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b-hebrew - [b-hebrew] Ambiguities, doubling meanings and puns

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  • From: <tladatsi AT charter.net>
  • To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Cc: bill.rea AT canterbury.ac.nz
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] Ambiguities, doubling meanings and puns
  • Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 2:36:04 -0400

I am curious, did I understand someone to say that Hebrew
words cannot have more than one meaning, hence pun and
double entendres are not possible? It seems to me that
many parts of the Pentateuch abound in puns and double
entendres, particularly if read with an un-pointed text.

Genesis 25:25 seems a good example. Taking the NLT
translation as it is close at hand, it reads: The first was
very red at birth. He was covered with so much hair that
one would think he was wearing a piece of clothing. So they
called him Esau.

Esau is born red ? ?DM - and is the ancestor of the nation
of Edom ? ?DM. Further, Esau trades his birthright away
for a bowl of red (lentel) stew -?DM which earned him the
nickname ? ?DM. Although the words are pronounced somewhat
differently, they all look (un-pointed) exactly the same.

Reverse ambiguity is exploited in the same story. Esau is
born hairy - $?R. The nation of Edom was found on the
land of Seir - $?YR which sounds very much like the word
for hair - $?R. Also spelled somewhat differently, they
are pronounced very similarly.

Similar double meanings are played out Eden. The serpent
was crafty ? ?RWM and Adam and Eve were naked ? ?RWM. It
was the serpents craftiness that exposed Adam and Eve?s
nakedness. Once more, the ambiguity in the un-pointed text
and a very slight difference in pronunciation, is used to
make a point.


Jack Tladatsi




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