Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peter AT qaya.org>]

On 11/04/2006 02:42, Karl Randolph wrote:
> Peter:
>
> Quite frankly, I have not checked what the other 
> dictionaries say about XBRBRH. That it is from 
> the same root as XBRH using a regular derivation 
> pattern indicates that it is unlikely to have a 
> significantly different meaning, as "spot" would 
> be.
>
> The usual word for "spot" is NQDH, though BRD is 
> also used for speckled.
>
> I have found that some dictionaries follow old 
> translations rather than admit that the older 
> translation may have been wrong. Especially if 
> the older translation has become somewhat hallowed 
> by ancient practice, as the KJV.
>
>   
I take your point, Karl, but I really think you should research XBRBRH 
properly before trying to explain the relatively clear (NMR) by means of 
the far more obscure (XBRBRH). There are good reasons for thinking that 
NMR was a leopard. It certainly wasn't a tiger, which has never lived in 
the land of Israel. But it might have been a cheetah, which was of 
course striped, as sometimes suggested for Habakkuk 1:8 as cheetahs were 
used for hunting; indeed "hunting leopard" is another name for the 
cheetah, see http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/c/cheetah.asp.

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