Biblical Hebrew Forum

[kgraham0938 AT comcast.net]

@David:  You wrote...

The KJV ASV and RSV all treat these two nouns as a construct absolute 
chain (lightnings of the thunder). But that doesn't really seem to be 
what is happening with these two words. The majority of the other major 
translations take them together to refer to a thunderbolt (NASB) or a 
thunderstorm (NEB, NIV). The Message understands a waw between the two 
of them and translates thunder and lightning.


Response: Yeah I am not sure about ASV and RSV but KJV never does a good job 
in my view with constructs.  Notice Ps 48:1, in the Hebrew HAR-KFD$W which 
literally reads "mountain of his holiness. " Most bible translators would see 
this as an attributive genitive meaning "his holy mountain."  Not KJV, they 
leave it as is, which is weird in my view.


The same here, the KJV is simply translating the genitive expression 
literally.  I would take it as thunder of voices, basically meaning 
thunderclap.  Which probably affiliated with the noise from thunder after 
lightning has struck. Although HALOT on p302 takes (xaziz kwlwt)  as 
thunderbolt. Which is probably pointing towards lightning. And on 1084 sees 
it as thunderclap.

But with WDEREK in mind, xaziz is probably refering to the path of lightning, 
so maybe thunderbolt would be the best translation.



--
Kelton Graham
KGRAHAM0938 AT comcast.net


> Greetings:
> 
> I was looking recently at Job 28:26. The text states God made a path 
> for lightning thunders.
> (WDRK LXZYZ QLWT).
> 
> I'm afraid that I don't quite understand the grammar here.
> 
> The KJV ASV and RSV all treat these two nouns as a construct absolute 
> chain (lightnings of the thunder). But that doesn't really seem to be 
> what is happening with these two words. The majority of the other major 
> translations take them together to refer to a thunderbolt (NASB) or a 
> thunderstorm (NEB, NIV). The Message understands a waw between the two 
> of them and translates thunder and lightning.
> 
> Could someone give me an idea about what is really going on with this 
> construction! Thanks!
> 
> David Bell
> davidbbell AT ono.com
> En MMV civitatem fundamenta habentem expectans
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