Biblical Hebrew Forum

["B. M. Rocine" <brocine AT twcny.rr.com>]

Hi Karl, you wrote:

> BTW, does not Hosea 10:10 also have "eyes" in a simple plural?
>
> Karl W. Randolph.

No.  You are the only one I know who reads it that way, and I'd rather not 
join you.  Most translators go with Qere here `avonatam, "their sin."

Shalom,
Bryan

----- Original Message -----
From: "B. M. Rocine" <brocine AT twcny.rr.com>
> Dear Karl,
>
> I think whenever `ayin appears in the dual it means "eyes," but
> whenever it appears in the plural it means "springs."  Hence if we
> re-vowel the word in Pro 5:16 to read me`eynoteyka it means "from
> your springs" not "from your eyes."  When `ayin is singular,
> context will have to tell whether it means "eye" or "spring."
>
> I vote leaving the MT as is and wrestling with whether Pro 5:16 is
> a question or a hope.
>
> Shalom,
> Bryan
>
>
> you wrote:
>
> Harold:
>
> It is precisely because I had difficulty with the traditional
> meaning that I even considered a different reading. That is why I
> asked if there is a grammatical reason not to read it as such, not
> what does tradition say. By tradition, I include the Masoritic
> pointing.
>
> There is no grammatical indication that this is a question.
>
> The context indicates that a man should be looking at his wife
> only, not at other women, which should "be dispersed from his
> eyes". My reading keeps the grammar as standard instead of changing
> to a grammatically non-standard question and fits the context. Is
> there any grammatical point that I overlook?
>
> Karl W. Randolph.
>
>
> -- B. M. Rocine
> Living Word Church
> 6101 Court St. Rd.
> Syracuse, NY 13206