Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Moshe Shulman <mshulman AT ix.netcom.com>]

At 06:38 PM 9/28/2006, you wrote:
> On 28/09/2006 23:11, Moshe Shulman wrote:
> > ...
> > Harold, words mean something. KRU cannot be distorted to mean 
> > pierced, when it means to dig (a hole). A truck is not a 
> > wheelbarrow even though both have four wheels.
> Can you give evidence from biblical Hebrew of:
> 1) The sizes of hole,
> 2) The kinds of material in which the hole is made,
> 3) The kinds of instrument used for making the hole

No, nor are they really relevant (as I am sure you know.)

> which could NOT be referred to with this verb? After all, that is 
> the only way that you can prove what it does NOT mean.

Actually that is not true. First my contention is that the whole 
issue stems from an elongated yud which looked like a vov, and the 
difficulty of the verse itself. (I think a strategically placed 'et' 
would have solved all problems here, although it's being lacking is 
not so uncommon.)  Second we do see how it is used in the cases other 
then this one.  I suggest looking in the Even Shoshan Concordance for 
it's usages.

> In modern English (at least in my understanding) "dig" can be used 
> of any size of hole in any material, but the instrument used must be 
> something more like a spade than a spear, stake or drill. But that 
> semantic distinction is valid only in the one language. Maybe modern 
> Hebrew has similar its own precise semantic distinctions for this 
> word. But the distinctions in biblical Hebrew may be quite 
> significantly different from those in modern Hebrew, as can be 
> demonstrated with many words which have subtly changed their meanings.

I cannot comment on modern Hebrew as I do not know that language.

> By the way, I have never seen a four wheeled wheelbarrow!

Both are things used to carry objects from one place to another. (I 
think it was one of the IQ questions <G> )


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