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  • From: <tladatsi AT charter.net>
  • To: <kwrandolph AT email.com>, <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] Human Sacrifice
  • Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 1:23:18 -0400

Karl,

If you asking about the semantic domain of XRM, it must
understood within the context of how sacrifice occurs. The
offering is dismembered and burnt. The offering is killed
(MWT), mutilated, and nothing is left. The core concept of
this domain is destruction. The borders of this domain
include destruction for sacrifice and destruction for
military reasons (as occurs frequently in Joshua, Judges,
and 1st Samuel) or destruction for other reasons (Isa
11:15).

However, if you interested in the concept of human
sacrifice outside of the lexical domain of XRM, you can
look at 2 Sam 21. This is clearest example of human
sacrifice I can think of. Briefly, Yahweh brings a
terrible famine upon Israel for three years. When David
asks Yahweh why and Yahweh replies that it is on account of
Saul?s (who is dead by this time) attempted genocide of the
Gibeonites. David turns over seven male descendents (sons
and grandsons) to the Gibeonites who kill (MWT) them. God
finds this action satisfactory and ends the famine (hmlk
vy?tr ?lhym l?rts ?xry kn - Elohim answering the prayers of
the kng for the land after that)


Jack Tladatsi




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