Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Trevor Peterson <abuian AT access4less.net>]

Dave Washburn wrote:
> I'm wondering about the word HCN( in this verse.  It's a hapax; the nearest 
> cousin is a passive in Proverbs that seems to speak of humility.  But if the 
> word's meaning is clearly established as "humbly" or "in humility" or 
> something like that, why did the LXX translate it hETOIMON EINAI, "be 
> ready"???  The few commentaries etc. that I have are no help, they just 
> assume the "standard" rendering and move on.  I think it was Moffatt who 
> rendered it "in fellowship," and I have no idea where that came from.  Any 
> thoughts?
Not an answer, but a suggestion. From the entry in HALOT, it looks like 
a lot of ink has been spilled over this word. If you haven't already, 
you might try consulting the sources cited there. Incidentally, in its 
citation of the versions, it points out that there is a rather wide 
range of renderings. Syriac seems to agree with LXX, so Yigal may be on 
the right track with trying to find a possible confusion in the Hebrew 
text, rather than at the translation level.

Trevor Peterson
CUA/Semitics