Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Harold Holmyard <hholmyard AT ont.com>]

Brett Casben wrote:

> B Hebrew,
> I have been working through the Song of Songs using Fox as a reference 
> complemented by the new Bloch translation. Recently I was referred to a 
> commentary by Carlos Suares which raises several questions in relation to the 
> actual translation of certain words in the original Hebrew which I would be 
> grateful of some assistance in resolving if possible.
>
>         1.   Suares translates the double dallet/yod as it appears in several 
> places through the text as being 'nipples' where it is is generally referred 
> to 'lovemaking' in other texts.
>  

It means "beloved": "my beloved one."

>         2.      The root sheen/mem somehow equates to name, essence, being 
> and the like and is varyingly interpreted in 1:3 as oils, your oils, your 
> essence, your name in its various parts but there doesn't seem any clear 
> analysis as to which means what. Any suggestions?
>  

There are two different words. $MN is "oil," and $M is "name."

>         3.      The word Turaq is interpreted in some cases as a name and 
> sometimes as a verb, 'to pour out' surely there must be a clearer indication 
> as to its meaning. Fox favours pour out but Suares states it as a name and 
> indicates it is the name of the person who is being addressed whereas 
> according to my enquiries it seems to be a place name. However it also crops 
> up in the original Hebrew tav waw raysh quof as an alternative spelling for 
> the Torah. Is this a possible interpretation, I mean, a reasonable meaning?

It is the verb "empty" in a passive form (Hophal) that means "poured out."

>         4.      Suares interprets the 'chamber' in  1:4 as specifically 
> referable to a place of religious study where almost all other commentators 
> have it as a bedroom. Any thoughts?
>  

It generally is an inner room and most often, if I remember, the bedroom.

>         5.      In 1:6 Suares has the opening word order changed and 
> translates Al as El extracting an interpretation 'toward God'. This is 
> obviously totally at variance with most other translations.
>  

It sounds wrong. That is a significant change since AL is a negative 
("not").

>         6.      Also in this verse the vineyard is varying interpreted as a 
> symbol of 'a full life' (Suares), sexual development, (Fox), isn't there some 
> more clear statement as to its imagery? Is this the same 'vineyard' referred 
> to in Hosea 2:15?
>  

It is not the same vineyard as in Hosea 2:15. The language there is 
figurative. Here it is an actual vineyard. However, at the end of the 
verse "her own vineyard" may be a way of figuratively describing her own 
body, whose skin she somewhat neglected in caring for the family vineyards.

>         7.      In 1:7 Suares has sheen lamed mem hay as Shalomah (phonetic) 
> not sallamah (lest/Fox) followed by aleph hay yod hay as it appears in 
> Genesis for 'I am' as Yahweh describes himself. This seems extraordinarily 
> divergent in meaning. Is there any support for the Suares interpretation or 
> is it considered completely out of field.
>  

I've never heard it. The phrase is a relative pronoun and the verb 
"love," with "my soul" as the subject: "whom my soul loves."

>         8.      Suares makes consistent use of tracking the root meaning to 
> extract the idiom and this throws up two consistent interpretations at 
> variance with the accepted translations. The first is ghimel dallet as it 
> appears in 1:9 et seq which he interprets from its root 'goat' to mean new 
> journey. How does this square off with his interpretation of ayn yod noun - 
> ghimel dallet yod as a reference to 'a vine no longer wanted'.

You seem to have the wrong verse. There is no "ghimel dallet" sequence 
in 1:9.

>  
> 	9.	The second is dallet ghimel 2:4 et seq which he interprets from its root 'first borne of the sea' to mean a fish. In this regard can I also refer you to Ruth 3:9 where the same root word seems to appear and ask if this is the same referent.
>  

HH: The word probably means "banner." His banner over her is love. The 
same root does not occur in Ruth 3:9. Here's a lexical definition of it:

: I d≈g≈ll; MHb.2; Akk. diglu eyesight, view (what is looked at) 
(Volterra AANL 1963:131ff, ˘ ZAW 76:202); i) banner, (cf. Arb. ra}yat 
from r}y to see), and ii) “row of flags”, army, EgArm. (DISO 55), Eg. 
dgr, dgryr (Burchardt 1197f = (}l)d≈g≈ll; :: alt. Arb. dajjaœlat, large 
crowd, Tigr. Wb. 541b dagal crowd): = d≈ig≈lo®, d≈ig≈le®hem: —1. 
banners, standards (BRL 160ff; Reicke-R. 194; BA 20:43f) Nu 152 and 22 
(|| }oœt◊oœt◊); —2. division of a tribe (d≈e mahΩ∞ne®h) Nu 
2310.17f.25.31.34 1014.18.22.25; —3. sign (?) of an inn ?, Song 24 (˘ 
Gesenius-B., Rudolph:. Zolli Bibl. 21:273f: look, cf. diglu v.s.)

>         10.     In 2:7 et seq Suares rejects the interpretation Jerusalem 
> insisting that it omits the customary yod in favour of 'peaceful city' which 
> maybe all Jerusalem is anyway (although it has hardly ever been that, eh?).
>  

This is the standard form for the name "Jerusalem," occurring regularly.

>         10A. In 2:9 the word commonly translated as 'gazelle' Suares 
> identifies by its root as 'substance/thickness' and that for young stag as 
> 'dust'. Are you able to assist as to whether there is support for either of 
> these translations?
>  

I don't know and don't care. The word here is "gazelle."

>         11.     In 4:3 Suares translates kaf hhayt waw tayt as sin and hay 
> sheen noun yod as dull or foolish which stands rather at odds with the 
> traditional interpretation. Again is their any other support for this 
> interpretation?
>  

Since you seem relatively unfamiliar with Hebrew, let me say that Suares 
is probably not a commentary you should be using. I have not used it, 
but the man seems to play around with words in a way that is not helpful 
for a relative newcomer to biblical hebrew.

>         12.     Suares also identifies the word as it appears in 6:6 as hay 
> mem waw raysh as derivative of mem waw raysh, to exchange not, as most often 
> translated as myrrh which he points out is elsewhere identified in the Song 
> as mem raysh without the interposed waw. If this is the case is the 
> construction the same as that appearing in Hosea 4:13?
>         13.     Suares identifies the season in 2:11 as autumn rather than 
> spring as ayn bayt raysh he translates as 'prepare, rather than 'past'. Any 
> comments?
>         14.     In 2:13 Suares states that the fig tree is a 'well known 
> symbol' but omits to tell us precisely for what, is it new life, is it the 
> productive spirit, is it faithfulness, what?
>         15.     In 4:1 Suares translates sheen ayn raysh khaf as price, value 
> or measure. This is a long way away from the standard translation. Any 
> support for this?
>         16.     In 4:5 Suares translates the word usually interpreted as 
> breasts, sheen dallet yod khaf, as a reference to 'the Almighty' Elohim. Now 
> there is a leap I wouldn't want to make alone. Any help there?
>         17.     In 5:1 yod ayn raysh yod - dallet bayt sheen is translated in 
> Bloch as 'my honeycomb with my honey' whereas Suares gived the first word the 
> meaning of either 'forest' or 'wilderness' and the second as a 'spoilt 
> fermentation'.
> I realise there is an awful lot to lay on you however if some of the issues 
> could be addressed that would be very much appreciated.
>  

Yours,
Harold Holmyard