Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Tracey McCluskey <tmccluskey AT cambridge.org>]

The Cambridge Biblical Hebrew Workbook, Introductory Level by Nava 
Bergman, is now available (UK and Europe, USA in May)

More information from: http://www.cambridge.org/0521533694

(Posted with permission of Jonathan Robie)

Tracey McCluskey
Marketing Controller, History and Religious Studies
Cambridge University Press
Edinburgh Building
Shaftesbury Road
Cambridge, CB2 2RU
Tel (direct): +44 (0) 1223 325756
>From wattswestmaas AT eircom.net  Thu Apr 21 10:52:08 2005
Return-Path: <wattswestmaas AT eircom.net>
X-Original-To: b-hebrew AT lists.Ibiblio.org
Delivered-To: b-hebrew AT lists.Ibiblio.org
Received: from mail10.svc.cra.dublin.eircom.net
        (mail10.svc.cra.dublin.eircom.net [159.134.118.26])
        by lists.ibiblio.org (Postfix) with SMTP id E2D134C005
        for <b-hebrew AT lists.Ibiblio.org>; Thu, 21 Apr 2005 10:52:07 -0400 
(EDT)
Received: (qmail 23538 messnum 6680413 invoked from
        network[159.134.217.197/159-134-217-197.as2.chf.cork.eircom.net]);
        21 Apr 2005 14:52:04 -0000
Received: from 159-134-217-197.as2.chf.cork.eircom.net (HELO chrispc)
        (159.134.217.197)
        by mail10.svc.cra.dublin.eircom.net (qp 23538) with SMTP;
        21 Apr 2005 14:52:04 -0000
From: "wattswestmaas" <wattswestmaas AT eircom.net>
To: "B-Hebrew" <b-hebrew AT lists.Ibiblio.org>
Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2005 15:51:52 +0100
Message-ID: <FAEIIKJEKGHNGLFNMDBCEELACDAA.wattswestmaas AT eircom.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain;
        charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Priority: 3 (Normal)
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2910.0)
Importance: Normal
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000
Cc: 
Subject: [b-hebrew] Answering "Children being punished" Ex 34:7
X-BeenThere: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5
Precedence: list
List-Id: Hebrew Bible List <b-hebrew.lists.ibiblio.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew>,
        <mailto:b-hebrew-request AT lists.ibiblio.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/b-hebrew>
List-Post: <mailto:b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
List-Help: <mailto:sympa AT lists.ibiblio.org?subject=HELP>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew>,
        <mailto:b-hebrew-request AT lists.ibiblio.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2005 14:52:08 -0000

I have read peoples' replies and would like to give a general response, and
respectfully with also Bill in mind.

The root PEH-KOF-DALET has very versatile applications.  Essentially, "To
give Ones Attention To"  (Horowitz)  I have always found it a noteworthy
point that the hebrew words employed for punishment in scripture are not
used here, neither are the words for guilty or wicked, and bearing in mind
the preceding declaration about God's incessant desire to forgive (which
means TOTAL AQUITTAL by the way) one HAS NO CHOICE but to consider another
"understanding" for this scripture.  In the context of PKD being used here I
will suggest that scripture is saying that God will pay particular attention
to these 'shortcomings in the fathers and will be addressing those problems
in the following generations. THIS NEED NOT BE IN A NEGATIVE MANNER! and
this can not be construed from this verse, neither can 'punishment or
guilty' be construed.

SIN is not a verbal action it is a state of being; as opposed to
transgression and rebellion which are the manifested actions of a result of
the sinful state of an individual and SIN is generational and manifests
itself in wrong attitudes and behavioural problems (we can all see that in
the modern world every day).  And the God of these scriptures is about
addresing this core deep rooted issue and rectifying it through pain,
suffering and hardship (as seen in the whole story of the exodus out of
Egypt which is littered with very suggestive undertones for the need for
behavioural changes in order that God can prepare His people to receive his
words at Sinai and He accomplishes this through denial, hardship and
re-programming of mental processes). He ATTENDS these problems.  He visits
the situation in the individual's life,  as I understand the context.

Exodus 34:7 does NOT say that God will Visit the TRANSGRESSIONS OR
REBELLIONS, but the SINS.  And keeping in line with the understanding that
the people would have had of this hebrew word at that time, I would propose
that SIN meant "shortcomings" or "not reaching the desired target".  (for us
today a sin is doing anything wrong but that is not the original meaning).

Putting all this together I believe that the translation is more accurately
delivered with the idea that: "... In the aquittal God will not completely
acquit but will confront the shortcomings of the fathers' in their children
up to the third and fourth generation...". Because their children would
carry on the same misformed and unhelpful character traits that led them to
TRANSGRESS in the first place.

In Ezekiel 18:19 it was remarked that the command was changed, OR that
Ezekiel renounced a previous policy.  Well I believe that neither of these
remarks are correct.  The key words at the beginning are "YET, YOU LOT
SAY..."  this reminds me of Jesus when he often said to his hearers:  "You
have heard it said...BUT I TELL YOU...."  I believe that the religious
leaders in Ezekiel's day had come to misrepresent Moses's words on this very
issue just like the Pharasaical leaders had misrepresented Moses's words a
few hundred years later.  Ezekiel was simply CORRECTING a misunderstanding
and an ABUSE of scripture through what he declared,   NOT changing anything
at all.  Today there are places filled with people who abuse scripture and
there are thousands who follow.  Nothing has changed since Ezekiel's day.
Here I believe there was a fundemantal aspect of God's name being abused
(because in Exodus 34:7 this statement about the children etc is TIED and
BONDED to His name) to mean that sons are guilty because of their Fathers
and visa versa  And Ezekiel was correcting this misunderstanding.

Chris Watts, Ireland.