Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peter AT qaya.org>]

On 10/04/2006 12:57, Karl Randolph wrote:
> Jack:
>
> The more I get into lexicography, the more I 
> realize that there are many words, particularly 
> among those used fewer than five times in Tanakh, 
> that are largely unknown as to their meanings. This 
> is especially true of animal names, even as early 
> as LXX, many animals that were extent when Tanakh 
> was written were no longer found in Israel. I 
> listed the case of NMR where published dictionaries 
> were unanimous in claiming that it means "leopard", 
> however in Jeremiah 13:23 it is mentioned as having 
> stripes. Are there any leopards that have stripes? 
> I have never heard of any.
>
>   
But are the lexica unanimous that XBRBRH in this verse means "stripes" 
rather than "spots"? I think not. Translations are certainly not 
unanimous, for several, including KJV, have "Can... the leopard change 
its spots?" or similar. This is another word which appears only once in 
the Hebrew Bible.

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/