33.7.
> > But this is a mistranslation based on a misunderstanding of MW(D. 
> > This word does not mean "witness" or "testimony", from the root (WD, 
> > but "congregation", from the root Y(D, as was recognised by BDB.
>
>
> HH: Or tent of meeting (BDB).


Well, "meeting" has various possible meanings. Is the meaning here 
"meeting" in the noun sense "assembly", or "meeting" in the verbal 
sense, suggesting that the tent was the place where people met with God?

> > The same confusion underlies the translation of ("DW.T as 
> > "testimony", also used with )OHEL for the Tabernacle, and especially 
> > in Psalms 19 and 119. This word is also derived from Y(D and refers 
> > to something appointed by God, rather than to a witness or testimony.
>
>
>
> HH: Is this something new?  BDB lists eduth, (DWT, under the root (WD, 
> "bear witness."


Well, it is newer than BDB (1906), which is wrong here.

It is generally recognised, even by BDB, that there are two senses of 
(DH `eda, one "testimony" and the other "congregation". It makes much 
more sense to relate `edut (plural: `edwot) to the latter than to the 
former. But I don't have time to justify this just now.

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