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  • From: Awohili AT aol.com
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Daniel 6:27 (time indefinite) II
  • Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2005 11:24:51 EST


That may be so, Harold, for an English text written by an English speaker.
But the English Bible is a translation of a Hebrew text, so we also have to
consider what "olam" meant to the Hebrew writers of the text.

Thus, it matters whether the Hebrew writers had in mind "eternity" as
Westernized English speakers understand it, or something else. And if in
the Bible
it signifies "eternity" some times, did its Hebrew writers always use the
term "olam" of things "eternal"? And if not, what did "olam" mean in those
instances?

"I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was
about me for ever [l'olam]: yet hast thou brought up my life from
corruption,
O LORD my God." -- Jonah 2:6 KJV

In this occurrence, "forever" lasted for only three days.

Solomon Landers

In a message dated 11/14/2005 7:36:58 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,
hholmyard AT ont.com writes:

That may be so, but when a reader comes to a text,
he does not come to the concept of "eternity." He only comes to the
text. If he reads that such-and-such will last for "an indefinite
time," that does not spark in the mind the concept of "eternity." The
phrase is too vague and could mean five minutes. This is why
translation cannot use a single term for many words, since words have
more than one signification.

Yours,
Harold Holmyard








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