Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Vadim Cherny" <VadimCherny AT mail.ru>]

Sure. But notice the pattern correctly, not only in part: hih l is not 
"something became something else," but "something became similar to (as) 
something else." This is well established, sure, the comparative sense, 
consistent with dative (lit., 'similar to whom').
If a pile of dust was made a living soul, then the notion "similar to" is 
inapplicable. Through patent magic, the dust actually became a living being, 
not similar to it. A plausible way of reading "similar to" into the phrase 
is that the man who was 'similar to dead" from draught became 'similar to 
living' when taken to Eden.

> Sorry for jumping in so late in the convo, but it seems to me that no one 
> is ignoring the preposition here.  What I find is that whenever you have 
> HAYAH + L: = Become.
>
> If you look at any of the examples given by Michael Abernathy, I think you 
> will discover the pattern.
>
> Exodus 4:3 WAY:HIY L:NAXA$ = and it became a serpent.

No! The rod became like a serpent, not actually a serpent. No magic here.

> Joshua 7:5 WAY:HIY L:MAYIM = and the heart of the people became water.

Like water, of course

> Judges 1:33  WB"YT `A:NAT HAYW LAHEM LAMAS =  and Beth Anath became forced 
> labor for them.

like slaves, not actually slaves

> Ruth 4:13 VAYYIQAX BO`AZ ET RWT VATT:HIY-LW = and Boaz took Ruth and she 
> became to him.

you know, she did not actually become his wife

> So, I don't think anyone is ignoring anything, just noticing a pattern. 
> That HAYAH + L: = Become.