Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

B-Haverim,

First off, I have no special preference for welding rather than sharpening 
as an explanation of this proverb.  I haven't yet seen why, on the other 
hand, welding is not a beautiful possibility.  Let me advocate for the "road 
less travelled":

According to one web site, welding is an ancient art.

See  http://www.weldinghistory.org/history/welding/index.html:

1475 BC the tomb of Vizier Rekh-mi-re at Thebes, a wall painting depicts a 
brazing operation.
1000 BC Iron and bronze items found in excavations near the pyramids were 
forge-welded.

The *difficulty* of the technique of forge welding does not in any way make 
it literarily improbable as the figure being employed in Pro 27:17.  On the 
contrary, the difficulty of the technique may actually be a writer's 
incentive for using the figure seeing the proverb is extolling something 
special about intimate friendship.

Shalom,  Bryan

B. M. Rocine
Living Word Church
6101 Court St. Rd.
Syracuse, NY 13206

ph: 315.437.6744
fx: 315.437.6766